Missing his first season at Lehigh due to breaking his fifth metatarsal bone, defender Ajani Banton ’29 is poised to make an impact for the Mountain Hawks. A three-time prep school champion, he’s already done so on the international stage, appearing on the U17 Jamaican National Team and the U17 and U20 Barbados National Teams. He matriculated to Barbados’ senior men’s national team and scored his first goal in his second game at that level in March.
Major: Civil engineering
What would your dream job be?
If I could do anything in the world, it would be to play professional football (soccer).
What league would you want to play in?
I'd love to play in the English Premier League and play for Chelsea, the team I support.
How did you become a member of Jamaican and Barbados national teams?
From a young age, I was on the radar for both the Jamaica and Barbados national teams because I have citizenship for both countries. When I was 16, I was a part of the setup and played practice matches with the Jamaican National U17 team. My dad is from Jamaica but my mom is from Barbados, and she really wanted me to play for them. I decided to play for Barbados for the CONCACAF Cup U17 World Cup qualifiers. I loved the team, so I continued with them, eventually matriculating up to U20 and the senior men's team.
What has it been like playing for all those teams?
It's an honor to represent your country in anything, but to do it in the sport that I love, it meant a lot to me. I was proud to wear my country's colors. I felt some weight on my shoulders, like a good type of pressure. I was honored. And to make my parents proud, that was probably the most exciting part. To compete against the world's best was a really great experience.
How did you balance Lehigh with the Barbados Senior Men’s National Team this spring?
It was challenging because I was gone from school for a week and a half, so I had a lot of schoolwork to catch up on. I missed a couple of my midterms. Some of my finals were weighted a lot more because I couldn't make up all of the midterms, so it was a lot more work than I planned for, but it's part of the sacrifice you have to make when you're traveling.
Did anyone at Lehigh help support you?
My coaches were all super accommodative. They reminded me what I needed to get done and helped me stay on task with soccer and school. My professors were great, too. They responded to emails quickly and showed me the right path for makeup work and exams.
What are some of the places that you've played with those different national teams?
Bonaire, Guatemala and Barbados. I’ve also traveled to Curaçao, Trinidad, Iceland, Spain, France and England with various club teams.
What has been your favorite?
England was the best.
What about it made it your favorite?
The people are hilarious. The atmosphere is good. The competition was at an extremely high level. And my family also went along. It was a pretty good trip.
How and when did you come to the United States?
I came to the United States for my sophomore year in high school. I went to boarding school at South Kent School in Connecticut because my coach there came down to Jamaica for recruiting. He actually saw my brother the year before, so he knew I was a good player, too. He invited me to come play. Then after one year, the coach decided to go to a different school and a lot of us went with him to Woodstock Academy.
How did you learn about Lehigh?
Hassane Diakho ’24 played on the soccer team at South Kent School before I went there. When I got there we went as a team to Lehigh to watch Hassane play. That was actually the first Division I soccer match I went to in the States. It was Lehigh against American. I loved the campus, but I didn't think much of it. Then in my junior year, after a showcase, Lehigh, along with a couple other schools, reached out to me. I was intrigued, because I remembered Lehigh from my sophomore year, and I decided that with all the other options and how accommodating the coaches were that Lehigh would be the place for me after visiting.
Did you play any other sports growing up?
I played cricket in Jamaica. I was actually on the Jamaica 15U national cricket team, but that didn't really materialize because of COVID. I decided to continue with football (soccer) because it started back up earlier in Jamaica (after COVID) and there was more of a market for it.
When did you start playing football (soccer)?
As early as I remember, maybe three or four.
You mentioned a brother. Do you have more than one sibling?
I have two brothers. One younger, one older.
I'm assuming they play football as well.
Yeah, my older brother is at Brandeis University in Boston. And then my little brother is a rising junior at Choate Rosemary Hall. Hopefully, he'll be at Lehigh in a couple years. He's probably the best out of the three of us.
Would you overlap if he came to Lehigh?
Yes, I’d be a senior when he's a freshman.
You were injured last season. What happened and are you excited for your Lehigh debut?
Three weeks before preseason I broke my fifth metatarsal bone. Orthopedics in Jamaica said it didn’t require surgery, but after I reported to Lehigh, the team doctor said it was best for me to do surgery. I was disappointed because that's not what I expected and I was out for the season, but the team was super supportive. … I'm excited for the fall official debut, but I feel like I'm already accustomed to the team and I'm going to be ready to perform.
What has been your proudest athletic achievement so far?
Three months ago, it would have been one of the [prep school] national championships. Now, it’s scoring my first senior goal in my second game for the senior men's team.
What was that like?
It was a surreal feeling. Playing at that level in the first place is enough for me, but to play and actually score—I don't score much, I'm a defender, so for me to score not only a goal but to do it for my senior men's team was a great feeling. I was honored when I scored. I didn't even celebrate. I didn't think it was real. I felt like I was dreaming.
Did you get to keep anything from that moment?
Yeah, my dad said, ‘You should keep the jersey, sign it and frame it.’ So, that's the plan. I have it in Barbados.
Are you involved in any other clubs or activities at Lehigh?
As of right now, no. I had a couple meetings with a couple people from BSU, the Black Student Union, and they asked if I wanted to join, so that's in the preliminary stages. I'm still talking to a few of the coaches that are representatives to find out how I can be more involved.
What is an interesting fact that most people may not know about you?
I can play three instruments pretty proficiently, two really well. I'm really good at drums, I play the piano and I can also play the guitar.
What is the best thing about Lehigh as a university?
Everyone at Lehigh, including the coaches, emphasize being a student-athlete. It’s also easier with school when teammates study with you. You have people that are just as dedicated to both academics and athletics.
What's the best thing about the men's soccer program?
The best thing so far has to be the sense of community. From the first day of preseason everyone was very welcoming, everyone was very accommodating, especially toward my injury. I never felt left out once. As the year progressed, we just grew a bond together, especially the freshmen on my team. We got closer as the year progressed and I think they were a key reason why I had such a great first year at Lehigh.
