College of Staten Island Athletics

Longevity makes for great careers, but in college athletics the scope of a student-athlete’s work is rather fleeting, with talent often coming and going.  Then there are athletes like Nedgy Nazon, whose love for the game of soccer, and his ability to do it well, led to a playing career that spanned 15 years.
 
Nazon’s rise started in 1997, when he was a highly-touted recruit from Canarsie High School in Brooklyn for rookie Head Coach Carlo Tramontozzi.  Nazon’s focus was to shape the team for years to come, and despite the team’s 5-11-1 record that year, the freshman dazzled to the tune of eight goals and four assists.  Although the Dolphins fell in the opening round of the tournament that season, they put many on notice after a 2-1 overtime loss against Medgar Evers College, the CUNYAC runner-up that season, and Nazon took CUNYAC Rookie of the Year laurels to boot.
 
In 1998, with renewed focus and resolve, Nazon took his official turn in the spotlight and delivered.  The sophomore registered 20 goals in 18 total games, adding six assists on just 46 shots on goal.  CSI improved six games in the standings and finished the season on a five-game win streak, among them a CUNYAC Championship win over Hunter College, to date CSI’s last CUNYAC title.  Nazon added to his personal list of laurels by taking CUNYAC Player of the Year honors.
 
Nazon continued to shine after CSI won the elusive CUNYAC title.  In his junior season, he tallied 15 times in total and added four helpers, as CSI finished 5-1-1 in conference play before being upset in tournament play.  A 1999 CUNYAC All-Star, Nazon decided at that time to walk away from the sport, opting instead to pursue his career, leaving a year of athletic eligibility on the table.
 
Despite 13 years removed from the College, Nazon stayed close to the sport and the College, and when new Head Coach John Tardy took over the program in 2012, Nazon felt it was a perfect chance to finalize his college degree, and give one more year to soccer.  For Tardy and the incredibly young and developing CSI side, Nazon’s presence was both a surprise and provided an immediate jolt of legitimacy.  Nazon led the CUNYAC and finished 16th in the nation with 17 goals in his final campaign, and posted seven of CSI’s 11 game-winning goals, a school record.  What’s more is the Dolphins won more games in 2012 than the previous three combined, a testament to Nazon’s ability to have changed the complexion and culture of the program not once, but twice, for two rookie coaches.
 
All told, Nazon holds CSI career records for goals (66), and total points (136), finishing sixth all-time in assists as well.  His 79 shots in 2012 are a CSI single-season record as well.