Graduating Student-Athlete Profile: Nick Petrucelli

5/13/2019 10:00:00 AM

It is graduation week on campus, and daemenwildcats.com is profiling several student-athletes who have completed their athletic eligibility and/or are walking the stage at Daemen's commencement ceremony this weekend.

Nick Petrucelli has had a roller coaster of a career playing for the men's basketball team at Daemen. A member of the program's 2014 recruiting class, he helped the Wildcats capture the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Division I national championship as a freshman during the final year of the team's transition to NCAA Division II. As a sophomore, he emerged as a starter and was averaging nearly 10 points per game when a torn ACL forced him out of the lineup. He missed the final 13 games of the 2015-16 season and all of the 2016-17 season. He returned for the 2017-18 season, but suffered another season-ending injury just two games in. He once again fought his way back and returned to the lineup for the start of the 2018-19 season, but tore his ACL for a fourth time in mid-November. With his eligibility clock running out, Petrucelli elected to continue playing despite the injury, ultimately appearing in 25 games and helping Daemen earn the program's first NCAA tournament berth. Over the course of his career, Petrucelli appeared in 72 games and made 17 starts. He was recently named the recipient of the Daemen Sports Medicine P.R.I.D.E. Award which recognizes perseverance, resilience, integrity, determination and expectations of excellence during an injury rehabilitation process. He recently caught up with daemenwildcats.com for a reflection of his time at Daemen.

What is the degree that you are graduating with?

NP: Bachelors in Business Administration with a specialization in Sport Management.

D: What is your favorite memory or memories from your student-athlete experience?

NP: Winning the USCAA championship my freshman year and celebrating in the locker room and when we got back to campus. I almost missed my flight home the next day.

D: What were your impressions of Daemen when you arrived compared to now?

NP: I thought it was a very close-knit and small community. Student-athletes get the attention they need. No student-athlete flies under the radar and five years later, that is still true.

D: What is the thing about Daemen that you will miss the most?

NP: Playing basketball at a high and competitive level. I have seen our program grow substantially over the last five years, and I can't wait to see what the next five years hold for Coach Mac and the program.

D: What do you consider to be your most meaningful accomplishment during your time at Daemen?

NP: The most meaningful accomplishment for me was finishing my last season at Daemen playing on a torn ACL. It's one of the hardest things I have ever had to physically and mentally.

D: Who has been the most influential person during your college years, and can you describe the influence this person has had on you?

NP: Jeff Sage. I spent more time with Jeff than any other person in Buffalo throughout my five years here. Jeff has done a lot for me during three-and-a-half years rehabbing outside the scope of a normal athletic trainer-athlete relationship. I am extremely thankful for that. He helped me mentally, physically and emotionally when going through four ACL reconstructions. Jeff is one of the most respectable men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to build a friendship with him.

D: What do your future plans hold?

NP: I am currently studying for the New York State real estate exam and interviewing with commercial real estate companies in the greater New York City area.

D: What words of advice do you have for your underclassmen teammates and new recruits joining the program?

NP: Never take playing for granted because the path you're on can change in a split second which can alter your whole life. Remember what's meant for you will not pass you, and you'll never be given a situation you can't handle. Stay faithful and focused on whatever mission you are aiming to accomplish.

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