The Florida State Seminoles football team boasts a unique blend of international talent, featuring players from three continents: Alex Mastromanno, a punter from Melbourne, Australia; Sione Lolohea, a defensive end from Houma Tukulalo Vava’u, Tonga, and Manasse Itete, a lineman from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
These players each bring a diverse range of skills and cultural experiences to the Seminoles’ roster and represent the rapid global growth of American football.
Balancing the demands of being full-time students, committed football players and international student-athletes is no small feat. In addition to their academic advisors and coaches, these players work closely with an immigration advisor at the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), which provides orientation, immigration advising and ongoing support to more than 2,400 international students on F1 and J1 visas and family members, as well as to more than 250 international scholars and faculty.
Lacey Moret, a continuing F-1 immigration advisor who works closely with the three players, recently attended an FSU football practice at the invitation of Isaiah Phillip, assistant director of Football Player Development. She witnessed firsthand what a typical practice day is like for players as the team continued preparations for the season.
“The players work very hard, and their determination to have the best possible season really showed throughout practice,” Moret said. “The experience blended my love for football and my passion for working with international students. I am very fortunate to be the immigration advisor to three international student-athletes on the team—a rare occurrence for even one to be on the football team. All three of these players impress me with managing school, athletics, a personal life off the field and maintaining their status in the country.”
Mastromanno is a redshirt senior punter heading into his fifth season as FSU’s starter. Originally from Melbourne, Australia, he was the first player to commit to head coach Mike Norvell at FSU and was recently named a pre-season first-team All-American by Sporting News.
“It’s been such a fun experience coming over here,” Mastromanno said. “There are quite a few international athletes in other sports at FSU that I have met over the years. Being a foreign athlete at Florida State is one of the best places to do it.”
Lolohea, a redshirt senior defensive end, joined starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei when he transferred to FSU from Oregon State University. He’s originally from Tonga, a Polynesian kingdom of more than 170 South Pacific islands, with an estimated population of 106,838. He arrived in the United States to play high school football after being scouted by the Polynesian-American Sports and Education Organization.
“It’s been fun,” Lolohea said. “It’s hard to manage school and football at the same time coming from overseas, but when you have people like Lacey and all of the resources FSU has provided us with, it helps make it all a little bit easier.”
Itete is a freshman experiencing college for the first time. The four-star prospect offensive lineman originally came to the U.S. from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to play basketball. His coaches convinced him to try football, and it quickly became second nature to him.
“It is a big challenge to come from overseas,” Itete said. “You have to learn the language, know how to do things, and be on time with the schedule. You really have to learn a different culture on top of being a student-athlete. FSU provides a lot of resources to help us get everything we need.”
In his role as assistant director of Football Player Development, Phillip gets to spend a lot of time with the players on and off the field. He said working with student-athletes who come from such diverse cultural backgrounds “really gives you perspective on how amazing this world is.”
“The journey these three young men have gone through and the success they achieve on the field and in the classroom is a testament to their hard work, commitment to excellence, and cultural pride to represent their families and countries proudly,” Phillip said. “I am truly blessed to be able to be a small part on their journey of life and work and continue to help them C.L.I.M.B every day to be their best.”
As Florida State ramps up for another season, the contributions of Mastromanno, Lolohea and Itete stand out not only for their athletic abilities but also for the unique perspectives they bring from across the globe. These three players have overcome significant challenges, adapting to a new culture while excelling both on the field and in the classroom.
Their stories are a testament to the global reach of sports and the support system in place at FSU, where athletes from all corners of the world can thrive. As they continue to represent their countries and the Seminoles, their journeys represent the entire FSU community.
The Florida State Seminoles will take on the Boston College Eagles at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 2, at Doak S. Campbell Stadium.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit seminoles.com.
To learn more about the CGE, visit cge.fsu.edu.