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Meet Our 2026 TCS New York City Marathon Team!
On November 1, a team of dedicated runners will take on the iconic TCS New York City Marathon. From Staten Island to Central Park, they’ll run through all five boroughs alongside tens of thousands of fellow runners, but every mile will carry a deeper purpose.
Team Soccer Without Borders (SWB) is running to help create more opportunities for youth who too often face barriers to connection, belonging, and opportunity. The funds they raise will support free, year-round programs that use soccer as a vehicle for positive change–bringing young people together across languages, cultures, and life experiences while creating consistent spaces where they can build confidence, find community, and grow.
This November, they won’t just be running 26.2 miles. They’ll be running for the young people and communities who make every mile worth it.
“This year’s TCS NYC Marathon team makes me proud because they truly reflect the spirit of our SWB community,” said Muriel Mena, SWB Advancement Coordinator and marathon team manager.
“In many ways, this team reflects what Team SWB is all about: people from different backgrounds and experiences coming together through a shared love of soccer and a commitment to our young people. It is so incredibly special to see this amazing group unite as Team SWB and put their miles behind the youth and community that we serve.”
Meet Our 2026 TCS NYC Marathon Team:
Alejandro Aguilar Pinto (Washington, DC)
Alejandro is running with Team SWB because he knows firsthand how powerful access to soccer, education, and wellness can be. Originally from Peru, he was drawn to SWB’s mission as a way to support young people and connect with his community from the U.S., where he now lives.
His favorite SWB mantra? “You play best when you’re smiling.” And he’s bringing that spirit with him every mile of the way.
Trish Auray (Fairfield, Connecticut)
Trish’s connection to SWB began in college, when she volunteered closely with the organization and intentionally scheduled her classes around SWB programming so she could spend as much time as possible with participants. She loved watching young people adjust to life in the U.S., grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually, and build confidence and a sense of belonging. The relationships she built with participants broadened her perspective and deepened her appreciation for the resilience and strength of SWB’s global community.
Her experience with SWB ultimately inspired her to serve in the Peace Corps and later teach in communities across the U.S. with high ESOL populations. Running with Team SWB feels like a natural way for Trish to give back to an organization that has had such a lasting impact on her and reconnect with a community she cares about deeply.
Her favorite SWB mantra is “We’re glad you’re here.”
Anthony Denaix (Lisle-sur-Tarn, France)
Anthony has been a soccer fan his entire life. He played often growing up, still gets on the field with friends whenever he can, and follows both Arsenal and the French national team closely. Through the sport, he’s seen firsthand how soccer can break down barriers of language, culture, and social background and bring people together.
That’s what draws Anthony to Team SWB. He’s proud to support an organization using the power of soccer to create connection, community, and opportunity for young people.
His favorite SWB mantra is “Celebrate the pass more than the goal.” To Anthony, it’s a reminder that soccer is a team sport–and that goals are only possible because of the contributions that come before them. He believes the same is true in life: we rarely succeed alone, and helping someone else achieve something can be just as rewarding as achieving it ourselves.
Savannah Dixon (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Savannah’s connection to SWB goes all the way back to her childhood. She grew up playing soccer for a club closely affiliated with SWB, where she participated in local programs and even helped donate cleats to SWB as a young player. Now, years later, running the TCS NYC Marathon for Team SWB feels like a meaningful full-circle moment.
Her favorite SWB mantra is “You play best when you’re smiling.” For Savannah, it’s a reminder that attitude can shape everything–on the field, during a marathon, and in life.
Izza Drury (New York, New York)
Izza is running with Team SWB because she and her partner share a deep belief in SWB’s mission–and they’re bringing their community into that commitment as they celebrate their wedding this fall. Having grown up playing soccer, Izza knows firsthand the joy, connection, and lasting memories the game can create. She loves that SWB creates a place where young people can find community and belonging, no matter where they come from or where they’re headed.
As an immigration lawyer, she sees firsthand the challenges faced by displaced people. Supporting SWB is a way for her to help create a space rooted in connection, support, and play. And she has an extra-special connection to the organization: her cousin Keith works at SWB!
Her favorite SWB mantra is “Celebrate the pass more than the goal,” a reminder that the moments of connection and teamwork along the way are just as meaningful as the final result.
Lexi Gudaitis (New York, New York)
Soccer has been a part of Lexi’s life for as long as she can remember, from childhood through her collegiate career. She’s seen firsthand how the game can bring people together, transcending borders, languages, and cultures. That’s what drew her to Team SWB and its mission to use soccer to empower young people, foster inclusion, and create opportunities for underserved communities.
Her favorite SWB mantra is “We’re glad you’re here.” To Lexi, the phrase is a powerful reminder that simply showing up matters. Whether on the field, at work, or in life, she believes that showing up, putting in the effort, and supporting one another can create meaningful growth and connection.
Joe King (San Francisco, California)
Growing up homeschooled, Joe found friendship and community through his sports teams. Some of his childhood teammates remain among his closest friends today, and his experiences on the field also taught him valuable lessons about hard work, dedication, teamwork, and navigating both success and failure.
Running with Team SWB allows Joe to pursue a personal goal of completing a marathon while helping create access to those same meaningful experiences for young people who deserve the opportunity to find community, build confidence, and learn through sport.
His favorite SWB mantra is “Celebrate the pass more than the goal.” To Joe, scoring is the result of great teamwork–and the goal is even more meaningful when you recognize the people and contributions that made it possible.
