Star athlete-better student

Virginia Tech women's lacrosse player Olivia Vergano sheds light on what it means to be a student-athlete.

March 27, 2024

By: Miles Jordan

Olivia Vergano, a junior at Virginia Tech from Long Island, New York, has turned her childhood dream into a reality. Her unwavering dedication to lacrosse has led her to Blacksburg, VA, where she now plays D1 lacrosse for the Hokies.

Olivia Vergano's impact on the lacrosse field has been significant. She has been playing lacrosse since before she can remember, contributing to her club and high school lacrosse teams at West Babylon High School. Her efforts helped West Babylon to its first state championship in school history. Since joining the VT women's lacrosse team in 2021, her contributions have been invaluable, earning her numerous accolades.

Her career honors include:

USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America Honorable Mention 2023
All-ACC Second Team 2023
ACC All-Academic Team 2023
ACC All-Freshman Team 2022
ACC All-Academic Team 2022
ACC Academic Honor Roll 2022
IWLCA South Region Second Team 2022
Inside Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention 2022
ACC Offensive Player of the Week (3/15/22)

Olivia Vergano- Photo Shot By: Miles Jordan

On the field, Vergano's performance is nothing short of remarkable. Even this season for VT, she leads the team in goals as an attackman, with 31 goals and counting, adding to her total of 121 career goals scored. As of March 27, Vergano has led the Hokies to an 8-4 record, and they are currently on a two-game win streak as they prepare to face Clemson on Saturday, March 30.

However, Vergano must balance her role as a star lacrosse player and a full-time student at Virginia Tech, and with that being said, she has found a way to combine her two worlds into one. Vergano is a Sports Media and Analytics major focusing on the entertainment, journalistic, and statistical fields in the world of collegiate and professional athletics. "I've always had a passion for sports and a desire for analytics, so getting the opportunity to study that was something I have always been interested in," said Vergano. She has shown she can excel on and off the field while receiving all ACC honors for athletics and being a part of the all-ACC academic team in her first and second years.

Vergano's achievements and dedication should serve as a beacon of inspiration for all current and prospective student-athletes. While success on the lacrosse field is undoubtedly important, Vergano also understands the significance of academics in the life of a collegiate athlete.