Northeastern is known for bridging classroom learning and real-world experiences, offering its students educational and professional opportunities that span the globe. What some don’t know is that the exchange goes both ways — international athletes are bringing their world-class talents and skills to Northeastern’s athletic programs, helping bring their respective teams to the next level.
Many student-athletes come from other countries to compete for Northeastern’s Division I teams while simultaneously earning degrees. International students make up about 13% of the undergraduate population at Northeastern, many of whom are drawn by its prestigious academic reputation and global presence. International student-athletes play key roles for the Huskies, bringing fresh and diverse athletic experiences that enhance their level of play and challenge their teammates.
When junior middle blocker Beatrice Gennari started playing volleyball at age 6 back home in Monza, Italy, she had no idea her passion would take her across the Atlantic Ocean and earn her a spot on Northeastern’s women’s volleyball team. Gennari knew she wanted to keep playing volleyball, but there weren’t many opportunities in Italy to continue playing past high school.
Gennari wanted to play volleyball in the U.S. because she knew it would offer her an opportunity to play high-level volleyball while receiving a high-quality education.
“In Europe, we don’t have this concept of playing for your university, so my dream wasn’t to play for my university,” Gennari said. “But I knew that coming here was going to bring me to a high level of volleyball that maybe I couldn’t reach by staying in Italy.”
Gennari originally committed to the University of Texas – El Paso, or UTEP, making the decision to move 5,000 miles away from her family.
“I immediately connected with the coach staff from UTEP. They were a very good team, but I had no idea how American volleyball looked,” Gennari said. “I didn’t know it was a very different environment compared to what we were used to in Europe.”
At UTEP, Gennari was competing for playing time with two other girls that held her position. After her freshman year, she decided to look elsewhere and transfer to a different program where she could get more playing time. When she came across Northeastern, it seemed to check off everything on her list of what she wanted in a school and volleyball program.
“When I decided to transfer, I wanted to find a school in a good city, with good academics and a good volleyball team,” Gennari said. “I found everything I needed and wanted in this school. It’s actually everything that I’ve wished for.”
Since joining the Huskies on the court, Gennari has grown into a key player and a pivotal part of the team’s offensive success. She finished her debut season at Northeastern in 2024 appearing in 67 sets and recording 92 kills, 57 blocks and a single-game high of 14.5 points against Dartmouth Sept. 8, 2024. Gennari currently ranks first in hitting percentage in the CAA and fifth in average blocks per set for this season.
Although she has found massive success at Northeastern, Gennari still struggles with homesickness and learning to balance the demanding schedule of a student-athlete.
“You never have a second to just rest during the day. It’s hard, but this is what I like to do,” Gennari said. “My life would have been just staying in Italy, finishing university and finding a job. I’m so glad I made this decision, because I think I’m able to find myself more here.”
Tobias Jahn, a graduate student goalkeeper for the men’ s soccer team, found himself in a similar position. Originally from Owen, Germany, Jahn started playing soccer at age 5 after being inspired by the adrenaline from watching the 2006 World Cup. As Jahn got older, he continued to look for opportunities to play high-level soccer but struggled, as Germany does not have university-sponsored sports.
“I’ve always been good at both school and also my sport. In the U.S., there’s that great opportunity to combine both, by playing for universities,” Jahn said. “That’s how I ended up here.”
Jahn originally committed to play at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, where he stayed for three years. When head coach Jeremy Bonomo left Wisconsin to coach for Northeastern in 2024, Jahn had to decide whether to stay in Green Bay or follow his coach to Boston, a city he had never been to before.
“Northeastern just seemed like a better fit overall. It was better academically, but also it was a different place,” Jahn said. “Going from Germany to Wisconsin, that was a big change for me. I just wanted to see something new. I spent three years in Wisconsin, and I felt that it was time for a change. When that opportunity came across, I didn’t have to think twice about it.”
At Northeastern, Jahn started in all 15 games of the 2025 season and finished with a .736 save percentage. With 4.27 saves per game this season, he ranks third in the CAA and 34th in the entire NCAA.
“I have a good feeling, for not just this year, but for the program going forward in the future,” Jahn said. “My time here is over, but I see the program being in a good spot. The team is great. They’ve always been great.”
Jahn’s teammate and senior forward Fraser Brown hails from New Zealand. Coming to Northeastern was a last minute decision for Brown, having committed to the school in July 2022 — just one month before the start of preseason.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. I went to a football academy [in New Zealand] that sent a lot of players to the U.S. and a lot of my friends had already done it. So I was like, I might as well give it a try,” Brown said. “Three of my best mates were all playing football here as well, so I just followed the train and ended up here.”
Brown acknowledged certain hardships that come with being an international student, such as leaving his family behind and struggling to communicate with them due to the 16-hour time difference.
“When you’re moving to a different country at 18, it’s hard to navigate everything. It was scary getting on the planes by myself and going to meet these people I’ve never met,” Brown said. “In my second year, I didn’t get to go home for a year. It was hard not being able to see family and friends for that long. But also, the time difference is hard. [New Zealand] is the first country in the world to see the next day. Everything was just off, so it was hard to talk to people.”
Another international student, freshman guard Beatriz Pérez Pulgar, hails from Madrid, Spain and competes for the women’s basketball team. Like Gennari, Pulgar found her passion for her sport early on at the age of 5. She knew from a young age that she wanted to come to the U.S. and pursue collegiate basketball, and an agency helped her look for American schools she could play basketball for.
Pulgar admits she was scared to come to the U.S., but when she arrived, she grew excited and couldn’t believe that her dream of playing for an American university was reality. Although she knew that Northeastern was famous for its academics, Pérez Pulgar was also drawn to the basketball program because of its welcoming team culture.
“The team is always trying to improve, and I really like my teammates,” Pulgar said. “Five of them speak Spanish, so they can help me with [English]. They’re always supporting me when I have trouble.”
Pulgar said the team had been working hard to improve during its offseason, looking to spark a successful season. So far this season the team sits at a 3-6 record, taking its first win over Yale University and losses to Long Island University and Boston University.
For her first season with the Huskies, Pulgar has been training hard to prepare for the level of competition in America, as it’s been an adjustment from basketball in Spain.
“They play way more differently,” Pulgar said. “I feel like it’s more intense, and I’m trying to get used to it. But it’s cool because my teammates are helping me.”
