On Wednesday, May 11, 2011, Central Bucks East senior Francesca Ruscio was recognized at a special news conference for signing a letter of intent to play golf at Towson University.
Francesca Ruscio – Towson University (Golf)
Major: Broadcast JournalismFinal list of colleges: Towson, Delaware, Quinnipiac, High Point, St. Francis (Chicago)
Reasons for choosing Towson: “I decided on Towson simply because when I first got there I loved the campus. I did my research prior, and I saw they had everything I wanted to study and all the classes I wanted to take there.
“We met the coach, and she made me feel really comfortable. I met the Towson girls on the golf team, and they were amazing. I fell in love with the entire package of the university.”
As part of the East girls’ golf team that won its first ever state championship, what will you remember most about that experience? “Everything about it was so special – one, because of the type of sport that made it such a grand title and also the fact that it was East’s very first girls’ golf team and the PIAA’s first public (high school) winning golf team made that whole experience amazing. That definitely was the highlight of the year.”
What was the progression that led you to playing collegiate golf? “I noticed my game starting to get better, and I honestly couldn’t imagine myself going to a university without playing golf. I fell in love with the game, honestly, it’s done a world of good for me, and I’ve wanted to play in college, and I’ve wanted to play for a really good team.”
What was the recruiting process like for you? “It was so difficult. It was a lot of highs and a lot of lows. We had to take into consideration location, my area of studies. Some of the colleges I looked at had an amazing communications program in broadcast journalism, but it lacked the golf. They didn’t have the type of athletic program I was looking for.
“Sometimes it was reversed, and sometimes it would be neither of them. It was pretty challenging, so I think finding the right one with all the combination of (academics), sports and location was very important.”
Coach Mark Rubino says: “The way I describe Francesca when people ask about her is she’s always had the best golf swing in the program – guys or girls. You want to learn how to swing the golf club – watch Francesca swing the golf club. As she matures and gets a little bigger and stronger and plays on the college level and is challenged to get even better, I think the sky is the limit because of her physical talent and how beautiful and how sound her golf swing is.
“What’s unique about Francesca also is her golf swing is so good that even though she’s smaller than some of the other girls out there, her athleticism and her quality golf swing generate a great deal of power, so she’s able to compete on a high level on the golf course because of that. She’s always extremely dedicated to the game. She wasn’t born with that golf swing. That came with a lot of practice and a lot of instruction and countless hours.
“I don’t know if she likes to talk about it, and she won’t publicize it, but after school, she won’t just go play holes – she’ll spend two hours on the putting green, she’ll spend two hours on the driving range. I’m not sure a lot of people understand how much time it takes to be a good golfer. You can’t just show up and do it. She has a great combination of physical talent and drive that has made her the player she is.
“I’m looking forward to seeing her on the college level when she gets bigger and stronger and pushed even harder how it’s all going to come together. She has the type of swing that could take her to the professional level some day. Quite frankly, she doesn’t even have to get any bigger or stronger. Her swing is so good and she’s so athletic she generates enough power, but she’s going to probably get a little bigger and stronger, and she’s going to be pushed to a high level in college. She definitely has the capability, if she wanted to, to play on the professional level at some point. Her golf swing and her athleticism are that good.
“It’s not by chance. She works at it. There’s a love of the game that I see in Francesca. Just watching her over the years – the golf course is a sanctuary for her. It’s a place where she can be herself, really enjoy herself, really show off her talents. I think she’s really comfortable and at home on the golf course. I’m thrilled that she is continuing to play the game at the college level because I think it brings her a lot of joy. She’s got enough game to play it and enjoy it for the rest of her life and get something out of it. It’s part of her. Golf has become part of her definition, which is a positive. Not every kid has a chance to have something that is their little niche, that they can carve out a destiny, a distinction of their own.”
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