Cacciatore Catches On To William & Mary Tribe

Andrew Cacciatore has been a part of three cross country title teams at Holy Trinity. As a sophomore, Cacciatore was 9th at the 1A Cross Country Finals and followed that up with a runner-up finish in 2013. On the track, he was third this past spring at the outdoor state meet in the 3,200m. Recently, he announced he will be attending the College of William and Mary to run for the Tribe.

 

What was the recruiting process like for you?

It was exciting because I was able to visit a lot of great schools and talked to many coaches. The toughest part was the decision because I liked all of the schools, but I ultimately chose the school where I think I would be the happiest and be able to help the team.

 

When did you really see your recruitment take off?
 

It started to take off over the summer because I asked Coach Butler to email some coaches. That's when I was talking to the most schools. Then the whole process went into high gear during the season.

In the end you chose William and Mary. What stood out most about the tribe?

 

William and Mary stood out to me the most because it seemed to have the perfect balance between academics and running. The team seemed extremely close and made me feel as though I was part of the team when I was on my visit. With Ryan Gousse being there, I was able to get his perspective on any adjustments he had to make transitioning from Florida to Virginia. Gousse said that the temperature change isn't too bad, but the winters can get pretty cold.

 

Former American Record Holder Chris Solinsky is one of the assistant coaches up there. Did you get a chance to meet him?
 

I was able to meet Chris Solinsky and he is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. There's is definitely a lot that I can learn from him because he has had so much experience with running.

You've been a part of three cross country title teams while at Holy Trinity. How has that program and coaching help prepare you for the next level?

 

From what I've heard from most people, there are many differences between high school and college running. I know I can't rest on my success in high school and have to keep working hard. Coach Butler has definitely prepared all of his runners to do well both in high school and college because he never lets us settle.

What are you looking to most about running for Williiam and Mary?
 

I'm looking forward to compete at a higher level and have the chance to run with other guys from around the country. It will also be nice to experience a change in seasons, unlike the one season we have in Florida. My goals are to perform my best and contribute as much as possible to the team.

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