University of Minnesota Athletics
Senior Co-Captain Whitney Graft Q & A
10/5/2007 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Q: As a captain this year, what goals do you and your teammates have for this season?
A: Our long-term goal is obviously winning a national championship, but we know that we can’t look there right now because it is so far away. I think right now our goal is to play hard every weekend and do the best we can every single day and every single weekend. We have a fantastic team and I think we are all excited to see what we can do.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a captain as a senior?
A: It means a lot to me. I was really excited at the banquet when they called my name out and I was hoping I would get it. I just can’t wait for this year. We have just such a great team and it is going to be great to be a captain with Bobbi. We have different ideas, but we work well together and hopefully we will lead this team as best as we can.
Q: What is one thing you are looking forward to this season? Who would you like to see stand out?
A: I am just looking forward to being at the rink everyday with my teammates. Everyone has been so excited all summer. We could not stop talking about how excited we were for the season so just being at the rink everyday is something that is so fun to do. I love being around my teammates. Granted it is only the first week, but I am just excited to see what our team can do this year because we have so much talent and a lot to prove. It will be interesting to see our freshmen and what each of them will bring to the team. The cool thing is, that everyone on the team brings something. So whether there is a freshman who is playing on the first line or a freshman that plays on the fourth line, everyone brings something to the team. It is just always fun to have new additions to the program.
Q: From being a walk-on your freshmen year, how has that changed your perspective on college hockey and did it make you work harder?
A: It was definitely an interesting experience. Freshmen year was tough for me because I didn’t get a lot of playing time. In high school you didn’t really have that role so it was definitely a learning experience. However, that just motivated me more because I wanted to succeed on this team. I wanted to stay on this team, because I love the Gopher program. So, after my freshman season I wanted to work as hard as I could to really improve and try to earn my spot, and I did. I thought it was so worth the hard work and the patience it took to stick it out.
Q: Why did you choose the University of Minnesota to play hockey?
A: I was looking at other schools, but I wanted to be a Gopher. The University of Minnesota has such a great program and the best rink in the nation. With all the fantastic players that have played here, I just wanted to get the opportunity to see what it was like to put on that jersey.
Q: What did you do during the off season?
A: I would come down to campus three times a week to lift weights in our weight room. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I would go to Acceleration Minnesota and workout on the treadmill to work on my speed.
Q: Your position is playing forward. Do you prefer wing or center?
A: I have been playing center for three years here, but starting this year they put me at wing. I played wing over the summer and I have loved it. I love center, it is one of my favorite positions but I am really enjoying wing and I haven’t played that since high school so it is pretty fun to go back to it.
Q: How do you and your roommates get along on and off the ice?
A: We all get along so great. I talk to them all of the time about how weird it is going to be when we don’t have hockey and live next to each other. We have 12 girls that live right across from my room so everyday people are going in and out of the rooms. It’s funny because if the door is ever locked everyone gets so upset because we are like “Where is everyone?” Every Thursday we get so excited about Grey’s Anatomy. We just have great team chemistry off the ice. I think everyone just loves being around each other. For me personally, I have 21 best friends and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Q: I heard that you are the prankster on the team. What is the best one you have ever pulled?
A: Gigi Marvin is a really good prankster and also comes up with great and funny ideas. One example from last year is that we put white toothpaste in the middle of Oreos. That was really funny, but we felt bad when one of our teammates threw up for an hour. However, my favorite prank was from my freshmen year. I got a hold of Natalie Darwtiz’s and Kelly Stephens’ key for their hotel room. They had been pranking me all year and one day after practice when we were at the 2005 national championship, I took their key and I went in their room and messed up their beds, toilet paper everywhere, put Pepto Bismol on the mirrors. That was my favorite prank just to get their key and mess up their hotel room.
Q: What is your favorite rink you have ever played on?
A: I might be biased but our rink is my favorite because I think it’s perfect. It is the only rink for women’s college hockey in the nation and I think it is just awesome.
Q: What is your favorite drill?
A: My favorite drill is one where we do a ton of passing. We do this drill called “five-credit,” it is just a ton of passing and quick movement.
Q: If you could meet any athlete in the world, who would it be?
A: Michael Jordon, Wayne Gretzky, or Lance Armstrong. Meeting Lance Armstrong would be pretty cool.
Q: Do you have any superstitions before games?
A: I actually don’t really have that many. I just try to keep my same routine and warm up and I get ready at the same time.
Q: How do you guys get pumped up before games?
A: Everyone has their own thing that they do. Some people just like to be quiet and keep to themselves, while others are just loud and just get themselves pumped up by feeding off of each other. We usually listen to pumped up music while getting ready and that seems to work.
Q: Cage or Mask?
A: I am a mask woman myself.
Q: What is your favorite hockey movie?
A: Mighty Ducks
Q: What is playing on your iPod right now? Do you have a favorite song?
A: My favorite song right now is Matchbox 20, “How Far We’ve Come.”
Q: If you could be on any MTV show what would it be?
A: I would want to say Road Rules because they do so many fun things. I am scared of heights, so I think that might get in the way because they do a lot of height activities.
Q: If you could play on any other college team, what would you play?
A: Well, I played softball and tennis in high school, so maybe I would be on the softball team. But if I were good enough, I think playing on the women’s basketball team here would be really fun because they have such great fan support and everyone seems to love to go to their games.
Story by Kristine Yorde, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
