Ricky Griffin - Men's Soccer
Carnegie Mellon men’s soccer captain Ricky Griffin was named UAA Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season last week. The business administration major has 18 goals and nine assists this season and has led the Tartans to the sectionals of the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.
Coming to Carnegie Mellon I had very little idea what to expect
from athletics, academics and college life in general. I came in
without much expectation and was fortunate enough to spend
practically my entire first week with the soccer team. The first
couple of days were pretty intimidating being a little freshman
playing against experienced upperclassmen as well as a large
freshmen class all competing for spots on the team. The mindset of
everyone else and Carnegie Mellon in general was quickly made clear
to me as everyone was driven to work hard and succeed. This turned
out to be an incredible atmosphere for me to thrive in. I came in
with a simple goal of making the team and now find myself a
four-year starter and captain of a team going to the Sweet 16 of
the NCAA tournament.
My four years as a student-athlete have brought some great
experiences and memories. I still remember the shock of the
intensity of the first UAA game we had in Chicago. It was a
90-minute battle interrupted by a 30-minute thunderstorm that ended
with a sweet 1-0 victory. That was only the start of what proved to
be a long four years of incredible experiences both on and off the
field.
Although the situations provided by a world-class institution were
tremendous, the most important part in my development has been the
exposure to the faculty, coaches and teammates around me. Everyone
around me has not only been encouraging, but also driven to succeed
in every aspect of life. This drive especially among colleagues has
led to a competitive environment that has allowed all of us to
thrive. Now as seniors we are about to end our careers as
student-athletes as UAA champions with the opportunity to go deep
in the NCAA tournament. The friends I have made throughout these
four years have made me the person I am today and I am thankful to
have shared all of our successes together.
It is not easy being a student-athlete at Carnegie Mellon with the
intense school work combined with long travel and intense
preparation for games. However, it helps to have passionate,
enjoyable people to experience everything with you and I could not
be happier with my life as a Tartan.