Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Angelina Broomfield (Girls' Volleyball)

 

In Middle School, current Blue Devil standout volleyball player Angelina

Broomfield was introduced to the sport and has benefitted in a variety of

ways ever since.

“Playing this sport has improved my time management, leadership skills, communication, and helped me become an overall more well-rounded person,” Angelina said.  “Being a part of the volleyball team at LHS has kept me motivated in my in-school and out-of-school life as well as provide many great opportunities for me.”

That motivation has paid off.  Angelina will attend UMass-Amherst in the fall where she plans on studying Biology.  Her big picture goals include a Pre-Med track that will eventually lead to Medical School.  

LHS girls’ volleyball coach John Antonetti said Angie’s success both on and off the court has a lot to do with her outlook.

“Angie has the most positive attitude of any athlete I have ever coached,” Antonetti said.  “She never gets down on herself or teammates and is always looking to improve on her fundamentals.  She's always willing to help out wherever needed.”

Angelina said she credits her coach with helping her stay in the moment.

“Coach Antonetti has helped me with keeping my mental state calm during games, an easily brushed over but crucial aspect of the sport,” Angelina said.  “This has greatly improved my skill during my time on the varsity team.”

At LHS, Angelina said her favorite class was an independent study where she was able to create her own curriculum, which Angelina did on women in sports.  

“This class dissected the Title lX (9) law which allowed for equality for women in sports,” Angelina said.  

“JV Volleyball coach and health teacher Ms. Comeau has been a huge role model during my high school career,” Angelina added.  “She is a talented coach who guided me during my time on the JV volleyball team as well as encouraged me during school and continues to do so.” 

Outside of school, Angelina works her family’s business and enjoys assistant coach during the off-season.  In her free time, she plays both the piano and the guitar.  

Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Edward Siaw (Boys' Indoor Track)

 

Senior indoor track runner Edward Siaw started running during his freshman year of high

school.  The lifelong Leominster resident said he had always loved running, and was also

inspired by his sister Julian, a four-year track athlete and a 2018 LHS graduate.  

Edward said he has come to truly appreciate the sport and everything it has to offer.  

“The community at other schools, even at higher levels of competition is always welcoming and supportive,” Edward said.  “I have so many track friends outside of Leominster and I'm thankful to say so.”

Boys’ indoor track coach Cathy Harris, who also coaches the outdoor track team, said she is excited to see Edward back in action after the cancellation of the outdoor season last year due to the pandemic.  

“He is a senior and has worked hard all four years,” Harris said.  “He’s a very talented runner and has proven that he has the ability to get the job done.”

Edward said he has learned a lot about being humble from his coach.

“At the end of the day the only person you are chasing is you,” Edward said.  “My coach always reminds me how important it is for me to focus on improving my own personal records and to not levy my athletic value to that of others.” 

Edward said he has enjoyed being a part of the LHS track program for the past four years.  

“The teams here at LHS always have a competitive edge which drives every athlete I know to be better at what they do,” Edward said.  “This is one of the biggest things that personally keeps me going and working hard.”

Edward is the Senior Class Vice President, a member of National Honor Society, and also is involved in Student Council.  

Edward said his favorite class at LHS was Theatre Arts.

“A great class where I became introduced to everything that makes performance so great,” Edward said.  

Edward said he had two favorite teachers.  

“An easy tie between Mr. Oxford and Mr. Noviello as my favorite teacher,” Edward said.  “Two great teachers who enjoy their jobs day-in and day-out who both demonstrate passion for teaching students.”

Outside of school, Edward enjoys coding.  

“I think it’s a great thing everyone should learn considering how there is so much easy access to resources which are free,” Edward said. 

Edward plans on studying Mechanical Engineering at a four-year university next fall, and hopes to continue running as well.   

Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: Maria Spylios '19 (UMass Boston Women's Soccer)

Photo courtesy of UMass-Boston Athletics 

2019 Leominster High graduate Maria Spylios wasted no time during her freshman year with the UMass Boston women’s soccer team.  Spylios started all 22 games for the Beacons during her first season on campus in the fall of 2019, posting an 18-3-1 record and a program record 13 shutouts.  

