Hawk Spotlight: Eric Izzo on Brotherhood, the Grind, and Grit
For junior defenseman Eric Izzo, playing lacrosse at Roger Williams University has been everything he hoped for and more. A key member of the men’s lacrosse team and a representative on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Izzo sat down recently to discuss his journey, the culture of the program, and what keeps him motivated.
“It’s a great community here within athletics,” Izzo shared. “They make it pretty easy to show up and compete every day.”
That sense of community didn’t come without an adjustment period. When asked about the hardest part of transitioning to collegiate lacrosse, Izzo pointed to the sheer intensity of the grind and speed of play.
“The hardest part, especially earlier on, was just the grind,” he admitted. “It’s a big step going from high school to college. You have those long practices, those long lift sessions back-to-back, stacking those days. But once you find your groove and get surrounded by your teammates and coaches, it’s a really awesome environment.”
So what keeps him committed through those long days? According to Izzo, it’s a blend of personal drive and a deep sense of responsibility to the people beside him.
“I’m a pretty motivated person to perform well for not only myself, but my teammates and coaches,” he said. “It’s a combination of personal motivators, but also my teammates and coaches around me.”
That internal drive becomes especially crucial when the pressure mounts before a big game. Izzo relies on the preparation he puts in long before game day.
“I just tell myself that we drill it in practice every day. I kind of fall back on that,” he explained. “I work really hard to put myself in the best position on game day. It really is all on me to perform in practice and in the days leading up to a game, so I know I’m prepared for it.”
When asked what he enjoys most about the athletics program at RWU, Izzo didn’t hesitate to credit the people who make the experience special.
“It would have to be the people and my teammates,” he said. “The lacrosse team is fortunate enough to have a great group of guys. Our coaching staff is amazing—made up of a lot of experience from all over college. We’ve got a lot of younger coaches, former players here, and then our athletic training staff. They’re all great. They’re super connected with us, getting us what we need.”
At the heart of it all is a culture of mutual support.
“At the end of the day, you’re out there with your teammates, your guys,” Izzo added. “We have a really good culture here of supporting one another and making sure we’re in the best position to succeed.”
Looking ahead to the final home game of the season on April 22nd against JWU—a new addition to the conference—Izzo expressed confidence and excitement.
“I think we’ll give ‘em a good welcome to the conference,” he said with a smile. “It’s our last home game. Come support men’s lacrosse on April 22nd on Bayside Field, and we’ll come out with a win.”
Catch Eric and the Hawks in action on April 22nd at Bayside Field.