Oct. 15, 2012
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By Doug Richards
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Every now and then Greg Eason will think about what his life would be like if he did not have the opportunity to attend UCF. Eason, now a junior, has had an incredible start to his collegiate career, helping the men's golf team enjoy great success.
He has been a member of two NCAA Regional squads, one team that advanced to the NCAA Championship and a Conference USA title team. Individually, he took medalist honors at the C-USA Championship this past April, and followed that performance by tying for 13th at the NCAA Championship in June, which earned him All-America honors.
But without the recommendation of a friend, Eason never would have had the chance to shine with the Knights. A native of Leicester City, England, Eason had no visions of playing on the collegiate level in the United States. Despite enjoying success as an amateur, he never believed that he had a future in golf. Instead, Eason was expecting to attend a local university and study surveying and architecture and then land a job in the construction industry. That path would have most likely ended his golf career.
His plans changed when Bryce Wallor was named UCF's head coach in 2009. Eason's friend from Leicester, Charlie Ford, attended Tennessee and played for the Volunteers during Wallor's time as an assistant at the school. Ford encouraged Wallor to include Eason in his first recruiting class at UCF. The fit was perfect and Eason has benefited from his time with the Knights.
"It has been fantastic. I feel really fortunate to have met Bryce. He has helped me so much. All of the support that you get from UCF is really good. It is nice because you have a whole team behind you. They are always going to be there for you. The whole package lets you bring out the best in yourself if you are willing to put the effort in."
Eason has been more than willing to put the effort in and has made great strides with his game since arriving in Orlando.
"Greg is a great young man and such a hard worker," Wallor said. "All of his success is well deserved and we are so happy for him."
And even though that he sometimes wonders about what his life would be like if he had remained in England, Eason is thankful to be a Knight.
"It is quite strange actually to think about how I ended up here doing what I am doing," he said. "I would have been at an ordinary university, doing ordinary things. This opportunity has been extraordinary. I feel lucky to have it."
This story appears in the September issue of Knights Insider magazine. The publication, which is published six times per year, provides an inside look at UCF student-athletes, coaches and alums. To order the magazine,