Student-Athlete Mentors (SAMs):
SAMs are returning Geneseo student-athletes that volunteer to guide student-athletes as they balance academics, athletics and personal development. They commit to:
- Act as a peer, a leader, and a resource to the student-athletes entering the Resource Center.
- Serve as a bridge between student-athletes and various resources around campus.
- Connect students, organizations, and leadership opportunities.
- Serve as role models for other student leaders and campus organizations.
- Continually developing leadership skills.
- Act as engaged citizens of the campus and community.
First Year Athlete Mentoring Program (FAM)
The transition from high school to college student-athlete can be both exciting and stressful. Geneseo SAMs understand those unique opportunities and challenges and are here to help new Knights adapt.
With the support of our experienced SAMs, we provide a dedicated SAM-FAM Program tailored to help our 1st year student-athletes successfully transition to college, helping them to adjust, grow and thrive in their first year.
Benefits of the SAM-FAM Program:
- Fosters a student-to-student mentorship by allowing student-athletes to interact with other student-athletes who have experienced or are currently experiencing similar situations.
- Creating a meaningful connection between first-year student-athletes and on-campus resources.
- Maximizing students’ academic and career development during their time on campus.
How it Works:
- Candidates for SAM positions go through an intensive vetting process during the spring semester.
- Student-athletes chosen as SAMs are required to enroll in the 1 credit hour class, entitled “Peer Mentoring” (Leadership course #202, section 2), each fall.
- First-years are assigned a SAM that is a varsity student-athlete from a different team who is majoring in the same or similar concentration.
- SAMs hold evening office hours weeknights in the Student-Athlete Resource Center (SARC) (Merritt Hall). First years are required by the Athletic Department to attend mentoring sessions during the Fall and Spring semesters during SAM evening office hours and complete brief self-reflective surveys at multiple points throughout the year.
- During each session, SAMs will assist their first year assignees (aka SAMI’s) on a variety of topics including campus resources, academic, social, and emotional support, and leadership development.
Why is it Important:
The first several weeks of the fall semester are the most critical in determining long-term success for first year students. Data from the SAM-FAM program not only shows Geneseo 1
st year student-athletes achieving higher grades than non-athletes, but they are also staying in school at a much higher rate (94%) than their Geneseo peers and over 20% higher than the national average (based on
data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center). The SAM-FAM program helps first year student-athletes persist and excel at Geneseo.
SAM Staff:
E-Board:
SAM FAM Manager: Carolyn Mack (Sr./Volleyball)
Promotional Project Manager: Owen Ellick (Sr./Men's Lacrosse)
HEAD Office Manager: Lucia Sanchez (Sr./Women's Lacrosse)
Returning Mentors:
Maggie McGrane (Women's Basketball)
Max Esposito (Men's Lacrosse)
Riley Griffin (Women's Soccer)
Lydia Benjamin (Women's Swimming and Diving)
Natalia Biehl-Narvaez (Women's XC/Track and Field)
Brooke Fraas (Softball)
Jonathan Larice (Men's Swimming and Diving)
Maya Marcyan (Women's Swimming and Diving)
Stephen Mendolia (Men's Lacrosse)
Delwin Santana (Men's Swimming and Diving)
Nathan Shin (Men's Soccer)
Connor Baird (Men's Swimming and Diving)
Kathleen Birmingham (Women's Basketball)
Kyra Giannelli (Field Hockey)
Violet Piccinini (Women's Lacrosse)
Lila Warner (Women's Lacrosse)
New Mentors:
Holly Indelicato (Women's Lacrosse)
Nicole Gretzinger (Women's Track and Field)
Wallace Rahmaan Jr. (Men's Basketball)
Rachel Molloy (Women's Tennis)
Greg Meder (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Ellie Clearwater (Women's Basketball)
Gabriella Petroski (Softball)
Jagger Altieri (Men's Lacrosse)
Kirsten Shepherd (Women's Soccer)
Emily Lopez (Women's Track & Field)
Carraig Jones (Men's Soccer)
Daphne Paul-LaRonca (Women's Volleyball)
Lauren Savage (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Lauren Babich (Softball)
Emily Thomas (Women's Swimming & Diving)
Zephyr Connolly (Women's Basketball)
Alexander Stoker (Men's Swimming & Diving)
Katelyn Dena (Women's Soccer)
Maggie Kleiber (Women's Track & Field)
Josh Garelle (Men's Basketball)
Alec Gilbert (Men's Soccer)
Alex Rheude (Men's Lacrosse)
Sara O'Donnell (Women's Field Hockey)
