Less than two months into his first year at Endicott, Alfino Davis ’24 M’26 experienced two profound tragedies. In October 2020, his stepfather, James, died from colon cancer. Less than three weeks later, Davis’s older brother Deshaun, 19, was murdered.
“At that point,” Davis admitted, “I was just done with life.”
His grades suffered, he missed required meetings with the Endicott football team, and he struggled with disciplinary issues. In addition, he was recovering from a serious knee injury and already felt isolated from the sport he loved.
Those losses ultimately became a turning point in Davis’s life. He created a memorial by getting the names of James and Deshaun tattooed on his body, which helped him process his grief. Still, he bottled up his feelings and didn’t share with anyone what he was going through. But those who cared about Davis noticed, and soon the coaching staff at Endicott became central to his healing.
At the start of his sophomore year, Head Coach Paul McGonagle told Davis he wanted to move him from wide receiver to defensive back.
“He said, ‘You’re either going to quit, or I’m going to make you one of the best who’s ever played here,’” Davis recalled.
Initially upset, he considered leaving Endicott. He reached out to his high school football coach, who advised him to give defense a one-day trial; it turned out to be one of the best practices of his life. Aside from expressing belief in him as an athlete, the Endicott coaches also told Davis they wanted to help him through his personal challenges.
“Coach McGonagle said, ‘We can’t help you if you’re not saying anything to us,’” Davis shared. “And them being there for me changed my whole perspective on life.”
Since opening the lines of communication, Davis has thrived at Endicott. As a defensive back, he earned second-team all-region and first-team all-conference honors.
He graduated with a degree in business management and is currently completing his M.S. in sports leadership.
Alongside his online coursework, he works full-time as a sales manager at Warrendale Appliances in Waltham, Mass., while also exploring the real estate market and hoping to find time to coach youth football.
The flexibility of the master’s program allowed Davis to balance it all. Anthony D’Onofrio, Director of Graduate Sport Leadership, has been particularly supportive in facilitating scheduling changes to accommodate Davis’s work commitments. “It’s an amazing program,” Davis said.
Even before suffering through the losses of two family members, Davis grew up in challenging circumstances. Originally from a high-crime area of Providence, R.I., Davis spent his early years without his father, Alfino Sr., who was incarcerated. But he was deeply loved by his entire family, especially his mother, Veronica, for whom his admiration is infinite. Concerned about local crime, Veronica sought a better environment for her children and moved them to nearby Cranston.
All three of his parents made significant sacrifices to provide Davis with opportunities. They sent him and his brothers to live with their uncle in Pawtucket during the summers, where they played football in the street with their cousins.
“The hardship I grew up with really shaped me into the person I am today,” Davis said. “It was a blessing in disguise. I feel for people who struggle and feel like they don’t have any way out. Thankfully, my way out was football, and playing sports drew me away from bad things.”
His parents used their savings to enroll Davis in La Salle Academy, a private Catholic school in Providence. That investment proved transformative, as he began to focus on his studies and life beyond high school. Alfino Sr. actively supported his son’s path as a student-athlete, training him daily to develop his athleticism, and Davis credits both Alfino and James with providing crucial support during his formative years.
“I was lucky enough to have two fathers,” Davis said. “Going from no father in my early childhood to having two fathers was such a blessing. And my mom’s so strong; I look up to her the most.”
Davis is the first person in his family to complete college—a significant generational achievement rooted in the foundation his parents built through their selflessness. Witnessing their resilience and feeling the embrace of the Endicott community has motivated Davis. His stepfather’s shining example included getting up at 6 a.m. to go to work, despite battling cancer.
“The last thing he said to me was, ‘Make us proud.’”
Those lessons have not gone unnoticed.
“What always stood out was that he handled adversity the right way and continued to show up every day, ready to work and improve,” McGonagle said. “He earned the respect of his teammates and coaches through his consistency, attitude, and the way he carried himself. He’s the type of young man who understands that growth comes through challenges, and he never shied away from that.”
Once the young student-athlete who needed others to guide him, Davis has become a mentor to younger teammates, using his own hardship to recognize when others are struggling.
“I’ve learned to say, ‘We’re in this together, and I’m here for you,’” he said.