Charles Giunta

Classroom

Charles Giunta, a marketing major, qualified for the Saint Joseph’s Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in Fall 2015 and is on track to graduate in May 2017. Giunta interns with the Philadelphia Big 4 HHH Lacrosse Club, based in Philadelphia, where he volunteers his time as an assistant coach for the rising 8th-grade group. Responsibilities include developing and writing the curriculum taught to all ages, organizing summer schedules, developing defensive skill sessions, and creating social media postings to promote the club. Giunta has been hired to work for the Philadelphia Big 4 HHH Lacrosse Club full-time after graduation, and his intended career path is to become a head coach at a Division I university.

Character

“Charles Giunta emerged as a starter in his sophomore year and has been an incredible leader for our defense over the course of the last two seasons. He is not the biggest, strongest, or fastest athlete on our team, but he more than makes up for it with tremendous grit and intelligence and his hard working, no-nonsense attitude. Charles’ most impressive attributes are his understanding of the game and his ability to make the others around him better. He makes others around feel confident and comfortable both on and off the field. As vocal team defender, he has carved out an invaluable role as the quarterback of our defense. He is one of the most dedicated players in our program.” - Head Coach Taylor Wray

Giunta was voted a team captain this year and was the 2016 recipient of Saint Joseph’s “Head, Heart, and Hustle” team award.

Community

This fall, the Saint Joseph’s men’s lacrosse program participated in the University City Classic at the University of Pennsylvania, and Giunta spearheaded SJU’s fundraising effort for this HEADstrong Foundation event as the Hawks raised $3,000 in donations in an effort to improving the quality of life for cancer patients and their families through providing essential programs and services. At that same event, Giunta received the prestigious Nicholas Colleluori Award, presented to a member of each program whose contributions both on and off the field are transforming the landscape of their represented programs.

In Fall 2015, Giunta was involved in SJU’s fundraising efforts for the first annual HEADstrong SJU Fall Scrimmage, through which the Hawks fundraised $3,000. Giunta has participated in the SJU Kinney Center Autism 5k Walk/Run three times in as many years, in which he and his teammates raised the most money out of all SJU varsity teams on campus in 2014 and 2015. He has also participated in the Martin Luther King Day of Service for four consecutive years (2014-17), which has involved cleaning up public trails and blocks and renovating elementary schools to benefit the local Philadelphia community. Additionally, Giunta volunteered at the John C. Anderson Halloween Festival.

Competition

Charles Giunta enters his third year as a starting defenseman for Saint Joseph’s University this season. He owns 43 career appearances with 37 starts and made all 16 starts on defense as a junior last spring. Giunta has anchored SJU to three consecutive Northeast Conference Tournament appearances and has started all five of those postseason games. From 2014-15, Giunta made 21 starts and played 27 total games for SJU’s defensive unit that led the nation in man-down defense both years. Top defensive games from the 2016 season include at No. 17 Virginia (1ct) and vs. Mount St. Mary’s (2gb, 1ct), Drexel (1gb, 1ct), and Delaware (1gb). Giunta also scored a goal at Wagner and dished out an assist vs. St. John’s. Additional top games came at No. 7 Virginia (1ct) and vs. Bryant (1gb, 1ct), Hobart (1gb, 1ct), Michigan (1gb, 1ct), and Mount St. Mary’s (NEC Semifinals: 1gb, 1ct) in 2015 and vs. Mount St. Mary’s (3gb, 2ct) and Bryant (2gb, 2ct) and at Hobart (3gb) in 2014. Giunta owns 26 career ground balls and 16 career caused turnovers.