NEW YORK, N.Y. - An immediate contributor to the Hawks squad, Matt Franks was a leader on and off the court for the Hunter College men's basketball team. The forward earned a pair of CUNYAC All-Star Second Team nods and also earned a spot in the 1,000 point club, finishing his career with 1,051. We were able to catch up with the 2018 graduate here:
What have you been up to post Hunter?
"I am a Litigation Paralegal at a law firm in the city and preparing for the LSAT in order to enroll in law school in the Fall of 2021."
What was your favorite memory in a Hawks uniform?
"My favorite memory probably came my Sophomore year when Brian Kruger hit a buzzer-beater to upset CSI on their home court. Only time we beat them in my four years."
Never a bad day for a win over CSI! Now, what was your favorite memory of your time at Hunter College?
"Just in general, the best times were always hanging out with teammates after practice. Whether it was commiserating about all of the "17's" we had to run that day or teasing each other incessantly, those are memories I'll have for a long time."
Who was the staff member or coach who influenced you the most and how did they achieve that influence?
"The entire basketball staff during my career at Hunter became mentors and friends. Specifically, Coach Pelin always made a point to check in on us and offer to help with anything in our "off-the-court" lives. That helped reinforce for me that while basketball is fun and important, preparing for success after college should always be priority No. 1. And that is not something that coaches everywhere bring to the table."
Has participation in sports at Hunter prepared you for your current life/career?
"Being able to juggle difficult academics and the year-round commitments of being an athlete is not at all an easy thing to do. I learned how to keep my priorities in check and manage my time well, which have helped me greatly."
Any advice to the Hawks that are on their way to graduation?
"I would encourage them to really commit to remaining close with the friends they made at Hunter. It can be easy to drift apart as you move forward in life."
