BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The next alum in the Moravian College Department of Athletics & Recreation's Get to Know Series is former men's tennis student-athlete Neil Caniga from the Class of 2006. Caniga, who is currently the Head Men's and Women's Tennis Coach at St. Lawrence University, was a three-time Commonwealth All-Conference honoree during his career and completed his career with a 31-23 singles mark for the Greyhounds.
Neil Caniga
Class: 2006
How did you choose the sport you played when you were growing up? I always played baseball and basketball competitively growing up and would just play tennis with my dad in the summer. Once I got to high school and started playing on a team, I fell in love with it and shifted my focus solely to tennis. Since then it has been a huge part of my life as well as who I am today.
Why did you choose to come to Moravian College? Moravian had a great feel to its campus from the moment I stepped on it. It has a very welcoming environment, which was a big draw as well as the opportunity to play college tennis at a competitive level.
What experiences as a student-athlete at Moravian helped prepare you for life after college? Being a student-athlete at Moravian was an incredibly transforming experience. Learning not only how to work with others towards common goals but learning how to lead others prepared me for life after college. With tennis being the only sport where we as players are also our own match officials, the number of situations that help grow your character are endless.
How did you get into your current occupation? I was very fortunate that my coach at Moravian, Jim Walker, saw potential in me to become a college coach and on spring break of my final season talked to me about the idea of coaching the team at Moravian. I was unsure exactly of a direct path for myself after college and Coach Walker along with the administration gave me an opportunity to begin my career as an unproven 22-year-old.
What have you done more of since March with the pandemic limiting your seasons at St. Lawrence? Since we were sent home on March 13th due to the pandemic, I have spent a lot of time on zoom like most coaches. While losing our season was devastating for everyone, it provided new ways to grow my relationships with my players and recruits. Thankfully, we are back to being able to practice after 6 months away from each other and have that face to face interactions once again (while wearing masks and properly social distancing).
What was your favorite place on campus? Hoffman Tennis Courts
What activities/organizations were you involved in at Moravian College as a student-athlete? I also played on the club ice hockey team which was an awesome experience that I had so much fun with.
What was your most memorable moment at Moravian? The one thing that will always stick with me are the relationships that I formed over time with my friends and my wife. It's been 14 years since I was a student and I still keep in contact with so many friends and teammates.
What advice do you have for prospective student-athletes looking to attend Moravian College? Take advantage of all that Moravian has to offer. Moravian is an amazing place that will give you so many opportunities to grow both on and off the field and will help shape who you become for the rest of your life. Get involved in different clubs and organizations and be a leader on campus.
What advice do you have for current student-athletes as they approach graduation? Don't take any moments for granted! Four years flies by fast and be sure to take time to sit back and soak in all the experiences.
What is the best piece of advice you've been given? No one will ever care how much you will know until they know how much you care
Who are your role models/most influential people? My parents. They helped shape my values and guide me to who I've become today.
Which three people, living or dead, would you like to share a meal with? Billie Jean King, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise most people. I love going to professional wrestling pay-per-views
Quick Hits:
Favorite Color – Green
Favorite Food – Anything chocolate related
Favorite Restaurant – The 1844 House
Favorite Movie – Talladega Nights
Favorite TV Show – The Office
Favorite Musical Artist – The Boss
Favorite Athlete – Ray Allen
Favorite Pro Team – NY Giants
Hobbies – Woodworking projects, tennis, golf, sitting on my couch relaxing
Most Prized Possession – My dog
Ideal Travel Destination – Anywhere warm
Your Spirit Animal – Hippogriff
Superpower you'd Like to Have – Teleportation
