June 15, 2021
Tri-Metro Conference champions, section 4A champions, state qualifiers – MPA’s 2010 boys soccer team will go down as one of the Panthers’ all-time great teams and midfielder Nick Campanelli ’11 was the glue that held them together.
Campanelli, who came to MPA in fifth grade, grew up watching nearly a decade of success in boys soccer at MPA. He had a small role as a sophomore on varsity when the team qualified for the 2008 state tournament, and when it was his turn to carry the torch as a senior, he did so exceptionally.
Leading the Panthers to a 16-1 regular season, including an undefeated record in the Tri-Metro Conference, and a number four ranking in the state, Campanelli recorded eight goals and added ten assists. He earned his second consecutive Tri-Metro Conference all-conference first team award and was named to the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state honorable mention team.
Like many MPA student athletes, Campanelli was more than a brilliant soccer player. He also excelled at the French horn, playing in MPA’s most select music ensembles as well as in the Tri-Metro Conference honor Band and the Minnesota Music Educators Association all-state concert band.
Following an outstanding career for the Panthers, Campanelli chose to play collegiate soccer at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington.
“MPA helped prepare me for college soccer by giving me an environment in which I could be successful on the field while still maintaining a high level of academic success. This proved to be tremendous preparation for succeeding as an NCAA student athlete,” says Campanelli.
Campanelli played in each of his four seasons at UPS, finding more and more of a role each year. He helped lead the Loggers to the 2013 Northwest Conference championship and an appearance in the sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III soccer tournament. In 2014, he was named the Puget Sound midfielder of the year. Campanelli also continued the French horn in college, playing in both the UPS Wind Ensemble and UPS Symphony Orchestra.
A member of the University of Puget Sound Class of 2015, Campanelli majored in Biology and was a member of the Phi Sigma Biological Sciences Honor Society. He now works as a market research data analyst at F’inn in San Francisco.
Campanelli looks back fondly on his senior season at MPA. “My favorite MPA memory was beating conference rival SPA at their stadium my senior year to seal the Tri-Metro Conference championship at a perfect 9-0.” Campanelli and his teammates from the 2010 team have much to be proud of!
