Ruggiero's Scholar-Athlete Honor Headlines Five Total All-CCC Honors for Endicott

BEVERLY, Mass. - Endicott senior keeper Jacqueline Ruggiero (Dedham, Mass.) has been named the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) 2022 Scholar-Athlete as she headlines five total All-CCC honors earned by the Gulls.

Senior Julia Matus (East Greenwich, R.I.) was named First Team All-CCC, while Ruggiero was joined by Riley Rischitelli (North Brookfield, Mass.) on the Second Team, while junior defender Angelina Venditti (East Lyme, Conn.) was named Third Team All-CCC.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE | SECOND TEAM ALL-CCC

Jacqueline Ruggiero | Sr. | GK | Dedham, Mass.

Ruggiero becomes the fifth student-athlete in women's soccer program history to earn Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and claims the third straight Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor for the Gulls. She joins Megan Smith '21 (2021), Elizabeth Masucci '20 (2019), Sarah Person '14 (2013) and Katie Cederberg '06 (2005) as the five members to have earned the distinction. A nursing major, Ruggiero has earned a cumulative 3.72 GPA to date and has received Dean's List honors four times in her academic career. The senior interned for her semester-long internship/clinical rotation in the Emergency Department as Mass. General and aspires to work as a trauma nurse in one of the Boston area hospitals. On the pitch, Ruggiero earned Second Team All-CCC honors after she finished her senior season with a 7-4-4 overall record that included eight shutouts and a goals against average of 0.67 on the season. In CCC play, Ruggiero posted a goals against average of 0.57, as the Gulls finished second in the CCC with an average of .78 goals against in conference play. This was the first All-CCC honor of her career.

FIRST TEAM ALL-CCC

Julia Matus | Sr. | M | East Greenwich, R.I.

Matus was named First Team All-CCC in 2022 for the first time in her career following a season in which she led the Gulls in goals (6) and points (14), while tying for second with two assists. Of her six goals on the season, two of them served as eventual game-winners, the first of which came against Wellesley on September 7, in the team's 1-0 victory, while the second came on October 4 in the team's 4-1 win over Salem State. Matus set new career-high marks in games played (19), games started (18), goals (6), points (14), shots (42) and game-winning goals (2) in her senior season, while she was also a perfect 2-2 in penalty kicks on the year. Her two assists were one shy of her career-best mark of three. Matus finishes her career in the Blue and Green having played in 51 matches with 23 starts and having scored nine goals and assisted on six more for a total of 24 points. 

SECOND TEAM ALL-CCC

Riley Rischitelli | So. | F | North Brookfield, Mass.

For the second straight season to start her Endicott career, Rischitelli has been named Second Team All-CCC. Her second honor follows a freshman campaign in which she was named to the Second Team and was named CCC Rookie of the Year in 2021. For the 2022 season, Rischitelli finished tied for second on the team with four goals, tied for second with two assists, and tied for second with her 10 total points overall. In CCC play, Rischitelli produced two goals and recorded one assist for five points. The sophomore scored one game-winner on the season which came in the team's 2-0 win over Oneonta when the Gulls claimed the Mayor's Cup title in New York. In the 2022 campaign, Rischitelli posted career-high marks in games played (19), games started (17), shots (45) and shots on goal (25). Through two seasons, the North Brookfield, Mass. native has collected 11 goals and six assists for 28 points.

THIRD TEAM ALL-CCC

Angelina Venditti | Jr. | D | East Lyme, Conn.

Venditti has received All-CCC recognition for the first time in her career as she played a pivotal role anchoring the Endicott back line. That back line held opponents to just 17 goals in 19 matches played on the season, for a 0.89 goals against average. Those numbers improved even more in CCC play as the Gulls held conference opponents to seven total goals in nine matches, for a 0.78 goals against average. Overall, the Endicott defense limited opponents to 161 total shots in the 19 matches, while in CCC play the Gulls held conference foes to 63 total shots over the nine contests. For the year, Venditti started all 19 matches for the Gulls, as she has now started 34 of her 36 matches played over the last two seasons.

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)