About the Founder
Meet the Founder
I built Athly AI because I believe every talented athlete deserves access to US college sports opportunities, regardless of where they come from or who they know.
Lorenzo Peluso
Founder & Developer
I'm from Modica, Sicily, Italy. My parents told me if I didn't get a full scholarship, we couldn't afford it. But after losing my scholarship due to injuries and transfers, I discovered something incredible: I didn't just survive financially — I actually made money while getting my degree and playing the sport I loved.
When I started talking to my teammates — international students from everywhere — I heard the same story over and over: they paid thousands of dollars to agencies. And now that they understood how the process actually works, they realized they could have done it themselves.
I'm not saying agencies are bad. But access to this information shouldn't cost thousands of dollars. That's why I built Athly AI.
Conference Champion
Won SSAC championship and finished 5th nationally with Life University.
3 Universities, 1 Degree
Campbellsville → NEO A&M → Life University. Class of 2025.
Self-Taught Developer
Built this entire platform from scratch, solo.
4 Languages
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and English - learned through the journey.
My Journey
Four years. Three universities. Two ACL tears. One dream accomplished.
The Beginning — Sicily to Kentucky
From Modica, Sicily, I got a full scholarship to play soccer at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. The first weeks were brutal - I couldn't understand my coach, everyone spoke too fast, and I was 5,000 miles from my family. Within two months, I was speaking proper English. Then, my first year, I tore my ACL.
The Rebuild — Oklahoma
I transferred to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. Months of rehab - learning to walk, run, and trust my knee again. I worked 20 hours a week as a dishwasher and in the cafeteria. That money? I used it to travel across the United States. I came back stronger, had a good season, and earned my Associate's degree.
The Second Fall — Life University
I transferred to Life University in Marietta, Georgia. First day of preseason. First practice. I tore my ACL again. Same knee. Same nightmare. I worked at the gym front desk and housing office while my coach, Alex Pama, supported me through every step of recovery.
The Comeback
After two ACL tears, three schools, and years of setbacks - I finally got to play a full season. We won the SSAC regular season championship, won the conference tournament, finished 5th in the nation. In December 2025, I graduated. Four years. Three universities. Two ACL tears. One dream accomplished.
What I Stand For
These values guide every feature I build and every decision I make.
Athletes First
Every decision starts with one question: does this help athletes?
Radical Transparency
Honest communication about what the platform can and cannot do.
Continuous Improvement
Always learning, iterating, and making the platform better.
Accessibility
Great tools should not be reserved for those with deep pockets.
Ready to start your journey?
Join athletes using Athly AI to reach their college sports dreams.