Tristen Craig '20 Recruiting Profile

At birth, my mother declared me to be a warrior by naming me Tristen.  I never felt worthy of its implications until I experienced an automobile accident that disrupted my life. My family stopped planning for my collegiate endeavors. Instead, their attention was redirected to my survival.

We all are challenged with unexpected life events. We don’t plan for them, but they happen. My moment may seem more traumatic than what most student-athletes experience. My family and friends anxiously waited for me to wake from a coma. Surprisingly, that moment came fifteen days later, but my challenges did not end there. I was faced with a long, unpredictable recovery that did not have the most idealistic outcome to achieve my dreams. For the next five months, I was immersed in a physical, emotional, and psychological battle to regain my position as a collegiate athlete. The ordeal was indescribable. I feared the unknown but I was determined to achieve my goals.

Unexpectedly, I sparred with fate achieving a marvelous win. Today, I am well and stronger than before. So if you encounter me on or off the field, please do not perceive my confidence as arrogance. I simply strive to represent endurance and perseverance.