The Rob Grimm experiment is no longer an exercise in possibility.
UMBC coach Don Zimmerman confirmed that the senior will shift from attack to midfield for the coming season. Grimm, who led the offense in assists (18) and points (35) last year, is expected to join a projected first line of juniors Dave Brown and Scott Hopmann.
But Hopmann has not been able to practice because of an injured hamstring, which has led the Retrievers to begin searching for another option.
"So we've got Dave Brown and Rob Grimm running together," Zimmerman said during a media event Wednesday that gathered the head coaches of Johns Hopkins, Loyola, Towson and UMBC at Loyola's Ridley Athletic Complex. "We're looking for a third person to run with that unit. But obviously, Rob moving from attack to midfield is going to help our midfield depth."
Grimm's spot on attack will be filled by freshman Derek Bertolini, who will be bookended by juniors Scott Jones and Joe Lustgarten.
"He's young, but he's got some good talent, and the fact that now he can team up with two juniors, that'll take some pressure off of him," Zimmerman said. "Derek being with us is what enabled us to move Rob from attack."