Brian Casagrande is one of the most accomplished Linebackers in Trinity College's history–he's a three-time captain, three-time All-NESCAC Linebacker, two-time NESCAC champion, and two-time 1935 Award recipient. The 1935 Award is particularly significant, as it's given to the player that embodies the trinity culture and leadership, and is regarded as the most prestigious award for Trinity College's Football team–Casagrande won it twice.
Brian Casagrande is one of the players that makes a team successful as his energy and effort is contagious. Brian shares his recruiting story with 2aDays and explains how he was able to contribute to the team's success.
How it Started
First, his recruiting story–Casagrande first heard about Trinity through a good friend that also went there. “I actually had gone to a couple games prior to me ever looking there,” Casagrande recalled “I remember my first game was Trinity versus Wesleyan, I think 2014. I think I was a freshman in high school. Being able to be there for the Trinity versus Wesleyan game was pretty cool to see, especially the small college culture.”
Casagrande never went to a traditional overnight visit, but he was invited to attend a football game and meet the coaches. “I just remember being very welcomed,” Casagrande said. “ It was nice to be able to spend one-on-one time with all the coaches–that was probably a big part of why I ended up committing.”
Related: Want To Play College Football? Follow These 5 Tips
The winning traditions and the team culture were one of the reasons why Casagrande chose Trinity. “Everybody was very welcoming, and the players after the game are more than willing to walk up and talk to you. That showed great culture. I think one of the big reasons I ended up coming here was the winning tradition.”
However, for Casagrande, the team was only part of his recruiting decision. The other reasons were academics and playing time.
“Trinity was actually the only Division III school I was looking at,” Casagrande said, adding that his other schools of interest were at the FCS level. “There was only one good academic school, but I don't think I would have seen myself playing there until about my senior year.”
Although it's tempting for athletes to go D1, there are perks to playing at the DII or DIII level. “It really wasn't worth it for me to go grind for four years and maybe get to play, so Trinity was kind of a no-brainer,” Casagrande said of his decision to go DIII. “[Trinity] was the best school academically and very close to home–that was always something I really wanted.”
Casagrande eventually committed to Trinity and was immediately able to play in games in an impactful role splitting reps with a senior linebacker. Trinity College won the NESCAC championship in Brian's freshman season and Brian was named captain by the team heading into his sophomore year of college. Even as an underclassmen, his attitude and play on the field motivated his teammates.
A Turn for the Worst
Casagrande's sophomore season, however, was unlike the 2018 season in every way–the team had a lot of skill, but finished the season 5-4.
“That sucked,” Casagrande said, adding the 2018 season was “just miserable.” But he still saw the good in a rough situation. “We kind of needed to be shocked because we were a little too complacent,” Casagrande said. “All you wanted to really do is get back to work. I think that's essentially why we've had so much success over the last two years.”
The team was determined to rebound after the 2019 season and knew they could compete even if they needed to work hard and develop their skills. But the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic hindered the team's progress–they were sent home without knowing if they would play football again.
Related: 4 Reasons to Take Your COVID Year
“[Covid] Kind of made things harder, truthfully, because you never really knew if you're ready to play again,” Casagrande said. “I didn't even think about football for about like eight months. Obviously, once restrictions were lifted, we started hanging out with each other more. And I think everybody on this most recent team, and the 2021 team can pretty much attest that we were [a] very, very, very close, and tight knit group. And I think that really had a lot to do with our success.”
By the time the 2021 season started, the squad was itching to play football. They had a good season, but missed out on the title, finishing 8-1. But the foundation was set for greatness on the field.
“I think once we kicked off that year, in 2021, you didn't really have to pump anyone up,” Casagrave said. “Everybody was just ready to go. We got to play [our] first game of football in two years. I really didn't know if I was gonna replay football again. So I knew once I got out there, I'd take advantage of every single play and play it like it's my last.”
In spite of the roadblocks Covid presented to his team and the disappointing end to the 2021 season, Brian remained confident. “You know, it was a great season,” he recalled. “Obviously we didn't reach our goal, but that was a really, really, really fun season that was really enjoyable and I really thought we were a really good team that just had one bad day.”
The motivation contained to grow. Following the 8-1 season, Casagrande decided to return to Trinity for his fifth year of eligibility. After all, Brian was a leader on the field, a seasoned player who held the trust of the players, and the team was ready for a great season.
“I mean, it was so much fun,” Casagrande said, reflecting back on his senior season, which he considers “the best three months ever” due to the team's incredible culture. “Everybody was very close,” he added. “I mean, I played with the guys on the same team for years now. It's funny because you always look back at your high school team and it's kids that you all grew up with, And you think you're never gonna get that again in college. You think it's gonna be a different experience. But the truth be told I was closer with my college team in comparison to my high school team, which are kids that I grew up with for thirteen-plus years.”
Related: How to Build a Championship Culture
Not only was the team's culture good–the team itself was good thanks to their culture. “The college team was just [a] setting that I've never been a part of where everybody trusted everybody on that field,” Brian said. “And we were always having a good time. Like, it almost seemed like half the time we really weren't that serious. And, you know, it's obviously fun when you go 9-0, right?”
Brian's career at Trinity College will be remembered as one one of the greatest. His accomplishments on the field and the ability to lead players is something that is really valued by his teammates and coaches. Brian saw the team culture shift and focused on the team's goals to rebound. There were obstacles like Covid, and the rebound from the 2019 season did not happen overnight. It took years of hard work to create a championship team.
But for Brian, it was worth it in the end.
Have an idea for a story or a question you need answered? Want to set up an interview with us? Email us at [email protected]
Image Credit: Trinity College Athletics
* Originally published on March 30, 2023, by Ryan Wiley
