Matt Abbott

Classroom

Abbott is a finance major in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management. He owns a 3.3 cumulative GPA and will earn his bachelor’s degree in May 2009. He has been a member of the SU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll (min. 3.0 GPA) six out of his seven semesters on campus and is planning on attending graduate school next year to pursue a master’s degree in finance. He’s also been named to the Whitman School’s Dean’s List (min. 3.4 GPA) twice.

Character

Abbott is a senior captain. He is responsible for helping organize team activities and leading the team in pre-practice runs and conditioning. After a trying 5-8 season in 2007, Abbott’s leadership as a junior and his performance on the field helped lead Syracuse to a school-record 16 victories in 2008 and the NCAA Championship. He sacrificed personal glory and better offensive numbers to play man-down defense, some defensive midfield and man one of the wings on faceoffs in addition to his role as an offensive midfielder.

Community

Abbott participates in a variety of community service projects each year. During the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in 2008, he volunteered for two hours in the kitchen of the Syracuse Meals on Wheels program. He helped pack coolers with prepared dinners that were then delivered to underprivileged members of the Syracuse community.  He also helped organize a lacrosse equipment and canned food drive that benefited the Syracuse Boys and Girls Club and the Food Bank of Central New York in 2007.  In addition, Abbott has served as a volunteer at a vacation summer bible school run by the Irwin First United Methodist Church in Central New York. One of his main responsibilities was assisting children with craft projects.

Competition

Abbott has played in 46 games during his college career thus far and enters this season as part of SU’s starting midfield in addition to his other duties. He has 29 goals and 15 assists for a total of 44 career points. He is also the team’s active leader in ground balls (135) and he is a 2009 preseason first-team All-American. Abbott earned USILA All-America third-team honors after his junior season. He scored a career-best 21 points (13 goals, 8 assists) to help the Orange to the national championship. Abbott also led the team with 73 ground balls. Against Virginia in the national semifinals, he scored a career-best three goals to help the Orange rally from a five-goal deficit in the third quarter for a 12-11 victory in double overtime.