One month ago, ETSU Soccer alumna Raffaella Giuliano signed with Lazio Women, a professional Italian soccer team. Lazio Women are currently first in the league and aiming for a conference win.
“I had the best experience of my life in Johnson City. Soccer was very competitive, and I became a better player in those years,” said Giuliano.
Giuliano is 24 years old and originally from Italy. She came to America as a recruit for ETSU’s soccer team, and earned a bachelor’s degree in corporate finance and investments, with a master’s in brand and media strategy.
She noted that while playing soccer is her current career, she would also love to one day pursue sports marketing within a soccer team.
“I decided to move to the U.S. a few years ago as I wanted to both play my sport at a high level and study,” said Giuliano. “College in the U.S. gives students the opportunity to do both things without sacrificing one of the two. In Italy, school and sports are not connected, so it’s hard to do both at the same time.”
Giuliano is a left back, but easily adapts to other positions as needed. She started playing soccer at eight years old, and played for a boy’s team for five years due to the closest girls’ team being an hour away from her home.
Before coming to Johnson City, she played for Res Roma in the Italian first league, and showed appreciation for her coach, Adam Sayers, for recruiting at ETSU, as well as coach Jay Yelton in her fifth year.
“The years I spent at ETSU have taught me so much both on and off the pitch. This experience gave me some of my best friends and it enriched me as a person. ETSU will always be my second home,” said Giuliano.
Giuliano expressed that she is excited to show what she is capable of and find success in Italy as well. She is currently residing in Rome, and hopes to see the team advance to the first league next season.
Giuliano was also eager to further express her love for Johnson City by sporting a “JC” tattoo on her arm.
