April 23, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
By Trey Miller, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Serving as a quarterback on the Penn State football team for four years and, in the process, becoming one of the school's most revered student-athletes in the classroom, Paul Cianciolo found himself ready to take on another challenge - across the street from storied Beaver Stadium to the friendly confines of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park
The graduate student from Charleston, S.C. quickly found himself lending a helping hand to Penn State baseball coach Robbie Wine. Tendering to a need of arms in the bullpen last season, Cianciolo, who posted the lowest ERA of any middle relievers, aided the Nittany Lions to a third-place finish in the Big Ten. Jesse Alfreno, also a member of Joe Paterno's Big Ten Champion football team, similarly came through for Wine's squad, joining the pitching staff in late January.
This season, both players have been catalysts for the Nittany Nine. Cianciolo, who will be on the hill to start his first Big Ten game this weekend against Illinois, owns a 4-0 record and an 1.49 ERA over his past five appearances. Alfreno has been influential in the bullpen, holding a team-low opposing batting average of .217 and a WHIP of 1.29.
Throwing is something Cianciolo has become very acquainted with in his five years at Penn State. Not only did he pitch for two years, Cianciolo played a back-up role as a signal caller for Paterno's squad since 2004.
Sophomore teammate Alfreno also knows the feeling of being a two-sport athlete. Alfreno, a pitcher, is also a defensive back for the football team. Jesse has seen playing time on the gridiron, as he made his first appearance in 2007 against Florida International.
Cianciolo joined the Penn State baseball team for the first time in the spring of 2008 when, following some key injuries to the pitching staff, the team was in need of an extra pitcher.
"I missed it a lot from my senior year in high school," he admitted. "I kind of had an itch and I just wanted to find out if I could do it still."
Alfreno joined the trend by becoming part of the baseball team in February. According to Alfreno, Cianciolo played an integral part in his decision to return to the sport.
"When I saw Paul come over and play some baseball last year it really got me thinking. I started missing it," the Grove City, Pa. native said.
Pitching is similar to playing quarterback and, as Cianciolo pointed out, one has command of the ball in both. It's a lot like playing quarterback, he said, without "having 300-pound guys running at you full speed."
The hard work and determination of Cianciolo was evident as he competed for a starting spot on the football team last offseason. Behind both Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin, Cianciolo continued to carry on. He finished the 2008-09 football season completing 6-of-9 passes for 86 yards and a touchdown and was Daryll Clark's would-be replacement in January's Rose Bowl against Southern California.
Both Cianciolo and Alfreno have given a new meaning to the term "student-athlete." Not only is their hard work and perseverance demonstrated on the turf, it is also very apparent in the classroom. In August of 2007, Cianciolo graduated in three years with a finance degree and a grade-point average of 3.94. This May, he will be the first student-athlete in the history of the football and baseball programs to complete a Master's of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree within the five years of NCAA eligibility and has put together an astounding 3.81 grade-point average as a graduate student. He has also earned Academic All Big Ten honors three times in football and once for baseball.
"While Penn State and the Alumni who support our scholarship base were willing to pay for my education I thought that I should get the most out of it, which is why I did two degrees," said Cianciolo. "A degree from Penn State really carries a lot of weight in the business world and that's where I'm headed pretty soon."
According to Paul, he wants to head to the business world with Manhattan being his main goal.
"I've kind of been targeting the Wall Street over the past couple years. I'm interviewing currently for a couple things and hopefully they come through. Hopefully I find myself in Manhattan for the next couple years and swing for the fences there and see what happens."
Alfreno has also been known to make the grades, and his GPA is the third-best on the baseball team. Academics are on the top of his priority list but, as he admits, it isn't effortless. His keys to success are his previous three years of balancing football and academics before he added baseball to the mix.
"Early on, learning how to manage your time right has played a big factor. That's been good for me throughout my whole college career," Jesse said. "It's been fun handling the academics side."
With his 3.54 GPA in advertising and public relations, he has already attained Academic All-Big Ten honors. With a minor in business, Alfreno hopes to keep sports in his life in the future.
"I'm just hoping to keep sports in my life somehow, whether that be work somewhere that does advertising for some major league teams or some professional sports teams."
Cianciolo's 2006 quarterback performance against Michigan could be a football fan's most memorable. After injuries forced both Anthony Morelli and Daryll Clark to the sidelines, he stepped up. He completed 3-of-7 passes that game, including a 43-yard touchdown pass to Tony Hunt.
"Tossing a touchdown against Michigan in '06 and almost coming back and tying that game was pretty special. It was an experience of a lifetime for sure."
But, according to Paul, baseball would have to be his sport of choice.
"I would have to lean towards baseball just because I feel like I've contributed more. I'm a bigger part of things."
Alfreno calls it a stalemate between the pigskin and hardball.
"When I'm over there, it's football 100 percent and, when I'm over here, it's baseball 100 percent."
The 2009 baseball campaign has proved to be a promising one for Cianciolo and Alfreno. Cianciolo can breathe a sigh of relief though, as he no longer has to squeeze football into his academic and athletic calendar.
"As a pitcher, I felt ten steps behind, " he said. "I was asking questions to these guys every day."
But now, Cianciolo says: "It's a less complicated day. Luckily, the coaching staff here is very, very good about letting us be where we need to be and getting here late in the games and contributing however we can."
Alfreno is still going through the struggles of balancing the sports. On April 15, for example, Jesse had what seemed to be a typical day for him. Football meetings at 2:45 p.m., practice from 4 to 6 p.m., then a game versus Mount St. Mary's at 6:35 p.m.
Jesse says he remembers asking Paul if he ever hit a "wall." Paul told his teammate that he will have some days when he will be tired but, in the end, it's competition and he's going to be up for the challenge.
Paul recored his first career victory came against Temple on March 25, when he pitched six innings giving up just three runs. So far this season he has twelve appearances, three of which were starts. Jesse has own save in the bullpen.
Both hurlers seem to be equally enthusiastic about how things are going. Alfreno is busy but it has yet to slow him.
"As far as being tired and stuff, so far it's going great. I feel fine."
With this being his last season of eligibility in any sport, Cianciolo has high hopes for the rest of the year.
"I think my biggest hope is to get a berth into the NCAA Tournament and go to the College World Series as a team. I think we have a lot of talent and a lot of potential."
As Cianciolo put it, "Unfortunately, I've almost exhausted my eligibility."
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