South Vermont News

The first in our series of articles about multi-sport athletes is focused on Riley Geyer.  The 6'1 220 pound all-around athlete from Augusta, ME was a 3-sport athlete at Cony High School having played football, basketball, and baseball. We recently had a chance to sit down with him to discuss football, baseball, recruiting, and even his NIL deal.
 
Riley's first year on the Hill was a little different from what most athletes go through.  Oh, he still lifted, trained, went to class, and had study hall, but he was also continuing to go through rehabilitation after his ACL surgery.  The rehabilitation meant he took a medical redshirt and was unable to practice or play that year for either football or baseball.  Athletics is often the outlet or safe harbor, especially for freshmen as they get used to college life, but that outlet was put on hold while he continued to get healthy.
 
During his senior year of high school, he tore his ACL which ended his football season and derailed baseball as well.  While most athletes would view the injury in a very negative light, it allowed Riley to learn significantly more about schools during the slowed down recruiting process.  "I was getting recruited to play football all over New England, but baseball was only in state because of the lack of film and exposure," Riley explained.  "Some schools didn't have football which was a deal breaker for me.  Also, with my ACL surgery, the Norwich Football coaching staff were the ones that checked up on me after my surgery even when some friends and family didn't.  It made me feel like the coaches were going to be more than just coaches to me."  As a Physical Education major with minors in health and coaching, the aspiring teacher and coach already understood the importance of coaches who would care more about the person than simply the athlete. 

The recruiting process is always unique and each student-athlete has a different set of criteria which is critically important to them.  Most of the time though, it is the personal connection which resonates.  Coach Bill Russell, a Maine native himself, said "when I started recruiting Riley, I think he was really drawn to the fact that we have so many Maine players in our program, and that those players are impact players.  It became clear that Riley was one of the best all-around football players I had encountered in some time.  It speaks to his athleticism that he was able to show up to our baseball program, after being away from the game, and make the impact he has made already.  He's a great athlete, a very high-character kid, and a great ambassador for both the university and the athletic department."  Riley's senior year he began getting recruited by Coach Russell around October.  Covid had not only changed how Riley's senior year was unfolding but also effected the recruiting process.  Riley explained "Coach Russell couldn't physically come into the high school because of Covid but I knew of him because he was from Maine and I had seen him at the school recruiting in previous years."  The recruiting process with Norwich covered twitter, email, phone calls, campus tours, and even multiple zoom meetings.  "I loved his competitive nature when I talked to him during the recruiting process," said Head Football Coach Mark Murnyack.  "Riley is a throwback.  A guy that loves to compete."
 
Being a college athlete is hard enough but being a multi-sport athlete requires an even higher level of dedication.  Riley explained that "with all of the schools I looked at, and was getting recruited by, I had mentioned that I had an interest in playing both.  At the time it was mainly football, but I told them that I wanted to do both.  Since I couldn't play baseball at all last year, and I missed playing, I thought I would give it a shot (this year)."  Riley also needed to make sure each team was on the same page with his plan.  "I made an agreement with both coaches that when it is football season, I'm only doing football, and when it's baseball season I'm only doing baseball," Riley said.  "It reminds me more of how I was in high school.  Constantly busy!  But, that's what I like and I am used to it."  Head baseball coach Frank Pecora praised Riley saying "he is one of the easiest players I have ever coached.  He is a sponge for knowledge.  He just wants to be better at what he does.  Whether it's baseball or football, he wants to be the best.  Riley is an extremely hard worker and a great role model for younger athletes." 

This year Riley has already proven just how extensive his multiple athletic skill set is.  In football he played quarterback, punter, special teams, and tight end. Riley said he "started at quarterback week one versus Salve Regina and was a nervous wreck. Going from not playing since my junior year of high school and starting my first college game back from the ACL surgery was pretty unreal. Then, switching to tight end halfway through the season, it opened up more opportunities for me, especially on special teams and being the punter for the second half of the season. Now, I'm really excited to see what the next season has in store for me." Shortly after the football season was completed, Riley grabbed his glove and started tossing around a different type of ball. He said "I am very excited (about baseball season), especially since I haven't played since my junior year of high school. The high school season was shut down because of Covid-19, then tearing my ACL, taking me out of my senior season and freshman year of college. I am so ready! Obviously, it took me some time to figure out my release points for pitching and grips for pitches since I haven't done them in three years. But it only took me a day or two to figure it out again. It's like riding a bike." 
 
Riley became one of the first Norwich athletes to take advantage of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules which the NCAA recently passed.  An NIL deal allows athletes to be able to profit off of their Name, Image, and Likeness.  In July of 2022 a company which primarily focused on athletes from the state of Maine, contacted  Riley to discuss multiple opportunities.  In fact, he was not the only Cadet the company reached out to.  Rylie McIntyre, a Norwich women's hockey player also from Maine, took advantage of her NIL opportunities with the same company.  Part of the NIL was interview training, learning how to speak in front of a camera, and of course commercials.  Certain college athletes have used their NIL opportunities for immediate financial gain, but Riley has a longer term view to this opportunity.  He is interested in someday doing football and baseball camps at high schools throughout Maine and started to study how the NIL deal might affect future employment.  He believes the NIL has allowed him to gain name recognition and interviewing experience which will pay dividends when he graduates college.  Although, the immediate gratification is pretty good too! Riley explained "in some aspects yes, you feel like a star, especially when I'm home.  I go to work and I have kids coming up to me telling me I was on TV or in the news because of the commercial I have made.  It is a pretty cool feeling!"  With Norwich University's focus on experiential learning, the NIL deals seem to be a perfect fit.
 
Between football, baseball, and one of the first Name, Image, and Likeness deals in school history, Riley is certainly packing a great deal of experiences into his college career.
  

Original source can be found here.