Nov. 14, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
By Matt Allibone, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- The past two semesters have been a whirlwind for Brett Gravatt.
From switching schools, adjusting to new teammates and dealing with an injury, the Penn State men's soccer sophomore has certainly had his hands full since last spring.
Still, the 19-year-old believes his transition from Akron to Penn State has ultimately gone as well as possible.
"It went really smooth," Gravatt said. "The players welcomed me really well and the coaches have been really helpful and supportive."
A midfielder for the Nittany Lions, Gravatt has gotten the first two starts of his Penn State career the past two games. However, his rise from bench player to Division I starter hasn't been an easy one.
It all began last year, when the Dunn Loring, Virginia native realized he didn't want to spend the rest of his college career at Akron, where he had appeared in 11 of 22 games as a freshman.
After getting released from his scholarship, Gravatt spoke to his high school best friend, Nittany Lions backup goalie Evan Finney about potentially coming to Penn State. Finney got him in contact with head coach Bob Warming, who told Gravatt about the benefits of the university as a whole.
"I went to Akron for soccer but when I talked to coach Warming, he sold me on getting a great degree and being a part of another great program," Gravatt said. "He told me even if the soccer thing didn't work out, I'd still be getting a great education."
That was all it took to convince Gravatt that he belonged in blue and white. Still, the challenges didn't end there for the 6-foot-1 midfielder.
Looking to get accustomed to his new environment as quickly as possible, the former Zip showed up in State College early in the summer to begin training. Although things went well at first, the trouble began when he tore his meniscus.
Soon after the surgery was completed, doctors realized that his knee also contained a blood clot. The injury caused Gravatt to miss training camp and the Lions season opener against Oakland.
"It was definitely difficult," Gravatt said. "I gelled pretty well in the summer before the injury. The guys were great to me [while I was out] though. I still felt like I belonged."
Once he recovered, Gravatt was not handed a starting spot, as he needed to shake off the rust and prove he could play serious minutes for a Big Ten contender.
In Penn State's first 16 games, he received just 84 minutes of playing time in seven appearances. Finally, with the Nittany Lions playing his former squad in their regular season finale, Gravatt was given his first start.
Against Akron, the former Zip was around the ball all night, getting off three shots in a much needed 1-0 victory for Penn State.
"[Coach Warming] was hinting that I was going to start," Gravatt said. "He knew I was really excited for a game like that and that I would perform."
Since then, Gravatt started for a second time against Michigan State and is now primed to be a key performer for the Lions when the NCAA Tournament begins next week.
Gravatt credits his teammates for encouraging him when he wasn't playing. One player that was particularly helpful was the only one who has been his teammate for all of college, fellow Akron transfer Riley Grant.
Dealing with an injury would have been tough enough without the added pressure of adjusting to a new school in a completely different state. In Grant, Gravatt had both a roommate and a friend to lean on and make the transition with.
"It's been really great having Riley here," Gravatt said. "It was nice to have a familiar face when I first got here. We've had the experiences together and we're roommates now. We're very good friends."
For Grant, it was a pleasure to help his friend out during a difficult time. After all, the Copley, Ohio native may not have ended up at Penn State if it wasn't for Gravatt.
When Gravatt made his decision to become a Nittany Lion, he knew Grant was also going through the process of choosing a new school. He made sure to get his teammate in contact with Warming.
"After I got my release, Brett always said, `I'll talk to coach for you,'" Grant said. " He told me how great coach [Warming] was to him and that really helped."
Grant also agreed that having Gravatt around was a huge help when he first arrived at Penn State. Not only has his company been nice, but the determination Gravatt showed in working his way into the lineup has been motivational as well.
"It's great [having Gravatt around] because I wouldn't have known anybody," Grant said with a laugh. "It was a whole new beginning just like it was when we started at Akron.
"Brett's one of the hardest workers I know. When he was hurt or not playing he kept his head up and just wanted to help the team and that shows how driven he is. He's helping us now and we're going to need him."
No matter how much the team does need Gravatt in the NCAA Tournament, there is little room for error for any of the players now that they are in a do-or-die situation.
That challenge is something Gravatt is looking forward to. Now that he has proven himself in Penn State's rotation, there is nowhere to go but up.
"I want to do whatever I can to help the team," Gravatt said. "I've always been an offensive player and coach and everyone has helped me a lot with becoming a better defender."