HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. - This summer, CentenaryCyclones.com is checking in with our alumni student-athletes to see what they have been up to since they left Centenary and what some of their favorite memories from Centenary are.

This week, we check in with cross country alum Francisco Marrero (2016).

If you are a Centenary alum who was a student-athlete and you'd like to share your story, please email Sports Information Director Megan O'Brien (megan.obrien@centenaryuniversity.edu).

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1. Name, Sport(s) played at Centenary, what years were you a student-athlete: Francisco Marrero Jr and I ran Cross Country as Team Captain of the Men's team for one year in 2016.
    
2. What's your favorite memory from your time on the Centenary campus: When my two friends pushed me to run cross country, I had never ran before. The men's team had finished in last place which was  10^th place in the CSAC Preview. At the CSAC Championship race, we finished in 5^th place. Coach John Garriques who is the wrestling coach and who was our coach that year had the belief in us and trained us which made us so much better by the end of the year. He always reminded us in order to be successful we have to come together as a cohesive group to work harder each and every day to achieve success and to be a champion.  His quote "You got to buy in" is what I live by.
    
3. What's your favorite athletic memory from your time on the Centenary campus (doesn't have to be for your sport): Running in the NCAA Atlantic Regional at Rowan University when I posted my best  8K time of 30:49.
    
4. What are you doing with your life now: Currently I am working at a behavioral school called Honor Ridge Academy in Clark New Jersey. I work in their behavior department and handle crisis interventions/ deescalations. 
    
5. What's one thing you know now that you wish you knew while you were a student-athlete: Don't doubt yourself and don't dwell so much on the mistakes. Learn and reflect from it quickly and make the proper adjustments so you can go out and execute it to perfection the next time out. 
    
6. What's one thing that you learned while a student-athlete that you have applied in everyday life: Constantly improving to get better because there is always room for improvement to be better, you should always strive for perfection. Being complacent will only hinder your chances to be the best version of you that you can be. Above all else be humble and lead by example.
    
7. What's one piece of advice you would offer today's student-athletes: Always be patient and allow things to slow down, sometimes we as student – athletes let moments get the best of us. Enjoy the moment and give it your all because you can't ever get it back.
    
8. Greatest accomplishment so far, could be as a student-athlete or in everyday life:  Making a positive impact with the students that I work with on a daily basis.  It is so rewarding and touching to alter a student's life in a very influential way that will allow them to be extremely successful.