Nathan Graybill '24 Recruiting Profile

The following personal statement is a snapshot of who I am, my relevant accomplishments, and how I can be an asset to your organization. My ultimate goal is to play hockey at the NCAA level while pursuing a degree in my chosen major. This goal drives me each time I touch the ice, take a test, or prepare in the off-season.

As a student-athlete, I am known for my technical skills, solid positioning, aggressive play on the puck, challenging shooters, and mental toughness by my coaches and trainers while maintaining a high GPA in the classroom. I attended Basis Academy in Mesa, AZ, for five and a half years, currently ranked #66 in the National Rankings per US News and World Report, before moving to Arizona State University Prep last year to maintain a healthy balance of school and travel hockey.  I currently have a weighted GPA of 4.83 and will have my high school requirements completed this spring while only being a Junior in high school, allowing me to pick up more college credits starting in the Fall of 2023.

As a goalie, my goal with every start is to put my team in the best position to win.  This starts by gaining the trust of my teammates and coaches to feel comfortable with me as the last line of defense to take more risks. As a person, student, and player, I am known for my work ethic, positive, supportive attitude, focus, athleticism, thirst for knowledge, loyalty, and trust among my family, friends, classmates, teammates, and coaches. While I may not have a C or A on my chest, I always maintain who I am on and off the ice by leading by example and being a positive role model for the younger birth years.

While I have achieved several milestones and had successes since first-year squirts, I will highlight accomplishments since my 16U 2021/22 season and forward, as they are most relevant. Last season, I led the league in wins, save percentage, goals against, and most shutouts. Including out-of-state tournaments and showcases, I amassed 36 wins, six ties, and only three losses, with a GAA of 1.4 and an annual save percentage of 94%. Undefeated tournament championship wins included the state of Arizona State Championship and CCM World Invites in Chicago and Denver, where the team selected me as the Howies MVP.

At Nationals 2022, I was undefeated in the 16U 3A Division with a GAA of 1.96 and a 93% save percentage. I started the tournament with a 36-shot shutout against Team Ohio, the number two team in the country then. After round-robin play, my team entered the playoffs as the number one seed.  After the National tournament run, I tried out and was selected to represent Arizona for the USA Hockey Rocky Mountain District Player Development Camp and competed in Dallas. The season before, I was selected as the state alternate.

For the 2022/23 season, as a first-year 18U goalie with the Junior Sun Devils, and for the eighth consecutive season, I earned my way to the starting goalie spot due to my work ethic and gameplay. At Nationals 2023, in the 18U 2A Division, I played every minute except for the first four minutes of one round-robin game and the last minute of three games to gain a man advantage on the ice. Once the tournament fixes my stats on time, credit in net, and empty netters, my stats will show a GAA of 2 and a 93% save percentage.

After eight years of travel hockey with two organizations, I have been fortunate to earn the opportunity with my coaches to be “the guy” to lead the team at the end of the season for must-win games or face the more challenging opponents. I thrive under pressure and have enjoyed being a relevant component to organizational upset wins and close games against the country’s top AA and AAA teams as the quintessential underdog AA team out of Arizona. Given the opportunity, I would like to continue this journey and bring these attributes and unwavering commitment to your organization. I have the tools and will always put in the work.