Michael Garzi was born and raised in nearby New Milford, CT. He was a part of the 2008 New England Championship team at South Kent, anchoring the midfield as the team captain for three of his four seasons. From 2007-08, Garzi recorded many personal accolades such as All-Western New England and All- State, additionally making the all star team twice.
Garzi would go on to play for the Colgate Raiders from 2009-2012, where he solidified his legacy as one of the greatest leaders to wear maroon and white. During his junior year, Michael Garzi played in every game, tallying a goal and two assists in the regular season. In the Patriot League Championship, Garzi scored the game-winning goal to help Colgate punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. He had a breakout personal year in 2012, finishing the season second in team points with eight. This performance earned him All-Patriot League Second Team Honors, capping off an incredible collegiate career.
After Colgate, Garzi signed his first professional contract with the Rochester Rhinos of the USL, scoring 4 goals in 100 games from 2014-17. Garzi was an active member of the Rochester community, as he won the team’s Community Service Award in 2015 following the Rhinos National Championship.