After four years as a reliable backup, Jeff Woodward is playing big minutes as a starter. And he's making the best of it.

In four seasons at Colgate, Jeff Woodward ’25 established himself as a reliable big man off the bench, bringing high energy and a fiery spirit as well as skill on both sides of the court. 

Factor in his 6-foot-11, 270-pound frame, and the Raiders had something special in Woodward, who could bulldoze through the paint on most nights. He became an essential piece to a program that rose into a dynasty, winning conference championships in four consecutive seasons.

But when someone was needed to shoulder the offense, it was always one of Woodward’s veteran teammates who took on the task.

Now, in his fifth and final season as a Raider, Woodward’s role has dramatically changed. He’s no longer splitting time with fellow center Keegan Records ’24, who graduated as one of the best forwards in Colgate history. 

Woodward is no longer watching, either, as another veteran leads the offense.

Instead, for the first time in his Colgate career, Woodward consistently has a bigger role. The team has relied on him to provide more offense, and he’s done just that, averaging nearly 15 points and seven rebounds per game, both career highs. He’s also averaging 27 minutes a game.

And he’s doing it as captain of a young team that’s still growing. Of the 15-member roster, 10 are first-years and sophomores. There are only three seniors, including Woodward.

For the Audubon, Pa., native, it has made for a fun season. Woodward said he enjoys the added responsibility. But despite the bigger role, his approach to the game remains the same.

“I have always been about wanting to do whatever I can to help the team win,” he said. “In years past, my role was coming off the bench and providing energy and effort. This year, it’s more of a scoring role, a leadership role. It’s an awesome opportunity. I really appreciate it. But I haven’t changed too much in my approach to the game.”

As a first-year in 2020-21, Woodward made an immediate impact as a key reserve off the bench. Not only was he an efficient scorer in the paint and a talented rebounder, he was an effective passer. He went on to make the conference All-Rookie team.

With each season, his minutes increased while becoming a fan favorite for his relentless effort and his desire to win, which he often displayed by firing up his teammates. 

While he remained a backup for much of his career, Woodward split time with Records, giving Colgate an effective one-two punch at the center position. In the process, Woodward learned about the game by watching his veteran teammates such as Records, Tucker Richardson ’23, Ryan Moffatt ’24, Oliver Lynch-Daniels ’23, and others, who all achieved storied careers in maroon-and-white. 

By learning from those players, Woodward picked up things like how to lead a team, how to be a collegiate basketball player, and how to win. Woodward said he’s trying to share with his younger teammates everything he’s learned.

“I’ve played with a bunch of great players in my career at Colgate,” he said. “Getting to see and learn from them, just how to lead a college basketball team, how to be a good captain, how to manage your teammates’ emotions and things like that. It was an awesome learning experience for me to be able to watch and play with those guys the past four years. It made the transition this year into a leadership role a lot easier.”

His first taste as Colgate captain, however, has come with challenges. At the start of the season, a knee injury forced Woodward to miss several games. He used the opportunity to act as a player-coach.

“This year has been really special to me because we are so young,” he said. “We don’t have the experience we had in the past. I’ve been able to take on a player-coach role, especially in terms of passing down what I’ve learned from my former teammates. It has made me appreciate my final year a lot more. I’m clearly the elder statesman out there. It has been fun for me.”

One of the most important lessons he’s teaching his teammates is being able to adapt as the game unfolds. 

“One of the biggest things we have talked at length about is recognizing it is never going to be exactly how we think it’s going to go,” he said. “We’re making a game plan, the game plan is great, but we all know it’s probably not going to go as planned. Being able to adapt and change. Something Coach Matt Langel talks about is recognizing the game we are in right now.”

EXCELLING IN THE CLASSROOM

As a high school basketball player, Woodward’s dream was to continue playing on the college level. His parents and high school coach advised him to consider a college where he could have the opportunity to help the team win while receiving a top education.

“They always told me, the ball will eventually stop bouncing,” he said. “You will eventually not be able to play, whether physically or whatever the limiting factor is. You have to have a plan post-basketball. My parents stressed the importance of getting a good college education.”

Once he came to Colgate, his post-basketball plan was psychological science, which became his major. He later added a second major in religion.

After taking a psychology AP class in high school, Woodward said he liked the subject enough to pursue it at Colgate. As a college student, he’s taken various courses on the subject while pursuing hands-on work to expand his education. For instance, he spent two summers working at a camp for children with disabilities. The experience taught him much about the challenges that those children face each day.

Last fall, he completed a study on student-athlete mental health for an independent study course. Woodward contacted several universities to learn how they addressed the mental health of student-athletes and compared it to NCAA guidelines. He presented his findings to Colgate coaches and staff.

“Basketball is the reason I was able to come to Colgate,” he said. “But the academic piece of it has made it super cool. I’ve gotten a great education and I’ve had wonderful academic opportunities.”

Woodward said he hopes to continue studying psychological science in graduate school. He’s applied at several schools and is waiting to hear from those institutions.

In the meantime, he is relishing his final months at Colgate as the team battles for another conference title. 

“My time at Colgate has been the best five years of my life,” he said. “I’ve made some of my best friends in the entire world through Colgate basketball. I’ve met really interesting people through Colgate basketball and the opportunity it has provided for me. I can never truly list all the ways it has been beneficial for me throughout my time here.”