Although May 31 marked the end of their journeys as Rutgers University students and Riot Squad members, Christopher Salimbene and Bruno Diaz will always remember the friends they made as well as the fun times they had as Scarlet Knights.
“Some of my favorite memories as a student were making a lot of friends, attending sporting events, making the Dean’s list my first semester, and attending on-campus events such as MidKnight Madness,” Salimbene described. “I would describe my time as a Riot Squad member electrifying because everyone was always hyped up for the games and walked to the student section with positivity and excitement.”
As a North Brunswick native, Salimbene attended Rutgers as a Marketing major with a minor in Sports Management. Prior to becoming a Scarlet Knight, he attended Middlesex County College where he received an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration.
“Something I’ll miss about the Riot Squad is watching games together and all the chants we had in the student section,” Salimbene said. “Just being with everyone made my mood a lot better and made the game experiences even better, especially when facing top schools in the conference or an in-state rival like Seton Hall.”
Looking to take a year off to work before pursuing a Master’s Degree, Salimbene’s goal is to take the knowledge he acquired at Rutgers and apply it to the world of professional sports.
“My plan for the future is to acquire a job with Sports Marketing or Management and eventually become a Sports Agent,” Salimbene explained. “Along with that, I also want to do Sports Marketing for pro teams whether it’s the NFL, NBA, or MLB.”
For Diaz, it is the energy and excitement of getting to be with his fellow members and cheering Rutgers on that he will always take pride in during his time as a student.
“We brought the noise every single home game,” Diaz said. “For 40 minutes and then some nothing else mattered except for shouting our lungs out while cheering on our Scarlet Knights.”
Boasting an 18-1 record at home, the RAC became a house of horrors for opposing teams in the 2019-20 season as the Scarlet Knights saw a fan base rejuvenated to the tune of 10 straight sell-outs and hitting decibel levels not seen in some time.
In addition to bringing the noise at home, the Riot Squad found ways to support their team whether they were able to be in attendance or not.
“Alongside Rutgers Marketing, we organized buses to Super Saturday at Madison Square Garden and the Penn State away game,” Diaz explained. “Every single member of the Riot Squad had such a burning passion for Rutgers, even for road games we would meet up at Olive Branch and cheer just as loud as if we were at the RAC.”
Along with graduating as a Finance major with a minor in Math, Diaz interned as a financial analyst at United Airlines and was the former President of the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) as well as a Resident Assistant (RA). Much like Salimbene, Diaz is also looking to return to Rutgers one day to further his education in order to propel him into the business world.
“I’ll be working at United full-time but I want to return to school and receive my MBA eventually,” Diaz expressed. “The plan is to become a CEO one day, whether it’s at a company that is known today or my own.”
While the two have many fond memories when it comes to attending sporting events over the years, one that stands out to both of them was Rutgers’ final home basketball game of the 2019-20 season against ninth-ranked Maryland.
“I remember the student section being packed 30 minutes before tipoff and that just shows how dedicated we were to watch this game and end the home season with a win against a top 10 opponent,” Salimbene recalled. “Storming the court afterward will be something I’ll always remember and to end going to basketball games as a student just watching how pumped up everyone was even before storming the court made my mood the best.”
Although Diaz was excited seeing his team win and salivating at the thought of the team’s first NCAA Tournament berth since 1991, he found the moment to have a hint of sadness as well.
“This game was so bittersweet; On one hand, this was my last ever game at the RAC as a Riot Squad member and that was upsetting,” Diaz said. “But nothing was sweeter than storming the court after beating the ninth-ranked team in the country, getting one step closer to reaching the NCAA tournament, and hugging/embracing the Riot Squad one last time.”
When it comes to messages they would have for incoming students, both Salimbene and Diaz believe that showing school pride and joining a group are important aspects of being a Scarlet Knight.
“A message I have for incoming students is to attend games no matter what sport it is and show a lot of school pride,” Salimbene expressed. “It shows you care about Rutgers and are dedicated to the sports teams.”
In addition, taking initiative and offering original ideas is something that Diaz would encourage as well.
“Whether you’re the President of the club or just a general member it’s okay to share your thoughts,” Diaz said. “We had a Riot Squad member who brought up having a white-out game for when the team wears their 1970s throwback jerseys so we listened to them and even though it didn’t happen this season due to timing, it is expected to happen during this upcoming one.”
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