Thomas Jefferson graduate becomes impact player on SE Louisiana offensive line

Dom Serapiglia’s football journey began at age 5 as a member of the TJ youth program, where he learned the basics from 2005-2012.

He then embarked on a highly successful four-year varsity career at Thomas Jefferson, starting out as a long-snap specialist as a freshman and the team’s starting center as a sophomore, progressing to a two-way lineman in his junior and senior seasons.

Following graduation, Serapiglia landed in Tulsa, where he was a preferred walk-on for one season on the Golden Hurricane football team. He made the traveling squad as a freshman and was named to the American Athletic Conference honor roll.

Along with Tulsa, Serapiglia was recruited by Penn State, Memphis, TCU, Utah, Purdue and Duquesne, finally narrowing his final three choices to Tulsa, Utah and Penn State.

“I transferred from Tulsa because, just like most people, my family and I were affected by the covid-19 pandemic and attending Tulsa was no longer financially logical,” the 6-foot-2, 310-pound Serapiglia said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of the Tulsa football team. I will never forget making the travel squad as a freshman and getting to experience a sold-out Big Ten Conference crowd for my first-ever college football game.

“I have nothing but love and respect for the University of Tulsa and their football program. They run a top-notch program, and I am honored to have been a part of it. I met some really awesome people during my time at Tulsa.”

After his year at Tulsa, the former TJ standout then received a full scholarship to Southeastern Louisiana, where he has played in every game since arriving in Hammond, located 50 miles north of New Orleans and 45 miles east of Baton Rouge, and is set to be the starting center this season.

“Our center, Dom Serapiglia, is a physical player who can really move some people,” coach Frank Scelfo said following the team’s spring showcase, “and he’s setting the tone for the physicality we’re playing with up front on offense.

“Playing with physicality is a mindset. We’ve had our taste of the playoffs in the past couple of seasons and our team recognizes to win consistently, we have to be more physical on each side of the ball.”

Serapiglia, 22, will have two years of football eligibility remaining following his redshirt sophomore 2022 season.

“My college experience has been everything I could have asked for and more,” Serapiglia said. “I’ve met so many awesome people and have had so many incredible experiences that it’s hard to put into words. All of the road trips, rivalry games and hard-fought victories are some of the best parts of the collegiate football experience, but ultimately it comes down to people and culture. What I have been part of here at Southeastern Louisiana is truly one of a kind and I would have never found it if it wasn’t for Tulsa.

“Coach Scelfo and the coaching staff have built an amazing culture here in such a short time that prioritizes winning in the classroom just as much as winning on the field. Every day I wake up and look forward to going to football because I know everyone around me is going to help make me a better football player but also a better person. I know not everyone can say that about their school and teammates but it is true here at Southeastern Louisiana. I am beyond excited for the future of our program.”

Among his many accolades while at TJ, Serapiglia, a high honors student, was named to the Tribune-Review Terrific 25 and Penn Live All-PA teams. He twice was a first team all-state, All-WPIAL and all-conference selection at the center position. He was a team captain and played on three WPIAL Class 4A championship teams and in four district finals.

And in his first year of varsity wrestling, Serapiglia earned all-county status.

“Dom has worked hard and earned every opportunity he has,” said Bill Cherpak, TJ’s legendary football coach. “He has always had a great work ethic and inner drive to succeed.”

Serapiglia was named to play in the Big 33 at Central Dauphin’s Landis Field in Harrisburg, gaining entry into an exclusive club within the storied TJ football program.

He joined the likes of Chase Winovich, Cole Costy, Noah Palmer, Dom DeCicco, Chris Drager, Brock DeCicco, Nate Nix, Lucas Nix, Brad Dawson, Tyler Reed and Michael Wainauskas as Big 33 selections.

Several people have been instrumental in Serapiglia’s growth as a student-athlete, including Cherpak, TJ assistants Pat Oster, Chris Drager and Jon Drager and Serapiglia’s parents, Dominic and Stephanie, and sister Bella.

The ever-positive Serapiglia has high hopes for the 2022 season at Southeastern Louisiana with his eyes directly on the Remington Award, which goes to the best center in the FCS, and a national championship.

“We had several great players graduate and go the NFL but we expect some new guys to step in and pick up right where the seniors left off,” he said. “My focus is on being the best teammate and player I can be to help ensure we meet our expectations for this season.

“I would really love to play professional football one day. The dream is to play in the NFL but any opportunity post-college would be a blessing. Professional football is completely different now than what it was a few years ago due to the return of both the XFL and USFL, and it would be surreal to be able to play in one of these leagues if not the NFL.”

While Serapiglia, a Jefferson Hills resident, dreams of a professional football career — his favorite NFL player is Aaron Donald — he doesn’t obsess over it.

“I don’t want to think about it too much right now because my college days will be over in the blink of an eye,” he said. “It’s crazy to think that I am already going into year four, but I could not be more excited.”

Serapiglia is majoring in supply chain management and will graduate in 2023. He then will start working on his MBA.

“I am really proud of my academic success as well as my on-field success,” Serapiglia said.

During his time at Tulsa, Serapiglia was named to the AAC All-Academic Team as well as the dean’s list. And at SLU, he has been on the Southland Commissioners Academic Honor Roll in addition to being a dean’s list student.

“I recently started a YouTube channel, which is just my name Dominic Serapiglia, where I review movies and TV shows most of the time,” he said.

“It is just me, but I have a series where I bring NFL and collegiate athletes on for interviews, then we review a movie of their choice.

“I did a video with Thomas Jefferson alum and current Cleveland Browns player Chase Winovich. I have a lot of really awesome people scheduled to come on the channel pretty soon, such as several first-round NFL drafts picks, NFL starters, USFL players, collegiate athletes and professional e-sports players. I would really love the opportunity to work with some of the Steelers on my show.”