The face of the Dartmouth College women’s rugby programme had to sit on the sidelines last autumn as the squad went undefeated and won the National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) championship.
A. Ramsey, the first woman to play for the Big Green in NIRA history, suffered an ACL tear while competing for the United States for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
After being out with an injury since mid-October, the Philadelphia-born fifth-year senior is back to her dominant self and will lead Dartmouth into Saturday’s championship game against Harvard at Burnham Field.
Big Green’s head coach Katie Dowty remarked, “She’s a different type of quick.” If we can provide her some room to run, she’s the type of player who can rack up four, five, or six tries in a single contest. Having her return is quite thrilling.
The Timing is Perfect for the Squad and for (A. Ramsey) to be at his Best.
During her formative years in Philadelphia and its surroundings, A. Ramsey participated in a wide variety of sports. She participated in six years of cheerleading, as well as track, wrestling, basketball, and field hockey.
Yet, when A. Ramsey enrolled at Upper Merion Area High School in King of Prussia, a coach who was forming a team for his daughter recruited her to rugby, and she quickly rose to prominence on the field.
A. Ramsey was able to play for a club and get the eye of Team USA after his high school career on the field. She made an immediate impression in Hanover as a freshman after committing to Dowty and Dartmouth, where the programme was officially recognised in 2015.
A. Ramsey scored her first collegiate try in the 2018 NIRA semi-finals against Army, and she scored the first try in the championship game as the Big Green defeated Harvard to win Dartmouth’s first national title.
On her visit, “she brought a number of recruits with her,” as Dowty put it. She was the most approachable and humble member of the group, and she had a special rapport with her teammates. We place a high value on that.
The Big Green lost to the Crimson in the semis despite A. Ramsey’s 10 try performance to lead Dartmouth the next season. However, Ramsey’s star continued to rise, and she was selected to play sevens for Team USA at the Pan American Games.
A. Ramsey had a very difficult year in 2020, what with the pandemic and her father’s death. Due to the Ivy League’s decision to ban all sports for the 2020-21 academic year, A. Ramsey decided to take a year off from Dartmouth and train with the national team in the hopes of being selected for the team that will compete in the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics.
Despite his absence, A. Ramsey still “plays with (my dad) in my heart” when he has the chance to do so. He encouraged me in whatever I did, from cheerleading to wrestling. He supported me like a rock.
For the whole year of preparation for the Olympics, A. Ramsey was the youngest player on Team USA. Nonetheless, her performance was strong enough for her to earn a spot on the team of 12. A. Ramsey clasped her hands over her lips and covered her eyes in an attempt to contain her elation as she shared her reaction in a video broadcast to her YouTube account.
It was really bonkers. For the first two weeks, as A. Ramsey put it, “we were pampered at a resort.” There were spa amenities such as saunas, hot tubs, and massages, and we regularly took advantage of them in between sessions of practise. Approximately a week later, we moved on to the Olympic village.
I loved everything about it, but the opening ceremony was my favourite. It was a chance for the entire Team USA to hang out with one another. Live, the dancers, drones, and lighting are spectacular.
Final Words
Group C was swept by Team USA, who got a try from A. Ramsey in their victory over the hosts Japan. The U.S. team went on to lose to Great Britain in the first round of the medal playoff, dropping them to the fifth-place match.
The United States finished in sixth place after losing to Australia without A. Ramsey, who suffered an ACL injury during a victory over China.
