Ethan Piazza '22 Recruiting Profile

Walking into a taekwondo dojang at the age of 4, with no knowledge of martial arts or what it took to succeed, I unknowingly took my first steps towards constructing my foundation as a student-athlete. Building upon the principles of determination, respect, self-control, and perseverance, I soon achieved national success and earned my second-degree black belt, while gaining a respect for the work that goes into achieving your goals.

Athletics continued to play an important role in my life. Although I continued with taekwondo, and currently play football as well, it was always baseball that I loved the most. My grandfather, a coach for over 30 years, bought me my first glove as a baby, and continued to foster my love and skill within the game, for my entire life. Early on in my playing career, I realized my quickness and speed would be an asset to any team. As I got older and the competition got tougher, I understood that I could not survive solely on my speed and natural abilities, but that I must work to become a well-rounded player. My grandfather also told me how important it is to be able to play infield and outfield, while also putting in innings on the pitcher's mound.

My training became an important aspect of my life. I worked to build muscle strength, while also increasing my endurance and improving my athletic skills. One aspect of my personality that has always benefited me in the classroom and on the field has been my ability to learn and my willingness to keep an open mind in order to improve. Just as I approach my academics, I consider myself a student of the game I play. I can always get better, learn something new, try a new approach. 

As a student, I hope to pursue a career in engineering. This area of study is fascinating to me because I have always been interested in figuring out how things work, as well as how to make things work more efficiently. This area of interest has led me to seek out and obtain leadership positions within my school environment in the hopes of making things better. Once again, there is overlap between my student and athletic life. As a student athlete, I appreciate learning from those around me, while also being an example for others to learn from. Being seen as a leader while continuing to improve my own skill set can seem difficult to balance, but it is something I pride myself on as a student-athlete.

What I’ve been told separates me from many of my peers, is not only my ability to lead, both on and off the field, but more importantly my mental attitude and how I’ve reacted to obstacles and setbacks. Whether it be a winless baseball season or coming up a tenth of a point shy of a gold medal in taekwondo, I never let disappointment diminish my love of the game or thrill of the competition. I am able to use the frustration and anger that comes from failure, to better myself and inspire those around me to come back stronger. I pride myself on bringing this attitude to everything I do, whether academic or athletic.