Seated are siblings Tyler and Colleen Grady. Standing from left: GRHS boys' lacrosse head coach Carl Houser, Jim Grady, father; GRHS athletic director Tim Liddy; Kelly Grady, mother; and GRHS girls' lacrosse head coach Beth Larkin.
GLEN RIDGE, NJ (updated Tuesday Nov. 29, 9:15 a.m.) – Glen Ridge High School siblings Tyler Grady and Colleen Grady signed their National Letters of Intent in accepting athletic scholarships to continue their lacrosse careers at their respective universities. They are seniors who were born 13 months apart.
Tyler will be playing for Wagner College, located in Staten Island, N.Y., and Colleen will be playing for Drexel University, located in Philadelphia.
Colleen made First Team All-Stars & Stripes, First Team All-Super Essex, and All-Essex County Tournament Team this past spring for the Lady Ridgers, who won the Essex County Tournament championship and finished with a 14-7 record.
“Colleen has risen as a standout for GRHS over her last three years with the program and has been a big part of the elevation of our athletes to put more time in the weight room during the offseason,” GRHS girls’ lacrosse head coach Beth Larkin said. “Her dedication to improving her strength and agility paid off in a big way, especially last season, where teams simply could not stop her getting to the goal. She is an example to others on how to raise the level of your game.
“We are really excited to have another player at Drexel. (2013 alum Caroline Thiele is a standout senior and team captain at Drexel now). It’s an outstanding program with excellent coaching and a wonderful family of players and parents. I think when Colleen stepped on campus and met with the coaches and players, those elements really stood out to her and played a big part in her decision to attend Drexel University. We are so proud of Colleen joining the ranks of our many former lacrosse players excelling in the collegiate game. I’m excited for her senior year with us and following her beyond.”
“Tyler has been one of our best offensive players since his freshman year,” GRHS boys’ lacrosse head coach Carl Houser Jr. said. “He is a two-year starter and has scored 66 goals and 32 assists during his career. He works hard and plays with a lot of toughness and composure around the goal. He is a quiet leader who leads by example. He will be a valuable part of our team as one of our captains in 2017.”
Tyler Grady’s accolades:
- 2015 and 2016 Honorable Mention All State Group I
- 2016 Honorable Mention Gibbs Conference
- 2016 First Team All-Super Essex Conference
The following are Colleen and Tyler’s comments.
COLLEEN GRADY
Q: Why did you choose your college?
A: I chose Drexel University because I think it’s a great fit for me both academically and from a lacrosse standpoint. On my visits there, I really liked the Philly atmosphere. It has a college campus feel, but in the middle of a city. Coach (Hannah) Rudloff is building a program to compete for a national championship and I want to be a part of that.
Q: What were your feelings on signing day?
A: It was great to finally officially sign. I had been looking forward to it since my verbal commitment, sophomore year. For so many people, the college recruiting experience is a stressful time. I was fortunate to find a school I really liked and they wanted me to play there and made me a great offer, so it went pretty smoothly. It was great to have my family, and being able to sign the same day as my brother made it even better.
Q: What is the outlook for the Glen Ridge girls’ lacrosse team this coming spring season?
A: I’m really excited for this season. We have a great group of seniors coming back and some really good young players who I think can help right away. The team goals will be to win Essex County and State Championship, and I really think we have the team to do it. We will start our offseason training soon and be ready to go the first day of practice. It’s our last season together for the seniors who have played together since we were in third grade, so we want to make it special.
TYLER GRADY
Q: Why did you choose your college?
A: I think Wagner College is a great fit for what I was looking for as a student-athlete. Wagner has a great Business program and an up-and-coming Division 1 lacrosse team. I liked that it was close enough to home to make it easy for my parents to come see games and also just a ferry ride to NYC. Coach (Matt) Poskay and his staff have done a great job building the program and hopefully we’ll be competing for the Northeast Conference championship soon. It’s a great campus and I really enjoyed my visit.
Q: What were your feelings on signing day?
A: Signing day was really cool. It’s been a goal of mine since I was in seventh grade to play Division 1 Lacrosse. I think I finally realized all the hard work has paid off. I know it’s a big commitment, but it’s something I always wanted. When I received my offer from Wagner, it just felt like the right fit. I look forward to playing for Coach Poskay and the Seahawks. My parents were really excited about signing day, having my sister Colleen and I sign together made them very happy; they think it’s great to have two kids that will be playing in college. Now all the pressure is on our younger sister Madison!
Q: What is the outlook for this season’s Glen Ridge High School boys’ lacrosse team?
A: We have a great bunch of seniors coming back this year and some up-and-coming younger players, so I hope we can really pull together as a team and get Glen Ridge Lacrosse back to competing like we did a few years ago. The team is dedicated to work hard this winter in the weight room and on the practice field to do whatever it takes to give us a chance to compete and go deep in the Essex County and State tournaments. Our goal is to win the Group 1 championship this year.
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