Norwich University

"Sam”, as he was known by his classmates, starred in football and men’s lacrosse. A four-year letterman on the gridiron, he was a three-time Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Week and the program’s Most Valuable Player. Pizzimenti also earned the Vermont Sportswriters’ Athlete of the Month honor. He was a three-year letterwinner in lacrosse. 

"Norwich was very special due to friendships I acquired with so many people," he said. "It didn't matter how those relationships started whether it was with a soccer player, a fellow football teammate and so on. I've still been able to maintain a lot of close friendships from college to this day." 

Sam played halfback and fullback in addition to playing on one of the earliest men's lacrosse squads. 

"We had about three guys from Upstate New York that helped get the lacrosse program going from scratch," he said. 

He credits the late Joe Sabol, former football coach, with helping him make the decision to attend Norwich. 

"We played Norwich's JV team when I was in high school at Bridgeton Academy," Pizzimenti said. "Coach Sabol came up to visit me about attending school and asked if the military background would be an issue. However, I had an ROTC background at the academy and was very impressed with what he told me about Norwich."