A major part of the success Drexel soccer found this season arrived by way of Italy

Alessandro Capogna and Antonio Illuminato lived and played soccer an hour and a half apart in Italy, yet they never knew each other.

On July 29, both arrived at Drexel as soccer recruits who transferred from their own universities, now thousands of miles from home. It was there that the two, as roommates, shared a bond and relied on each other while in an unfamiliar area.

“It wasn’t that bad because we had each other,” Capogna told The Inquirer about the transition to the United States. “We could talk about what’s happening.”

Although each said that transition was pretty easy overall, stuff like the food and communication with friends and family in Italy, which is six hours ahead, was difficult at times. They also mentioned that everyone on the team helped make the transition as smooth as possible, especially volunteer assistant coach Rafael Mariano.

The players were brought to Drexel in large part thanks to assistant coach Flo Liu, who “oversees all of the recruitment,” according to head coach Michael Marchiano. Using recruiting agencies, Liu came across the profiles of Capogna, a goalkeeper, and Illuminato, a midfielder.

“When we got the profile and looked at some of the videos, then it became very clear that we were interested,” Marchiano said.

While both student-athletes were enrolled in universities abroad, they didn’t play at their schools because there was no team, so they competed on club teams. (Capogna played for Ferentino Calcio, and Illuminato suited up for Aurora Alto Casertano.)

Not being able to play at their universities made it challenging to fit in playing soccer and going to school as there was no built-in time — which played a role in why the two decided to come to the United States.

In terms of the game itself, the players said soccer is more physical but less tactical in the States compared to Italy. Living in a different country (Capogna is from the town of Boville Ernica, and Illuminato is from Cardito), making the move to come to Drexel was going to be a substantial culture shift, but both players felt it was the right fit.

“I received the offer from Drexel, and I knew I couldn’t say no,” Capogna said. “I like the soccer program. I knew with Coach Marchiano that the program was changing and changing in a good way. I felt with talking with him that he was patient, and I felt keen on playing for this program.”

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Said Illuminato: “I had already known that I was coming to the States before my last year in Italy. But I didn’t have a chosen university. After speaking with Coach, I felt welcomed and at home. That is the reason why I chose to come here. I also really like the city. Also, what Alessandro said, it looks like the program is growing and getting better.”

As it turned out, the move has paid dividends for all parties.

The two played a pivotal role for the Dragons in their run to the Colonial Athletic Association semifinals. Illuminato, a graduate student, had three goals and three assists this season, starting 11 of 15 games. Capogna, a junior, started all 18 games for the Dragons and made 61 saves, allowing only 1.06 goals per game.

“It’s been huge,” Marchiano said about their impact. “And I can’t say that we’re surprised. … We’re really pleased that they’ve had a big impact on the field. It’s been great.”

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