Like every year, JCU Athletics Department is asked to nominate one student to receive the annual Sports Award thanks to his/her most valuable contribution to the Department.

This year, the choice has been really difficult for our Athletics staff because many of our Gladiators are graduating, and we had to choose among six extremely valid candidates.

However, the Sports Award goes to our former student assistant and current Captain of the Volleyball team Veronica Rusich.

Veronica has been a fundamental student for the growth and promotion of our deparmtent and, in particular, of the volleyball team. Athletics coordinator Marco Iorio spent some beautiful words regarding Veronica during the Academic and Student Life Award Ceremony, describing Veronica as the “living proof of how it is possible to combine high academic profit with a parallel working and sports life.”

Then Marco adds, “As a great athlete and sports passionate, she was able to join our team as a leader, playing the role of captain and assistant coach, and in some circumstances, succeeding in replacing our head coach too.”

Congratulations, Veronica! You have truly represented our Gladiators spirit throughout all these years, and we are really proud of you!

We also want to mention and thank, though, all of the other Sports Award candidates who also helped our department in one way or another:

– Diana Fantauzzi, Athletics student assisant and Captain of the Women’s 5on5 Soccer team
– Katelynn Cunningham, Athletics student assistant and player of the Women’s 5on5 Soccer team
– Serafino Pinna Vodret, Athletics student assistant and Captain of the Men’s 5on5 Soccer team
– Ricardo Solano, Athletics student assistant and player of the Men’s 5on5 Soccer team
– Giovanni Raguso, who other than being a former JCU basketball player, he has always helped us promoting our department and our sports activities in many different ways

We will definitely miss you and wishes you all a great and bright future!

#GoGladiators