As the semester comes to a close, this final student-athlete spotlight feels like a fitting way to reflect on what it truly means to be part of the Drew Athletics family. It’s not just about performance in competition or success in the classroom—it’s about the relationships built, the accountability shared and the sense of belonging that carries student-athletes through their time on campus. Few embody that spirit more fully than Eddie Matto (’26).
On the strip, Matto is driven by consistency: the ability to train at a high level in practice and reproduce that same intensity in competition. Off the strip, that same mindset carries into his academic life. He approaches assignments like drills; structured, deliberate and focused, crediting his team environment for reinforcing that discipline. Being surrounded by teammates daily creates a culture of accountability; no one wants to fall behind, whether in the classroom or in competition.
That sense of community is central to Matto’s experience. As he puts it, “living in a suite with my teammates helps to hold us all accountable with training, but also provides lots of good bonding time.” The day-to-day routine is shared, whether it’s “always having people to go the gym or commons with, or at least to walk to practice with.” Even the early mornings become part of the team culture, “it also is nice to have a chorus of alarms at 5 a.m. on early morning away meets, you know you won’t miss the bus.” For Matto, that constant presence of teammates turns fencing into something bigger than an individual sport, it becomes a fully shared experience.
Academically, he has made a strong impact as a writing fellow at Drew University, a role he has held for two semesters. The experience has given him hands-on exposure to teaching strategies and tutoring, reinforcing his goal of becoming an educator. His passion for literature was especially shaped by ENGH 365 with Professor Soule, where reading “One Hundred Years of Solitude” by Gabriel García Márquez stood out as a defining academic moment, an exploration of one of the most intricately crafted novels in global literature.
Matto did not meet his roommate in a dorm or through a housing form—he met him on the strip. The first time was at Summer Nationals in Philadelphia, back in high school. They were just two fencers in a crowded field, but the bout stuck with him. Matto lost that day, and it didn’t end there. For the next few years, their paths kept crossing at competitions, and more often than not, the result was the same. “I ended up losing, and lost to him some more for the next like four years,” Matto recalls. Still, it wasn’t one-sided forever, “but I won some too, so that was chill.” said Matto.
By the time they both landed on the same college team, the dynamic had shifted completely. The person who had once been a recurring obstacle across the strip, William Morton (‘26), was now a teammate and a roommate. Instead of facing off under tournament pressure, they were sharing early morning alarms, walking to practice together and pushing each other in training.
At Drew University, teammates often become more than just training partners, they become the people you live with, grow with and rely on every day. This is especially true for Matto, whose suite resembles that of the apartments in the television series “Friends.” An open door, welcoming the family that has been created through the athletic program.
Whether he’s analyzing literature or stepping onto the strip, Matto embodies a disciplined, community-driven approach to both academics and athletics, one that’s preparing him well for the classroom and beyond.
In many ways, his story reflects the heart of Drew Athletics: teammates who become roommates, rivals who become lifelong friends and a shared experience that extends far beyond the field of play. As this semester’s final spotlight, Matto’s journey serves as a reminder that the strongest victories aren’t just measured in wins, but in the community built along the way.
Gillian Sampson is a graduate student in the Masters of Education program.
