University of North Carolina Athletics
Student-Athlete Success: A Q&A With Gino Esposito
September 16, 2020 | Wrestling
This week, GoHeels sat down with Carolina Wrestling's redshirt junior Gino Esposito to talk about life as a student-athlete in the classroom and on the mat.
The Milford, Conn. native is a three-time ACC Honor Roll member and is a part of the Kenan Scholars program in UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School. Esposito has represented the Tar Heels as a team captain alongside Austin O'Connor and leads the team's community service efforts. He saw his first dual meet action last season in the team's trip to Michigan.
The full Q&A with Esposito can be found below.
GoHeels: Can you describe what it's like to be a student-athlete at Carolina, balancing both school and academics?
Esposito: Being a student-athlete at UNC is an honor and a privilege. To be an elite athlete and a top-notch student, I think it requires a lot of sacrifice, discipline, and toughness; you have to "go the extra mile" in everything that you do, and on some days, you won't stop working from 6:30 AM until midnight. There is no "on" or "off" switch; you have to pursue excellence at all times, and you have to take responsibility for your actions, knowing that every decision you make shapes your character.
GH: What does an average day look like for you as a student-athlete?
GE: An average day in terms of school work and wrestling starts with a morning lift with the team from 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM. After that, I have a morning class and an afternoon class a little bit later on. In between the two classes, I study for about 2-3 hours. My classes generally finish up around 2:30 PM, so after my classes end, I have time to eat quickly and head to practice. After practice, I come home and will typically study for about one more hour at night. Overall, two workouts a day, two classes, and about 3-4 hours of studying is a typical day.
GH: What does a degree from UNC mean to you?
GE: A degree at UNC has changed the way I see the world and prepared me for life. It has taught me how to think and it has made me love learning. I think this is the first duty of any education, and UNC has done that for me.
More specifically, as a business major, a UNC degree has meant the opportunity to receive the best business education in the country. I have been challenged in every way, and I am better for it. I am so thankful for my education.
GH: How does the support staff and coaching staff help you thrive as a student as well as an athlete?
GE: The support staff and coaching staff dedicate their time and efforts so that, as student-athletes, we can thrive. They truly give us every opportunity to succeed; as student-athletes, all we have to do is show up and work hard. This has been unbelievable to me and continues to humble me every day. Student-athletes make sacrifices, but I think the support staff and coaching staff make even greater sacrifices for us, although they often go unseen. Not as many people get to see, for example, how many hours [academic counselor] Emily [Adney] spends helping us academically, how many hours the trainers spend doing treatments and what the coaches do outside the room.
GH: What is your favorite part of being a student-athlete at UNC and why?
GE: My favorite part of being a student-athlete at UNC is the opportunity to be the best, in school and in sport. You are surrounded by greatness, and if you work hard, you will become a better person, a better student and a better athlete.
Additionally, I love the people at UNC. The UNC Wrestling team is my family, and I have made friends through school that will last for life.
The Milford, Conn. native is a three-time ACC Honor Roll member and is a part of the Kenan Scholars program in UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School. Esposito has represented the Tar Heels as a team captain alongside Austin O'Connor and leads the team's community service efforts. He saw his first dual meet action last season in the team's trip to Michigan.
The full Q&A with Esposito can be found below.
GoHeels: Can you describe what it's like to be a student-athlete at Carolina, balancing both school and academics?
Esposito: Being a student-athlete at UNC is an honor and a privilege. To be an elite athlete and a top-notch student, I think it requires a lot of sacrifice, discipline, and toughness; you have to "go the extra mile" in everything that you do, and on some days, you won't stop working from 6:30 AM until midnight. There is no "on" or "off" switch; you have to pursue excellence at all times, and you have to take responsibility for your actions, knowing that every decision you make shapes your character.
GH: What does an average day look like for you as a student-athlete?
GE: An average day in terms of school work and wrestling starts with a morning lift with the team from 7:30 AM - 8:30 AM. After that, I have a morning class and an afternoon class a little bit later on. In between the two classes, I study for about 2-3 hours. My classes generally finish up around 2:30 PM, so after my classes end, I have time to eat quickly and head to practice. After practice, I come home and will typically study for about one more hour at night. Overall, two workouts a day, two classes, and about 3-4 hours of studying is a typical day.
GH: What does a degree from UNC mean to you?
GE: A degree at UNC has changed the way I see the world and prepared me for life. It has taught me how to think and it has made me love learning. I think this is the first duty of any education, and UNC has done that for me.
More specifically, as a business major, a UNC degree has meant the opportunity to receive the best business education in the country. I have been challenged in every way, and I am better for it. I am so thankful for my education.
GH: How does the support staff and coaching staff help you thrive as a student as well as an athlete?
GE: The support staff and coaching staff dedicate their time and efforts so that, as student-athletes, we can thrive. They truly give us every opportunity to succeed; as student-athletes, all we have to do is show up and work hard. This has been unbelievable to me and continues to humble me every day. Student-athletes make sacrifices, but I think the support staff and coaching staff make even greater sacrifices for us, although they often go unseen. Not as many people get to see, for example, how many hours [academic counselor] Emily [Adney] spends helping us academically, how many hours the trainers spend doing treatments and what the coaches do outside the room.
GH: What is your favorite part of being a student-athlete at UNC and why?
GE: My favorite part of being a student-athlete at UNC is the opportunity to be the best, in school and in sport. You are surrounded by greatness, and if you work hard, you will become a better person, a better student and a better athlete.
Additionally, I love the people at UNC. The UNC Wrestling team is my family, and I have made friends through school that will last for life.
Players Mentioned
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