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Fairmont’s Gross excels on and the off field at Columbia

Standout Ivy League linebacker currently  has a 3.8 GPA, while studying sociology.

Contributed photo Alex Gross, a Fairmont graduate who is a football standout at Columbia University.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Contributed photo Alex Gross, a Fairmont graduate who is a football standout at Columbia University.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Matt Velazquez, Contributing Writer Updated 5:13 PM Friday, November 19, 2010

As a two-time football captain, track captain and the valedictorian of the class of 2007, Alex Gross was the consummate student-athlete during his time at Fairmont High School. Now a senior at Columbia University, Gross has begun to turn heads at a national level for his work both on the gridiron and in the classroom.

Gross was selected last month as one of 16 recipients of the 2010 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Awards as well as a finalist for the William V. Campbell trophy, which recognizes a senior college football player for his strong contributions on the field and excellence in the classroom. Gross — the only Ivy Leaguer selected — is in the company of well-known players such as Alabama’s Greg McElroy and Texas’ Sam Acho.

Gross was leading the Ivy League and ranked fourth in the Football Championship Subdivision in tackles with 110 through nine games. Just as impressive, Gross, a sociology major, has a 3.58 grade-point average, which leads all seniors on the Columbia football team.

Despite these accomplishments, Gross initially wasn’t sure if he was going to play college football or apply to Columbia. When he did decide to continue his career at the next level, he resolved that he was going to go somewhere where he could play right away, despite having the talent to make the roster at a big-name school.

“I wanted to play football for four more years,” said Gross. “I didn’t want to sit on the bench for two years at some big school and then maybe get a chance to play special teams for two more years. I wanted to make the most of the time I had remaining to be able to play football.”

At Columbia, Gross got exactly what he wanted. He played in all of the Lions’ games and recorded a team-high 80 tackles en route to being named Ivy League Rookie of the Year. Gross believes that part of his smooth transition to college football can be credited to the strong competition he faced while at Fairmont.

“Playing against teams like Wayne and Centerville and teams that are sending guys to Big Ten schools and MAC schools on scholarships — they’re great athletes. It definitely helps to have seen good athletes with good size because then you’re prepared to see those guys on the next level.”

Though he didn’t originally expect it, Gross acclimated well both to the academic rigors of Columbia and fast-paced life in New York City. He began college hoping to stay above a 3.0 GPA, but soon realized that he was better prepared than he thought. Seven months from graduation, Gross has changed his goal and hopes to graduate with a GPA above 3.6.

After leading the Ivy League with 101 tackles as a sophomore, Gross was named a captain for his junior year, but tore his right anterior cruciate ligament during the fourth game of the season. Missing the rest of that season made him more intent on trying to extend his football career after college.

When the season ends, Gross will begin looking into his professional options in earnest. Though playing in the NFL would be a dream come true, Gross believes it is more likely that he could end up in Canada or Europe.

“I feel, personally, that I’m built pretty well for the Canadian game — it’s a bigger field, it’s more spread out, and I’m what most people would consider an undersized linebacker with more speed than most,” Gross said.

“I’m definitely going to see what opportunities are out there and if I can find an opportunity, then I’m going to jump on that as soon as I can,” Gross said.

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