Cabrini University

And the thing that I always told, you know, one of my college teams was winning is the best because there are so many tentacles that come out from that statement that are far beyond just what happens between the lines.

But, you know, mentors for me, Rod Johnson, he was my longtime assistant at Cabrini University.

We coached together at Villanova University as well.

And we are still the best of friends today.

I got to know the parents.

I got to know the kids.

I'd see them as freshmen and then they were seniors and it really became this family unit, especially at Cabrini University.

We were a giant family and still talk to the kids to this day.

And, uh, then back in December, she ran that 2:36:48.

She did run in college at Cabrini University, but I love these stories where people take a little bit of time off, do something a little bit different with their lives, and realize they wanna come back and get after it in running.

And you're gonna love hearing all about the timeline and the story that Diane has.

Diane is a military wife.

Everybody turns to me like, you played with Trevor Cooney? Why are you here? Like...

I also got recruited by another Division III basketball team that was in Delaware called Cabrini College.

I was not going to go to any school that was in Delaware.

It just wasn't going to happen.

I had to get out of that state.

Wouldn't you know it? That year, 2009-2010, Cabrini College, they won the entire Division III National Championship.

And so we scrimmaged them the next year and got waxed.

And everybody on the bus ride, they're like, Fitz, why did you come to tickets?

And

it'd just be like the greatest experience that I had with him growing up is when he went to Cabrini College.

And he took me to college, right? Now, a lot of times in the inner cities of America, you don't understand that the world is bigger than the inner cities of America.

He was going to all-white college, Cabrini College.

He took me to college, and I'm like, this is really like the movies.

Mm-hmm.

You know, I was influenced by a lot of great coaches during my playing days and thought that was going to be my path to help educate and leave an impact on student athletes.

So I spent the first four to five years of my career in the coaching profession, all at Division III institutions, or Sinus College as an assistant coach, and then at Cabrini College for three years as an assistant coach, and really realized that I didn't see the game as well from the sidelines as I saw it from the court.

I saw the game better and was able to have an impact better on the court than I was to instruct it and communicate it to players better.

off the court as a coach, but knew I wanted to stay involved in athletics.