Stalwart. Workhorse. Field General.
 
Pardon the clichés, but all of the above terms typically help characterize the wily veteran catcher who has seen as much time behind the plate as a well-worn tablecloth. Ryan Matranga fits the bill. A senior who has been both starter and a part-time player over his career, one thing that has never changed is his unflinching dedication and persistence in being the best player he can be. 
 
"He's one of three guys who's left that played in a Regional," said head coach Nino Giarratano. "He's got experience at every level; now in his senior year, he's able to play quite a bit. He's got great leadership skills, he's a great kid. He deserves every opportunity; he's worked really hard to put himself in a great position."
 
Matranga (Mission Viejo, Calif. / Santa Margarita Catholic HS) adds a vital veteran presence to a ball club that features 17 newcomers, 11 of whom are freshmen. But don't let his apparent status as stable pony to USF's stock of youthful pitchers or his unassuming, personable nature fool you; Matranga looks to make his own mark while he has sole possession of the Dons' catching duties until Dominic Miroglio returns from a hand injury.
 
His .257 batting average this season has been bolstered by a walk-off single in a 5-4 win over Hawai'i on Feb. 27 and a three-game stretch where he tallied multiple hits in each contest during the second week of the season.
 
Matranga has seen his share of playing time over his career – he entered the season with 113 career appearances, the most on the roster. Matranga established a career-best by hitting .271 with a home run and six RBI last season, and was a WCC All-Freshman pick back in 2013 after starting 15 of the team's 24 conference contests.
 
"He's a great kid who comes from a great family," added Giarratano. "He makes a lot of really good decisions when it comes to school and life, in how he treats people and talks to people. I don't think there's a guy in the program that has a bad word to say about their relationship with Ryan. He's just done some great things in building relationships and getting people to believe in him as a player and as a person."  
 
"Know Your Dons" is an on-going feature on USFDons.com designed to personalize the student-athletes of the University of San Francisco. Meet @ryanmatranga.
  

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Student Life
Favorite class and why: Entrepreneurial Finance because it is pretty much like Shark Tank and I am in the shoes of the investors.
Favorite place to study on campus: 4th floor Kalmonovitz.
Balancing the demands of school and your sport: Time management is the key. When you are doing schoolwork just do it with no distractions so you can move on to other things quicker.
What experience made the biggest impact on you in the classroom?
There is no specific experience but seeing each professor's passion for their material is inspiring to see.
The best thing about USF is: My teammates and the city of San Francisco.
What does "Change the World From Here" mean to you?
Find your passion, put your head down and work hard while doing things the right way and when you look back on things, you'll realize the amount of people you affected.
 
Pop Culture
Favorite TV show: Shark Tank
Favorite movie: Taken
Last book you read: The Alchemist
 
Team
Top skill: Receiving behind the plate.
One thing you are always working on: Hitting.
One skill of one of your teammates you wish you had: Matt Sinatro's speed.
Pre-game rituals or superstitions before events: I have a routine when I walk into the batter's box that is the same everytime.
Funniest teammate: Matt Sinatro.
 
Sports
Favorite athlete: Tom Brady
Favorite athletic memory: Watching the selection show my freshman year and finding out we got selected into a regional at the University of Oregon.
Biggest sports thrill: Derek Atkinson's walk off homerun in the WCC tournament.
My second-best sport: Basketball.
Sport I'm the worst at: Cross Country.
Earliest sports memory: Listening to music on the way to little league games with my dad.
First sport you ever played: Baseball.
 
Food and Travel
Favorite meal: Breakfast sandwich.
Favorite ethnic cuisine: Sushi.
Favorite snack food: Jym Army.
Guilty pleasure: Making ridiculous snapchats with one of my friends Dillon.
Least favorite food: Onions.
If I had to cook all of my meals, I'd survive on: Eggs and sausage.
Who is the best cook on the team: Nico Giarratano.
If stranded on an island, what would you bring with you: My family.
 
This and That
Hobbies: Hanging out with my teammates and working out.
Pick three words to describe yourself: Hard-working, funny, loud.
Early riser or night owl: Early riser.
Something people would be surprised to know about me: I can barely see anything without my glasses on.
Role models: My family. They shape who I am.
My parents were right when they said: Finish strong.
Moment in my life I'll always remember: Cross-Country trip with my family.
In 10 years, I'd like to be: Playing baseball.
Pet peeves: When someone holds the door for a stranger and they do not say thank you.
Cats or dogs: Neither. I am allergic.
Best advice you've ever received and who was it from: Work your tail off and enjoy everything along the way. My Dad.
 
In your own words, describe the student-athlete experience at USF:
The student-athlete experience is ideal because of the type of people we are surrounded with. From an athletic standpoint, we have momentum. We have all of the resources that are necessary to be a successful athlete. The baseball program is filled with great people that make coming to work every day a pleasure. The culture we have and coaching staff haven't just changed me as a baseball player but as the person I am on a daily basis. I couldn't have asked for more throughout my time here at USF.
 
Academically, it is a great fit for a student athlete because of the structure. Classes are smaller which allows there to be personal relationships with professors. This allows us to have easy access to these professors and helps us understand they truly want to help us.
 
Social life is great because I have 34 teammates which equates to 34 best friends. We hangout all the time, whether it is at weights early in the morning or watching a sporting event later that night. We hangout all the time together as a team.
 
The city is amazing. As a prospective freshman I was very nervous about the city and did not know what to expect. It is unreal living in San Francisco. It is so much fun going to every part and seeing all of the different people that live in this world. The food is absolutely incredible. It is refreshing going around the city and seeing everything that it has to offer.
 
There have been many challenges throughout my years here at USF. What I have learned though is that if you have a challenge or issue, go head-on at it and attack it.