William Paterson University Athletics

The Student-Athlete Mentor (SAM) program was established in 2019 by the WP Department of Athletics to assist in the retention efforts of the department and to create an opportunity for returning student-athletes to assist new student-athletes' transition to the University.

SAMs are a select group of student-athletes who have exhibited academic and athletic excellence and exceptional leadership qualities throughout their time at William Paterson University.  

	Nasir Adams (Newark, N.J., Hudson Catholic) Email: AdamsN13@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Football Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Criminology & Criminal Justice/Sociology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Find an older mentor and use them as a resource. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To help other students who share a similar story.
	Shane Apito (Parsippany, N.J., Parsippany) Email:  ApitoS@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Men’s Swimming and Diving Class: Sophomore Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Sports Management Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Have good time management. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To help out the incoming freshmen.
	David Backo (Wallington, N.J., Wallington) Email: BackoD@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Baseball Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Financial Planning Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Be about the team. Things aren’t always going to go your way so make sure you stay focused on the bigger goal. Stay organized and get things done early to avoid falling behind. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: Being an incoming student-athlete is hard if you do not have the right guidance. I wanted to be an outlet so people feel comfortable with this adjustment in their life.
	Jillian Bigos (Middletown, N.J., Middletown High School South) Email: BigosJ@student.wpunj.edu Sports: Softball and Field Hockey Class: Graduate Student Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Curriculum & Learning: STEAM Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Try your best to get involved on campus. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I became a student-athlete mentor to help incoming student-athletes feel comfortable on campus.
	Michael Gilmore (Teaneck, N.J., Pine Forge Academy) Email: GilmoreM4@student.wpunj.edu Sports: Men’s Basketball Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Music Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Manage your time. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To help incoming freshmen navigate college successfully.
	Thomas Hatch (Kinnelon, N.J., Kinnelon) Email: HatchT@student.wpunj.edu Sports: Men’s Soccer and Golf Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Accounting Best advice to an incoming student-athlete:  Finding a balance between sports and school is important to both a good academic and athletic career. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To engage myself more within William Paterson athletics and academics.
	Megan Hoopes (Westmont, N.J., Haddon Township) Email: HoopesM1@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Field Hockey Class: Graduate Student Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Business Management Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Come to practice every day with a mindset of working your hardest for individual growth and impact on your team. You do not want to look back and regret the opportunities you could have had because you did not believe in yourself and your teammates. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I want young athletes to understand the power of being a student-athlete. Take advantage of the opportunity to not only become a better athlete, but also a person, student, and leader. I would like the opportunity to educate them on the potential they have to grow in ways that I did not learn until my later years.
	Hailey Krajewski (Clifton, N.J., DePaul Catholic) Email: KrajewskiH@student.wpunj.edu Sports: Women’s Swimming and Diving and Women’s Soccer Class: Junior Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Psychology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: It’s okay to not have everything figured out. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I became a student-athlete mentor because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my time at William Paterson when I was a freshman. After talking to my coaches and teammates, I was able to figure out the path I wanted to take which is why I wanted to pay it forward and help others who might be in the same situation.
	Allison McBride (Ringwood, N.J., Lakeland Regional) Email: McbrideA1@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Women's Basketball Class: Senior  Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Nursing  Best Advice to an incoming student-athlete: As a Division III student-athlete, we aren't paid to be here but we do it because we love the sport(s) we play. Though we love our sports and our teammates, we must make sure we are making ourselves and our mental health a priority too. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I became a SAM because I think it's a great way to help not just your own teammates, but other WP student-athletes who might be struggling and be there for them when they need someone. I feel like we can make a real impact, especially on the freshmen class by showing them how much help and support there is from all the SAM's here at WP.
