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OCTOBER 2018 27 Jeff Caldwell was a stand-out goalkeeper on the Virginia Men's Soccer team for the 2014-2017 seasons. In addition to his contributions on the field, Caldwell was a leader in the University com- munity serving on student-athlete leadership councils and was the 2017 recipient of the Gray- Carrington Award. He earned his B.A. in History and is currently a professional goalkeeper for New York City FC in Major League Soccer. Q: This time last year, you were playing at Vir- ginia. Now after having been drafted as the 19th overall pick, can you describe what life as a pro- fessional athlete looks like? This year has served as an orientation year to professional soccer. I am with the first-team every day to train, learn new habits, and build on what I learned while playing at UVA. My focus this year is to gain a better understanding for the speed of a professional game, and work on my overall fit- ness and strength. It has been a big shift in terms of my role in the team; from starting and impact- ing every game to a more development focused year, but it has been very rewarding so far. Q: You stand as the only goalkeeper in UVA his- tory to have earned 3 All-ACC honors. Can you talk about what that means for you and the future of goalkeeping at Virginia? It is something I feel very privileged to have achieved. We have a very strong tradition of goalkeepers at Virginia such as Tony Meola, Brock Yetso, Diego Restrepo, and Cali Brown. Those players competed in College Cups and won Na- tional Championships and I hope to have held the same standards that they did. Ultimately though, I would gladly trade the individual accomplish- ments for an ACC Championship or another National Championship. At the end of the day, accolades are an honor, but they are not nearly as meaningful as that team trophy. I hope that my contributions helped to enhance the legacy of Virginia goalkeeping. I think Colin Shutler is off to a great start and is certainly on track to fill the shoes of those that came before him –– I believe he can take the position even further. Also, if you look at the women's team, there is a bona-fide star between the posts in Laurel Ivory, someone who may reset the standard for both programs. Q: In your third year at UVA you were honored with the prestigious Gray-Carrington Award. Named in honor of Arthur P. "Pete" Gray IV and Edward C. Carrington Jr., both members of our Virginia Football team. How did that award shape your time as a student-athlete at Virginia? When I think back to the type of people who won the award in the past it is a truly humbling honor. Through the process you are nominated by your peers before the nominees are brought to a committee comprised of students who repre - sent Mr. Gray and Mr. Carrington's diverse range of involvements in their time on Grounds. Those students decide the seven finalists who will then meet and be interviewed by the trustees of the foundation. Having the opportunity to interact with all the people associated with this award is an extremely special and surreal experience. It was cool to hear the stories and personal narra- tives of these former student-athletes and to par- take in the celebration of their legacies. I hope I was able to take some of what I learned and experienced during that time and share it with the athletics department and my team. Q: In what ways and why do you continue to support Virginia Athletics? I give back to the Virginia Athletics Foundation to support and grow the resources afforded to me in my time on Grounds –– no matter the amount every little bit makes an impact in the lives of the student-athletes. I try to devote time to coming back to Charlottesville to watch games when I can, or otherwise watching them online or on TV. The players who are still on the team are family to me and even though they are older now, I still feel like they are the young guys that I was helping to mentor in their first couple of years. Those are relationships that I feel passionately about not letting drop. Beyond those important connections, I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play for nationally recognized coaches who helped me get to where I am today. To live and interact with a variety of National Champions, Olympians, elite students, and above all, great people that you find in Virginia Athlet- ics profoundly impacted who I am today. I was also able to learn from the broader University community and really grow as a student, a soccer player and as a young person. I hope that every ensuing generation of Virginia's student-athletes have the same opportunities when they spend their time at UVA. Choosing to play at Virginia was hands down the most impactful decision I have made for my life and it is very important to me that I contribute toward that experience for anyone else who makes the same choice to learn and compete at UVA. Q: Now that your time competing for Virginia is over and you have joined our esteemed commu- nity of contributors to Virginia Athletics, what would you like to share with other supporters? It is clear to me that regardless how we choose to be connected to UVA we pride ourselves on our elite athletic department that produces young people who are ready to take on the world –– whether it be through sport or in other facets of personal and professional life. The smallest gift can be influential. We support some of the best athletes in the world, but also the professionals whose job it is to help our student-athletes realize their potential. The opportunity for our student-athletes to train in world-class facilities with top mentors and resources helps give us an edge, and I think that is something alumni and supporters recognize and want to support. Contributing in any way to the holistic development of our active student-ath- letes helps them and allows me to still contribute to the program and have a lasting connection to the University family. Jeff Caldwell cavs for life Jeff Caldwell (center), with UVA Soccer alum Claudio Reyna (right) the current director of football operations for New York City FC at the MLS 2018 Super Draft.