By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, posted 3/6/09

    With all the troubling news surrounding the economy these days, it’s comforting to know that Penn senior Greg Sih is entering the workforce in the area of finance.

    Sih, a graduate of Germantown Academy, is the Wapner Newman Wigrizer & Brecher Collegiate Scholar-Athlete of the Week. While starting on defense for the Quakers, he also has a 3.88 GPA as a dual-degree major.

    Sih is in the Wharton School of Business with a concentration in finance and also is majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration of applied mechanics. He will have managed to complete these rigorous programs in four years and has a job in private equity funds waiting for him this summer at Credit Suisse in New York.

    “Coming out while having learned through tough economic times will help me,” Sih said.

    How did Sih manage to play four years of lacrosse while juggling his academic demands?

    “I got through the crams of mid-terms and final projects,” he said. “You have to get enough sleep and rest to play lacrosse, that’s the biggest challenge. I have been able to balance the two.

    “I guess I was pretty good at time management. And you have to work efficiently and quickly.”

    Sih, who is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Society and has been on the Dean’s List every year at Penn, also needs to be efficient in his position of close defense. Before this season, he played a defensive midfield position with a short stick, but he has taken to playing back with a long pole.

    “There was a gap at defense this year,” he said of the switch. “It definitely was a little different and an adjustment. It was the first time I played defense, but I think it was a good change. It’s fun to take someone on 1-on-1.”

    Sih is tied for third on the team with seven groundballs. Penn is 1-1 heading into today’s home opener against Denver (3 p.m.) at Franklin Field.

    The Quakers opened their season with a thrilling one-goal win over city rival Drexel, but were humbled last Saturday, 14-7, by undefeated Villanova.

    “We have to have more communication on defense and stick to the game plan,” he said. “The first two games showed we can play with anyone, but at the same time if we don’t play as a team, we can lose just as easily.”

Tags: Germantown Academy, Penn, Scholar-Athlete