Her stellar play earned her Little East Conference Second Team honors as one of the best goalies in the conference, where she led the league in minutes played, goals against (15), goals against average (0.69), shutouts (13) and total wins (18).  Those 18 wins are also a program record.  

Spylios was named the LEC Goalie of the Week on September 23, November 4 and November 13 and Rookie of the Week on October 15.  She also led the Beacons to a pair of shutouts in the LEC Tournament and went into the NCAA Tournament riding a 390-minute scoreless streak.

Looking back at her freshman year, Spylios said her teammates helped her adjust to college soccer.  

“When we first started off my freshman year, just getting to know all the girls was great,” Spylios said.  “They really made me feel welcome and part of the team and that made it easy to transition and they were all in front of me.”

“We had a pretty strong defense in front of us and I know I didn’t face that many shots during the games but the ones that I did face I saved for the most part,” Spylios added.

Spylios’ second season on campus was wiped out due to the pandemic, but all signs are pointing towards a full season this fall.

Spylios played two seasons of soccer at LHS, where she played forward to work on her foot skills.  She even scored a goal in first varsity soccer game during her sophomore year.

Spylios also played club soccer with F.C. Stars, where she worked hard to improve her skills in goal, a position she started playing when she was 10 years old when her Leominster Youth Soccer coach Marty Castles first put Spylios in goal.  Since then, Spylios has developed a true passion for the position.

“I love the thrill and the adrenaline rush that comes along with the feeling of making a save,” Spylios said.  “Right after making a save, the feeling of getting up and that rush is great.  Also the feeling of just winning a game, winning a big game, and having all your teammates come running at you, that’s great too.”

Spylios said her time at Leominster High was a great experience in terms of preparing for college.

“Leominster High School definitely prepared me for college,” Spylios said.  “I definitely had to work on my time management skills throughout high school, especially during my junior and senior years, because that’s when everything got more serious.  It was nice for me because I had my mom with me all four years at the high school and I learned a lot from all of my teachers.”

Among Spylios’ favorite teachers/administrators at LHS were of course her mom, as well as Mr. Freel, Mr. Barnaby, Ms. Daniello, Mr. Grutchfield, Ms. Montaruli, and Dr. Dubzinski. 

Spylios is currently majoring in Sports Leadership and Administration and is considering adding a minor in Economics.  She said she started out on a completely different academic path.

“Don’t stress out too much about what you want to do in the long run because when I went to UMass Boston I started out in Criminology,” Spylios said.  “Then I switched to undecided right after the first semester and I really had no idea what I wanted to do but eventually something will click for you and you’ll know.”

As for playing a sport at the college level, Spylios said it’s definitely a step up.

“You definitely have to put a lot of work in,” Spylios said.  “Comparing college soccer to high school soccer, it’s a lot more time.  We are in the weight room almost every day and we’re out on the field almost every single day in the fall for two hours.  We have about a month off in the winter and then right when spring comes around, we’re right back in the weight room training for next season.”

 

 

 

 

Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Bridget O'Malley (Girls' Indoor Track)

 

For junior indoor track runner Bridget O’Malley, running is something she has done since she was just six years old.  

“I got introduced to the sport through my family,” Bridget said.  “I started running road races out in Springfield which is where my mom was from.  She ran the races when she was a kid and she introduced running to me where she grew up.  I started running long distance first and ran that all the way through middle school and once I got to high school I was introduced to mid distance.”

Bridget said she loves the adrenaline rush she gets from running.

“I like the satisfaction I get when finishing a race and doing well,” Bridget said. 

Blue Devil girls’ indoor track coach Karen Marino said Bridget is a valuable member of the team.

“The thing that makes Bridget so valuable is her great training ethic and example she sets for all her teammates,” Marino said.  “She is an excellent utility runner that I can use anywhere in a track meet and she will be successful.  Bridget never complains and gives her all into whatever she is running.”

Bridget said being a part of the LHS track team is one she enjoys because of the camaraderie.

