Nov. 11, 2005
#95 Victor Abiamari
Junior, 6-4, 265
Defensive End
Randallstown, Md./Gilman School
Junior defensive end Victor Abiamari is in his third season as a regular at defensive end for the Irish. In three seasons, he has played in 31 games, making 12 starts. Through the first seven games of the 2005 season, the hard-charging Abiamari ranks eighth on the team with 24 tackles (16 solo and eight assists). His 6.5 tackles for loss are second on the team and he leads the Irish pass rush with 4.5 sacks for 35 yards in losses. Over the course of his career, Abiamari now has 7.5 sacks for 58 yards in losses. A finance major at Notre Dame, Abiamari was a first team USA Today prep All-American at the Gilman School where he was named the all-Metro defensive player of the year in 2002 by the Baltimore Sun. GameDay’s Elizabeth Goers gives Irish fans a chance to get to know Victor Abiamari.
Goers: What is your major and how did you get interested in that area of study?
Abiamari: I’m a finance major at Notre Dame because I like to work with money and would like to start my own business someday.
Goers: What has been your hardest class and why?
Abiamari: My toughest class has been “Money and Banking.” It’s the toughest because working with the different equations and theories gets a little confusing at times.
Goers: What has been your favorite class and why?
Abiamari: My favorite class is Latino Spiritualites class because it’s a free forum to speak your mind.
Goers: What made you pick Notre Dame over the other schools you were interested in? What were the other schools?
Abiamari: I chose Notre Dame because it has the best balance between academics and football. The other schools that I was interested in were Maryland, Miami and Stanford.
Goers: To date, what has been the highlight of your Notre Dame career?
Abiamari: A big highlight of my career so far has been being able to start in a few games as a true freshman. It’s also great anytime we beat a team ranked in the top 10.
Goers: Who were your sports idols as a kid and why?
Abiamari: My sports idols as a kid were my two older brothers because I always tried to follow in their footsteps and do what they did. I just wanted to be as good as they were and make them proud of me.
Goers: Who has been your biggest non-sports role model and why?
Abiamari: My parents have always been my biggest role models because they always give me good advice and let me know what’s really important. They keep me grounded and remind me to stay humble.
Goers: What is one thing in your life that you cannot live without?
Abiamari: I can’t live without my television and my video game consoles.
Goers: Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Abiamari: I really don’t do anything out of the ordinary. I just kind of kick back and try to stay loose. I occasionally listen to music but for the most part I just put my gear on and go.
Goers: How do you think you’ve grown as a person since coming to Notre Dame?
Abiamari: I’ve definitely matured as a person both in the classroom and on the field. I think that I’ve been able to balance the workload of classes along with the demands of football a little bit better each year that I’ve been here.
Goers: What is you favorite movie and why?
Abiamari: I have a bunch of favorite movies but if I were to name one, it would be Gladiator. That’s a good movie to get me pumped up to go out and play a football game.
Goers: What CD do you have in your collection that would surprise people?
Abiamari: I’ve got a couple of songs from Earth, Wind and Fire on my Ipod. Some would say that they were before my time.
Goers: Where is the toughest place that you’ve played as a college football player?
Abiamari: The toughest place I’ve played is the “Big House” at Michigan during freshman year.
Goers: What is your most embarrassing moment in athletics?
Abiamari: I have the worst hands on the team so any time someone throws a football at me it’s embarrassing to watch me try to catch it.
Goers: What would a movie about your life be titled and who would star as you?
Abiamari: The name of the movie would be “Hail to the Victor,” and Shaquille O’Neal would star as me.
Goers: Who is the best athlete that you have ever competed against?
Abiamari: The best athlete that I’ve every played against is Reggie Bush from USC.
Goers: If you had the chance to play golf with anyone in history, besides you, who else would be in your foursome and why would you pick those three people?
Stovall: I would want to play golf with Martin Lawrence – he’s hilarious, Victor Abiamiri – for protection and Gabrielle Union – because she could brighten up the scenery.
Goers: When your football career is over, what do you see yourself doing?
Abiamari: I see myself as a successful owner of a chain of fitness facilities.
Goers: Describe what it feels like on game day and playing Notre Dame stadium?
Abiamari: Every time I’m getting ready to play at Notre Dame, I get the same butterflies and chills up my spine. The feeling of excitement is always there because you know you’re doing something so many people only dream of doing.
Goers: What is your favorite thing about playing for Notre Dame?
Abiamari: My favorite thing about playing at Notre Dame is the tremendous support of the fans. Week in and week out, they are always loud and supportive of their team.