On a team that has several players honored for their play on the field, senior midfielder Brian Grazier’s efforts can sometimes go unnoticed.
“With the position that he plays, he is not the guy getting all the goals and assists, and he is not the last man of defense, so he does not really get the recognition that he deserves,” Coach Dan Donigan said. “We couldn’t be as successful of a soccer team without him, though.”
Grazier started 13 games this season, scoring six points with one goal (worth two points) and four assists. He was injured in the Indiana match Sept. 15, but returned to full health within a few weeks, Donigan said.
“I played well early, and we won our own tournament,” Grazier said. “But then, in the game against Indiana, I twisted my ankle pretty bad and missed three or four weeks and five games. That was frustrating as a senior-missing games-but I finally got healthy and made an impact at the end of the season.”
Grazier said he thinks he can land a spot on a professional team after college. His long-term goal is to make the national team and play in the World Cup, but he said that it is a step-by-step process.
“Ever since I was a young kid, I’ve wanted to play professional soccer,” Grazier said. “I have to go to the combine first and hope to get drafted. I just have to take it year by year and see where it goes.”
Grazier said he could have accomplished more as a player at Saint Louis University.
“You can always strive to achieve more,” Grazier said. “I always think that I could have scored more goals and more assists, but sometimes your role changes from when you are a freshman to when you are a senior.
“I came in to SLU trying to win a national championship, but we fell short of that goal. That was both a team goal and an individual goal.”
Donigan said Grazier is the type of player that any team would want. He said that Grazier is a leader on the field and connects to all players and that the midfielder brings balance, shape and a lot of intangible qualities to the team.
“He has a great work ethic and a tremendous bond with all the players; he does not isolate anyone,” Donigan said. “Team chemistry is so important at our level of play, and he makes everyone feel like they are a part of the team.
“If I were in college right now, I would like to think that we would be good friends. Brian leads a good social life, and he shows up every day for training and for games. You will have those players that only show up for games, but he shows up for everything. He has a tremendous amount of respect from the team with his work in training and games.”
The Bills’ season and Grazier’s SLU career came to an end after they were upset by the University of Illinois-Chicago in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament in penalty kicks.
“I thought it was a very good soccer game,” Donigan said. “I thought UIC was a very strong team and that they can go deep in the tournament. I thought the same about us as well. It is unfortunate that teams of our caliber had to meet in the first round.”
After playing a scoreless regulation period, the Bills fell 6-5 in penalty kicks and ended the season 12-2-5.
“I really dislike PKs because I don’t think it is a fair way to end a game,” Donigan said. “I don’t even think I would enjoy winning on PKs. It’s like a basketball game being decided by teams having a free-throw contest-you like to see the game be played.”
