The “What it Means to Be a Marist Captain” series sees Marist team captains and coaches speak on the role of a captain and its value to each team. Football, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball each will have a separate edition.
In Nicole Pacapelli’s first season as the head coach of Marist women’s soccer, the captains for her team had already been selected prior to her arrival. As the first-year head coach has gone through her soccer career, she finds less meaning in the buzzword of captain and is more concerned with developing as many high-functioning leaders in her program as possible.
“I think growing up, people perceive leaders as people that lead the line or go first or get all these accolades and recognitions. But at the end of the day, I think what I tried to do is really get them to understand how hard it is to be a leader, they’re expected to do more than everybody else, and they’re thanked probably less than everybody else and probably underappreciated,” said Pacapelli.
Her disassociation with the captain role motivated Pacapelli to create the role of team leader for her team, as opposed to the standard captain role.
“I think you need a captain on the field to manage certain aspects. But I think for me, we really talk about leaders and what that looks like to be a leader and the importance of leadership… I want to develop everybody as a leader,” said Pacapelli.
This group of team leaders consists of five players from the team. There were plenty of experienced players to choose from, with the team’s graduating class this year consisting of 14 players. Out of the 14 in the class, graduate student forward Brooke Cergol, graduate student defender Samantha Sturno, senior midfielder Amanda Caldarelli and senior midfielder Emily Harwood were Pacapelli’s selections for her team leaders. She also chose sophomore midfielder Olivia Lindsay to be the fifth team leader, giving the group an underclassman.
“They were fantastic. I mean, people have asked me since I’ve gotten here what the group was like and how the girls have been. I haven’t once said anything other than ‘It’s been a really, really great group to come into.’ They’ve respected me and they’ve bought into what we’re trying to do. They’ve really started to lay that foundation for us to be able to move forward,” said Pacapelli. “I think our leaders, without a doubt, were crucial in that transition and always have my back, are always supportive, always looking to help, always looking to just find ways to help us be better.”
As for the three captains, she could not be more satisfied with the players who were previously designated for the role during the 2023 season. The three selected specifically as captains include Cergol, Sturno and Caldarelli.
“They balance each other out very well. I think it’s a well-paired trio when it comes to what we’ve asked for them,” said Pacapelli.
Brooke Cergol
“Since I met Brooke, she has genuinely been one of the most authentically kind and caring human beings that I’ve come across. And as I mentioned, just kind of transitioning into this role, she was previously named captain. I without question kept her in our group of team leaders just knowing that she really loves this program, wants to put this program first and I think really embodies what it means to be a Red Fox. She takes care of little details, she does everything that we ask, she supports. She’s not necessarily the most vocal leader, I think Sam and Amanda were definitely a little bit more vocal leaders, but I think she is an extremely important level of support and backup on and off the field to everything that we’re trying to do and everything I’m trying to do in regards to that, so she definitely leads by example. Does the right things worked hard and like I said, is also there as an ear for others because she is extremely kind and genuine and caring” – Pacapelli
Cergol was responsible for two of the team’s four goals this season. After primarily playing as a substitute in her first four years in the program, Cergol started in the majority of her games played this season. The graduate student also achieved one of her collegiate career aspirations by being selected as captain for the first time this season.
“Definitely means a lot. Coming into this program, that was kind of what I always wanted. I came in and was quiet and was super nervous so, I always wanted to be that voice that kind of helped the girls coming in feel like they had someone to go to,” said Cergol. “I know Sammy (Sturno) was a captain early on and that kind of helped me and I saw how she helped lead the team, and I always wanted to be a part of that.”
Being named a captain gives Cergol all the more reason to fully invest herself whenever she’s on the pitch. In her career, Cergol logged 2,371 minutes and could always be relied upon to create offensive pressure.
“I try to put what’s going on outside of soccer beside me. Just positive energy on the field [during practice and game time]. Being someone to kind of lift someone up when you notice they’re down. Being that positive voice. That’s kind of what I’ve tried to be,” said Cergol.
The three captains have played with each other since 2020. Through those seasons, there have been many ups and downs in the program, including going through a carousel of head coaches. The absence of stability at the top of the program allowed them to strengthen their relationship with each other and lead in unison.
“I think that me, Sammy (Sturno) and Amanda (Caldarelli) work great together because we all play different positions. So I know what to do with the game. I’ll see Sammy talking to the backline, I’ll see Amanda talking to the mids and I kind of talk to the forwards but I love watching us lead because it’s always, ‘you got this,’ clapping, lifting the team up. It’s never breaking the team down and I think that’s why the three of us worked really well together.”
