With the close of the 2024/2025 Roman Universities Leagues season, The American University of Rome celebrates strong showings from its student-athletes: a 2nd place finish in Women’s Soccer and 3rd place in Men’s Basketball. These results underscore a year of commitment, growth, and teamwork across the board for AUR Athletics.
But while the season may have concluded, the post-season brings with it a groundbreaking new initiative - one that places AUR’s community, once again, at the center of innovation and excellence in collegiate sports.
For the first time ever, an “All Universities” Men’s Soccer Team has been formed, drawing together the top 3–4 players from each academic institution across Rome. This elite team will participate in the US ACLI Sport Festival, a multi-sport celebration held in Montefiascone (VT) on Sunday, May 25th. The festival will feature a wide array of competitions and exhibitions - ranging from basketball and fencing to dance and martial arts - but one of the headline events is the soccer tournament, which will see the All Universities team face off against local sides Montefiascone Calcio and Borgata Tor Sapienza.
Although AUR students will not take part in the competition - our academic semester ends earlier than those of Italian universities, there is still cause for celebration. AUR’s Athletics Coordinator, Stefano Cristalli, has been selected as Head Coach of the All Universities team. This is a prestigious recognition, highlighting his leadership, expertise, and ongoing contributions to university-level sports throughout the region.
Cristalli’s appointment not only reflects his deep knowledge of the game but also the respect he commands across the Roman university sports network. His presence at the helm of this inaugural team is a point of pride for AUR and a testament to the university’s growing impact on the wider student-athlete ecosystem in Italy.
Meet Stefano Cristalli
Stefano Cristalli has been a pillar of student life and athletics at The American University of Rome since joining the university in 2020. As Athletics & Student Life Coordinator, he has played a pivotal role in expanding AUR’s sports programming, promoting team spirit, and encouraging student engagement both on and off the field.
A sport scientist with a Master in “Sport Sciences and Techniques” (in Italian, “Scienze e Tecniche dello Sport) from Università degli Studi Foro Italico in Rome, Cristalli combines academic insight with extensive practical experience in coaching and team development. Prior to AUR, he worked across several academic institutions, where he managed student services, coordinated sports activities, and helped foster inclusive, community-centered campus environments.
At AUR, Cristalli is known not just for organizing leagues and training sessions, but for mentoring students and instilling values of discipline, resilience, and collaboration. His approach goes beyond the scoreboard - he sees athletics as a powerful tool for personal growth and intercultural exchange.
His selection as head coach of the All Universities team marks a milestone in his career and a proud moment for the AUR community.
Congratulations, Coach Cristalli!