Evan Hackett
Tempe, Arizona
Class of 2025
Why did you choose Central?
I chose Central because it was the right fit for me socially, athletically, and financially. I was excited to see a new part of the country, as I grew up on the west coast. The winters are cold, but the snow is beautiful!
Favorite professor and why?
Professor Martisovitz is my favorite professor. He has such a great passion for learning, and his teaching methods are very consistent. He is very reliable, and is always willing to help accommodate his students’ busy schedules. If not for him, there would be far less students in our already small Engineering program!
How did you chose your major?
I am majoring in Engineering and minoring in Computer Science. Going into college, I had no idea what to choose as my major. So, I chose the most difficult one that Central offered. While taking my courses, I realized that I have a great affinity for modern physics and computer science. I am a completionist to a fault- so I will not be switching my major. However, the coursework for Engineering and Physics is similar, and I was able to add on the Computer Science minor with the help of summer courses… so it works out!
Besides athletics, what else are you involved in on campus?
I take the shuttle bus to St. Mary Catholic Church on Sundays, I play intramural volleyball, and I am also a SAAC representative. I spend most of my free time working on independent projects or hanging out with my teammates.
Who are your go-to musical artists?
My favorite artists are Kanye West, MF DOOM, Kendrick Lamar, The Offspring, Frank Sinatra, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Daft Punk, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Brockhampton, Tyler the Creator, TWICE, Freddie Gibbs, Joe Brown and the Bee Gees. I love music.
How has attending Central and playing a sport impacted your life?
Central has helped me to grow socially, academically, athletically, and spiritually. I have improved myself in all aspects of my life and I owe it to the guidance of my professors, coaches, teammates, and parents.
If you could live in a book, tv show or movie, what would you pick and why?
If I could, I would live in the world of StarWars. Even if I wasn’t born as someone who is force-sensitive, I would definitely be getting my hands on a lightsaber. Second choice would be living in Middle Earth. Chilling with the hobbits in the shire sounds like a nice life.
Favorite sport besides soccer?
I enjoy playing volleyball in my free time by Gaas or Kuyper. I also enjoy swimming, although I don’t get many opportunities to do so in Iowa.
What was the best summer vacation of your life?
In high school, I got to travel to Europe with my family. We first visited Madrid, and we then drove to Bizkarreta, which is a basque region in between Spain and France near Pamplona. The Spanish countryside was beautiful, and every night we would go play football (soccer) with the locals. It was amazing. Then, we drove to the beaches in San Sebastian, Spain, and shortly after to Biarritz, France. Then we stayed in Lourdes, and got to bathe in the holy waters there. From there we drove to Segovia, Avila, and Toledo in Spain before heading to London. We wrapped up by going back to Madrid, and thanks to some personal connections I was able to train with Recreativo Soto Del Real, which is a feeder club for Real Madrid. Afterwards, we flew back to the United states for a quick stay at home before heading to the beaches in Mexico.
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What is the oldest thing you own?
My grandfather was a running back at Rutgers, and I have one of his old jerseys.
Favorite TV Show
My favorite TV show is Breaking Bad, although the show I have rewatched the most is Attack on Titan.
What’s it like to play for Coach Laidlaw?
Coach Laidlaw is like my adopted grandpa, both in age and in wisdom. He is the figurehead for our program, and he has high, yet fair, expectations for his players. He treats us like family and is committed to helping us develop not just as players, but as young men as well. He has truly been a mentor to me the past 2 years and I am sure that will continue for the foreseeable future.
What’s your favorite part about being a member of the Central men’s soccer team?
The comradery. Within the first semester of being on the men’s team, I felt as though I had known these guys my entire life. We lift eachother up and push one another to be the best we can be. I am truly grateful to be surrounded by such great men.
What do you hope to be doing 10 years from now?
I do not know what I will be doing 10 years from now, but I know that I want to be the type of person that my 3 younger siblings can still look up to. I will never stop learning, improving, and trying to leave the world a better place than when I found it.
Favorite food from Central Market
Without a doubt, the best food is the Tandoori Chicken sandwich. It has a fantastic blend of flavors and is actually very healthy as well. Nick Colavita knows what I’m talking about.
Bucket list
I would like to see more of the world. I have been fortunate enough to visit many places already, and I do not wish to stop anytime soon. I feel that there is great value to seeing how others live, and exploring the different lifestyles and cultures around our planet. Lots of perspective can be gained from seeing these types of things, and I believe that perspective aids in the development of wisdom.