Cergol values her off-the-field responsibilities as a women’s soccer captain just as much as her on-field responsibilities. For the past two years, Cergol has been named to the MAAC All-Academic Team and does everything in her power to reflect the high standard of Marist women’s soccer wherever she goes.
“Being involved in the community, we hold ourselves to a very high caliber in the classroom as well. Just treating everyone in Marist athletics, in the Marist community with respect, being kind to everyone off the field. That’s just kind of the standard we have. That’s who we are as a team. That’s who we are as captains. Just being someone that people are comfortable going to.”
Ultimately as a leader, Cergol feels that a positive and comfortable environment is more important than anything.
“Making sure everyone feels that they are supposed to be here. Everyone’s welcome here. Everyone has a role on this team and playing time has nothing to do with that role. They are who they are and they have a role in this team,” said Cergol. “They’re leading the team in one way or another and they’re supposed to be here and we’re gonna support them through every second that they’re here.”
Samantha Sturno lauded the positive vibes that Cergol brings to the team.
“Brooke’s just always has energy whether it’s on or off the field, whether it’s a good or bad day, she just brings so much to the table in terms of just keeping everyone positive,” said Sturno. “When things aren’t going well, I think she just does a great job of just lifting up her teammates and always making sure that people feel welcome and feel happy. If they’re not, then she’s that person that can be there for them.”
Samantha Sturno
“Sam is in an interesting situation. She was named captain her sophomore year so she has been accounted for four years of the program sophomore, junior, senior and then fifth year which is pretty incredible. I think she has the natural character to be a leader. We talked about traits versus skills and I think leadership is a skill that can be developed but she’ll have certain traits. Traits are more fixed or things that you’re born with, whether they’re problem-solving or the ability to communicate, ability to hold others accountable. She has really great qualities about her. She’s not afraid to put the team first and make hard decisions and help solve problems and know that for the good of the group, she has to sometimes kind of put friends aside in the best way possible in order to get us to where we need to be. I think she was really good at that and she’s very caring and just really loves soccer.” – Pacapelli
Sturno has been a staple of Marist soccer since she arrived as a freshman. She has been a starting defender every year for the Marist women’s soccer and a captain since her junior year. Sturno takes pride in being a three-year captain and never takes it for granted.
“It honestly means a lot to me. I think our team has gone through, I don’t really know how to put it, we haven’t had the easiest years here in the past four or five years. And I’m on my third coach, and it’s been tough navigating through each coach,” said Sturno. {So it does mean a lot for me that I could be someone that’s more than just a player for the rest of my team and be there for them throughout all these changes, just because stability has been a little difficult to find in this program. I do hope that I’ve been able to be some of that stability for my teammates.”
As a multiple-time captain and a very experienced player, Sturno does her best to be the aforementioned pillar of stability for everyone else in the program.
“We’ve definitely gone through some ups and downs over the years, like I said, three different coaches. That’s been pretty difficult but just being there for (my teammates) not just on the field but off the field and understanding that people are going to have bad days mentally or physically, and just always trying to reach out and be someone that they can count on. That’s always there for them,” said Sturno.
On the field, Sturno earned an appearance on one of the All-MAAC teams the past three years. She appeared on the second team in 2021, first team in 2022 and third team in 2023 as the defensive anchor for the Red Foxes. Sturno was also selected to the Preseason All-MAAC in both of the last two seasons. While playing at a high level, Sturno is conscious of her responsibilities to also lead the rest of the team.
“I would say the most important thing on the field is making sure that, through it all, we’re just trying to keep each other up and keep each other positive. Trying to make big plays to keep our team in the game, it’s tough, but just never give up and push through the difficult times.”
Along with her many accolades, off the field, the graduate student defender has been a member of the MAAC All-Academic team since her sophomore year. Like Cergol, she believes that being supportive and accepting is incredibly important as a leader. Being a captain, she also finds it important to be a positive representation of the program.
“Being that person for the (team). For, especially all the younger girls off the field, just always trying to make the younger ones feel welcome into our program. Trying to make sure our team is doing stuff for the community of Marist,” said Sturno. “When we have time, just to go out there, whether it’s if we have community service, we’ll be talking to our coach about it or just getting out to other (Marist) games. I would say just trying to make sure we’re staying involved with the Marist community.”
Sturno amassed a total of 5,992 minutes and started 63 of the 68 games played in her career. Through all of this, Sturno has grown as a player as well as a leader. She found that positive things that are otherwise overlooked can make a big difference when leading a team.
