Paul Dudley Senior Profile

DURHAM, N.C. ? Paul Dudley recently sat down with GoDuke.com for his senior profile. Dudley, a native of Warminster, Pa., is a forward on the Duke men's soccer team. Here he discusses his love of Philadelphia sports, what he will miss about Duke, plus much more.

GoDuke.com: What's your favorite food?
Paul Dudley: My favorite food or meal would have to be a Philly cheesesteak. A real Philly cheesesteak too, not the imitations that they try to sell everywhere outside Philadelphia.

GD: Perfect end to college career?
PD: I think the perfect end to many athletes college careers would be going out on top and winning the national championship.

GD: Advice to freshman this year?
PD: The four years you spend here go by so fast. Enjoy your experiences and don't leave with any regrets.

GD: Favorite video game?
PD: I don't play video games, but I like watching my boys' system link it up on Halo 3.

GD: Favorite memory in college career?
PD: My best memory would have to be scoring the game-winning overtime goal in the second round of the NCAA tourney freshman year against ODU. It was a one-time thirty-five yard bomb that sent our team to the Sweet 16.

GD: Favorite professional team?
PD: I love all Philadelphia teams even tough I've yet to witness a championship from my city since I've been born.

GD: Favorite sport to play besides your own?
PD: I love playing basketball whenever I get the chance. Ever since I was young I played basketball and it was really hard to give it up once I got to college. A lot of the guys on the team play too so it's nice when we can all get together and play pick up.

GD: Being a few years removed from high school, what pops in your head when you think back to your high school career?
PD: When I think back about my high school sports career it is kind of ironic that my basketball and volleyball teams were more successful than the soccer team that I played on. I made it to states twice in basketball, once in volleyball and never in soccer. A national championship this year, however, will more than make up for my high school team's inability to win a state title.

GD: Favorite place to play outside of Duke?
PD: I think that the best place to play at outside of Duke is Maryland. The fans are out of control and the facility is top notch, which makes for a great atmosphere.

GD: Any pregame rituals?
PD: Whenever we have a home game Kevin Stevenson and I play Michael Videira and Mike Grella in soccer tennis. Even though we never really keep score the games get pretty intense.

GD: Favorite part of practice?
PD: My favorite part of practice is when we get to play 7v7 or 8v8 with the goals pushed in. Whenever we get to do this everyone's competitive juices flow and the games are really fun.

GD: What will you miss the most about soccer after Duke?
PD: I think the fact that all of us guys are not going to see each other on a regular basis anymore is really going to be weird getting used to. While I will obviously miss playing soccer I think I am really going to miss just hanging out with the boys, whether it be in the locker room before and after practice or at one of our houses.

GD: What do you do in your free time?
PD: I love playing sports in my free time. It really doesn't matter what sport it is I just love competition.

GD: Who has had the most impact on your life?
PD: My parents have definitely had the most significant impact on my life. Without them I wouldn't be where I am today. They pushed me to be the best that I could when I was young and have been encouraging and supporting me my whole life. Growing up, they were at all of my games and events and would drive me hundreds of miles around the country to play. They gave me the opportunity to become successful.

GD: Childhood hero?
PD: Like many kids that grew up through the 90's I admired Michael Jordan. Jordan was my favorite athlete not only because he was the best basketball player ever, but also because he was a respectable human being. Now, in this day and age, it is much harder to come by athletes that fit both profiles.