Staten Island, NY | The College of Staten Island Men's Soccer program has had a great run in NCAA Division III and the CUNY Athletic Conference in recent years and they fully expect that to carry over as they traverse the NCAA Division II landscape. One of the reasons they feel they can keep energy and pace is student-athletes like Leandro Angulo, a freshman who chose CSI.
A 2020 graduate from Thomas Edison High School in Jamaica, N.Y., Angulo was certainly looking into a few options post-graduation. Long Island University, Stony Brook, Penn State-Brandywine, and Connecticut College, were just a small handful of schools that the Physical Therapy hopeful was considering, but in the end the College of Staten Island and it's academic and athletic program won out.
"I chose CSI because it had all the qualities in a school that I was looking for," he explained. "I wanted an environment that had a specific culture around it. Once I visited CSI and had a chance to see everything it had to offer, I knew that it was the right fit for me. I wanted a school that offered academic opportunities for me to succeed in the future and a school that had the right soccer program for me. CSI has a wide range of majors, programs, and educational tools I can use to help me find my path to success in life, not to mention the winning culture around the players, coaches, and overall team. It assured me that CSI was the right place for me."
And of course, the feelings were mutual with CSI Head Coach
John Tardy and the Men's Soccer staff. A two-time leading goal-scorer and MVP at Thomas Edison, he made the PSAL Mayor's Cup Team, which featured a "B" Division City Championship appearance, playing up and down the pitch as a striker, center midfielder and center back. On top of his exploits there, Angulo was a four-year standout with the Manhattan Soccer Club program primarily as a defender, where he enjoyed a State Cup Championship, ENPL Regional Championship and National Finalist appearance. That type of winning pedigree, and his prolific goal-scoring talents, are exactly what Tardy was looking for this past off-season.
"At the club level he was a captain and center part of the defense of a top five team in the nation," said Tardy. "He's incredibly dynamic, a great 1v1 player, super athletic, and if we move him to the outside, he can easily contribute to moving the ball up the field and contributing offensively. He's an eye-popping player that you notice right away and I think he can come in immediately and fill in some roles especially having graduated some key defenders last year. His ability to be a threat on both ends of the field strengthens us in areas that we've been looking to fill."
But Angulo is multi-dimensional. He takes soccer seriously, but the College of Staten Island was just as much a choice for him thanks to the quality of academics it offered, and it made sense to the National Technical Honor Society member and high school computer science scholar. Being an athlete has made him appreciate the physical therapy side of health management, and it is what he is gravitating towards as a career path. "I've always had an interest in rehabilitation and sports," he explained. "Physical therapy is the perfect major for me to study because it will allow me continue my interest in physical rehabilitation and eventually lead me to earn my degree in something I'm passionate about."
"He reminded us a lot of (graduated senior captain)
Ryan Layman," Tardy noted. "Quiet, reserved, takes care of his business in the classroom, cares about everything he puts his mind to and that's a big statement for us. He strives to be a leader and we have full confidence that he will be an exceptional student, a leader in our community service ventures, and a dedicated player. It's one of the reasons why he was a high priority for us. He's a major part of a program we are building here at CSI."
There is no doubt Angulo is going to be leaned on to help carry the Dolphins over the next four years. After scoring 42 goals in 52 career high school games, his touch and finesse on the ball, coupled with his keen on-field leadership, has the coaches buzzing with excitement, and Angulo is ready for the challenges ahead. "I feel like I can impact the current CSI Men's Soccer program in a variety of ways," he said. "My hard work, winning mentality, and team-first mindset will only make the team better than it is. I will look to bring a lot of energy and passion to the team and make sure to give my 100-percent all of the time."
Of course, it's hard to do all that when you have been derailed by COVID, but Angulo has not lost focus. For now, he is living in his Queens home with his parents Ana and William, and his sister, Denise, hitting the books hard, but taking to the field even harder to make sure he is in top form whenever his team gets the green light to get back on the pitch. "I'm keeping focused on my sport during this time by continuing to work out and train at home as if we were in season. Being able to work out and stay in shape allows me to stay concentrated on the game and my goals."
According to Angulo, it also helps knowing he has a team behind him. Angulo has been vocal about how great his first few weeks have been at CSI, even though he only gets interaction with his teammates through a computer screen most days. "It's been great being a part of the team so far," he beamed. "We've had a number of zoom calls and meetings where we talk about updates at school, updates about the team, and even issues around the country. It's great being around people that just want to work hard and succeed just like me."
This type of exuberance is exactly what Tardy loves about Angulo. Whether it's putting his head down and getting to work on the field of play, doing his best in the classroom, or adding an energetic and exciting voice in virtual calls, Angulo carries those intangibles it takes to be a winner. "A winning attitude is something that you can't teach," said Tardy. "You just have to have it, and in order for our program to be successful we need guys that are hungry, want to work, and be the best they can be in all areas. Leo is extremely coachable and is like a sponge and you see how that translates to the classroom. He wants to learn, get better everyday, and that's exactly the type of individual that adds to our culture here."
There are big expectations being placed on Angulo and recruits like him at CSI, but he's not one to feel pressure. For him, just being himself and growing as a student and athlete is enough, along with thinking big, having fun, and enjoying the sport he was born to play. "I'm just looking forward to playing with the team and winning games," he said with a smile. "Nothing is better than going out to play the game I love with a group of guys that just want to win. My personal goal is to play at the best of my ability every game. My team's goal is to win a national championship, nothing would be better than bringing one home to CSI."
Indeed, Angulo has big plans for his college career. Like many, he chose CSI, and the Dolphins will be better for it.
