Some athletes make incredible sacrifices for the sports that they love, but there are a select few who will go as far as traveling to another country to compete collegiately. Ryan Salamo sat down with four international Lions to discuss what it’s like to move to another country for the love of their sport and what “We Are” means to them.
Some athletes make incredible sacrifices for the sports that they love, but there are a select few who will go as far as traveling to another country to compete collegiately. Ryan Salamo sat down with four international Lions to discuss what it’s like to move to another country for the love of their sport and what “We Are” means to them.
Sport: Ice Hockey, Forward
Nikita Pavlychev, Freshman
Hometown: Yaroslavl, Russia
Major: Undecided
Growing up in Russia, hockey is practically compulsory for kids. Freshman Forward Nikita Pavlychev had no idea that this popular pastime would take him overseas to the United States.
“I started hockey when I was young because my dad loved it and took me to games,” says Pavlychev.
Six years ago, Pavlychev moved from Russia to the U.S. to further pursue his hockey dream on a team in Scranton and then later in Des Moines. He committed to Penn State in 2015 and is having a great year thus far.
“I knew I wanted to come to Penn State after touring Pegula. The arena is state of the art, and I knew that this is where I needed to be if I want to get better,” says Pavlychev.
Pavlychev was also drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015. The Penguins currently rate as one of the top teams in the U.S., and quite possibly the world. “They want me to take the time at college to mature in my playing and can call me up whenever they think I’m ready,” he says.
Although Pavlychev does get homesick and finds it hard to balance between school and hockey, he has the team behind him for support. “Everyone on the team has been like a family and made me feel so welcome, I’m really looking forward to seeing what my college career holds for me while getting a good education.”
Name: Tomer Zamir, Sophomore
Sport: Swimming, Butterfly/Backstroke
Hometown: Gesher HaZiv, Israel
Major: International Politics
Tomer Zamir is a former member of the Israel National Swim Team. Though it’s not a popular sport in Israel, Zamir began swimming around the age of 6 because of his asthma, following his doctor’s recommendation.
“I liked the individual aspect of it. You do you. It made me be more competitive and accountable for myself,” says Zamir.
He served in the military for three years and achieved athlete status, allowing him to compete with the Israel National Team while serving. This took him to two European Championships, two World Championships, and he was the Israel National Record Holder for the 50 butterfly up until a few months ago.
“In Israel, you can’t get a scholarship in university. I’ve had a few older friends do it internationally, so I looked up schools and that’s how I found Penn State,” says Zamir. Though it all happened very quickly, and traveling here was filled with complications, he felt like part of the team as soon as he got here.
Zamir says, “’We Are’ means the team here. I love the team aspect. I was wearing a Penn State shirt back home in Israel one day and someone came up to me and recognized it! I thought that was crazy. This is ‘We Are.’ I can go home to Israel and get recognized, it’s so big that it can get to anyone in the world.”
Briannah Tsang, Junior
Sport: Gymnastics, All-Around
Hometown: Burnaby British Columbia, Canada
Major: Biobehavioral Health
When you think of Canadian sports, you often think of ice hockey, lacrosse and… gymnastics? Briannah Tsang, a member of the PSU Women’s Gymnastics Team, took to the sport at a very young age, despite the fact that it’s not very popular in Canada.
“I got into it at a fourth birthday party and I just kept going … I love the feeling of getting a new skill,” says Tsang. Tsang was on the Canadian National Team and heard about the PSU Gymnastics Team from fellow national teammate Emma Sibson. Tsang committed to Penn State in September of 2011 and started her collegiate career at Penn State in September 2014.
Tsang says the team is close-knit and is also close with the men’s gymnastics team. “The athlete community is very close and I’ve met many Canadian student-athletes as well,” she says.
To get an idea of what it’s like out on the floor, Tsang recalls one of her fondest memories from last season on Senior Night. “We were on a roll and everyone was sticking their bars dismount. It was my turn and I stuck mine too which I never do, and everyone started screaming!”
Daniel Pasquariello, Senior
Sport: Football, Kicker
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Major: Economics
American football is almost nonexistent outside of America, so how did Penn State end up with a kicker from Australia? Danny — as his American teammates affectionately call him — began his college career in Australia, but didn’t enjoy the environment. “Australians associate themselves with high school more than college. High school is very extracurricular and in college you show up to class and go home,” he says.
Throughout 2013, he was involved in an Australian football program that prepared college students to transfer onto American football teams. “Australian football is sort of a mix of soccer and rugby,” says Pasquariello.
After being invited to Penn State for a visit by Coach Franklin, Pasquariello saw Beaver Stadium for the first time and knew he was going to be a Nittany Lion.
Pasquariello’s first ever football game in Beaver Stadium was in 2014. “The team atmosphere is unreal. I’ve obviously been a part of teams my whole life. Australian football is like a team of brothers, and here we’re more like a family,” Pasquariello says.
This whole past season has been the highlight of his athletic career due to the team’s success and the opportunity to be a part of it. His greatest memory as a Penn Stater is being engulfed by a sea of white after the Ohio State win in 2016 when the fans flooded the field.