Olympic champion Hughes goes for academic gold at Penn

FILE - This Oct. 29, 2013, file photo shows U.S. figure skater Sarah Hughes during a taping of NBC's Today Show Celebrates 100 Days To Sochi Olympics in New York. Sarah Hughes put her skating career on ice to pursue a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP, File) FILE - This Oct. 29, 2013, file photo shows U.S. figure skater Sarah Hughes during a taping of NBC's Today Show Celebrates 100 Days To Sochi Olympics in New York. Sarah Hughes put her skating career on ice to pursue a law degree at the University of Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP, File)

By Associated Press December 15, 2015 4 min read

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The verdict was in: Sarah Hughes needed a study break from final exams.

Her recess wasn’t the typical stop at a coffee house or even a drink at the bar; Hughes instead slipped into a fringed BCBG pastel dress for a night out at a USOC event in a fashion style that reminded her of the days she was the darling of Olympic figure skating.

“I’m kind of glad I did well in the Olympics because this is now a fun night out from law school and studying,” she said, smiling.

Hughes has put her skates on ice for now and is pursuing a degree at the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Hughes, who started figure skating at 3 and won a gold medal the Olympics at 16, said she was always wanted to attend law school and fell in love with Penn during a visit.