STANFORD, Calif. – The Stanford men’s volleyball regular season is coming to a close as the Cardinal hosts UC Santa Barbara on Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 p.m. It marks the final home match for the five Stanford seniors, who will be recognized with a Senior Night ceremony following the match.
GoStanford.com will highlight each senior this week leading up to the match on Saturday. Next is senior middle blocker/opposite Matt Aiello.
The San Jose, California native and Bellarmine College Prep standout will graduate this June with a degree in English. Although he has seen limited playing time on the court, Aiello has made the most of his Stanford experience academically. In the fall of 2013, he attended Oxford University and did a tutorial in Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature. Last season, he was the recipient of the NCAA’s Elite 89 Award, given to the student-athlete at the NCAA championship site with the highest GPA. Earlier this season he was named a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship.
GoStanford: Looking back, what are some of your favorite memories with Stanford volleyball?
MA: The summer after my freshman year our whole team traveled to Europe for two weeks to compete against professional teams in Italy, France, and Spain. Obviously, being able to travel throughout Europe in an all-expenses-paid trip with 20 of your best friends is going to be a blast. We had so much fun exploring those countries and I wouldn't trade that time for anything.
GoStanford: What do you know now that you wish you knew as a freshman?
MA: Stay far FAR away from Coho. I racked up quite a bill there my Freshman year.
GoStanford: What do you think you will miss most about this team?
MA: I will miss having a group of 20 guys there to support you no matter what.
GoStanford: Off the court, what has been the best thing you have experienced at Stanford?
MA: This past summer I was able to secure funding through Stanford to spend a few months in London with one of my professors to complete paleographic research at The British Library. I worked a few hours in the morning and then got to spend the rest of the day exploring London.
GoStanford: What has been your favorite class at Stanford and why?
MA: English 209: Paleography of Medieval and Early Modern Manuscripts taught by Professor Elaine Treharne. I was able to do some awesome hands-on work with real manuscripts through Stanford's Special Collections Library and I fell in love with Medieval Studies. Also, Professor Treharne is queen.
GoStanford: What will you miss most about being a college student?
MA: I will miss having all of my close friends in one space. I'm also not excited to have to worry about real-world things like rent and food money.
GoStanford: What are your plans for after graduation?
MA: I'll be getting a Masters in Medieval English from Oxford.