INTRODUCTION: Andrew Moglianesi has a deep soccer background - his grandfather and father both played. Andrew trained with a professional club in Spain. The first time the Biomedical Engineering student got a college start,he scored a goal in a UR victory.
 

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How young were you when you started playing soccer?
I started kicking a soccer ball when I was around 5 years old.
 
Who introduced you to it?
My father had played semi pro soccer and my grandfather played professional soccer in Argentina, Uruguay and in Mexico.  These types of soccer roots enhanced my exposure to the game. My dad has been very instrumental in teaching me the fundamentals of the game and active in my early soccer development. He is extremely supportive of not just soccer but all my activities.   My father and grandfather were both soccer coaches as well.  My dad got me hooked on foreign soccer and into watching professional games on TV to learn from the best players in the world.
 
How long was it before you were playing with travel teams?
I started playing with a travel team at the age of eight and this continued through high school.
 
Besides playing for Gill St. Bernards HS, you had plenty of club experience – Stronghold Crossfire and Sporting NJFC. How much traveling did those sides do?
Stronghold Crossfire and Sporting NJFC participated in tournaments all over New Jersey. Never really left the state to play with any of the travel teams sadly.
 
You also had a chance to train with Sevilla FC Youth Academy. Where was that training and what was it like?
I felt honored and privileged to have an opportunity to train 2 summers in a row in Sevilla, Spain with their youth academy. This group of kids get groomed to climb up the ranks of Sevilla FC. It was a fantastic learning experience.   I was invited to return this past summer (2020) but unfortunately it didn't happen because of COVID.  It was an incredible experience for me to be with a top rated European team and participate in their training and tactical sessions.  I pretty much joined them every day starting with the warmup exercises, through training sessions, and lastly scrimmaged with them many times.  I really learned so much from them and it definitely fit my playing style.  I hope to go back as soon as possible if things open up so I can continue to perfect my game with some of the best young professional players in the world.

 

When did the first contact come from the University of Rochester?
I signed up for a camp in the summer of 2018 when I was going into my senior year of high school. Following that, I did an overnight with some of the players in the dorms which was a great experience.  The U of R was on my list of schools since I was considering engineering as well. After my experience at the camp and overnight, I truly enjoyed the team, coaches, campus and the entire experience.
 
Coaches from a variety of teams talk about first-year students needing to adjust to the college game. What differences did you notice between high school and college?
The most striking thing about playing and adapting to the college game is that it is played a lot faster and a lot more physical. I really was shocked on how drastic of a change it really was. Every player at this level can hurt your team if you give them time and space which is not often the case at the high school level.
 
You appeared in 13 out of 19 games last season, including an NCAA second-round playoff match at Kenyon College. Your first career start came against St. John Fisher and you wound up scoring a goal. What do you remember about that match – particularly the goal?
I remember I was really excited but also nervous to start my first game of the season. I was nervous primarily because the coach put a lot of trust in me and I wasn't sure if I would play up to the expectation. But of course, I was excited because it was a chance to really show what I can do from the start of the game rather than getting thrown in at a later time. With the goal, I mean I was just happy I was in the right place at the right time, the rest was just instinctive. I was just happy we won the game at the end of the day.  
 
When you are home, do you work with any youth programs – coaching, counseling, working behind the scenes, etc.? What do you like about doing that?
I have my referee's license and have refereed some youth soccer games.  I have helped to teach the local kids soccer as well.  I really enjoy this because I love the game and can share my knowledge with these kids. It is always a lot of fun.
 
What led you to the University of Rochester?
It was a combination of a fantastic soccer program and great coaches. I had a terrific time at the camp and was treated well.  I also want to be an engineer and Rochester has a great program.  So, the idea of playing for a top team and getting a great education truly checked off all of the boxes.
 
You are majoring in Biomedical Engineering. Why does that appeal to you?
Both my parents work in the medical field, so I guess a combination of that and robotics from when I was younger made me very interested in engineering, specifical to do with the medical field. I just love how the engineering field is always surprising you with new technologies and innovations. It's never at a standstill which I just love.