“I would say definitely just spending as much time as we can off the field as well as on the field. Making sure that they’re comfortable and that they feel like they can come to us and and if they need a ride somewhere because they don’t have cars, just doing the little things and going to pick them up, I think is super important. Just making sure they know that they’re important to this team, regardless of minutes, regardless of anything else on the field. They have a part of this, they are a part of this team… (and) being someone that my teammates can look up to. Being that person for them, whether it’s on the field or off the field, just being a role model for them in any way that I can.”
Cergol spoke glowingly of Sturno’s leadership capabilities.
“Sammy, another one [who] came here freshman year, just immediately earned her spot. Crazy work ethic. You saw from day one she was going to be an early leader just because of her natural presence on and off the field,” said Cergol. “She likes taking control and not controlling, just being in charge of big roles because that’s who she is. She’s responsible. She’s kind and she has a great work ethic. There was no doubt when she got that early captain’s role sophomore year no one even questioned it because it made sense. She’s great, she’s the perfect person at being able to lead you in the right way on the field and being your best friend off the field.”
Amanda Caldarelli added to the praise for her teammate, noting how she consistently puts others before herself.
“She has been a captain as long as I have been in this program, and to me, she is probably one of the most selfless people. She puts the team first and there’s been things in the past that she has put herself in a position to advocate for every single person that didn’t really have a voice to say so themselves. So to me, I think that’s the reason she’s in that position because she has the courage to put herself in front of the whole group and voice for us,” said Caldarelli.
Amanda Caldarelli
“I always say I think Amanda is a full package all around. She leads by example on the field, she leads by example off the field, she leads by her voice on the field, she leads by her voice off the field. She really, I think, is a full-package leader when it comes to not being afraid to hold people accountable, holding herself to an extremely high standard. She is well respected. She’s a very good player. She always wants to continue to grow, continue to learn, continue to get better, ask questions and really tries to bring out the best in other people. I think that really is how important her role was for us, she’s really trying to find ways to bring out the best in others and not just herself.”- Pacapelli
Since the beginning of Caldarelli’s soccer career at Marist, she has always been a threat to score. In the only game played during her 2020-21 season, as a true freshman, Caldarelli took a single shot and found the back of the net. This was Caldarelli’s first year being selected as a captain.
“I think for me, being a captain at Marist specifically is just following in the footsteps of the people that were before me. I’ve had some really great leaders in the past and being a captain is not only representing yourself, but representing the team, the school and everything that you’re doing.”
In her four years at Marist, the forward totaled 10 goals and 25 points while starting in all but one of the 44 games she played. Yet Caldarelli does not get caught up in the offensive statistics because of the high standard she holds herself to. She also realizes that, as a captain, people expect more which requires her to elevate not only her game but also her leadership abilities.
“I think one of the most important things is to be selfless because sometimes you can be in a position of power and you can abuse it. So, one of the things that my coach has told me is you’re kind of in a thankless position. People are not going to thank you when you’re doing probably a lot more than you need. But, when you’re not meeting those standards, that’s when people are gonna expect more,” said Caldarelli.
Caldarelli earned an All-MAAC second team selection during her junior year and has been a member of the MAAC All-Academic team since her sophomore year.
As a leader, Caldarelli values the family aspect that comes with being a part of the women’s soccer team and pushes her teammates to spend time together outside of practices and games.
“Off the field, I think showing that we’re a family, that’s one thing that you can’t really force. It’s something that everyone has to buy into. It’s always just wearing the same things when we have to, going everywhere on time and having pasta parties at my house. It’s just getting the team together.”
Caldarelli made an impression on Cergol for making her mark from the moment she joined the program.
“Amanda came in as a freshman and always gave her best work ethic. She always was a leader from the second she got here,” said Cergol. “Always a positive voice, there’s no doubt she should have played from the second she got here. Definitely a big presence on the field and leader off the field.”
The three captains along with the two members of the leadership group created a significant improvement in the Marist women’s soccer program this season.
As mentioned by Sturno and Cergol, in years past, the team has struggled to maintain a positive culture and environment for a multitude of reasons, including some that were out of the player’s control.
Despite all of this, Pacapelli came in and, with the help of her leaders, placed a new, strong foundation that hopefully helps improve the future of the program. The players rediscovered a lost joy in playing for Marist women’s soccer this season and, most importantly, enjoyed being around one another.
“We talk about us being the gold standard of Marist College. We want to embody everything that Marist stands for, and that’s what we want to try to aim for,” said Pacapelli.
Edited by Luke Sassa
Graphics by Jaylen Rizzo and Ben Monrad; Photos via Marist Athletics
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