Athlete of the week: Daniel Altieri ’19

Daniel Altieri ’19 has started the 2018 spring golf season off hot, winning a share of the Centennial Conference’s golfer of the week accolade for his strong performance at the Hershey Cup this past week. Altieri, a junior golfer from Skillman, N.J., finished tied for third place, shooting a 74 overall, and leading the team to a fifth-place finish out of 15 teams. Although the tournament was cut short due to the snow, the signs of life in the team were promising. Altieri and the Garnet are back in action on April 14 at the Rosemont Invitational.
Ping Promrat: What is your major, and what made you decide to choose it?
Daniel Altieri: I am an economics and environmental studies double major. I am really interested in learning about the intersections between societal development and environmental conservation, and how to tackle the perceived notion that economic progress and sustainability are mutually exclusive. The classes that I have taken in both departments have been fun, but the classes in environmental studies have been especially enjoyable. The professors are awesome.
PP: What got you into golf as a kid? How did you find out about Swarthmore in the recruiting process?
DA: I first started playing golf with my dad when I was pretty young. He started playing when he got out of college, so I learned from him. I also played basketball and ran cross country in high school, but I knew I wanted to play golf in college. My older brother played golf at Franklin and Marshall, so I learned about Swarthmore through his recruiting process and the tournaments he played against them. I talked with Coach Heller often, and after visiting the school my senior year of high school, I knew I wanted to come here.
PP: What were some of the highlights of the team’s spring break trip to Florida?
DA: The spring break trip is always one of the best times of the year. This year in Florida it was really fun just to spend time with the team, whether it was practicing during the day or hanging out at night. I would say going to the World Golf Hall of Fame was a highlight, getting to see the history and memorabilia from the greatest players and moments was really cool.
PP: What are the greatest challenges in being a student athlete?
DA: I think the greatest challenge is the same challenge that many students at Swat face, and that’s managing time. During our fall and spring seasons, we travel on the weekends, staying in hotels and coming back to campus late at night, and with practice during the week, it really makes you focus on schoolwork during your downtime. My time here at Swat has really helped me become more efficient at balancing multiple commitments.
PP: Talk a little bit about the tournament last weekend. How did it feel to be named Centennial Conference golfer of the week?
DA: The tournament at Hershey was a good sign for our team. Even though it was cut short to just one day, the way the guys and I played was really solid, beating four of the top 50 teams in the country. I really worked on my game over the winter, so having a good showing was a confidence boost. Being named golfer of the week is always a great thing; the other teams in the conference are strong so being able to stack up with them shows our work is paying off.
PP: If you could change one thing about Swarthmore, what would it be and why?
DA: I would probably want to upgrade some of the old facilities around campus. From the fieldhouse and tennis courts to rooms in dorms and, of course, Sharples, I think the overall student experience would be more positive if the infrastructure were up to date. It is good to know that there are long-term plans in place to work on this issue, so hopefully later class years will get to see the progress.
PP: If you could travel to one place in the world, where would it be and why?
DA: Either Normandy, France, or Istanbul, Turkey. Both those places were the settings for some of the biggest events in human history, so being able to put myself in those environments would be special. I actually have never been to California, so maybe I should try to check that out first. San Francisco would definitely be the first stop!