Getting to Know Bentley men's lacrosse student-athlete Steve Marino, a senior from Wakefield, Massachusetts. Steve played defense and also took face-offs during his career at Bentley.

Why did you first start playing lacrosse and what other sports did you play before college?

I picked up lacrosse all the way back in kindergarten, I don't really remember what got me into it, but a lot of my closest friends and mentors in life have come about as a result of my involvement with the sport, so I guess that's really what kept me sticking with it for so long.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up, and who is your current favorite athlete?

Favorite athlete growing up was Pavel Datsyuk, former member of the Detroit Red Wings. I really loved hockey as a kid and he had one thing I definitely never did… a decent set of hands haha. My favorite current athlete was Tom Brady, until he decided to leave so I still have to fill in that gap with a new current favorite.

What is the most memorable sporting event that you have attended?

The most memorable sporting event I have attended would have been during the Bruins 2011 Stanley Cup run. I went to Game 2 at the Garden when Tyler Seguin had 2 goals and an assist. I've never been at a sporting event with a comparable atmosphere.

Favorite place you have traveled to?

Seattle, Washington or Steamboat Springs in Colorado.

What are your pre and post game meals of choice?

Pregame: PB&J

Post game: Pasta

What are the reasons that you chose to attend Bentley?

Bentley has a great reputation in the business world, and I liked the fact that it has a much narrower focus on business compared to arts and science courses with their core curriculum than other schools. It was also one of the spots on my radar where I knew I would be able to keep playing lacrosse.

Favorite moment or memory of your Bentley career?

Spring break trip to play Catawba in North Carolina my freshman year.

How have you been spending your time during the shutdown?

Lots of golf until the quarantine, since then lots of fishing, getting back into guitar, and prepping for the GMAT.

What were some of your reactions to the season getting shutdown?

I was pretty unsure about coming back and playing this year until really late in the summer. I hadn't gotten a lot of time the past three seasons and didn't know if that would be any different this year. What drew me back was the fact that I knew regardless of whether or not I was going to be picking up minutes on the field this year, I would miss being around the guys all the time way too much to quit. I was getting a lot more time this year through our first 3 games, but more than anything I was enjoying one last ride with all my best friends so to have that cut short really hurts.

I'm especially gutted though, because with the younger guys on the team, the spring is where we really get to know each other a lot more just as a result of the sheer volume of time we spend together from road trips, to practice to the weight room & film etc. All of that stuff crossed my mind initially, but since we've been home I've had a lot of time to process it and put the bigger picture into perspective. Not having a senior season is tough and it's important for athletes to process that in whatever way helps them best, but we also have to keep in mind we've been gifted another year of eligibility if we really want it, and there are hundreds of thousands of people who have it much worse than we do right now.

What are your plans post-Bentley, either work or school related?

Hopefully returning to B. Riley FBR where I spent the summer as an investment banking analyst.