For years, club men’s basketball at Marist was more of a conversation than a real team. Students talked about it during pick-up games, after intramurals and around the gym. There were always players who wanted something more competitive than casual runs, but the idea never seemed to get far enough to become official.
That changed during this past semester, when what used to be an idea students brought up in passing became an official club sport. The team gives Marist students a chance to keep playing basketball in a structured setting without the full commitment of a Division I program. For some students, that opportunity is bigger than just having another activity on campus — it gives them a way to stay connected to a sport that has been part of their lives for years.
Sean Cronin, a rising sophomore and president of the team, was one of the students who helped push the idea forward. Cronin has been playing basketball since he was about seven years old, and when he was looking at colleges, the chance to keep playing really mattered to him.
“I actually almost didn’t come here because there wasn’t a club team,” Cronin said.
For Cronin, basketball was not something he was ready to leave behind after high school. Marist has pick-up games and intramurals, but there was not a team that gave students the chance to practice, compete and represent something together.
It also stood out to Stephen D’Alessandro, Marist’s assistant athletic director and director of club sports. D’Alessandro said club men’s basketball was something he had thought about since he started at Marist in October 2023.
“It was something that I always had in the back of my mind,” D’Alessandro said. “Club men’s basketball was one of a couple of clubs that I felt we were missing to really round out the rest of our club sport program.”
The idea was not only coming from students who wanted to play but it also made sense from the club sports side. Basketball is one of the most popular sports on college campuses, and many other schools already have club basketball teams. For Marist, not having one left a clear gap.
Still, having interest was not enough to start the team. The students had to prove the team could be sustained. In order for that to happen, they needed players to show up consistently for open runs. These runs took place throughout weekdays late at night, which demonstrated commitment and dedication from students. There was also paperwork to be completed and a plan for how the club would operate. A group of students wanting to play basketball is one thing, but building a team that can be approved by the school is another.
“It was a long process,” Cronin said.
In fall 2025, the group held open runs and informal practices. At first, it was not easy to get people there. Cronin was new to campus, the team did not have official status yet and not many students knew about it. Eventually, more players started showing up — word spread through pick-up games in the rec gym and through intramurals.
In the spring, they used that attendance as part of their case for approval. They completed documents, worked on bylaws, put together a budget template and prepared presentations. The team had to go through athletics, student activities, SGA executives and then the full SGA Council before finally becoming official on May 6.
D’Alessandro said that showing consistency was one of the most important parts of the process.
“We need to see that dedication, that longevity, that sustainability that comes with being a potential club,” D’Alessandro said.
That is the part of starting a club team that can get overlooked. It is not just about whether students want it in the moment; the school has to know the team can survive beyond the first group as players graduate and leadership roles change. Interest can fade if there is not a strong foundation so it is important for the team to continue to promote and build on what they started.
The idea, though, did not start with Cronin’s group. Former Marist student James Rebholz was part of an earlier effort to create a club men’s basketball team, but that attempt never made it through.
“During our sophomore and junior year we tried multiple times to start a club [men’s] basketball team, but it did not go through,” Rebholz said. “We had enough guys sign up, showing interest and held open runs at night for guys who wanted to join, but the leadership in charge of club sports was not fully open to the idea of adding the program.”
Rebholz’s experience shows that students wanted this before and that the interest was not new. The difference this time was that the students trying to start it had the right support and a clearer path — Cronin and the students involved this year were able to finish what others had tried to start.
The team also fills an important space between intramurals and varsity basketball. Pick-up games can be fun, but they depend on who shows up. Intramurals give students a chance to compete, but they do not always feel like being part of a real team, while varsity basketball is a major commitment and only available to a small number of athletes. Club basketball gives students something in between.
For rising junior Chris Zannino, that difference matters. He came to Marist hoping to keep playing basketball in a more organized setting, but the option was not there yet.
“When I came to Marist, I wanted to play club basketball since I played growing up and in high school, but I had to just stick to pick-up and intramurals because there was not a team yet,” Zannino said. “Now that a club team is official, I am excited to be a part of this team moving forward, and I can’t wait to play our first official season next semester.”
Some students arrive at college still wanting the team experience they had growing up. Pick-up and intramurals can help, but they do not fully replace that feeling. Students can now be a part of a team again, following practice schedules and weekend routines including travelling to other colleges to compete.
For many students, sports are also a major part of how they meet people. A team can make campus feel smaller, especially for younger students who are still trying to find their place.
“It just creates a transformative experience for any student that’s being a part of a club sport,” D’Alessandro said. “It gives you that sense of community the second that you join that club sport.”
While club sports give students something to belong to outside the classroom, they also provide great leadership experience. Many people do not realize everything that goes into creating and operating a club sport including scheduling, fundraising, travel and organization. It becomes more than just basketball and more of a small student-run operation.
For Cronin, part of that responsibility means making sure the team is run fairly. He plans to be honest with players around the understanding that the team can only take a limited number of people. That can be difficult when students know each other through open runs, but it is necessary if the team wants to be taken seriously.
D’Alessandro said facility space will be one of the main challenges to figure out as the team gets going. The team will need places to practice and play, but Marist also has varsity teams and other club sports using those spaces. The goal is to bring club men’s basketball into the program without hurting the clubs that already exist, meaning the team has to fit into the larger athletic schedule, raise money, stay organized and keep student interest strong. Approval was a major step, but it is only the beginning.
For years, Marist students have wanted to keep playing basketball in a serious way, and now they have that chance. For some, it could become one of the main parts of their college experience. For others, it may just be a way to compete, stay active and meet people.
Either way, Marist club basketball is no longer just an idea, it is an official team.
Edited by Max Rosen and Mike Schiavone
Photo courtesy of Sean Cronin
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