She's one of the most celebrated players in the history of Lady Monarch field hockey, and that's saying a lot, given that the program has produced nine national championships and 37 All-Americans. As a senior, she won the prestigious Honda Award for the sport, presented annually to the national player of the year. The NCAA's all-time leading scorer, she led the nation in points, goals and goals per game in her final season.

While it was coach Beth Anders and the university's storied field hockey program that attracted Marina DiGiacomo to Old Dominion, there was something else that helped win her over.

"I knew ODU had a lot of international students," said DiGiacomo. "And the American students at ODU were used to having international students around, so they were more flexible and helpful in the classroom."

For someone who had lived all of her life in Argentina, that was important.

DiGiacomo especially remembers her freshman year, so often a critical transitional period for any student, particularly one from another country. "My first year at Old Dominion, I had a big group of friends, most of whom were international students. We used to meet for lunch in the Webb Center cafeteria. We still stay in touch and continue to be good friends."

She also counts Jan Smith, a longtime counselor at the Career Management Center, and Elizabeth Lipsmeyer, associate professor of art, among her "kind-of-mom friends."

While winning two NCAA championships clearly ranks high on her list of collegiate memories, DiGiacomo also was serious about the academic side of her university career. She earned a degree in communication, with a minor in marketing, and, with the help of Smith, landed an internship at CNN en Espanol in Atlanta.

Asked about some of the cultural adjustments she had to make living in a new country, DiGiacomo replied, "You have to learn to respect the American 'bubble' space. Being too touchy is not [appropriate]. Also, there are too many appointments. Even to see a friend, you may need to make an appointment! This was difficult to understand."

DiGiacomo said she learned many valuable lessons from her time at Old Dominion. From education professor Dwight Allen, she learned to be open-minded and that there is no one "right way."

"You discover that there are a lot of ways to do things," DiGiacomo said.

She also learned about character and the value of developing a strong work ethic from her rigorous - and relentless - training regimen for field hockey.

DiGiacomo came to love the sense of respect that she said exists in the U.S. culture ("everybody and everything is respected - people, time, schedules, rules"), as well as the love of country that Americans share.

"I love Argentina, but I am in love with the U.S."

DiGiacomo, whose parents moved to California in 1998, said she plans to divide her time between Argentina and the United States for the next year.

She currently plays for the Argentina National Field Hockey Team and is hoping to land a permanent spot on the squad.

DiGiacomo, who has expressed interest in coaching in the U.S. after her playing days are over, said her dream now is to play for the World Cup.