Grant Ament: The Journey from Recruit to Penn State Lacrosse Legend

Penn State Career

Despite being a true freshman, Grant Ament saw action right away for Penn State Lacrosse.

In his first ever game against Robert Morris in 2016, Ament recorded two goals and five assists. Nothing like a seven-point outing to start your college career.

Despite being one of the youngest and most inexperienced players on the field that year, it wasn’t the opposing team that gave Ament trouble.

"“I think that your biggest opponent freshman year is your nerves,” Ament said. “It’s very funny because I don’t think I’ve ever been nervous running onto a Penn State lacrosse field after that first game.”"

The fact that Ament attended an accomplished athletic high school like The Haverford School helped prepare him for the next level.

"“You know we had 22 Division I commits on my team,” Ament said. ” I was going against Chris Sabia. You know who fast forward four years, was a first team all-American in college. So, like you know, I was exposed to a really high level of lacrosse, and I think that really prepared me.”"

Ament and the Nittany Lions finished the 2016 season 8-7, an improvement from 5-9 the year prior.

In 2017, Ament and the Nittany Lions went 12-4 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Ament scored 60 points that year, recording a 30-goal, 30-assist season.

The program, led by Ament’s outstanding play, was headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, a broken foot for Ament prior to the start of the 2018 season derailed what could have been a special season.

Ament did not let this bump in the road discourage him though, if anything it was a factor into why the following season was as great as it was.

"“Like I think I was just so hyper motivated,” Ament said. ” There was so there was so much anger from the year before there, but there was so much motivation for it, and I think collectively it was fun. It was fun because it wasn’t easy.”"

The Nittany Lions went 16-2 in 2019 and reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament. Ament had one of the best seasons in NCAA history, recording 126 points on 30 goals and 96 assists. The 96 assists set an NCAA record.

"“Senior year we it was kind of just like backs against the wall,” Ament said. “Let’s just go for it. So that was kind of the mentality and I think, the buy in from the group. And it was a special group of guys who like I still talk to multiple times a day.”"

The 2019 NCAA Lacrosse Final Four took place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, a place Ament knew well as he grew up an Eagles fan. Although the Nittany Lions fell short to Yale in the game, it was an atmosphere, and an experience Ament would not forget.

"“That was the coolest part of it because you really felt the Penn State kind of culture and that’s you know, like that’s a strong one,” Ament said."

Ament returned for the 2020 season in hopes of getting some revenge and heading back to the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic cut the season short, ending Ament’s impressive Penn State career.

"“There’s nothing you can do about it,” Ament said.  “You know it’s not like it was just unfair to us right, specifically, and if you sit around and complain about it, nothing really good is going to come out of it.”"

While it did not end the way he, or anyone else, would have liked, Ament’s career was a special one. He was named an All-American three times while recording 284 points, which is a program record and ranks within the top 25 in NCAA history. The Nittany Lions went 41-15 in the four years that Ament was healthy and on the field.