“Everyone is always pushing each other to do their best,” Bridget said.  “Some great memories had been made at practice and at meets.”

Bridget also said she has learned a lot from coach Marino during her time running at LHS.

“I have learned from my head coach to just continue to push myself and work hard to reach my goals,” Bridget said.  “Every bit of advice that I have been given by her has helped me improve on the track as well as mentally off the track.  Her coaching has helped me so much and allowed me to reach the skill level I am at now.” 

Other than indoor track, Bridget also plays soccer and lacrosse at LHS.   She is a member of National Honor Society as well as Student Government and has enjoyed her AP Language class the most so far.

“My favorite class I have ever taken at LHS is A.P. Language and Composition,” Bridget said.  “The class is taught by Mr. Oxford who is an amazing teacher with a great sense of humor.” 

Outside of school, her hobbies include skiing during the winter and hiking during the summer. 

“I enjoy spending time with my family and friends especially outdoors,” Bridget added.  

  

 

Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Curnija Ludden (Cheerleading)

Four-year varsity cheerleader and current captain Curnija Ludden does it all for the Blue Devils.  Whether it’s in the classroom, in competition, or providing valuable leadership, Curnija is someone her varsity cheerleading coach Tracey Hartman has come to rely on.

“Curnija has shown unwavering commitment to Blue Devil pride,” Hartman said.  “As a four-year varsity cheerleader for football season and three-year varsity basketball season cheerleader - with  untraditional spring season ahead - she will be the only eight-season varsity cheerleader graduating this year.”  

 

“Curnija is respected by her teammates as she leads by example pushing herself to achieve new skills and supports her teammates to help them reach their potential,” Hartman added.  “She is a soft spoken leader but her messages hold tremendous weight.  She is an all around phenom on the completion mat being able to base the most difficult skills, perform elite tumbling skills, defy gravity while jumping, all while delivering the showmanship that captivates the crowd.”

 

Curnija started participating in cheer when was just five-years-old.

 

“My sister was a cheerleader and I would always see her,” Curnija said.  “I thought it was cool so I gave it a try and ended up really liking it.”

 

Curnija said she truly loves being involved with the sport.

 

“I think I like how you just be yourself during every practice and become more confident and see everyone around you supporting you to be your best,” Curnija said.  

 

Being a part of the Blue Devil program has also meant a lot to Curnija, even when things aren’t perfect.  

 

“I like most how we are a big family,” Curnija said.  “We get into arguments and have disagreements and have our ups and downs but we are always there for each other.   Most importantly we inspire each other to be better every practice.”  

 

Curnija said she has learned so much from coach Hartman.  

 

“I’ve learned many things from my coach, Mrs.Hartman, but I think one of the big things she has taught me is how to be a true leader,” Curnija said.  “She has taught me how to communicate.  I used to be really shy but cheer had always been a gateway but now I am always the way I am and she is always pushing me to be better and not be scared or shy and to be myself.”

 

“She taught me to lead with positivity, because how can one be a leader without positivity,” Curnija added.  “Obviously, there are times where you’re yelling and frustrated but that is genuinely because you know that the team is capable of so much more than what they are doing, but I always try to stay positive and make everyone around me feel that positivity and inspire from it.” 

 

Curnija said that in order to be a leader, she needed to learn to have confidence in herself, even when performing at large schools in front of big crowds.  

 

“I used to always just smile because I was so scared to mess up because I wasn’t that confident but slowly Mrs.Hartman and my other coaches would get me to a point and make me feel as if there were no reasons to be afraid and I became such a better cheerleader/competitor once I understood what they were truly saying,” Curnija said.  

 

“Overall, Tracey Hartman is the best coach I’ve ever had and I wouldn’t trade her for the world,” Curnija said.  “She has taught so much within these years of cheering and I will forever be grateful for her and the opportunity to be a cheerleader at LHS.”

 

After high school, Curnija plans to attend college and cheer while studying to become a veterinarian.

 

“I love all animals and it’s always been my dream since I was a child,” Curnija said.  

 

At LHS, Curnija said she has really enjoyed her English classes over the years.  

