#D3week featured student-athlete: Marco Saglimbeni, soccer
Every year, NCAA Division III institutions across the country participate in Division III Week. To celebrate this week, we will bring you a new profile every day that gives a glimpse into the life of Chapman's student-athletes.
Feature #1: Brad Steiner, Baseball
Feature #2: Madeline Saunders, Tennis
Our next Q&A comes from two-time Academic All-American Marco Saglimbeni of the men's soccer team. Marco ended his soccer career near the top of Chapman's scoring list and one of the most decorated soccer players in terms of awards. He will continue to pursue a career in soccer and after graduation and will eventually pursue a graduate degree in the sciences.
What are some off-the-field experiences that stand out to you as you prepare to graduate?
Off the field, I have been able to excel in the classroom and pursue my multiple academic interests. This includes a Biological Sciences major, Italian Studies major, and participation in the University Honors Program. The combination of these academic programs has allowed me to explore science, language and culture, and Socratic dialogue, giving me a very well rounded educational experience. Additionally, I was able to study abroad in Perugia, Italy, which was an unforgettable, perspective-broadening semester. To me, all of these experiences off the field mean that I have truly taken advantage of many of the opportunities that Chapman has to offer for its students. Thanks to the encouragement and financial support of my parents, I wanted to make the most of my college experience and pursue opportunities that I likely won't have again in my life.
What does playing college soccer mean to you?
Soccer means everything to me. It has taken me all over the country (and the world) and introduced me to so many different people. Since soccer is such a global game, even though I'm not a professional player, I feel like I'm a part of the global soccer community. While the sport itself is fun and demonstrates the skill and athleticism of the players, it is the passion surrounding the sport that I love most. In addition to my teammates and being part of a team culture, the elation of winning games and scoring goals is what drives my desire to continue my soccer career for as long as I can.
Why did you choose to dedicate your time to soccer and school?
Growing up I have always played sports, and for me they have always gone hand in hand with school. Playing soccer in college was the logical next step for me, and the best opportunity arose in Chapman's DIII program. This program allowed me to continue and develop my academic experience in the classroom, while also giving me the opportunity to play the sport I loved at a competitive level. Soccer is the activity that defines me as a person, and academics are the key to opening up career opportunities in the future; finding a place like Chapman allowed me to excel in both, which is why I dedicated my time to both school and soccer.
How have you been able to balance a double major and soccer?
In terms of balancing academics and soccer, for me it has everything to do with the standards I set for myself. I have extremely high expectations of myself both on and off the field, and at the end of the day it comes down to working hard to reach those standards. Persistent and consistent hard work has helped me excel in my rigorous major and soccer.
What does being a two-time Academic All-American mean to you?
It is an incredible honor and something that I'll always be proud of. I think it's the perfect way to quantify my college experience in terms of success on and off the field.
Have the lessons you learned on the field translated to helping you achieve your academic goals or put you on the right career path?
Everything I've learned on the field translates directly to helping me achieve my academic success. On the field, if I wasn't always in shape or didn't put in the hours, I wouldn't have had success. The same applies to the classroom. If I didn't complete all my assignments or put in the hours of studying, I wouldn't have the GPA I have now. Soccer has taught me about teamwork, leadership, and accountability, so no matter where my career path takes me, I know those skills will help get me to where I want to be.
What relationships have you made through soccer that have changed your experience at Chapman?
The relationships I have made with my recruiting class teammates have definitely been the biggest influence on my Chapman experience. Because it is such a big group of us, we have been the heart of the team since we arrived four years ago. We have grown closer every year both on and off the field and done our best to leave a lasting impact on the soccer program to help set the standard for the rest of our teammates to continue the traditions and success of the program. I would not have had the success I had during my time at Chapman without their friendships on and off the field.
What have been your proudest moments on and off the field?
Probably the proudest moment of my Chapman soccer career was finding out that we had received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. Besides winning a SCIAC championship, making the NCAA tournament had been the main goal of the team all four years I was there, and it was so exciting for it to finally happen my senior year. Other moments on the field that stand out to me were being named team captain at the beginning of my junior year and scoring in front of my parents on senior night. Off the field, my proudest moments include studying abroad, declaring a self-designed Italian major, completing the University Honors Program, and being nominated for multiple Senior Campus Leadership Awards.