Manhattan’s dynamic duo feed off their special bond
RIVERDALE, N.Y. (BVM) — When Andria and Nicola Scaglione moved to Oceanside back in middle school, they needed an athletic outlet to feel less alone.
The two sisters searched for ways to meet new people through this hobby, and they found one through their school’s track team.
“We started running in eighth grade,” Andria recalled when talking about her and her triplet sibling, Nicola, picking up the sport. “Originally we lived in Westchester County. We wanted to join a sport to make new friends and track was the perfect thing to join.”
This decision by the Scaglione sisters to start running at the same time was consistent with their history of experiencing life together. They grew up close, and have gotten even closer as sophomores on Manhattan’s track and cross country team.
“Compared to when we were growing up, I’d say we are closer now,” Nicola stated. “We both go to the same school, we both run, we’re in a couple classes together. Basically everything is together now.”
Nicola and Andria’s efforts to stick together have increased their drive to improve as runners, as demonstrated by their rise in high school. Despite starting the sport relatively late, they dominated at Oceanside High School.
On top of being a two-time indoor 1500-meter country champion, Andria was a three-time New York State Cross Country Championship qualifier, a Penn Relays qualifier, and received all-county accolades in the outdoor 1,500-meters, the indoor 4×800, and 3,000-meters.
Nicola was a three-time all-county selection in cross country, a three-time conference champion in the 4×800-meter relay, and a 2019 New Balance Nationals qualifier for the steeplechase. Both sisters also served as captains for track and cross country during their senior year.
The exponential progress made by the Scagliones to become two of the top high school runners in Long Island brings into question who helped them along the way. As it turns out, their parents helped them by staying on the sidelines and letting their coaches take the reigns.
“I would say it was our coaches in middle school and high school that helped us,” Nicole credited. “Our parents were supportive of course, but they weren’t hawks on us, trying to be very involved. I actually liked this because they’d do things like not watch our races which made me less nervous.”
As their running prowess grew, so did the Scagliones’ confidence in being able to compete at the collegiate level.
“It was probably sophomore year,” Andria said regarding when they started to believe they could run in college. “I feel like freshman year we were still kind of getting used to trying track and everything. But the next year we developed more of a passion for it.”
And while they still only have one full year under their belt, Nicola and Andria have met the standards they set for themselves at Manhattan.
On top of being one of the better freshman cross country runners in the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference), Andria made history during indoor track. She broke the school record for the 3,000-meters, was the Metropolitan indoor champion at the same distance, and won the NYC Gotham Cup with a personal best at the 5,000-meters.
Repeating the pattern of emulating one another, Nicola also put her name on the map during the indoor season. She set a personal record in the 3,000-meters at the Robert Elkin Invitational, and broke her previous best mile time in the NYC Gotham Cup on top of that.
It’s never a guarantee that athletes continue to succeed at the college level, but the Scagliones find ways to continue to motivate each other no matter the environment.
“I don’t see her as competition, but rather as a training partner,” Nicola emphasized when asked whether the two motivate each other through rivalry. “We’re trying to improve, but I’m not seeing Andria that way.”
Andria doubled down on this sentiment, adding, “Even though there’s competition between us, it’s not the same thing as us with another competitor that isn’t related to us. We go through workouts and runs together not trying to step on each other to get ahead, but to help each other.”
These sisters’ drive for greatness comes from the love they have for one another. It’s the basis for their motivation, as they want to see their other half become the best runner they can be. This makes it difficult to imagine Andria and Nicola competing separately, even though there was a chance of that happening.
“We honestly weren’t planning on going to the same college,” Nicola surprisingly confirmed. “But after we did the official visit, we both agreed that we were coming here. We both just knew.”
Even when it was unclear whether the Scagliones would continue their athletic journey as a pair, fate led them to stay together with absolutely no regrets.
But the ride isn’t over. In fact, it only gets harder from here as Andria and Nicola must continue their intense college training. Thankfully for the Scagliones, they see it as a fun challenge.
“We understand what it takes to be on a Division I team,” Andria stated. “The practices, the workouts, we’re all doing that together. There’s a sense of understanding between us that makes us closer. We don’t see any of this as stress.”
With this mentality, there’s very little that can stop the Scaglione sisters. As their bond gets stronger everyday, so does their running. Once track and cross country are allowed to return, Nicola and Andria will be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the MAAC.
