East Longmeadow’s Rob Champigny agreed to play lacrosse for Florida-based Rollins College’s Division II program. He signed a national letter of intent during a Nov. 10 ceremony recognizing seven Williston students signing to play college sports at the Division I and II levels.
Rob, a two-way midfielder, has been playing lacrosse since third grade. His proudest moment on the field came last season. “We were able to win our league and then go on to win the Colonial Tournament. It was a great way to end our season and I loved playing with that group of guys.”
As a leader, Rob has “very high expectation for myself and my teammates,” he said. “There is a certain level that we are expected to perform at, and when we are not playing at that level it is challenging to keep everybody calm and focused on our goal as a team.”
That goal? Simply, to win. “I think the most rewarding part, for any athlete, is winning a hard game and really feeling like you earned the victory. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take any victory, but really working hard and winning a close game feels amazing.”
He credits his time at Williston for supporting him on his road to college sports. “Williston has always been there to support my athletic aspirations. The facilities on campus constantly allow me to practice and improve my game. My coaches really walked me through the college process and contacted multiple coaches for me. Overall, something or someone was always there for me to help me improve and find my new home for the next four years.”
As he prepares for his final season at Williston, he looks to a promising future in college. “I want to be an impact player who is helpful with the overall success of my team. I am really looking forward to heading down to Florida and competing extremely hard for my new coaches and teammates.”
Rob’s lacrosse coach, Christopher Dietrich, spoke highly about his performance: “Rob Champigny is not only one of the best athletes we have had, but he is also one of the most selfless players I have worked with in many years. Rob is gifted with speed, agility, and talent that many other players simply do not have, but he never rests of those talents and he is always pushing himself to be faster, stronger, and better. He established himself as one of our best two-way middies during his freshman year in spring 2015, and played a major role in what was ultimately our most successful season in decades. During his junior year, Rob truly established himself as one of our top offensive threats and he, along with a talented group of juniors, helped to create one of the most prolific offenses we have had here at Williston. We will rely heavily on his leadership by example this spring, and I truly cannot wait to see the impact he will undoubtedly have as a member of the Rollins lacrosse program next year.”