 

“My favorite class at LHS every year would have to be English, I don’t really know why but there is something about writing and reading that I find really interesting and I love to write,” Curnija said.  “So any of my English classes but if I had to pick just one I think I would say Junior English (Global Perspectives).  Even though we were not there for the whole year, my teacher, Mrs. Anderson was an amazing teacher and we read some of my now favorite books. 

 

“My favorite teachers would probably have to be Mrs.Anderson and Mrs.Burns,” Curnija added.  They are both phenomenal teachers and they genuinely care, and they both also welcome with open arms, and they always managed to put a smile on my face.  Their classes are what I looked forward to every time in school.”

 

Outside of school, Curnija recently found she enjoys painting.   

 

“A hobby started during COVID that I turned out to actually fall in love with is painting,” Curnija said.  “It’s actually very relaxing and helps time go by a little.  I have about 30 of them all hung around my room.”

 

As for what lies ahead, Hartman said she is excited to get back to something closer to normal after all that has happened over the past year.  

 

“As her coach I am grateful that we are able to salvage a small piece of normalcy for this exceptional athlete and the rest of this talented senior class of cheerleaders,” Hartman said.  “They have all had a significant impact on the program throughout their journey and together will have one last Hoorah!” 

Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Kyle and Jack Philbin (Football)

Ever since the second grade, twin brothers Kyle and Jack Philbin have played football together.  That will all change in the fall when Kyle heads off to Brown University and Jack relocates to Waltham where he will attend Bentley University, where they will both play football.  

The Blue Devils start their delayed season on Friday when they head to Shepherd Hill.  Kyle said he is looking forward to playing one more season with his brother.

“Jack is my best friend and the person that I am closest with, so being able to play football with him has been amazing,” Kyle said.  “Over time, I have developed a sense for how he plays and how he will react to certain situations on the field.  He's always there to stick up for me, celebrate with me, give me advice, and talk with me about the game, as I'm always there to do the same for him.”

Kyle also said having his brother literally behind him on the football field is a reassuring feeling.  

“Since I'm on the defensive line and he's a linebacker, I don't worry too much if the ball gets by me because I know that he'll be right there,” Kyle said.  “Being able to play with my twin is special because I know that he will always be there for me, on and off the field.”

Jack said the feeling of playing with his brother is mutual.  

“Being able to play with each other has been a great experience,” Jack said.  “It’s something that we both love doing and it makes it even better that we get to do it together.”

As for this being the final season together, Kyle said he is really trying to embrace the moment.

“I have appreciated playing with him at LHS a lot more than in previous years because I know that it will most likely be the last time that we'll share the same football field,” Kyle said.  “It will be hard not being on the same team because I will never have the same connection with another teammate that I have with him, and he was always there for me no matter what happened.”

Leominster head football coach Devin Gates said the Blue Devils are extremely lucky to have Jack and Kyle Philbin in the academic and athletic community at LHS.  

“Both of them truly exemplify what it means to be a student-athlete while also being strong of character,” Gates said.  “They do everything right, athletically, academically, and socially.  Athletically, they are highly skilled players at their positions.  They worked hard to get to this point and now they are seeing that pay off.”

Gates said what the Philbin’s have done in the classroom is just as impressive. 

“Academically, they have thrived at Leominster High School,” Gates said.  “They have probably taken every one of Leominster High's 19 AP/Honors classes, and those courses and teachers have prepared them to take on the high academic standards at both Brown and Bentley.  They have shown that Leominster's quality of education and athletics can lead you to some of the most competitive and prestigious universities in the country.”

Gates also spoke highly of both Kyle and Jack in terms of their overall character.  

“Socially, they are a pleasure to be around,” Gates said.  “They are a positive influence on the Blue Devil community and are always willing to help others.  Off the field they have helped at numerous community service opportunities.  They are just solid, well-rounded young men.”  

“They, along with the third senior captain, JC Cora, have provided the leadership to move this team forward, to make the other players want to play for each other and not to let anyone down,” Gates added.  “The Leominster High community is lucky to have them, and we are proud of them, along with all the other seniors who have followed suit and put school, family, and the team at the top of their priority lists.”

