Matt Grootegoed
Class of 2024 Inductee
Mater Dei High School(Santa Ana)
Player (LB)
Accomplishments
During High School:
● Won three CIF championships
● earned Offensive and Defensive Player of the Game as a junior in 1998
● Selected as a Student Sports Junior AllAmerican, Cal-Hi AllState first-team, All CIF Southern Section first-team, All-CIF I Defensive MVP, Los Angeles Times All Orange County Back of the Year and Orange County Register All-Orange County Defensive MVP
During College
● played for USC (2000-2004)
● His team won three straight Pac-10 Conference championships and two consecutive AP national championships
● He was a second team All-Pac-10 selection in 2003
● In 2004, he was a finalist for the Butkus Award, recognized as a first-team All Pac-10 selection and a consensus first team All-American
Post-College
● signed as an undrafted free agent by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2005
● later picked up by the Detroit Lions
● Played for the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders from 2007-09. and was a member of the Stampeders’ 2008 Grey Cup championship team