Ava Rizzo is a sophomore from Audubon, New Jersey. Her journey to the Rowan women’s cross country team is a little different than most athletes, because she didn’t start running until her freshman year of college. Instead, Rizzo played soccer and ran track and field for all four years of high school.

She was good at both sports but decided to put down soccer for cross country because it would help her with her 800 times. She never thought about pursuing cross country though, until a former Rowan coach changed her mind.

“I wasn’t really gonna do cross country but talking to Coach Ringo influenced me,” Rizzo said. “He told me that it would really help my endurance with the 800 which is my main event. I decided to push myself and try something new and it worked for the best because my 800 time dropped by so much throughout the year.” 

Joining the cross-country team was an easy transition for Rizzo, however balancing her sports, social life, and grades was a little difficult. Rizzo’s friends and coaches have been extremely helpful in helping her manage these three things. Without them, she doesn’t know where she would be right now.

“Maintaining a social life along with sports is difficult,” Rizzo said. “I have good friends that help support me and it makes finding a balance easier. Having a set schedule also makes it easier to plan everything out. I see cross country as a break between school and everything else, it’s like a relief.”

Like most athletes, Rizzo has a pregame ritual that she insists really does help.

“My pregame ritual is usually focusing on my breathing and listening to my music,” Rizzo said. “I usually listen to the Rocky soundtrack to get me hyped up for the race.”

Rizzo has been on the cross country team for two years but her impact hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last week at Border Battle, Rizzo placed 14th in the women’s open race, which was the highest placement of any Prof in that event. It won’t be an event that Rizzo will forget.

“My favorite cross-country moment since I’ve got here was probably Border Battle this year,” Rizzo said. “I was able to PR and I did it at our home course. It was one of the best races I have ever had and it was really fun getting to celebrate that moment with the girls. Everything was just perfect.”

Her time at the Border Battle continued to show one trait that head coach Shedrick Elliott III has seen throughout the year, growth.

“I am impressed with the progression of her performances and the trajectory she has taken since week one at Stockton to two weeks ago at the Border Battle,” Elliott said. “Seeing where her mentality and effort have been in practice and seeing it correlate to Border Battle and her cross-country PR was impressive.”

On Saturday, Nov. 2, the Profs will be looking to take home their first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship win since 2019, and Rizzo will be a key part of that goal. She’s got extra motivation to perform well too.

“My dad, my mom, and my sister are coming to my race at the NJACs,” Rizzo said. “It means a lot to me that they will be there because they are my support system, and I love hearing them when I’m racing. Seeing them at the finish line and getting to celebrate with them afterward is something I look forward to.”

For comments/questions about this story DM us on Instagram @TheWhitSports or email sports@thewhitonline.com