Michigan Women's Soccer Meet the Freshmen: Ashley Calcagno
8/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 18, 2015
Ashley Calcagno, a midfielder from Vero Beach, Florida, attended Vero Beach High School and played club soccer for the Boca United Soccer Club and the Melbourne United Soccer Club.
Calcagno is a three-year letterwinner, earning the award as a freshman, sophomore and senior. She took her junior year off from soccer in order to focus on competing with her club team. Following all three seasons of high school soccer, she earned All-Area First Team Treasure Coast recognition.
As a sophomore, Calcagno was named the NSCAA High School Girls Florida Player of the Year and was a member of the NSCAA High School Girls All-America Team (2013). That same year, she was selected to play in the Thanksgiving Interregional for the US ODP Region III Team and invited to the National ODP training camp.
As a freshman, Calcagno was a member of the High School Girls All Region III Team (2012).
Academically, she was an AP Scholar with Honors and graduated third in her graduating class of 700.
ACCORDING TO COACH RYAN:
"Ashley is an excellent central midfielder with great passing accuracy and range. She also has one of the most powerful shots on our team. Ashley is also showing a lot of promise and will get opportunities to prove herself on the field this fall."
 | Midfielder |
On why you chose the University of Michigan ... "My story was a lot different than everyone else's -- the idea of me playing college soccer kind of happened later in the process. I was looking for schools academically so Michigan fit that for me first and foremost before soccer. And then I got really lucky in that Michigan had a soccer program that was competing at a super high level where I could be pushed by my teammates and coaches. Academically Michigan has been ranked one of the top public schools in the nation so there really wasn't an option for me to consider any other school. I'm looking for a pre-med track so having a great medical school here helps with future plans as well."
On how your Michigan experience has been so far ... "So far it's been an overwhelmingly positive experience. I've heard stories of super terrible college soccer experiences, but I've never met a group of people so genuinely nice and welcoming. It's been great to have that positive team environment where everyone is encouraging each other and welcoming you to the team. And then there was the exhibition -- as freshmen we were kind of overwhelmed with all the tradition so we were kind of learning on the fly, but it was so great to have that first experience."
On how your teammates and coaches have helped you become acclimated to college ... "My teammates have been so helpful -- playing on the field with them and being around them all the time, you can go to them to ask a question anytime. They've helped me with my positioning and getting used to what Greg (Ryan) wants. The coaching staff has been wonderful, making sure we feel super welcomed in the city of Ann Arbor and also at the University."
On her strengths on the field ... "I would say my vision and my ability to distribute the ball."
On what she's looking forward to this season ... "For me it's the team environment. The famous quote 'The Team, The Team, The Team' will be the biggest thing for me because before I had college soccer in my future I didn't know what I was going to do and then college soccer became a reality. I can't imaging not having a team and this great environment."
On an interesting fact about her that no one knows ... "I love photography so I take my camera everywhere with me, especially on vacations. I love taking pictures and editing them -- it's a lot of fun for me."
Favorite food ... Anything Italian
Favorite band/artist ... Anything country
Favorite movie ... Pride and Prejudice (love those chick flicks!)
Favorite TV show ... I watch a lot of news
Favorite thing about U-M ... The campus feel ... Ann Arbor is so colorful and lively
Favorite thing you did this summer ... I went to the Bahamas with my family
• Previous Spotlight: Reilly Martin