The Philbin twins were introduced to football by their grandfather, who played football his whole life including playing at Leominster High.  Kyle said his grandfather was an inspiration to play football himself.  Kyle said one of the things he has grown to love about the sport is the importance of working as a team.  

“You can have a star player on your team, but if everyone else on the team isn't doing their job then you won't be successful,” Kyle said. “I also love the brotherhood that I form with my teammates each year.  When we are on the field we are a family, and it is shown through the success that we have.”

“I like how everyone has to work together to make everything run smoothly,” Jack added.  

Kyle also said being a part of the Leominster football community has been special.  

“The thing that I like most about being part of the team at LHS is the family atmosphere that it provides with my teammates and coaches, because everyone truly cares about each other,” Kyle said.  “I also love how connected the team is with the community of Leominster.”

Kyle and Jack also said they have learned a lot in their time playing for coach Gates.  

“I’ve learned that it is very important to focus on perfecting the little things,” Jack said.

“In the past two football seasons at LHS, I have learned a lot from coach Gates,” Kyle added.  “Some of the things that I have learned from coach Gates include how important it is for everything to be done the correct way, and at 100%.  This is applied in my life outside of football as well because I've pushed myself to do things at the best of my ability, whether it be school work, lifting, and even working. There is no point in not doing things to the best of your ability because the results will not be acceptable, so everything should be done with 100% effort.”

Jack plans on studying Actuarial Science at Bentley while Kyle is still undecided, although he has narrowed it down a bit.  

“I am planning on going into college undecided so that I can explore the different majors at first, but I have an Idea of what I would like to do,” Kyle said.  “I want to still be involved with athletes when I'm older, but in a way that I help them recover and get stronger.  Many of the different topics that I see myself studying are Pre-Med, Exercise Science,  Kinesiology, or Sports Medicine.”   

As for their time at LHS, both have enjoyed their experiences.

Both Jack and Kyle also play lacrosse, and are part of Best Buddies and National Honor Society.  Jack said his favorite class was World Studies with Mr. Robichaud.  Kyle said his favorite class was also World Studies, but with Mrs. Fields, who also happens to be Kyle’s favorite teacher at LHS.  

Outside of school, Kyle enjoys other sports, volunteering in the community, and hanging out with friends.  Jack too enjoys hanging out with friends while also playing video games.  

As for adjusting to life without each other next year, Kyle said it will take some getting used to.

“Going to different colleges and playing on separate teams will be a difficult adjustment, but I look forward to seeing (Jack) succeed on the field, and in whatever profession he chooses to pursue,” Kyle said.  

Blue Devil Alumni Spotlight: Noah Gray '17 (Duke University)

Photo Courtesy of Duke University / GoDuke.com

For former Leominster Blue Devil standout football player Noah Gray, staying in the present has always served him well.  Gray, who ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Kr. projects as a potential middle round draft pick, is coming off a stellar four-year career at Duke.  For his career, Gray, who played tight end for the Duke Blue Devils, caught 105 balls for 948 yards and eight touchdowns.   

Gray said keeping things in the present has been the key to his success.    

“I guess for me in my mindset, it was always focus on the now and being here in the present,” Gray said.  “I think if during my junior season, I started thinking about the NFL and the next step, instead of playing against Boston College the next week, that would have affected how I played.”

Gray said it wasn’t until after his senior season ended that he began to think about the NFL and playing on Sunday afternoons.  

“I think as soon as this season was over, that’s when I kind of digested everything and was like, I think I’ve had a good enough career to say that playing football a little bit longer was in the realm of possibility,” Gray said.  “I talked with my coaches and other mentors and they kind of guided me through the next steps and I love football.  I’ve been playing it since I was six years old, tackle football that is, and it’s something that has always been something in my blood.  I’ve never missed a year and it’s just been so much fun to me, and to play it at the next level and playing for as long as I possibly can is something that I am really interested in doing.”

Gray was born in Laconia, NH and after a couple stops including a year in Leominster, Gray and his family settled in Gardner.  Gray played youth football all around Central Mass. including Marlboro, Gardner, Leominster and the AYF Nashoba program.  

