PEABODY — For the past four years you couldn’t talk about the Peabody girls soccer team without mentioning senior captain Aja Alimonti. Whether it was helping a potent Tanners offense click or getting back on the defensive side of the ball Alimonti, a senior captain, has made her mark on the program.
And that hard work has paid off this summer with Alimonti committing to play Division I soccer at Merrimack College next fall.
“I had been talking to (Merrimack) for a while,” Alimonti said. “And their coach came to my club team’s showcase right before COVID hit so I was really lucky or it would’ve been different.
“The icing on the cake is that it’s a Division I school,” Alimonti said. “I’m really lucky to be playing at that level.”
Along with being able to play at a high level, the more Alimonti got to learn about the Warriors program the more she realized it was a perfect fit. Merrimack coach Gabe Mejail, who’s been at the helm as the only coach in program history for 37 years, was one of the reasons why.
“(Mejail) is one of the nicest people ever,” Alimonti said. “He was great on the phone with my parents. It was really one of those things where if you know, you know. I haven’t had a chance to meet any of my teammates but the team sounded perfect.
With the campus just a short drive away from home, Merrimack also fit the bill for several reasons off the field.
“I never really wanted to go far from home,” Alimonti said. “I still wanted to be close to my family. I was stuck on being a nursing major for a while but I decided I wanted to be a business major and Merrimack has a great business program.”
Finding the right place to play was obviously an important process for Alimonti and she partly thanks Peabody coach Dennis Desroches and the coach of her club team, New England Football Club, Shane McCarran.
“(Desroches) sent out letters to so many coaches,” Alimonti said. “(Mejail) actually told me to tell Coach Desroches that he took his advice and is very happy about it. Coach McCarran has been a huge help too, he was always texting me and making sure I was sending out my emails.”
Along with her club team in the spring, Alimonti also plays basketball and runs track at Peabody. Her and her Tanners teammates are currently 1-0 on the soccer field after a win over Salem last week in which Alimonti dished a pair of assists.
“So far it’s been pretty good,” Alimonti said. “With COVID, obviously all the rules are different but we’re a good team and we’re all just excited to get going.”
Alimonti is especially thankful to be able to put the recruiting process in the rearview mirror and enjoy her senior year before joining the Warriors next season.
“I’m kind of thankful it’s over and I have the relief of knowing I’m going to a great school and a program with a great coach,” Alimonti said. “The coach explained to me how much family their team is no matter what the success on the field is. They just moved up to Division I and it’s a tight-knit group. I love that because that’s how I grew up.”
