Courtesy of Carlisle Stockton
Camel of the Edition is a series that seeks to highlight extraordinary Connecticut College athletes who have stood out from the herd due to their recent performances or as a leader on campus or on their team.
Matt Scardigno ‘25 is one of Connecticut College’s best distance runners of all time. The senior from Port Washington, New York has cemented himself in the history books, setting the record for the 5,000-meter at this year’s Silfen Invitational while helping to develop the team for the future as one of their captains.
Recently, The College Voice caught up with Scardigno to talk about his school record in the 5k, his journey trying to qualify for the Outdoor NCAA championship, and his running plans post-college.
Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Matt Scardigno. I am a senior, my pronouns are he/him, and I am an environmental studies major and a psychology minor.
Tell me about your sporting journey, and when did track and cross-country become your focus?
I started running in elementary school, which is early. No competing or anything, but my mom was a big runner, so I would do some couple-mile jogs with her here and there. I followed my brother’s footsteps, running in middle school because he had a lot of success and I thought it could be genetics, and I think I was right there. I ran throughout middle school and high school, and found my way running here.
What was your recruitment process like, and why did you end up choosing Conn?
My recruitment process was not really a recruitment process. In my senior year of high school, I had COVID really badly. I had to take around eight months off running, so I didn’t expect to run in college. I applied to the school, I got in, and Dean Strickler put me in contact with the cross-country coach. I briefly talked to him and mentioned that I ran. I guess I was technically a recruit, but it was a bit later than everyone else.
As a distance runner, what event do you prefer to run and what makes distance running appealing to you?
I like distance running because it is hard work. If you put in the hard work, you’ll see the results numerically. The time drops with all the work you put in and I like to burn off steam, so getting out for a run is just a part of the day I look forward to. Especially if I’m pent up in class all day, getting outside, running with my friends, getting some good vibes going.
You hold the top mark this year for the 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 as well as being a member of this year’s fastest 4×800. What makes you so uniquely talented on the track?
Well, I was a pretty lackluster recruit back in high school. I was probably one of the bottom runners of the class, given the times. Running is a fair bit of genetics; you can only go so far, but I think I’ve stayed really disciplined, worked really hard, and the results pay off like that.
You set the Connecticut College record for the 5,000-meter at this year’s Silfen Invitational, which was 5 seconds faster than the previous holder. Can you speak about how you accomplished this and what your thoughts were as you were setting the record?
I was a bit nervous about the weather; we had a lot of rain and wind leading off. It seemed to hold off for the most part, and we had a pacer through 3k who was pacing me for the school record, which definitely helped out a lot. He was an alumnus, Chris Verstandig [’22], who has accomplished a good amount for this program as well. I think my coach had an ambitious goal for me in that race, but I just had my mind on the school record, so I played it pretty safely, focused on pacing, and I made sure I had enough left to close the race.
You won the Men’s 10,000-meter at this year’s NESCAC Championship. This makes you only the second camel to ever win this event and the first since 2003. How does it feel to be a part of NESCAC and Connecticut College history, and can you speak about what made the NESCAC Championship this year so special?
I was a bit nervous going into the race. We can’t see who’s entering the race from different schools, so my coach and I had to think very tactically if I wanted to run the 5k or the 10k. Whichever would give me the best chance to win, and we decided on the 10k. I have only run one other one in my career, so it was a bit of a daunting task, but I played it really tactically. There are two ways races can go in running. It could go out fast, and everyone’s running as hard as they can from the gun, trying to hit a personal record (PR), or like this one, which was really tactical. I was just jogging for five and a half miles, and the last three-quarters of a mile, it became a sprint, and I fended everyone off. It was a very fun race and I’m happy for the NESCAC win. It’s not something I thought I’d accomplish in my time here.
You have improved virtually every time you have run an event. How do you continue to get better year after year?
I had a bit of a hiccup junior year. I was battling with Lyme disease; I missed cross-country and the indoor season. I think I got a lot mentally tougher during that time, to the point that I thought I was done running for good. So when my body started to bounce back, I put all my energy into it and listened to my coach. I have the utmost faith in my coach and I think he’s definitely the best coach in the NESCAC. As long as you keep mentally pushing and following the coach’s training, you’re on the right track to keep improving. The team has been taking a good jump, and everyone has been running faster times than the previous year.