	Isabel Medina (Bergenfield, N.J., Bergenfield) Email: MedinaI2@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Women's Soccer Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Communication-Public Relations with a minor in Political Science and Latin American Studies Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Manage your time wisely. I would recommend getting a planner or using an online calendar to plan out your days and be ready for important upcoming events and due dates. It's so important to have a schedule to stay on top of responsibilities. I would also recommend eating enough throughout the day to keep your mind and body powered to do well in the classroom and on the field/court/etc. Staying hydrated is also very important. I would emphasize the need for proper rest days to prevent mind and body burnout. It's also important to make new friends in and outside of your respective sport(s) teams. I would encourage them to find a balance among academic, sport, personal and social time to make the most out of their time as a student-athlete at WP. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I wanted to become a student-athlete mentor because I know the transition from high school to college can be a bit difficult concerning both academics and sports. With the help of the upperclassmen on my team (and other sports teams), I was able to adjust well and quickly to the college student-athlete life. I'd love to help others adjust just as well. I want to make sure incoming student-athletes are confident asking for help. Hopefully, I'll be someone they are comfortable reaching out to. It's always nice knowing someone has your back.
	Caitlin Monahan (Bloomingdale, N.J., Butler High School) Email: MonahanC2@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Softball Class: Graduate Student Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Early childhood education and psychology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Be open to talking to new people and be organized so you can get your work done while still caring about your sport. Also, make friends with other student-athletes, regardless of their year in school or sport they participate in. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I want to help incoming student-athletes feel comfortable like I did when I started at WP.
	Gianna Mulato (Pequannock, N.J., Pequannock) Email: MulatoG@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Softball Class: Junior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Sports Medicine Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Try and do as many new things as possible. It is such a good way to meet new people and get involved. Why I became a student-athlete mentor:  As a transfer student-athlete my freshman year, it was a struggle getting to know campus and new people. I’d love to help others who struggle with that and be there for them.
	Emily Murphy (Stockholm, N.J., Wallkill Valley Regional) Email: MurphyE23@student.wpunj.edu Sports: Women’s Swimming and Diving and Women’s Tennis Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Sociology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: To make sure that you work on time management and have fun with your sport. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I wanted to be able to help all of our teams.
	Diego Navas (Piscataway, N.J., Piscataway) Email: NavastrujilloD@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Men’s Soccer Class: Sophomore Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Sports Management Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Remember you are a student first. If you are struggling with a class, that becomes a priority to take care of first. Attend extra help if you need it and communicate with your coach if it conflicts with your training schedule.  Also, don't be afraid to use your teammates for help! Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I became a student-athlete mentor to be a role model for incoming student-athletes. I want to be able to give advice and resources to new students. It also gives me an opportunity to work on my communication skills since I tend to be shy when it comes to talking in groups.
	Anthony Newman (Parsippany, N.J., Parsippany) Email: NewmanA11@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Men’s Swimming and Diving Class: Junior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Criminal Justice and Sociology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Stay on top of school work. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To help freshmen feel welcomed and comfortable on campus.
	Tom Radigan (Verona, N.J., Verona) Email: RadiganT@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Baseball Class: Sophomore Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Computer Science Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Balance your focus between your sport and academics. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To guide younger student-athletes from my experiences.
	Cody Ripato (Tollsboro, Ky., Augusta High School) Email: RipatoC@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Men’s Basketball Class: Fifth Year Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Sports Management/Business Administration Minor Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Don't get distracted. Focus on the "why" you are here, academics and athletics.  Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I became a SAM because there is a lot of insight I have gained throughout my five years of being a collegiate student-athlete that I believe could be beneficial to give back for those that are younger and/or new to being a student-athlete at this level.
	Yakira Rosa (Dumont, N.J., Dumont) Email: RosaY3@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Women’s Basketball Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Political Science/Economics Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Stay focused and prioritize yourself. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: As with everyone being a freshman at some point, I faced the struggle in a new school. I want to help make everyone feel okay and make sure they know they are where they need to be.
	Nazier Wright (Paterson, N.J., John F. Kennedy) Email: WrightN11@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Football Class: Senior Resident or Commuter: Resident Major: Psychology Best advice to an incoming student-athlete: Don’t wait to be great. Why I became a student-athlete mentor: I have a voice and something positive to give back to the youth.
	Elisa Zuta (Pompton Lakes, N.J., Pompton Lakes) Email: ZutaE1@student.wpunj.edu Sport: Women’s Soccer Class: Junior Resident or Commuter: Commuter Major: Computer Science Best Advice to an incoming student-athlete: Don't be too hard on yourself! Why I became a student-athlete mentor: To help other student-athletes because I know it can get overwhelming at times.