HOST INTRO: Since 1976, the College of Staten Island has been classified as an NCAA division III school. In that time they’ve won 108 conference championships. They’ve been so successful that three years ago, the Dolphins were invited to move up to Division II. But, in 2020, all plans were put to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, after two long years of online learning, CSI’s student athletes will get to compete at this higher level for the very first timeSamantha Sollitto has the story.
AMBI: The light chatter of baseball parents as they sit on the bleachers at CSI’s baseball field, watching their sons play a scrimmage game.
TRACK: It’s a brisk autumn day here in Staten Island, perfect weather for chatting and relaxing as we watch a scrimmage baseball game. I’m here at the College of Staten Island as the baseball team plays feverishly in preparation for their spring season. Although it’s fall, practice starts early for the boys, given the school’s recent acceptance into Division II.
ACT: MICHAEL MAURO: We have to up our game a little bit. Practices are longer, you know we’re allowed to practice really throughout the whole year. We used to take off two-three months in Division I where we didn’t hit or even throw the ball, but now we kinda go right through all 12 months the kids are doing something.
TRACK: CSI head baseball coach, Michael Mauro knows the stakes that come with this big move. Being the longest-tenured head coach on staff, Mauro has had his fair share of DIII games and firmly believes that DII will be a little more challenging for his boys.
ACT: MAURO: It’s a total different animal than Division III. A lot of these kids in Division II are Division I kids that weren’t really playing on their team or maybe academically couldn’t make it in the Division I school and they dropped down to Division II, so the quality is just so much different, but it’s been exciting doing it too.
TRACK: The students themselves have also felt the difference when it comes to playing in a higher division. Tom Marten, a CSI junior, hasn’t had the chance to play with the baseball team while they were in Division III due to the COVID-19 pandemic throwing a curveball at his college career. Now, he gets to experience Division II with the rest of the team, exploring brand new territory for the player.
ACT: MARTEN: D2’s definitely a bigger challenge than D3, the level of competition goes up, the pitching, the pitchers locate better for baseball especially. Practice has been more intricate, we focus on the little things a little bit more and it’s taken a little more seriously by all the guys.
AMBI: The splashing of water at CSI’s pool, as I interview a track runner who also works as a lifeguard for his school.
TRACK: The baseball team is just one of the many sports affected by this move to Division II. Track star Kyle Quesada works as a lifeguard for the school when he’s not in class or at practice. He says he’s also feeling the pressure.
ACT: QUESADA: D2 is a little more competitive than when we were D3, so there’s a bit of a change when it comes to our practice now. There’s a little more pressure, but there’s not as much pressure as if we were D1.
AMBI: Baseball parents, once again, chatting and cheering on their sons as I interview a cheerleader while we watch the game.
TRACK: Sports like track and baseball feel that the move is intimidating, but other less traditional sports see this as an opportunity. For cheerleader Deanna Soueid, she feels the change is not scary, but rather important for helping cheerleading at CSI be recognized as a sport.
ACT: SOUEID: I feel like there’s a lot of misconception between us and the athletic department, people still view us as a club, but, we do hold titles for CUNY, a lot of titles that other teams don’t have, so I think the move to D2 especially now that we have a new athletic director, I think he’s really interested in trying to make cheerleading known to be a sport.
TRACK: She says one of the biggest impacts of their change in status will be having more resources.
ACT: SOUEID: A lot of the coaches are working harder to recruit people from out of state rather than recruiting just from Staten Island or just New York. I know the basketball coaches talked to me about going to Texas and recruiting people all the way in Texas and I feel like funding is a big difference too, like the funding we’re getting to remodel the buildings and everything is really, I feel like, the biggest difference now that we’re D2.
TRACK: With sports finally in full swing, players and coaches alike are confident that the upcoming season will be one for the books. For Baruch College, I’m Samantha Sollitto.