Shirin Pechefsky ‘26

Pete Fathi is a friendly face on Sarah Lawrence College campus, known for his upbeat attitude and pleasant disposition. He’s been an integral part of men’s basketball and is now amidst his tennis season. As well as being a dual sport athlete and an active participant in Sarah Lawrence College life, he is also the only senior on the basketball team this year.

During the senior night game against Manhattanville’s Valiants, the energy from the stands was palpable and the resounding chants of “Pete! Pete! Pete!” sounded from wall to wall. After the game, he stepped off the court and the cheers echoed his legacy on the team, but his college basketball career wasn’t over just yet.

With this win, the team clinched the home court advantage for the first ever playoff game hosted at our Campbell Sports Center. Subsequently, they won in quarter finals and played a nail-biting game in semi-finals to end the season. It was the best campaign men’s basketball has ever achieved.

“There’s been a lot of great moments,” Pete says of his Sarah Lawrence career. “My freshman year, we went on the road to Mount Saint Mary. The program had never beaten them at their place. We won that game to make history and clinch a playoff spot. It felt cool to do it first.” He saw the potential of this stellar team in his very first year. The class of 2026, a year below Pete, included a whopping 10 recruits: 10 crucial pieces to the puzzle. Pete recalls getting to know the current junior class as one of his favorite moments from his second year. “Our trip to Virginia stands out. It was a great way to start our bond that continued into my career. Seeing them start to bond, too.” It’s clear that the comradery they created together in those little moments carried them into this incredible season.

“Junior year, making it to that semi final game was huge. It validated a lot of things for us: a win streak in the regular season wasn’t a fluke. And as for this season, there’s too many good moments to pick from.” He describes how great it was to see so many Sarah Lawrence students converge at Campbell Sports center, from all different walks of life, to root for what the team had been working towards for so long.

It was this supportive environment that ultimately drew Pete to attend Sarah Lawrence. In describing his initial meetings with Head Coach Chris Ehmer, Pete says, “I could tell that they weren’t just interested in me as a player, but also as a person.” His high school basketball experience was plagued by the pandemic and an ankle injury and it was uncertain what exactly would happen to his college career. It was nice to hear that if things went back to normal, he would have people to rely on.

“Pete is the ultimate teammate and has been incredibly valuable for the program on and off the court,” says sophomore Luca Mesiti. “His attitude and mindset is contagious and overall he is an incredibly thoughtful and kind person. I am very fortunate to have shared the court with him.”

Luca also commented that Pete is leaving the team much better than he found it. In our interview, Pete described that there is an intangible element that every team needs to succeed: the men’s basketball team has it.

Pete, in many ways, embodies that element. The type of energy, sportsmanship, and competitiveness he has are essential components to a winning team. For example, he eats a snickers bar before every game to remind himself of how much fun the hustle of college basketball is.

“I’ve gotten to see the whole picture,” he says. “When the team was struggling, it was really good to remember the perspective of ‘We can actually change this and winning and losing is not the only marker of our success.’”

When I asked him if he had any parting advice for those on the team and those looking to join, he said: “Show up. Do your best every day. Lean into every day. Whether it’s a preseason practice, informal workout, or if it's a championship game. Every day matters, and that way you can be proud looking back: Proud of the development you’ve had yourself, but also what you’ve contributed to the collective success.”

The most a D3 athlete can hope for is that their career has an imprint on the small world they operate in. It is certain that Pete’s career as a Gryphon will leave a lasting imprint on the culture of the team. These intangible elements of fun, energy, and camaraderie that Pete brought to the court won’t dissipate, and it’s part of what will carry the team to the Conference Championship next season.

PETE FATHI: The Intangible