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Anderson Cynkar Digging West Coast Lifestyle as Freshman Year Wraps Up at Claremont McKenna College
West Coast, Best Coast? Depends who you ask. If you’re asking someone who created a blog that showcases athletes from western Pennsylvania, he’s likely not going to agree. But, this blog isn’t about me; it’s about the athletes and the people that make this region of the country so special to all of us.
Hopefully a few Claremont McKenna College Stags will get some insight from this account that helps them to understand how amazing of a place our region can be. It’s an area that produces talent in a variety of sports to a variety of levels to a variety of places. However, I would say to land in California as an athlete from western Pennsylvania is pretty rare. However, it’s not impossible as now college sophomore, Anderson Cynkar, is one of the few living that Cali lifestyle that’s made his way onto the blog.
A native of Pittsburgh, Cynkar was a three-sport standout in basketball, football, and track and field at Central Catholic High School. A college recruit in all three-sports, part of the reason he chose to head to Claremont McKenna initially is that he intended to play both football and continue his hurdling career. While he has elected to now solely focus on football instead, the decision to go to Claremont McKenna was not a four-year decision, but rather one that will continue to pay dividends as his life continues. As he put it, it was a “forty year decision, not a four-year decision.”
For those unfamiliar, Claremont McKenna is one of the finest liberal arts colleges in the United States, accepting just around 13 percent of applicants, while graduating over 90 percent of the students who enroll. It also happens to be one of the best Division III athletic traditions in the entire country. A school that is a part of the Claremont College Consortium, it is one of five colleges in the overall system, sharing a system with Pomona College, Scripps College, Pitzer College, and Harvey Mudd College. Interestingly, these colleges are not just connected administratively, but also physically as the five campuses share resources such as dining halls and libraries.
“Originally, I sent an email to around 60 different schools Division I through Division III,” Cynkar explained. “I probably heard back from about half of those, and Claremont was one of those. It’s a very highly regarded academic school and it has a high standard, something I’ve always held myself to. I also knew I could be an athlete there, so that combination was something that made this the perfect fit for me.”
While he was a bit surprised that his role as a wide receiver in his freshman year became as large as it did, it’s given him the confidence he needs to help the Stags build upon a solid 7-3 season in 2021. Cynkar played in nine games, racking up 34 catches for 461 yards and four touchdowns. With a team that has a lot of returners in 2022, the Stags hope to capture a Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) title in what appears on paper to be a promising season.
Playing in a run-first offense in high school, the west coast pass-first flavor is beginning to fully show what Cynkar can do with the ball in his hands. His 79-yard touchdown grab in the win over Lewis and Clark was a defining moment in his freshman year, helping him to earn an expanded role in the offense.
Looking back to his days in high school, Cynkar is proud to have been a part of back-to-back WPIAL titles on a ground and pound style team for the Vikings as well as a new era in Central Catholic basketball. His memories from out on the gridiron and on the hardwood with his friends are moments he will never forget.
“Those two championship seasons in football are some of my best memories ever. I love all those guys so much. They are still my brothers. I will never forget those teams, but I also loved my junior year basketball team because that was our first year with a new coach and there was a lot of speculation on how we would do in the offseason. We made a deep playoff push and made a nice run to end the season. Being a part of those teams is what I will remember most.”
Cynkar became an All-Conference performer in all three sports during his high school career, while also becoming an All-State performer in hurdles as a senior. His grades and leadership skills are also noteworthy as a high honor roll student and vice president of his Central Catholic class.
The economics major is unsure exactly what path he may take, but he’s leaning towards a career in finance and banking, citing his father, Christopher Cynkar, as someone who has inspired him and pushed him both in the classroom and in his athletic career over the years.
With freshman year now complete at Claremont McKenna, it’s time for Anderson Cynkar to hit the weight room, find a summer internship or job, and get ready for what is sure to be a promising freshman campaign for the Pittsburgh native.
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