There’s an old adage in sports that you can’t teach
speed. If that’s the case, Miguel Concepcion must have had
plenty of time for his academic studies—a path that would
lead him to become a medical doctor—as his natural speed
helped make him one of WPI’s top athletes ever in both
football and track and field.
A defensive back by trade, Concepcion began to contribute during
his first two seasons. As a freshman, he totaled 14 tackles and
recovered a fumble. In 2002, he tallied four interceptions to go
along with eight pass breakups, 22 tackles, and a blocked
kick.
During his junior year, he became one of the country’s
premier kickoff returners. He returned kicks for three
touchdowns, including a pair versus Endicott in the Power Gulls'
inaugural collegiate football game. He was fourth in NCAA Division
III with an average of 30.5 yards per return while amassing 30
tackles, an interception, and an additional 50-yard touchdown
scored on a fumble return.
Concepcion’s senior year saw him rake in the awards and
honors. He was named Liberty League Special Teams Player of the
Year after earning first-team conference honors as a defensive back
and a return specialist. The senior was third in the country in
kickoff returns (33.7 yards), including a touchdown, three
interceptions, and 55 tackles. He took home regional recognition
for first-team All-ECAC and was named to the New England Football
Writers Division II/III team.
“Since the day he first suited up for the football team,
there was something different, something special about
Miguel,” says Chris Robertson, Miguel’s defensive
coordinator and current WPI head football coach. “His
personality was quiet, yet confidence filled the young man. He
would tell you exactly what he was going to accomplish and then go
out and do just that.”
His honors were not limited to the gridiron—he was an NCAA
postgraduate scholarship finalist and Top Eight award nominee, as
well as a first-team All-District Academic selection. And his
accomplishments did not end at the conclusion of the football
season. He continued to exhibit excellence as a member of the
indoor and outdoor track and field teams. A two-time member of the
NEWMAC All-Academic team, he took home the silver medal at the New
England Division III Indoor championships as a senior in 2005. He
also garnered multiple All-NEWMAC and All-ECAC accolades as a
member of the 4x100 meter relay team.
“Miguel was pivotal to the success and rise of Track and
Field teams during his time here. He was what coaches like to
call track-smart,” says Mike Maceiko, his track and field
coach and current WPI cross country coach. “He always knew
what we were doing and why we were doing it. Miguel was both an
athlete and coach to his WPI teammates.”
A native of Lowell and Fall River, Mass., Miguel graduated with
a BS in biotechnology. He went on to the University of
Massachusetts Medical School, where he received his medical degree
in 2009, and pursued specialization in family medicine at Tufts
Family Medicine Program. He is currently in his last year of
residency and is in the process of applying for a primary care
sports medicine fellowship. He plans on integrating his
background as a certified personal trainer, sports medicine, and
primary care into his future practice.
