“What I love about the sport of lacrosse is the competitive atmosphere, fast paced style of play, and the team sport aspect,” explains junior nursing student Ava Ruggieri, a Division 1 athlete. The Aston, Pa. native plays defense for Villanova’s women’s lacrosse team.
In this interview, Ava talks about being fiercely focused while chasing big goals.
Thanks to Ava for sharing her answers with sophomore Lauren Casimiro for this story.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR SPORT?
What I love about the sport of lacrosse is the competitive atmosphere, fast paced style of play, and the team sport aspect.
WHAT WOULD SURPRISE PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR SPORT OR HOW YOU PLAY IT?
Lacrosse is not the most common sport and many people do not know how to play it. The Northeast is the ‘hot spot’ for lacrosse, but it is gaining popularity across the country as the years go on. Men’s lacrosse is known for its physicality, but I think many would be surprised just how physical the women’s game is. We do not wear any padding and only use goggles and a mouthguard for protection. I’ve had far too many bruises on my arms over the years from being stick checked to prove that women’s lacrosse certainly is a contact sport.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN TERMS OF YOUR PERSONAL OR TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS?
In terms of my personal accomplishments, I am most proud to say that I am the first person in my family to play college athletics at the division one level. It took years of hard work, determination, and love for the game to get to where I am today. For team accomplishments, I am proud to say that we are having one of the most successful years in program history. We are currently 8-2 (8 wins and 2 losses), a big improvement from our 5-11 record from last year. We are hungry to bring home the first Big East Conference championship win for the program.