Christian Fiordelisi Signs to Play Lax at Navy
Tradition means an awful lot to Christian Fiordelisi, along with duty, honor and country. So it’s not surprising that the Huntington High School senior recently signed an official letter of acceptance to attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where he will play lacrosse for the NCAA Division I Midshipmen.
Prior to entering his junior year, Mr. Fiordelisi made an early commitment to the Navy coaches during the summer of 2013. He was coming off a breakout sophomore season at attack for the Blue Devils. The teenager notched 26 goals, 14 assists and 30 ground balls to help Huntington reach the Suffolk Division II finals.
Despite missing several games last spring due to injury, Mr. Fiordelisi still managed to score 20 goals and add 14 assists, earning a spot on the Suffolk All-Division First Team. He owns a long list of academic and athletic honors, including playing on the Suffolk team against Nassau in the Long Island Showcase.
Mr. Fiordelisi maintains a 94 academic grade average and participates in Young Leaders, a local community service and leadership development organization, Huntington’s Habitat for Humanity club and the high school’s Relay For Life initiative.
The teenager made his final decision to attend the U.S. Naval Academy and play with the Midshipman at the end of a frenzied process that saw an array of NCAA Division I schools pursuing Mr. Fiordelisi.
The Huntington senior will attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School at Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island for one year before heading to Annapolis and Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for four more years. He will eventually be commissioned a naval officer.
“Christian definitely has the work ethic and discipline to be successful at NAPS,” Huntington High School lacrosse coach Julian Watts said. “He has proven that by how he approaches practice every day and training in the offseason”
All students at the U.S. Naval Academy are on full scholarships. “There is no tuition at the Naval Academy,” according to the USNA website. “The Navy pays 100 percent of the tuition, room and board, medical and dental care costs of Naval Academy midshipmen. This means all students who attend the Naval Academy do so on a full scholarship in return for five years of active duty service upon graduation. Additionally, you also enjoy regular active-duty benefits including access to military commissaries and exchanges, commercial transportation and lodging discounts and the ability to fly space-available in military aircraft around the world. Midshipmen pay is $929.40 monthly, from which laundry, barber, cobbler, activities fees, yearbook and other service charges are deducted. Actual cash pay is $100 per month your first year, which increases each year thereafter.”
“My brother Brandon has always been a mentor to me,” Mr. Fiordelisi said. “He has taught me about the endless opportunities and showed me the importance of giving back and impacting people’s lives in a positive way. I have always aspired to follow in his footsteps. The Naval Academy gives me the chance to play for a great program and get an unbelievable education. Going to the Naval Academy Prep School will help prepare me for life at a service academy.”
Brandon Fiordelisi has made quite an impression during his time on the SUNY Maritime College campus at Fort Schuyler where he is studying engineering. A member of Huntington High School’s Class of 2012, he was a captain and three year starter on the Blue Devil football team before going on to receive a coveted four year U.S. Navy ROTC scholarship.
Currently a second-class (junior) midshipman, Brandon Fiordelisi will be commissioned a U.S. Navy officer in July 2016. He has been busy juggling 23 credit semesters, training in special warfare and conducting numerous volunteer missions. He remains a top performer with his New York City battalion.
Midshipman Fiordelisi has already accomplished much as a future leader and engineer, earning attention from his superiors. At last year’s officer commissioning ceremony, he was selected as the official escort of guest speaker Capt. James Van Thach, a war hero and recent Purple Heart and Bronze Medal recipient. It’s the first time a third class (sophomore) midshipman was selected for such an honor, which allowed the Huntington alum to sit with the SUNY Maritime president, assorted military leaders and other dignitaries.
For a second consecutive year, Midshipman Fiordelisi was tapped as a troop handler during indoctrination for incoming freshmen “mugs,” who are competing to be Navy and Marine Corps officers. He also was chosen as the new assistant physical training instructor for his battalion of more than 150 troops.
The Huntington grad has reported twice to San Diego Naval Base, where he has trained on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, been on extended submarine exercises in the Pacific Ocean and trained with Navy pilots.
“I have seen and done so much in such a short amount of time, I wouldn’t change a single thing,” Midshipman Fiordelisi said. “I have made lifelong friends and brothers and I’m excited for the next chapter of my career.”