International freshman leads Penn

Every college athlete dreams of his moment as a hero -- scoring the winning basket, the goal in overtime, leading his team to an upset victory. But for few athletes does this dream become a reality.

For Penn freshman soccer player Erik Violante, it has.

Last Saturday, Violante scored the game winning goal on a penalty kick in overtime of the Quakers' NCAA College Cup game against Seton Hall. The goal advanced the Quakers to the second round of the College Cup for the first time in 29 years.

Violante had been carrying his dream for a long time and a longer distance. His father is the Vice President of the National Basketball Association, Europe, making the younger Violante a true global entity. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, he has moved across the globe, living in Mexico, Turkey, Spain and Sweden before finally settling in Paris for his high school years. As a result of his travels, Violante speaks five languages fluently.

The moves also allowed Violante to perfect his soccer skills in a more competitive environment than the United States would have fostered.

The elder Violante played collegiate soccer, and passed on his passion to his son.

"My dad played soccer at Brown," Violante said. "I started pretty young. It was when I was living in Connecticut that I started playing recreational soccer."

When Violante moved across the Atlantic, he brought his love for the soccer field with him. But he was unable to rise to the top of his game due to his status as a foreigner wherever he went.

"I gained some attention when I played in Sweden," he said. "But I never made it to the top because I wasn't a Swedish citizen."

Violante moved to France for high school and was invited to join the prestigious Paris Saint-Germaine development team, where he played for four years.

Additionally, he played for the Olympic Development Program in Europe, which fed him into the American Olympic Development Program. This led him to the United States three or four times a year. It was at one of these tournaments that Violante first caught the eye of Penn coach Rudy Fuller.

"I thought he had the potential to compete right away for the team," Fuller said.

From the start, Violante was as enamored with Penn as Fuller was with him.

"Since I was little I always had the dream of playing Division I soccer," he said. "And I really liked the Ivy League combination of really good academics and really good athletics. I looked at Wharton and that was really appealing to me."

After so many travels the dream of playing big time collegiate soccer and scoring that goal were finally coming closer to reality.

But in coming to Penn, Violante was still concerned about his role on the Quakers' team.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to be big enough or strong enough to play," he said. "But I set the goal to be a starter."

Not only has Violante proven his fears to be unfounded, but his play this season has been so outstanding that he inspires the other players.

"He has a really professional attitude," Penn freshman Jon Abelson said. "He's out there to be making the right decisions and making the right plays."

Violante's coaches also continue to be impressed with his play on the field.

"He's been a very consistent player for our team," Fuller said. "He has done everything that we have asked of him."

Playing in 15 games this season, Violante has been an integral part of the Quakers' unbeatable defense. His play has helped Penn junior goalkeeper Matt Haefner earn his record-breaking 10 shutouts.

Additionally, Violante was designated to be Penn's penalty kicker at the start of the season, which brought him to that fateful moment last Saturday.

Before taking the kick, Violante felt as if he was in a daze.

"You can set up those scenarios in practice to try and set up the mood," he said. "But, for those to actually happen, it's amazing -- especially coming my first year in college.

And this goal is only the beginning for Erik Violante and his career at Penn.

"I hope we go to the tournament every year," Violante said. "I want to keep going further and further."

Violante will have an opportunity to keep a now expanded dream alive when Penn faces Connecticut today in the second round of the NCAA College Cup.

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