Gladiators in Greece: A Historic Victory for JCU Athletics
On April 1-5, 2025, JCU student athletes and staff traveled to Athens, Greece for the International Sports Festival hosted by the American College of Greece (ACG). Four of JCU’s athletic teams participated in the event: tennis, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, and women’s 5v5 soccer. The women’s basketball team had their tournament debut, and the women’s 5v5 soccer team took home first place making for a historic moment for JCU Athletics. This year, 38 JCU athletes and seven coaches and chaperones were in attendance.
This year’s tournament held special significance as it took place during ACG’s 150th anniversary. A total of nine teams participated, including: the American University in Dubai, the Lebanese American University, and the American University in Bulgaria. ACG offers exceptional athletic facilities for the tournament, which were used by the United States Olympic Team during the 2004 Athens Games. The relationships between the coaches and athletes at ACG and JCU continue to grow every year, making it a fun, competitive environment. ACG emphasizes how the tournament offers more than just competition, but also opportunities to build lasting connections and memories.
Each individual team played three to four games during the week in order to make it to the finals and ended the tournament on Friday with the final awards ceremony. All teams played with determination and grit, and to celebrate, they visited the Acropolis on Saturday before returning to Rome.
The first time JCU participated in the tournament was in 2018 with the women’s 5v5 soccer team, which finished in second place. Since then, JCU Athletics has participated every year, making it a new tradition. Jose Cano, the JCU men and women’s basketball coach, who joined JCU four years ago, has attended the tournament twice. He was asked to give the women’s 5v5 soccer team a motivational speech before their final game.
“They were dedicated, and they never stopped going for it, and I am extremely proud of the team,” Cano said. “I told them, listen, you deserve to be here — nobody else deserves to but you, because you worked hard and fought your way, so let’s show them that you deserve to be here.”
The historic 5v5 women’s soccer game was an intense, close game ending in penalty shootouts. Everyone gave their best effort, playing the semi-final and final games back-to-back. It was a proud moment for Coach Beatrice Boni, who made sure to hold at least two practices each week. Bella Alfreda, a study abroad student from Holy Cross College in Indiana, is a member of the team and played in the games. “It was an amazing opportunity to play with such a great group of girls against talented teams from Greece, Dubai, and Lebanon,” Alfreda said. “it was truly an unforgettable experience to win the championship and represent what it means to play for JCU.”
JCU’s Athletics Coordinator, Marco Iorio, remarked on how rewarding the experience was. “Our students had a truly unique experience — both athletically and personally — that encouraged integration and meaningful exchange with teammates and students from diverse countries, cultures, and religions,” Iorio said. “I’m proud of how they gave their best effort while staying committed to respecting the rules.”
