Arnaldo Abreu Finds New Home As A Spartan

As a player, the stands is not the ideal place to witness your basketball team your senior year. Especially when you have a year of eligibility left. Senior Arnaldo Abreu found himself doing just that.

Abreu was told the spring of his junior year by then first year Florida Southern head coach Linc Darner that his scholarship would not be renewed for his senior year. With that news, the plans Abreu originally had were derailed.

His initial idea was to graduate, enter the work force and then return to school. But with another year of eligibility to use, he decided to finish his undergraduate degree a semester early, December 2007, and then start graduate school the following January.

The Tampa native wanted to come back home and get his Masters in Business Administration. His choice was between the University of South Florida and the University of Tampa.

Outside of having a good MBA program, he realized he would have a better chance of finishing his basketball career playing for the Spartans and he decided to enroll at Tampa.

So would playing for the rival of the team you were prematurely dismissed from have any affect on your decision? Maybe for some, but not for Abreu. It all came down to his education. "Basketball is not promised, you can't lose focus that education is important," says Abreu.
The MBA program originally drew him to Tampa, but being able to play out his eligibility played a part in his decision. On being the new kid, Abreu said "I expected everyone to be like 'Oh that's the Florida Southern kid."

He found that was not the case as everyone was extremely welcoming and did not bring up his former school. People brought it up, but it was more in a comical and welcoming tone.

The Sunshine State Conference rule on athletes transferring within the conference is that the athlete must sit out two years before they can play for the new team. Abreu sat out the first year but practiced with the team, attended all home games and close away games. He appealed the second year and was successful.

As for playing with the Spartans, the forward said it was a great end to his college basketball career despite the change in plans. Abreu said "Plans change, how you react is what matters."

He formed a close bond with his team, a bond that he says other teams like professional sports do not even have. On the experience of playing under another new coach, he said "it's fun playing with a coach that knows the game so well…you really become a student of the game."