Rutgers-Newark goalkeeper Matt Broomall selected for NCAA Career in Sports Forum

This release is courtesy of Rutgers-Newark Athletics.

Rutgers-Newark's Matt Broomall, the 2014 NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year, is heading to the NCAA Career in Sports Forum.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 12, 2015) – Rising senior Matt Broomall of the Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer team was recently selected to attend the 2015 NCAA Career in Sports Forum June 4-7 in Indianapolis.

Broomall has been a standout goalkeeper for the Scarlet Raiders' men's soccer program, earning New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Goalkeeper of the Year, first-team all-conference, second-team National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region, first-team All-Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) and NSCAA All-East Region Scholar accolades after a 2014 season in which he helped lead Rutgers-Newark to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Somers Point, N.J. native went through the application process after receiving an email about the possible opportunity from Associate Athletic Director Mary Stadelman.

"College sports has been such a huge, positive part of my life that being able to give back by sharing my experiences and helping other student-athletes would be a dream come true," said Broomall. "The NCAA Career in Sports Forum should only help with that goal and I can't wait to get out there," said Broomall.

His head coach Kevin East – who wrote a letter of recommendation as part of the application process – thinks his heralded goalkeeper is a great fit for the program and perfect for a career in collegiate athletics.

"I am extremely pleased to see Matt selected for such a prestigious program as the NCAA Career Sports Forum, and I think he is an excellent candidate that will add a lot of valuable insight to the discussions," said East. "Matt has been one of the leaders in our program since his freshman year. He has grown as a person and player in that time and I believe this will be another important step in his continued evolution. He embodies the high standards both academically and athletically that we hold our student-athletes to at Rutgers-Newark."  

Broomall is looking forward to working with professionals in the field of college athletics, like-minded student-athletes and improving his network in general.

"It's exciting to have a chance to meet peers with similar interests, goals and aspirations," said Broomall. "Working in college athletics and in sports is something I have great interest in doing, and this type of forum is going to help me focus on the next steps."

The first day of the forum will feature introductions, tours and breakout sessions, with June 5 including a meeting with NCAA President Dr. Mark Emmert, lunch with the NCAA staff, a career fair and a presentation on the 'Big Picture' of intercollegiate athletics. Saturday's session will have additional team sessions, social networking and more, while the final day in Indianapolis features a special keynote speech and other activities before closing remarks.

A psychology major (non-profit and public administration minor) with a 3.5 cumulative grade-point average, Broomall is hoping this experience at the 2015 Career in Sports Forum and a summer internship with the Ocean City Nor'easters opens doors for him as he enters his senior year and begins to look for a job following graduation.

"I am going to ask a ton of questions, make some strong connections and take as much as I can from the resources and speakers at the forum," added Broomall.

An annual event, The Career in Sports Forum brings together 200 selected student-athletes from across the country to learn and explore careers in sports, with the primary focus on intercollegiate athletics. This unique, four-day forum is designed to assist student-athletes in charting their career paths, as well as provide an opportunity to network and learn from current athletics professionals. Participants will hear from a variety of speakers and panelists during large, general sessions, and throughout the program engage with their peers in focused, small-group classroom discussions called "Color Teams."

The cutting-edge topics include: how personal values intersect with career opportunities, how behavioral styles impact individual effectiveness, the key professional and career development information that assists with transition from a student-athlete to a professional, and the role of the intercollegiate coach or athletic administrator. Student-athletes will also network with peers, as well as key decision-makers at the campus, conference and national levels of intercollegiate athletics.

The 2014 season was the third as a starter for Broomall. He is a three-time all-conference performer and two-time NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year (2012, 2014), leading the Scarlet Raiders to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014.

Over the course of his career, Broomall has 18 shutouts and 259 saves, allowing just 78 goals against in 66 games played. The Scarlet Raiders have an overall mark of 47-20-2 during the last three seasons, earning a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and the program's first-ever win in the national tourney.