Ask an Athlete: Casey Granger, WSOC

By Collin Bolebruch

Casey Granger is a Plattsburgh State graduate student in the biomedical sciences program. The defender played the second-most minutes on the team in her senior year and was named to the All-SUNYAC third team.

Granger has started 58 of her 60 collegiate games as a Cardinal and has a total of 5,066 minutes of game time. She was named a team captain for the 2024 season.

Outside of soccer, the Hopewell Junction, N.Y. native can be found at Bluff Point Golf Resort.

This question-and-answer was conducted with Casey over email on Sept. 20.

Question: What does a second sport, like golf, provide for you between school and soccer? What’s your handicap?

Answer: Golf is a sport I’ve played all my life. My dad and brothers play and I’ve grown up taking lessons to be great at it. I was on my high school team and it was always a competition but now that I don’t have to compete, I get to take a couple mulligans. Golf is something I enjoy being great at without the pressures of having to perform well. On 18 holes I score mid 80s to low 90s. I try to go out every week as a distraction from what I have going on on campus. I can grow old, retire and still be able to go out and play a round, which I love. 

Q: This is the last season for COVID years — what factors did you have to weigh to return and how easy or difficult was the decision?

A: I did not make my decision to stay until my senior year. Some major factors that weighed in were who would still be in Plattsburgh when I stayed my fifth year. A lot of my friends are still here and I am close with the girls on the team so I knew it would be a fun semester. I wasn’t ready to leave it behind without a SUNYAC Championship.  Staying a fifth year also gave me more time to get myself ready for my next steps after graduation. This semester slowed down time for me and I’m able to enjoy it.

Q: How much work, in practice or otherwise, goes into the backline being on the same page as the keeper?

A: Every practice is just more and more work towards being on the same page between the back line and the keeper. I’ve played with Lauren Haley for so long that I know her style and what she can do, vice versa, and that just makes it easier in the back. If we’re playing defense in practice we almost always have a goalie behind us and there’s constant communication about what’s going on. The goalie has the best sight on the field so it’s important to hear them out and understand what’s happening.

Q: The SUNYAC season has barely started, and anything can happen. After a testing non-conference stretch, how can you, as a leader, keep everyone checked in?

A: I truly believe that our team knows the job that has to be done once we hit SUNYACs. What I can provide, as having some of the most experience, is just passing on advice from what I’ve seen and learned being here for so long. Every year the SUNYACs are unpredictable. We have to genuinely expect the unexpected from every team we face. What I can do is just remind people to never take any team for granted and play the Plattsburgh style of soccer we work on every day. In the end, it comes down to whether we need to win a championship — it’s Plattsburgh’s time, and I think everyone wants it.