Hall of Fame
In 2004, the College of Staten Island introduced women’s soccer as its newest sport, and no sooner did the sport catch on, did Fiosa Begai change the way it was played at CSI. To say that Begai was a natural on the pitch, and a natural in a Dolphins uniform would be an understatement. In her freshman season, Begai scored in her second career start, and went on to score 11 goals in her inaugural campaign, adding seven assists to lead the Dolphins in both categories. Her 67 shots also led the team, as did her three game-winners. It was clear that the 2011 season was a good indication that the dynamic midfielder/forward was about to embark on a sensational career. In their 11-8 season, the Dolphins powered to a CUNYAC Championship.
The rest of Begai’s career followed suit. She bagged 15 goals in 2006 and then was among the nation’s leaders with 20 goals in 21 games in 2007, good for 26th in the nation in NCAA Division III in goals per game. Quick to spread the wealth, she finished second on the squad in assists in 2006 and 2008, and led the team in 2007. All told, Begai amassed 53 goals, 21 assists, 127 points, and 254 shots in four seasons, all school records by the close of her career. Her seven career hat-tricks rank her second all-time at the College, while her four goals against the College of St. Elizabeth in 2006 rank second all-time in a single game. Perhaps more than anything, Begai captained a Championship pedigree that remains unequaled: four Regular Season and Postseason CUNYAC Championships, a pair of Hudson Valley Conference Championships, the school’s first-ever ECAC Postseason appearance, a CUNYAC Rookie of the Year honor in 2005, Tournament Most Valuable Player honor in 2006 and a Player of the Year citation in 2007.
On top of all of her on-the-field exploits, Begai was a CUNYAC/Hospital for Special Surgery Scholar-Athlete of the Month, and finished her career as one of the conference’s Scholar-Athletes of the Year in 2008, making her a power both on the pitch and in the classroom. A revolutionary player who helped build the championship program from close to inception, Begai still stands as one of CSI’s and the CUNYAC’s most dominating soccer players.