But when it came time to go to high school, Gray said Leominster High had a great appeal for a variety of reasons.  

“If I’m being completely honest, it was kind of a mixture of a really historic football program and other factors,” Gray said.  “When I showed up to Leominster, I got to meet Steve Dubzinski for the first time and he kind of made it seem like it was a big family at LHS with the sports culture.  And I had a lot of friends from when I played Leominster Pop Warner and youth basketball, which got me connected with some of those Leominster guys like (Anthony Dandini).”

Academics also played a role.  

“And in terms of academics, I thought Leominster would be a good fit for me,” Gray added.  “I thought it was a very diverse teaching core there with a lot of different classes that I could take and participate in that would eventually help me down the road.  And that was correct because I met some great teachers and faculty at Leominster High School and I was so fortunate to have had them and I wouldn’t go back and change a thing.  It was nice to be involved in the Leominster community even though I lived in Gardner.”  

Gray admitted his academic start at LHS wasn’t as clean as he would have liked, but a stern conversation with Mrs. Blanchflower, whose son Rob was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2014, made quite the impression.  

“My freshman year I was in class with Mrs. Blanchflower, Spanish 1, and I had never taken Spanish before, and I was kind of like a class clown,” Gray said.  “I thought I was funny, I thought classes didn’t really matter all that much.  And with Mrs. Blanchflower, it got to a point where she realized clearly I didn’t care and she told me I needed to stay after class and she needed to talk to me.  So I stayed after class and I walk in, cocky and high on life, the best thing that ever happened, the best thing that got put on Earth, and she goes off on me.”

Gray said Blanchflower didn’t mince words.  

“I’ve had a son who has been through this so I understand what it takes and I understand that you are a good football player but it’s not going to mean anything if you don’t do the little things right,” Gray said recalling Blancflower’s words of wisdom.  “You just can’t come into class and act like you don’t care about this.”

Gray said that was a major turning point for him.  

“That lesson, to do the little things right and how that was connected to all my bigger goals in the future wasn’t going to come through if I didn’t change,” Gray said.  “I told this story to (Duke head football coach David Cutcliffe) when he was recruiting me.  I only spent a year with Mrs. Blanchflower and we may not have talked every day, but that kind of lesson outside of school, those kinds of lessons that I learned throughout my four years at LHS from the teachers and faculty, those are what resonate with me for the rest of my life and I’m forever grateful.  Those people guided me, taught me some lessons, and allowed me to go to Duke with a better mindset about the whole process.”

Gray entered LHS as a wide receiver, catching balls thrown by Neil O’Connor.  For his sophomore season, Gray moved to quarterback.  

“I played a bunch of different positions and coach Palazzi felt that would be a good fit for me and I wanted to help the team as much as possible,” Gray said.  “My entire football career, I’ve always been a team player and I wanted to do what it takes to benefit the team and playing quarterback was going to do that.”

For Gray’s senior season, coach Palazzi came to Gray once again with a position change in mind.  

“My senior year, coach Palazzi came to me and said I know you’ve been to camps as a tight end, I know that’s what you are going to Duke at, maybe it’s best for the team if you kind of move over to tight end,” Gray said.  “And ultimately he was right.  So halfway through my senior year, coach put Pat Gallagher in at QB, and he has a hell of a rest of the year, and it benefitted the team overall.”

Gray said it was a tough transition, but one that was worthwhile.  

“It was definitely difficult, I mean I had never blocked anybody in my life,” Gray said.  “I had to do those extra drills to get myself in the right kind of shape but I’m grateful for it.  That second half of my senior year at Leominster kind of prepared me a little bit for what I was going to have to experience at Duke.  Getting that early transition, getting comfortable catching passes, running routes, learning how to run block from coach Murph, some of those things did translate when I got to Duke and I was able to build upon that.”

“Obviously it was very difficult because at the collegiate Division 1 level, those guys are extremely big, extremely fast, and extremely smart and you need to be able to play without even thinking,” Gray added.  “So all that came with time and preparation.  But the foundation at LHS with some really good coaches helped me translate it over to the next level.”