Henry Lindberg (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Henry grew up playing soccer and credits the sport with teaching him valuable lessons in discipline, hard work, leadership, and teamwork. It also gave him a community of friends and teammates he could rely on. After living in Mexico for two years, he saw firsthand how soccer can bring joy and connection, even in difficult circumstances.
Henry believes every young person should have access to the physical, mental, and social benefits of sports. That’s what draws him to SWB’s mission to provide soccer, education, and employment training opportunities to young people who need them most.
His favorite SWB mantra is “We’re glad you’re here.” To Henry, it reflects his belief that every kid deserves the opportunity to play a sport they love and feel like they belong.
Charlie Nairn (Melbourne, Australia)
Charlie is running with Team SWB because he believes deeply in the power of sport to create connection, community, and joy. He’s proud to represent an organization that shares that belief and uses soccer to bring people together and create meaningful opportunities for young people.
His favorite SWB mantra is “You play best when you’re smiling.” For Charlie, it captures what makes sport so powerful: joy and connection go hand in hand, and the field can be a place where people feel welcomed, supported, and free to be themselves.
Steven Pego (New York, New York)
Steven is running with Team SWB in honor of his late brother-in-law, who always teased him that he wasn’t athletic enough. Training for 26.2 miles is Steven’s way of honoring someone he loves and misses deeply. He imagines the jokes his brother-in-law would make about marathon training, and that thought keeps him smiling through the more difficult miles.
Running for Team SWB gives Steven another reason to keep going: the opportunity to honor the memory of his brother-in-law while supporting an organization creating meaningful opportunities for young people. For him, it’s a chance to carry his brother-in-law’s memory forward and do something he would be proud of.
Steven’s favorite SWB mantra is “We’re glad you’re here.” He loves creating spaces where new people feel welcomed, included, and like they truly belong–and he feels that same spirit at the heart of SWB.
Bella Reiss (Atlanta, Georgia)
For more than 25 years, soccer has given Bella much more than a game to play–it has given her community, purpose, and some of the most meaningful relationships in her life. During her summer volunteering with Soccer Without Borders, she saw firsthand how powerful the sport can be for young people navigating new countries, cultures, and challenges. That experience shaped her path from teaching and coaching to building Atlanta’s women’s and non-binary soccer community.
Running the NYC Marathon for Team SWB is Bella’s way of giving back to an organization that helped shape her understanding of what soccer can make possible. She believes everyone deserves a place to play, be seen, and find community through the game. And with her 30th birthday falling just three days after the marathon, she can think of no better–or harder–way to celebrate.
Bella’s favorite SWB mantra is “Get them to the field.” To her, access comes first. Whether barriers are cost, transportation, language, gender expectations, or simply feeling like you don’t belong, she believes everyone deserves the opportunity to step onto a safe and welcoming field and experience the joy of play.
Luca Servodio (Los Angeles, California)
Soccer has been a constant in Luca’s life. He grew up playing in Europe, primarily in Italy and Switzerland, and still plays multiple times a week today. Along the way, the game has given him community, structure, friendships, and a sense of belonging wherever he’s lived.
That’s what drew Luca to Soccer Without Borders. He connects deeply with the idea of using soccer to help newcomer, refugee, and immigrant youth find that same sense of belonging. As he takes on the NYC Marathon, Luca is aiming to raise $8,000 for SWB and has made his fundraising an extension of the mission itself, bringing people together through initiatives like his Pizza Run Clubs in LA.
His favorite SWB mantra is “Celebrate the pass more than the goal.” For Luca, it captures what he loves most about soccer: the goal may get the spotlight, but it’s often made possible by someone else’s run, vision, or perfectly placed pass. He believes in celebrating the contributions that help others succeed–on the field and beyond.
Olivia Uribe (New York, New York)
Olivia is running with Team SWB because it brings together two things that have played a meaningful role in her life: soccer and running. Her connection to SWB also goes back to a childhood trip to Colombia, where she and her brother spent a day playing soccer with local kids. Despite language differences, they connected simply by playing together–a memory that showed Olivia the power of sport to create belonging across backgrounds.
Through Team SWB, Olivia hopes to help more young people experience that same sense of joy, connection, and community. Her favorite SWB mantra is “We’re glad you’re here,” which reminds her how much it can mean, especially to a young person, to feel welcomed, supported, and like there is a place where they belong.
Boris Volfson (Baltimore, Maryland)
Boris is running with Team SWB because he believes in soccer’s unique ability to create community, connection, and joy. Having lived in four countries, he’s experienced firsthand how the game can bring people together across backgrounds and cultures. For Boris, soccer creates a shared human experience, and he’s seen that connection everywhere from organized fields to unexpected moments.
His favorite SWB mantras are “Leave your shoes at the door” and “You play best when you’re smiling.” The first reminds him of family, while the second speaks to the importance of attitude, joy, and the mindset we bring with us onto the field and into life.
Every marathon has its own story. This year, Team SWB’s story is one of community, courage, and showing up for one another. To each of our runners–thank you for bringing your passion, energy, and heart to Team SWB. With every mile, you’re carrying our mission forward and helping create more opportunities for the young people we serve. We’re so proud to have you on the team.
Team SWB is running with purpose, and you can help carry that purpose forward. Every donation supports free, year-round programs that use soccer as a vehicle for positive change, creating spaces where youth can build confidence, connection, and community.
Find a runner whose story inspires you and make a gift through their fundraising page above!
