America East
believes that the student-athletes represent the best and brightest of
each of the conference's nine member universities . In order to
recognize the contributions these student-athletes make to their
classrooms, their campuses and their communities, America East will
highlight a different student-athlete each month over the course of the
2008-09 school year in a "Best of U." feature.
The final 2008-09 installment of "Best of U." focuses on University at Albany two-sport athlete Ashley Ross. Ross was a four-year member of the field hockey team at Albany and joined the women's lacrosse squad this past spring. Additionally, she was the conference's runner-up for the Woman of the Year and will be considered for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award this summer.
The story was written by Brianna LaBrecque, Assistant Director for Athletic Communications at the University at Albany.
A successful Division I student-athlete must possess many
qualities and talents, both on and off the field. They must be able to balance
a rigorous practice and game schedule with a full course load, find time to
study while traveling and participating at the highest level of college
athletics, and be a key member of their college community. Most
student-athletes have figured out how to fulfill all of these components to a
certain extent, but few are able to be highly successful in all areas. The
University at Albany’s
Ashley Ross is one of these model student-athletes.
Ross is a four-year member of the UAlbany field hockey team,
helping to lead the Great Danes to the America East Conference Championship
title as a senior last season. A starter for her entire career, she earned
all-conference accolades all four seasons, earning all-rookie honors as a
freshman before two straight first-team appearances. Ross wrapped up her career
with a second-team showing as a senior after finishing her career as the
winningest goalkeeper in program history.
Ross recorded 45 victories in the cage for the Great Danes,
while also notching 318 saves and a 1.56 goals against average. As a senior,
she also set the single-season record for minutes played, seeing 1,479:54
minutes of action. Ross was also named to the National Field Hockey Coaches
Association (NFHCA) All-Northeast Region squad following her junior season and
was the America East Conference Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after
leading the Great Danes to the championship title.
“On the field, Ashley was our rock on defense,” said UAlbany
head coach Phil Sykes. “She earned too many awards to name and holds
several program records. She is a big reason for our two regular-season
America East championships and our 2008 America East postseason championship
and trip to the NCAA Tournament.”
Ross took her athletic pursuits to a different field this
spring, as she joined the UAlbany women’s lacrosse team. After pursuing field
hockey throughout her high school and college days, Ross picked up a different
stick and took to the lacrosse field, taking on a new challenge to add to her
repertoire.
“I knew the lacrosse team was looking for another
goalkeeper,” said Ross, who had never played the sport prior to this spring.
“Some of the players came to me to see if I would be interested. I just wanted
to help the team as much as I could in a backup role.”
In addition to being a stellar athlete, Ross excels
academically. A communication major, she is a four-time member of the America
East All-Academic Team, earned NFHCA Division I All-Academic Team accolades on
three occasions and has been named to the UAlbany Athletic Director’s Honor
Roll and the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll. At UAlbany’s annual Great
Dane Awards held this spring, Ross was named the 2008-09 ECAC Merit Medal
winner, given to the school’s top senior male and female student-athletes who
have shown excellence in the classroom and as competitive athletes during the
current academic year.
“I always worked hard at athletics and academics throughout
high school,” said Ross. “Academics has always been important to me. When I
went to college, I knew I was going to have to work harder on and off the
field.”
Ross’ talent surpassed the playing field and the classroom,
as she also excelled as a leader in the community throughout her collegiate
career. A team captain on the field hockey squad, she was also voted to the
executive board of UAlbany’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where she
helped organize numerous community service endeavors including Adopt-A-Family,
a campus-wide dodgeball tournament that helped raise money for Habitat For
Humanity and Campus Clean-Up Day.
“I’ve always tried to help out in the community as much as I
can,” said Ross, who has continued to volunteer at the high school and
elementary schools in her hometown of Lancaster,
Pa., on school breaks. “I think
that what SAAC does is very important for the school and the outside community.
It is great to help out the surrounding area whenever you can, even if it’s
something small.”
With all of her accolades and athletic achievements, along
with her impact on fellow student-athletes and the Capital Region community, it
is no wonder that Ross was the runner-up for the annual America East Woman of
the Year award this year. Ross, who will be pursuing a master’s degree in
communication in the fall, will be a member of the women’s lacrosse team again
in the spring. She also plans on remaining an executive member of SAAC, helping
to keep the UAlbany name active in the community.
“Ashley has been a true student athlete over the past four
years,” said Sykes. “In the classroom she has gotten better and better
each semester. She has been a great role model to our younger student-athletes,
giving them great guidance in how to be balanced in academics and sport.”
An exemplary student-athlete in every definition of the
word, Ross has made an impact on the field, in the classroom and in the
community. A student-athlete that all other student-athletes can look up to,
Ross is truly a great Great Dane.