Feb. 29, 2012
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - P.J. Gaynor arrived at UCF in 2008 as a Sunshine State native who was proud of his Jacksonville and Duval County roots. With his collegiate basketball career nearing its conclusion, Gaynor will soon leave UCF with a greater awareness of the world around him.
Gaynor and fellow senior A.J. Rompza will play their final home games Saturday when the Knights host UAB at 7 p.m. at the UCF Arena. The small forward has been a valuable member of the UCF program for four years, and ranks sixth in program history with 117 games played.
This season, Gaynor has appeared in 27 contests and is averaging 4.1 points in 15.7 minutes per game.
It is where those games have been played that has been great interest to Gaynor. Playing at UCF has allowed him to leave his home state dozens of times as he has competed in 13 different states and played in four total countries.
"Being able to see different places and how other cultures live has been a definite positive," Gaynor said. "I have been able to branch out and really broaden my horizons."
An independent thinker with an interest in politics, literature and music, Gaynor has enjoyed the college experience, both on and off the court. He is proud that he has learned something each and every day during his time at UCF, both as a player and a person.
"I have definitely enjoyed it. I have found out about different things and I get to play the sport that I love. It has helped me on my journey to find myself. I am still not there yet, but I am getting there."