Rocco Del Giudice’s ’28 greatest concern when coming to Merrimack College to play for the men’s soccer team was that his English was not good enough.
He worried about effectively communicating with his professors, teammates and coaches. Another significant concern for Del Giudice was the cultural differences and adapting to the fast-paced, on-the-go reputation of the Northeast.
But those worries quickly vanished once he spent time with Head Coach Tony Martone and Assistant Coach Mirko Nufi ’21.
“I got this sense of family after speaking with the coaches and that was the first thing that made me think, okay, maybe Merrimack is the best choice,” Del Giudice said. “And my now teammates always made me feel included, even if we could not really have a conversation.”
Del Giudice is pursuing a double major in business administration and finance. After taking a finance class in spring 2025, he said he really enjoyed it and wanted to expand his knowledge.
With some initial struggles due to the addition to his workload, Del Giudice said he turned to his advisors for guidance. When asked if he had any advice for other student-athletes looking to take on a double major, he said, “You really have to enjoy it and know your purpose for why you are doing it.”
Del Giudice shared that he is very driven and motivated for life after college.
“I came here because I wanted to focus on my career, but also wanted to play soccer at the collegiate level,” he said. “Coming here allowed me to do that; at home, I would have had to pick one or the other.”
Following graduation, Del Giudice’s primary goal is to continue playing the sport he loves at the next level.
