LEFT: Julian Cardillo during his Brandeis fencing days; RIGHT: Cardillo on screen for FOX 25

FOBA 7/14/2026 2:11:00 PM Adam Levin '94

Alumni Spotlight: Julian Cardillo '14, Men's Fencing

FOBA 7/14/2026 2:11:00 PM Adam Levin '94

Alumni Spotlight: Julian Cardillo '14, Men's Fencing

Julian Cardillo '14 served as captain of the men's fencing team, fencing foil and qualifying for the NCAA Championships three times during his career. After graduating with his BA in Journalism, Julian has held several communications positions in New York, all while maintaining his interest in sports, especially soccer. He's written for several online outlets on the sport and returned to Boston when he was brought on by the Boston Herald to cover the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer. Julian's work caught the attention of Boston 25, and he has been the network's soccer analyst for the past month, covering the FIFA World Cup on the network's news broadcasts before and after the games. He's been live at Boston Stadium for each of the games played in Foxborough.

Q: What attracted you to Brandeis in the first place?
A: My older brother, Kristian '06 attended Brandeis. I've always looked up to him, so I wanted to prioritize Brandeis. I also was drawn to Brandeis because Boston Globe reporter Eileen McNamara is a professor in the journalism department.

Q: Describe your overall experience as a student-athlete. What does it mean to you now/what did it mean to you while you were an undergraduate?
A: Fencing for Brandeis produced some of my proudest accomplishments. It also gave me lifelong friendships, and really defined my Brandeis experience when I look back to my day to day life on campus.

Q: Do you have any advice for current or future Brandeis Student-Athletes?
A: The friendships you make will serve you well. Enjoy your time with your friends in class and on campus, but especially in the competitive settings. Those experiences are finite and are so special.

Q: Do you keep in touch with any of your former Brandeis teammates? How?
A: My best friend Ethan Levy '15 and I keep in touch almost weekly. He's in New York and I'm in Boston, but we'll chat on the phone. I've been to his home for Passover Seder, and I'll reciprocate with Christmas Eve dinner. I like to invite my former teammates over for dinner or meet them out too – Sonya Glickman'16 and Toby Gray'16 and Caroline Mattos '16.

Q: Looking back on your career at Brandeis, do you have any one or two moments that you look back on and cherish?
A: Beating Duke in 2014 was easily a top 10 moment in my life. We wrecked them so hard. We had that tournament circled literally and figuratively for months. I won all my matches and our foil team was the strongest overall that day.

Q: How long have you been a soccer fan?
A: For as long as I can remember. I watched Italian Serie A and the New England Revolution growing up with my dad and brother.

Q: How did you get your start as a soccer media member? How did that lead to your spot on TV?
A: When I was in my teen years I decided I wanted to be a journalist, so I started blogging. Eventually other reporters became my friends and they vouched for me with the PR offices of the Revolution and the Boston Breakers, and in 2014 I started contributing to a Boston Globe soccer blog. A lot of it has just been persistence and staying vigilant to new opportunities. I've written for great publications all around the world, and currently cover soccer for the Boston Herald. The Boston 25 opportunity came about because a contact with the Revolution recommended me to serve as an analyst during the World Cup. I feel very fortunate that it worked out the way it has.

Q: What's been the best part of joining the Boston 25 crew?
A: Everyone on the crew is so professional, knowledgeable, and warm. It takes a lot to cover the news, and the production side (camera, studio, producers, editors, etc.) is so important. The production team is so technical and savvy, the talent in front of the camera would be lost without them. I've learned so much by observing our anchors, especially Butch Stearns and Kerry Kavanaugh. They have really believed in me and encouraged me to find my voice and be myself on camera. They're both so sharp, personable, and real. The lessons about preparation, presentation, and execution I've learned from them I will take with me everywhere.

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