Senior Michael Criscuolo played large roles in the state tournament runs of the baseball, basketball, and soccer teams this school year.

Criscuolo’s love for sports began many years ago. He started playing all sports at an early age because his parents wanted to see what he enjoyed. He continued with sports throughout his high school career because he viewed it as a time to connect with new people.

“I continued with [playing sports] throughout high school,” Criscuolo said. “It was a good way to meet new people. I’ve always been a pretty competitive person, so I like going into games and playing with other people.”

Criscuolo had an integral impact on each team he played for; his tremendous defensive ability helped his team in many games. 

In soccer, Criscuolo played left back where he was able to win balls in the air and push the team forward. In basketball, he gained a role throughout the season because of his ability to defend at the top of a 1-3-1 defensive zone set, carving in a role off the bench. In baseball, he was a solid first baseman who rarely let a ball past him. In all three sports, Criscuolo was a catalyst to deep postseason runs, making it to the sectional title game in soccer and the sectional semifinal game in both basketball and baseball.

Even being so successful, it’s difficult for Criscuolo to point out his favorite moment across the three sports. However, with heavy consideration, Criscuolo emphasized the historic run that he and the 2021 soccer team made during his junior year.

“It’s tough to pick one [memory] out, but the soccer runs my junior year was pretty memorable,” Criscuolo said. “There was a lot of adversity, and it was a fun group of guys to be around. No one deserved that more than the team and the coaching staff.”

Criscuolo made sure to give credit to his coaches and teammates when reasoning why he was so successful in all three sports. He had the privilege of playing for three great head coaches: Coach Luciano Cofrancesco, Coach Al Coleman, and Coach Will Lynch. 

“The longer the season goes, you just get to spend more time with these guys, and it’s always a great time,” Criscuolo said. “Our coaches always put us in a good position to win no matter the sport.”

As Criscuolo praises the coaches when discussing the teams’ success, the coaches commend him for his part in the teams’ achievements.

“He has been a tremendous leadoff hitter getting on base at a .500 clip and has been flawless at first base saving numerous errors by our infield,” Head Baseball Coach Will Lynch said. “He has made one error all year with over 140 attempts.”

Coach Cofrancesco praises Criscuolo’s quiet leadership and his ability to get the soccer team rolling. 

“Mikey isn’t always the loudest kid on the field, but in terms of how he plays, what he does, how he does it, [he] is a good example for the future for us,” Cofrancesco said. 

Being a three-sport athlete comes with the challenge of time management, but Criscuolo made sure to keep a schedule that made him successful academically and athletically.

“It was tough when you’re trying to balance school and sports. It’s never easy, but you make a schedule and use your time wisely and go from there,” Criscuolo said. 

Michael isn’t the only three-sport athlete in the family. His twin sister Tori excelled similarly in both soccer and basketball in addition to her contributions to the track and field team. Michael credits a lot of his competitive persona to Tori and the way they have both challenged each other while growing up.

“Growing up with a sister who plays a sport all year round, there’s always a lot of competition,” Criscuolo said. “She pushed me, and I hope I did the same.”

As someone who’s played sports his whole life, Criscuolo said it’s hard for him to imagine himself without some form of staying active. In the future, Criscuolo will be attending the University of Pittsburgh and he wants to continue his athletic career in college in some way or another. 

“I like staying active, and I like the competitive nature of sports,” Criscuolo said. “I’m going to try and play club baseball at Pittsburgh.”

Criscuolo has not only been a dominant force on the field and court, but he has also been a true member of the community at Pascack Valley. Coaches, teachers, administrators, and students alike respect him and value his presence. Coach Coleman sums up Michael’s impact and his demeanor on the court and field. 

“Michael is the consummate teammate in every facet of the game: a true throwback if you will. Always thinking about the team and how he can use his mind, skill set, and relentless work ethic to further the team’s success,” Coleman said. “A true TEAMmate in every sense of the word. Show me your definition of someone who gets the job done, and I’ll show you Michael Criscuolo.”