Geoffrey Groselle (#41 / C / 7-0 / 240 lbs / Sr.)
Patience is a lost virtue, especially in the world of college hoops. Geoffrey Groselle is the perfect example of someone being patient for their turn and their opportunity to make a difference for the team they committed to. When he got that opportunity, he made the most of it and by seasons end, he was one of the real positives in a season of disappointment for the team.
The first few seasons on the Hilltop were pretty quiet for Groselle. He redshirted his freshman season, and dealt with some Achilles issues. Each of the next two seasons, he continued to work through foot problems and struggled to get minutes — or to make an impact when he did. Heading into his Junior season, no one really knew what to expect from the seven-footer who was entering his fourth year in the program.
But the patience — both from Groselle and from his coaches — paid off.
Through the first two months of the season, he showed flashes of improvement and earned a spot in the rotation, but it was just an inkling of what was yet to come. After he graduated with his degree in December, he emerged as one of the most productive players on the roster. On New Year’s Eve against Providence, Groselle finished with a team high 14 points in the loss against the Friars — more in one game than he’d scored in the previous three years combined.
He’d score in double figures five more times in Big East play, but more importantly, he showed that he could battle with the best of them in the post, giving Creighton a solid center to protect the middle. Groselle started seven of the team’s final eight games, and over the final ten games of the season — six of them against eventual NCAA Tournament teams — Groselle averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds while making 65% of his shots (40-61).
With his senior season now upon him, and already halfway through his MBA, Groselle is excited to get back on the court. Following a season where he was finally healthy, he can focus on basketball and is ready to provide the spark needed when the Bluejays need a defender down low. He may share time with Toby Hegner, Martin Krampelj, or even Justin Patton this season depending on how the offense needs to flow game to game and depending on how loose he can stay in between stints on the court.
Check out a gallery of Geoffrey Groselle photos here!
Creighton Career Stats (2011-15)
3.2 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 86-131 FG (.656)
Q&A with Geoffrey Groselle
Q: How much are you looking forward to start the season?
A: “I’m really excited. The past four years I have been growing up getting ready for this year. I think this is our year and we are ready to go.”
Q: Has the time gone fast for you and what has it been like going through these years?
A: “It definitely has flown by. I still remember saying goodbye to my friends in Plano and leaving for college like it was yesterday. I remember walking into the dorms and all of that. It has just gone by so fast.”
Q: With you graduating and going into grad school already, has that academic pressure been lifted a bit to be able to focus more on basketball?
A: “My first three or four years, I wasn’t playing as much and it gave me the opportunity to focus a lot on academics. I was also in the gym a lot trying to get on the court. But now I have my degree and I am on track to finish my MBA with a 4.0. I’m pretty excited about my future.”
Q: Was there anything in particular last year that sort of flipped the switch for you?
A: “I got more and more confident as the season went on. I got more confident in myself. I just went out there and played my game, and it showed.”
Q: Being one of the two seniors, how much leadership is looked upon you on the team?
A: “Coach has put me in that role and I have kind of embraced it with these guys. They look up to me as a senior. I have been through it. It is my fifth year and three years in the NCAA tournament. I’m just excited to bring this team back.”
Q: With so many new faces on this team this year, is there any thing being done to help them adjust?
A: “A lot of these guys have had a lot of experience playing in the NCAA. We have Cole and Maurice who have played at Nevada and Boston. We have James (Milliken), Zach (Hanson), myself, and Isaiah (Zierden). We have all been starters at one point ourselves in our careers. We are just trying to put the pieces together ans show how great of a team we can be.”
Q: Is there any place in particular you are excited to go to or play against in particular this year?
A: “Last year I probably would have said Xavier, because I really enjoyed playing against Stainbrook. He was a great player and I had a lot of respect for him. I’m looking forward to playing at Indiana and at Oklahoma. Obviously, all the Big East teams will be good this season. Villanova, Xavier is going to be good again, Marquette will be good. I’m pretty excited about a lot of games this year.”
