Name: Nick Hreshko
Major: Accounting
Graduation Year: 2017

What have you been up to since graduating from Monmouth?
Since graduating from Monmouth, I have been working as an auditor at PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers) in their Asset and Wealth Management group. I will be starting my third year at the firm in September. The opportunity to learn and grow professionally at PwC has wonderful and I am excited to see what the future holds. I am still currently living in the Philadelphia area and looking to purchase my first home soon.

I have also been active in helping with the youth and high school lacrosse programs in the area. I have been coaching club lacrosse every summer/fall and using the knowledge I gained at Monmouth to help prepare players for the next steps in their lacrosse careers.

What made Monmouth's first championship team so special?
Our first championship was so special because our first season we didn't win a single game, so going from 0-13 in 2014 to MAAC Champions in 2017 just shows the resilience of our team and speaks volumes to the hard work we put in and the leadership we had. But ultimately, the reason it was so special was because of the group of guys that were on the team. Winning a championship, along the same guys that helped start the program is something very special and to see our hard work pay off after four years was very rewarding. It brought us even closer as a team and that's something that can never be taken away from us.  

You were recently named to the MAAC 40^th Anniversary Team, what did that recognition mean to you?
I was extremely humbled and honored to be recognized alongside four of my teammates and other outstanding players who have participated in the MAAC over the years. I am very grateful and appreciative of the recognition.  But for me, I see this as recognition of Monmouth's defense over the years. Four out of the five Monmouth players named were defensive players. I think that shows the pride we take in our defense and is a testament to Coach Geison and his outstanding coaching and his ability to get the best out of his players. Although I was recognized, my success would not have been possible without my teammates in front of me who were not recognized. So, I would just like to thank all the guys that that have played in front of me over the years.

If and when you have the opportunity to travel anywhere in the world, where would you choose and why?
I would like to travel to Prague, Czech Republic. I have heard nothing but great things about it and I had friends that studied abroad there who recommend I go. I unfortunately missed the opportunity to go with the lacrosse team after I graduated, but maybe we can get an alumni Europe trip set up.

If you could master one skill right now that you don't have, what would it be?
I would like to master coding. Technology is an ever-growing part of my profession and society so learning how to stay ahead of the curve would be very beneficial.

If you could give advice to a current Monmouth player, what would it be?
My advice would be enjoy the ride because it's over in a blink of an eye. The good, the bad and the ugly, enjoy it all because that is what makes your experiences so memorable. I know there are going to be days that are tougher than others, but embrace the grind and buy in.

Also, more importantly, make sure to focus on your academics and build relationships/network with people off the field, like professors, other students and people who work in career services. Lacrosse is not going to be around forever, so setting yourself up for success after college is very important so make sure you focus on your academics, as well as lacrosse.  The sooner you find your balance between school, lacrosse and your leisure time the better off you will be.

How did your time at Monmouth prepare you for life after graduation?
Being a student-athlete at Monmouth taught me how to properly manage my time, relationships, and set goals for myself. Additionally, my professors did an excellent job at incorporating real-work life experiences into their classes, which gave me glimpses of how the business industry, and more specifically, the accounting field was going to be. Monmouth provided me a more unique and diverse perspective on the business sector and the type of people I would cross paths within my profession. Monmouth taught me how to approach problems from different angles and how to solve those problems.

Between your former teammates and coaches, who has had the most impact on your life?
The teammate that had biggest the impact on me has been Chris Daly. Chris is the definition of "Work hard in silence and let your success be your noise." Chris' hard work on and off the field while nobody was watching was inspiring and is the reason he is so successful now. He was never the loudest, but always led by example. His character and integrity are something to be admired.