Griffin Riley’s recruiting stock had been trending upward entering the 2016 outdoor track season. Then one day, it broke wide open.
At April’s Mountain Brook Invitational, Riley, then a junior, outkicked a talent-laden field to take first place in his signature event, the 800 meters. His head-turning time of 1 minute, 52.17 seconds represented a 4-second personal best. It also signified a career milestone.
“The shock of the 1:52 was crazy, but the shock of winning and then turning around and seeing everyone else behind me was probably [crazier],” Riley said. “That was my first win. Ever.”
To put his performance in perspective, the two guys Riley edged out for first place now run in the notoriously strong Southeastern Conference. Spain Park alumnus Daniel Nixon, who took second, is at Mississippi State. Mountain Brook alumnus Drew Williams, who took third, is now at Alabama.
College coaches took notice of Riley’s triumph. “That was the race when it was kind of the mudslide,” Riley said in regard to the wave of recruiting that ensued after the victory.
At first, he was contacted by coaches from the Ivy League and mid-major Division I schools. Eventually, his suitors hailed from some of the country’s top track-and-field programs. He said he received phone calls from Tennessee and Ole Miss.
A visit to Oxford, Mississippi, sold him on the Rebels, and in November he signed his National Letter of Intent to join their revered distance program.
“When I went there, I was just like, ‘This is where I should be,’” Riley said.
What ultimately persuaded him to commit to Ole Miss? Riley identified his compatibility with the team as the pivotal factor in his decision.
Photo courtesy of Griffin Riley.
In November, Mountain Brook High School senior Griffin Riley, center, signed a National Letter of Intent to continue to his track-and-field career at Ole Miss. His parents, Shannon, left, and Richard, right, also ran at Mountain Brook.
“I love being goofy,” he said. “Running is a hard sport, and it’s not always as much fun as you want it to be, so if you have guys who will make it fun when it’s not fun, then the love of running comes in.”
At Ole Miss, Riley will have the opportunity to add another chapter to his standout career, which first started in early elementary school. Speaking with a hint of hyperbole, he said he’s been running summer track since he could walk.
Mountain Brook coach Greg Echols has been there almost every step of the way. A longtime friend of the family, Echols coached Riley’s parents, Richard and Shannon, when they ran for Mountain Brook. Richard Riley then ran collegiately at Furman and Auburn.
Echols has had a hand in coaching Griffin from the beginning. Over the years, he said he’s seen Griffin take increased ownership of his natural ability. The results have followed.
“It’s just heredity and God-given talent,” Echols said. “He’s always loved running, always been good at it.”
A product of the Spartans’ illustrious, team-oriented program, Griffin credits those around him for his success. Without the encouragement of coaches and teammates, he said he wouldn’t have made it to where he is now.
“It’s just incredible what the coaches do for me, and it’s also incredible what my teammates do for me,” he said. “They probably will never know how much they mean to me.”
Currently sidelined by a stress fracture in his shin, Griffin is training on the bike and in the pool in preparation for the upcoming outdoor track season. Once healthy, he’ll look to put a defining stamp on his prep career.
The goal, he said, is simple.
“To win. That’s all I’m worried about, just win,” Griffin said. “I’m not necessarily worried about the time. I think a fast time will come with competition and attitude.”
