She's got the grades, the goals, and on occasion, the gashes. Senior forward and scholar athlete Heidi Griffiths knows what it means to go all out, and she doesn't slow down for anyone on the field or in the classroom. Her all-out style of play on the soccer pitch has been a key part of the team's attack this season, as well as her status as a scholar athlete.
Griffiths currently leads the team in a number of statistics including points, goals, points per game, and goals per game. She also is among the leaders of all players in the Mid-American Conference in most offensive categories. Currently she is tied for fourth in goals with four, second in points per game with 1.50, and leads the conference outright in goals per game with 0.67
Head coach Jean-A Tassy has witnessed Griffiths' success since her days as an underclassman and understands what makes the soccer star so successful.
"From a player's perspective, the thing that makes Heidi who she is, is that she is unorthodox," Tassy said. "She plays kamikaz-ically. She goes all out and doesn't know when to stop."
Griffiths' reckless play has led to her being the kind of player she is for better or for worse. Her unwillingness to quit has caused her to incur a number of injuries in the past, including her most recent concussion that will sideline her for the time being.
"That's why she is prone to injury," Tassy said. "She will sacrifice her body to put the ball in the back of the net."
This, of course, will not compromise her approach to the game as she plays a unique brand of soccer that she feels is like no other.
"I don't think I have a style like most other people; it's pretty much non-conformist," Griffiths said. "It goes back to when I was little, I was taught that when I'm on the field I try and do the most difficult thing that needs to be done."
Her successful style on the field is mirrored by her extraordinary conduct in the classroom. While leading the team in quite a few categories athletically, she also displays impressive statistics academically maintaining a 3.9 GPA as a biomedical science major.
Tassy also recognizes the importance of strong academic success to an athlete on a collegiate level.
"Academically, she's one of the top members of the team," Tassy said, "That's a great contribution to the women's soccer program as a whole. She is 100 percent student and 100 percent athlete."
With her academic mastery, Griffiths looks to continue her education upon graduating from the undergraduate program, attending medical school here at Buffalo.
"I'll be going to medical school at UB. I want to be a pediatrician," Griffiths said. "I also want to help out in other (third world) countries and eventually come back to Buffalo and help people in the area."
Of course, she still has her sights set firmly on the team's goals during her fourth and final season.
"I'd really like to go to the playoffs," Griffiths said. "It has been four years. It's my senior year and I'd like to go to the NCAA's."
Post-season success has eluded the Bulls during Griffiths' tenure on the team, but with her skill, die-hard spirit, and faithful recovery, she plans to make an impact on the program that won't be soon forgotten.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
