By LAURA BORRELLI
Sports Editor
Student Athletes had to adapt this semester coming back to school for the first time, unable to compete and practice like any other normal season. Andrew Lule, a senior captain on the men’s soccer team at The College of Saint Rose, said it is not what he wanted his last year at Saint Rose to be, but he is making the most of it spending his time with his team.
Lule has been playing soccer since he was four years old, and he said he has always loved it. He was recruited by Coach John Ciano. After exchanging emails back and forth and came to visit the campus and the team. Once Lule came to Albany and saw how the team interacted with each other, he wanted to be a part of that atmosphere.
“I couldn’t see myself going to college and not playing a sport and soccer was just what I was best at,” said Lule.
Both the soccer team and the program for Criminal Justice drew Lule to Saint Rose. The class sizes and personable professors were something Lule said made his academics at Saint Rose enjoyable.
Christina Lane, associate professor of criminal justice, is Lule’s advisor and has helped him through his years at Saint Rose. Lule said he has sat down with her multiple times, and she has helped open doors for Lule. Lane has been able to help him during school but also has connections for internships and future paths after college.
“She has always been dependable and gives me an honest answer,” Lule said. There are four or five teachers Lule consistently has within his major, and he said he enjoys being able to build a relationship with them. Lule said Lane, as well as his other core professors, has helped him succeed at Saint Rose.
Lule found time and balancing athletics and academics easy. Lule said it was important to create schedules to stay structured.
Lule emphasized that his teammates are like family to him. Colin Sherlock is a junior on the soccer team with Lule. Sherlock described Lule as outgoing, fun, and hardworking.
“He pushes his teammates farther each day and drives them to be the best version of themselves they can be,” Sherlock wrote in an email.
Sherlock is a criminal justice major with Lule, and wrote that Lule is a leader on and off the field. Sherlock wrote Lule brings a presence to the field bringing intensity, experience, and skill.
Lule is a team player. When he joined the team he was a midfielder, but to work better with the team he substituted in other positions and found that he was a better defender for the team.
The team consists of roughly 25 athletes, and they practice in the morning together. Although the team is not competing, Lule said he is happy that he is still able to practice and go to classes and be as normal as it can be.
Lule said that he has stuck with soccer because of the competitive aspect. The game is mixed with both fast and slow paced moments. In the competitive environment, Lule said, the team pushes each other to do their best.
“The atmosphere is still the same if not better,” said Lule. His teammates mean a lot to him, and he has been able to foster a positive environment for the team for the past four years at Saint Rose.
Filippo Bellu is a senior on the team and describes him as smart, gentle, and helpful. Bellu wrote that Lule is a “true friend.”
“He is a silent leader, he makes you feel he is always there in case you need him, without criticizing you if you do something wrong in or off the field,” Bellu wrote in an email.
Lule brings good energy to the team and is ready to sacrifice for the people he cares about according to Bellu.
Lule said he was happy with his decision to come to Saint Rose and is grateful to be on such a diverse team. The team is made up of so many cultures and provides an opportunity to gain perspectives and learn from his teammates.
“It is really nice to get into different cultural aspects that other people live though,” said Lule.
Lule said he is glad to be back on campus and spend time playing soccer and spending time with his soccer family.