Gray said that work that he put in is the foundation for anyone looking to play football after high school.    

“If you want to play football at the next level, you really need to keep your head down and work as hard as possible,” Gray said.  “It doesn’t really matter what level, Division 1, 2, or 3.  I’ve talked to a lot of different friends of mine who played at every single level possible, whether that’s the NFL, CFL, all levels of college.  One constant thing is that the amount of attention to detail that you have to have, the amount of preparation you need is crucial.”

Every day is long when you get to college, especially if you are playing college sports,” Gray added.  “It doesn’t matter the level that you are at.  You’ve got to wake up early in the morning, go to class all day and practice at night, or the opposite.  You’ve got to do homework, study for upcoming tests and quizzes you’ve got to take, and then after that, you’ve got to go do your filmwork, look at the upcoming opponent.  You are constantly getting better and you’ve got to do extra work beyond what the expectations are.  It’s just that preparation, keeping your head down and working as hard as possible, and not letting other things distract you.  That’s going to lead to a more success career, a more fun career, and a more accomplished career.”

As for the student part of Duke, Gray, who earned his Political Science degree back in December, said it was an enormous challenge.  

“I knew coming in it was going to be a lot harder than I had previously dealt with,” Gray said.  “Fortunately for me being part of the football program, we had academic advisers there that laid out the foundation for us throughout the next four years.  I was able to sit down with them and lay out what it was going to take to be as successful as possible.  I also had tutors, I had mentors, I had people that had gone through it and were able to talk to me about the things I needed to be doing in order to stay on top of my academics but also play football.”

Gray said getting through Statistics was a unique challenge that he overcame.  

“There were a lot of classes that were hard,” Gray said.  “Statistics is hard in high school, and I never took it in high school, but when I got to Duke, it was something that I had to take for my major.  I had to put a lot of time and effort into and I had a tutor basically every single day, and after the tutoring session, I had to go home and do a lot of extra work on my own for me to prepare for class the next day.”

Gray said that work ethic goes both ways.  

“It’s the same thing as on the football side,” Gray said.  “You just need to attack everything, make sure you are doing your assignments on time, making sure you have a clear-cut schedule with clear-cut deadlines, that’s all going to help you out.”

Gray also said once he realized he couldn’t do it all on his own, he started to see improvements with his grades.  

“Never be afraid to ask for help,” Gray added.  “For me, my freshman year, I had a horrible GPA sitting at about a 2.7.  After my freshman year, I was like, what am I doing here, what am I doing wrong.  And I didn’t ask enough questions, I didn’t go to my teachers enough for help or ask my academic coordinators for mentors.  Constantly asking questions, looking to other people, that’s what’s going to help you be successful in college.”

“You’re really not going to get through college sitting in your room, by yourself, and not asking any questions,” Gray added.  “Group work, being involved in a community with the common goal of being successful academically, that’s what got me through Duke and thankfully I got my GPA up to a 3.2.  It’s a big credit to everybody that I was able to surround myself with because once you go to college, you are going to be around some incredible people who will change your life forever.”

Gray is currently in Fort Lauderdale, FL at XPE Sports working out preparing for his Pro Day back at Duke on March 29th.    

“It’s seven days a week where I am constantly doing something,” Gray said.  “Whether that is speed work or strength work or prep work for your interviews.  Just trying to stay on top of all things football and making sure your body is going to hit peak performance by the time I hit my Pro Day on March 29th.  

After that, Gray will wait to see if his name is called when the NFL Draft starts on April 29th.  Gray said he will keep that weekend low key.

“I’m just going to hang out with my family, have some grandparents come to the house barbeque and grill out and hang out,” Gray said.  “Nothing too crazy.  My family and I have shared a lot of great moments in my football history so getting my family together for this moment, whether I get drafted or go undrafted and get picked up by a team, regardless of the situation, it’s going to be extremely exciting and I’m very fortunate to be here and I’m so appreciative of my family and friends who have supported me throughout the way.”