International Student-Athletes Finding Their Place at Pace University

For many international student-athletes, the decision to leave home and compete in the NCAA is as much a leap of faith as it is a pursuit of opportunity. At Pace University, that leap brings students from across the globe into a demanding environment that blends Division II athletics, rigorous academics, and the everyday realities of adapting to life in a new country. While each journey is different, the shared experience of transition, adjustment, and growth has become a defining part of the international student-athlete story within the Blue and Gold.

Each year, Pace welcomes student-athletes who arrive with years of preparation in their sport and a willingness to challenge themselves beyond competition. What many quickly discover is that success is shaped as much by what happens away from the field, pool, or pitch as it is by performance. New academic expectations, cultural differences, language nuances, and distance from home all play a role in shaping the international student-athlete experience.

Among those navigating that transition are Ben Dunkerley, Feline Rook, Javier Cisternas-Gomez, and Eugenia Morossi. While their sports and backgrounds differ, their experiences reveal common themes of resilience and personal growth.

For many international student-athletes, the first weeks on campus are the most challenging. Everything feels unfamiliar, from classroom dynamics to daily routines and communication. Ben Dunkerley, a defender on the men’s soccer team from North Yorkshire, England, described that adjustment as more complex than he expected. “You come here thinking the hardest part will be the soccer,” he said. “But it’s really everything around it that takes time—how classes work, how people communicate, even small things like daily routines.”

"Living far from home has changed me a lot as a person. I’ve become more independent, more mature, and more confident in my decisions." —Rook

The distance from home was one of the biggest challenges Dunkerley faced early on. “At 18, the hardest part was moving away from your parents,” he explained. “It’s a good seven-hour flight to get back home, and then you’re dealing with the time difference. When I’m free in the evening, it’s midnight back home, so communication becomes really difficult.” Learning to manage that separation while living independently forced him to mature quickly. “Cooking for yourself, doing laundry, staying on top of soccer and school—it speeds up that maturity process,” he said.

Dunkerley arrived at Pace with a strong soccer foundation developed through England’s club system and years of competing at a high level. Even with that experience, adapting to the American collegiate model required adjustment. “College sports aren’t really a thing back home in the same way,” he said. “Here, every game means so much because the season is shorter. You’re playing twice a week, training almost every day, and you really have to look after your body.” Over time, structure and support helped him find stability. “Once you settle in, you realize you’re not doing it alone,” he said. “That’s when it really starts to feel like home.”

“You come here thinking the hardest part will be the soccer. But it’s really everything around it that takes time—how classes work, how people communicate, even small things like daily routines.”—Dunkerley

That sense of support and belonging is echoed across Pace Athletics, particularly among first-year international students like Feline Rook. A midfielder on the field hockey team from the Netherlands, Rook came to Pleasantville seeking an opportunity that was difficult to find at home. “I came to Pace because here I have the opportunity to focus on both my academics and playing field hockey at the same time,” she said. “In my country, it’s really hard to combine those two.”

The move was exciting, but far from easy. “My biggest challenge here is living far away from my friends and family,” Rook said. “You can’t just go home for a weekend, and the time difference makes staying in touch more challenging.” Even though she spoke English before arriving, adjusting to a new academic environment in a second language took time. “At first, studying in a different language and a different country was hard and challenging for me,” she said. “But now I’ve gotten used to it, and I feel like I’ve grown academically since I’ve come here.”

Rook credits her teammates and coaches for helping her find confidence both on and off the field. “The atmosphere here was great right away,” she said. “The people I’ve met and the support I’ve had really changed me as a person and as a player.” Her success in her first season—earning Rookie of the Week honors and All-Conference recognition—reinforced that growth. “Those achievements reflect all of the hard work I’ve put into adjusting to a new country, a new team, and a new level of competition,” she said.

“The people I’ve met and the support I’ve had really changed me as a person and as a player.”—Rook

Academics present another layer of transition for international student-athletes, especially when paired with the physical demands of Division II competition. For Javier Cisternas-Gomez, a freshman swimmer from Santiago, Chile, learning to balance those responsibilities was essential. “Everything moves fast here,” he said. “You have practices early in the morning, classes during the day, and studying at night. You learn quickly how important time management is.”

Leaving home was the most difficult part of his transition. “The biggest challenge was leaving my family, my dogs, my friends and changing to a completely different language and culture,” he said. “Feeling far from home is the hardest part.” Despite that distance, he found comfort within the team environment. “Here, the vibe feels more like a family,” he said. “That helps a lot.”

Over time, Cisternas-Gomez began to feel more settled. “Right now, I feel like I’ve found an equilibrium,” he said. “I feel like I have a route to accomplish my goals, and that makes me feel confident. You just have to keep going and stay focused.” He encourages future international student-athletes to embrace the challenge. “I know it’s scary, but it’s worth it,” he said. “If you come with a purpose and clear goals, you’re going to be fine.”

"I feel like I have a route to accomplish my goals, and that makes me feel confident."—Cisternas-Gomez

For Eugenia (Gigi) Morossi, a sophomore swimmer from Milan, Italy, the decision to come to the United States was driven by the opportunity to combine elite athletics with higher education. “In Italy, you usually have to choose—you either choose sport or you choose school,” she said. “Here, I can do both, and that’s why I wanted to come.”

Even with that motivation, the transition was overwhelming at first. “I thought I was independent before coming here,” Morossi said. “But then I moved here, and it was kind of shocking. At the beginning, you think, ‘What do I do? Why am I here?’” She described the experience as isolating despite being surrounded by teammates. “You’re not alone, but you feel like you have to deal with everything by yourself.”

That feeling gradually shifted as she became more comfortable within the program. “After some time, it’s like a whole new chapter of your life opens,” she said. “Now I feel completely different from my first year. Even my personality changed.” Morossi also noted one of the biggest differences between European and American sports culture. “In Europe, you’re always competing for yourself,” she said. “Here, I really learned what it means to be part of a team. Even if I don’t love my time in a race, if I score points for the team, I find a reason to be happy.”

"Here, I really learned what it means to be part of a team."—Morossi

As the months pass, many international student-athletes experience a noticeable shift. What once felt unfamiliar begins to feel routine. Classrooms become more comfortable, friendships deepen, and campus life starts to feel like home. “There’s a point where you stop counting the days and just start living,” Cisternas-Gomez said. “That’s when you really feel like you belong.”

That sense of belonging often leads to growth beyond athletics. Living independently in a new country fosters maturity, confidence, and perspective. “Living far from home has changed me a lot as a person,” Rook said. “I’ve become more independent, more mature, and more confident in my decisions.” Dunkerley echoed that sentiment, adding, “It’s made me stronger as a person, not just as an athlete.”

"It's like a whole new chapter of your life opens."—Morossi

International student-athletes bring more than athletic ability to Pace University. They bring new perspectives shaped by where they come from and what they have experienced. Those differences show up in locker rooms, classrooms, and everyday conversations, helping teammates and peers learn from one another and build connections.

For Pace Athletics, supporting international student-athletes goes beyond competition. It means helping them adjust to life in a new place, grow more confident, and learn how to stand on their own so far from home. As these Setters continue to build their lives thousands of miles from where they began, their stories reflect what it means to be an international student athlete. In representing Pace University, they are also building experiences and perspectives that will stay with them long after their time in the Blue and Gold.