You are in a position to qualify for the NCAA Championship in the upcoming weeks. Were you going into the year expecting to compete in Ohio, and how are you preparing for your possible appearance on the big stage?
I am going to be taking off the New England Championship to hopefully qualify for NCAAs. I am giving them a shot at the 5k next weekend, so I have to put my best foot forward for that. I had zero expectations of ever competing at the national level going indoors. I happened to run the race of my life at Boston University in the 3k and ended up getting myself into nationals. After I did that, I kind of realized that I could compete at a national level. Outdoor is different, there’s no 3k, so I am focused on the 5k, and it’s super fast this year. I definitely don’t expect to go, but I think there’s definitely a real possibility if I have a good race next weekend.
Which meets have stood out to you this year?
The opening meet at the Bryant Invitational, I ran a 1500-meter. That’s usually not my speed. I am more of a long-distance guy. But I kind of shocked myself in that I have more speed in the legs than I thought. That was a cool meet, the guys pushed through in a tough weather meet, so that one was cool. It is always fun overcoming the adversity of the rain, the wind, and getting it done. Silfen was awesome! I had a pacer through 3k, but once I was alone for the last 2k of the race, and in distance races, having people to run with is huge, and it will make a big difference if you’re alone. There is an exception if the crowd is keeping you going, and the crowd at Silfen really showed up and helped me push through the race.
What events do you and the team have circled as the season comes to a close?
For me, I have my eyes on the Williams Farley Inter Regional Extravaganza (FIRE) Meet. Trying to get nationals for the 5k in that and be top 22. My coach and I are thinking that around 14:09 will do it. It’s going to require a big PR, but I think there’s a shot. If I don’t get the mark at that meet, I’m going to run MIT Last Chance a week later, and I might give a steeplechase a shot there. It’s an event I have kind of archived since sophomore year, so it’d be cool to give it another shot in the final meet of the season.
You were named a captain this year, so what did that mean to you, and what sorts of responsibilities do you have on and off the track?
I’m not really your traditional captain. You might think of a captain as someone who’s serious or disciplining people, but I like to think I rule by example. I’m a bit of a goofy guy; I joke around a lot. I might not be as serious as my coach wants [me to be] in certain situations. I think my coach saw my dedication and hard work, and I think he thought I was a good example, so he wants to highlight that. I think I am a really good guy to go to for advice. I’ve been through a lot in my running career. I learned the ups and downs and I would like to think my wisdom is there for underclassmen.
How do you feel about the outlook of both the track and cross-country rosters going forward?
We have a young team. A lot of promising talent. Our coach, in my freshman year, left us for another job. He was a great guy, loved him, but it kind of left us in a little bit of a gap with the recruiting and stuff so we went through a little dip in the hill but I think [Coach] Sam [Alexander’s] been recruiting good and we got a lot of young talent on the team and I expect big things in cross-country from them.
Does the team have any special team bonding activities, traditions, or pre-game rituals?
We have a lot of things we do. Recently, we’ve been watching a movie pre-meet. We have team wiffle ball games. We got some good stuff going.
What advice would you give an athlete to become the best possible player they can be?
With running, it’s pretty different. There is not much that it requires. You get a pair of shoes, go outside, and put in the work. If you’re in high school, going into college, and you haven’t gotten the attention you want, it’s not something you should give up on. You should put your head down, learn about the science of running, and get to training yourself. Any team, no matter what school you go to, if you’re a walk-on and you hit their times, they’ll take you. So if you put in the hard work, you can get there. A coach helps and moral support from a team helps, but never give up when it comes to running. It doesn’t really require much; you just get yourself out there, get moving, and you’ll be good to go.
Do you have any plans post-college?
I’m actually planning to go into science education, and I’m going to Hofstra [University] next fall in Long Island. I am going to live at home, which will be cool, and I have some eligibility in cross-country in winter, so I’m going to be competing for Hofstra next fall which I am looking forward to.
Is there anyone you would like to shout out or any last statements or comments you would like to make?
My two closest friends on the team and my fellow captains Jacob Bright and Blake Rogers. They’ve supported me through my journey here, my ups and downs, and they’ve been great members of the team. As well as my coach, Coach Sam. It is actually his birthday today (as of interview), happy birthday Sam! I’m a bit of a headcase when it comes to running, I stress out a lot and Sam’s managed me more than you can ask for from a coach so shout out to those guys.
