USD Magazine Spring 2020

that offers year-round soccer training. He played for the acade- my for 11 years. At the end of his final two years there, five players earned contracts. Four did not. Lander was one of the four. “It was heartbreaking,” he recalls. “How long I’d been there, the relationships I made.” In the back of his mind, Lander had contemplated that if he did not make the professional team he would pursue playing colle- giate soccer in the United States. “I was quite keen on getting an education,” he says. He’d seen others struggle to earn good jobs when their soccer days ended. He signed up for an agency that helped place players at U.S. colleges; USD assistant coach Nico Nicholson watched Lander play at a trial day and the Toreros offered a scholarship. So did the University of Pittsburgh. Lander’s parents, both of whom worked as flight attendants for British Airways and had traveled to San Diego, recommended Southern California. So off to USD he ventured, 5,455 miles from home. He’s been a starter since his first-year season, a captain since he was a sophomore. “His best trait is his knowledge of the game and his positioning in regard to recognizing danger before it happens,” says Quinn. Lander is humbled that Quinn called him the best leader during his 13 seasons at USD. “To have that come from someone like Quinny, the caliber person he is, who has been there, done that, played on national- level teams, it does mean a lot,” he says. “I feel I left my mark on the program.” Asked what he likes most about soccer, Lander cuts to the chase: ”I love what soccer teaches you as a person, and how you can carry that over into everyday life.” he says. “It laid the foundation for me maturing into a man.”

ZACHARY BARRON

AGE: 22 HOMETOWN: St. Louis, Missouri CREDENTIALS: In his fifth season as a forward on USD’s men’s basketball team, Floresca’s size (6’ 8”) makes him an intimidating on-court presence. When asked to recount his greatest on-court accomplishment, he doesn’t have to reach too far into the memory banks. “Making the National Invitation Tournament last year and having that pretty cool run during the West Coast Conference Tournament.” CREATIVE EYE: An architecture major, Floresca completed two prestigious internships this past summer. “Gensler is a global design and architecture firm here in San Diego, and then I went to HOK Architecture in Kansas City. That was especially cool because I got to work on sports architecture. I want to specialize in facilities — with athletes, whether professional or collegiate — which would be super cool.” LEADING LADY: From his physical stature to his booming voice, everything about Floresca seems big. But when he talks about the person that matters most, all that melts away. “My number one role model would be my mom for sure. She is the most hardworking person I’ve ever met; super down to earth but also a real boss.” THE DREAM: In a perfect world, Floresca would be able to meld his athletic and architectural passions into a career. But for now, he’s leaving the door open to whatever life offers. “Ah, the dream … I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but I just want to be happy. Whether that’s playing basketball somewhere over in Europe or pursuing sports architecture.” — Chloe Zakhour ’21 GE T T ING TO KNOW ALEX F LORESCA

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Spring 2020