Varsity soccer star Courtney Ruedt has committed to Columbia University to play Division 1 soccer in fall of 2021.

Courtney Ruedt is a sophomore at Wayne Hills High School who has played Varsity Girls Soccer since she was a freshman. She plays for the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) and is also on the Varsity Track team.

Impressively, Courtney has received and accepted a Division 1 scholarship offer before her junior year has even started! Below, an interview with the soccer star herself is displayed in a Q&A format.

Q: What position do you play right now?

A: “I play center back on [my] club [team] and center mid in high school.”

Q: Were there any other schools you considered in your decision or received offers from?

A: “Yes, there were a lot of different schools. I had some other offers now but most were going to be presented to me junior year.”

Q: What was your reaction to committing to Columbia?

A: “I was very excited, but it didn’t really feel real until I visited the school the next day. This was a long process that had been part of my life since 8th grade. I was very happy when I called the coach and accepted the offer.”

Q: What excites you the most about playing Division 1 soccer?

A: “I am very excited to play Division 1 soccer because it is going to be a fun, challenging, and different experience.”

Q: Do you have any advice for other students who want to play a Division 1 sport in college?

A: “My advice to anyone trying to play a sport in college would be to never settle because there are no limits. The only person that can limit you is yourself. I was always told to make a college list of places I wanted to go, but I always found that difficult. The fun part of this process was to see all of the schools that had interest in me, and not just involve myself with the schools I had interest in.”

Courtney also says, “Thank you to my family, coaches, friends, and teammates for all the support!”

It is so exciting to see a Wayne Hills student-athlete achieve such great success and reach this incredible achievement. Besides excelling in athletics, Courtney is also an Honors student at Wayne Hills. Juggling sports, academics, and other extracurricular activities is challenging, as well as requires many hours of work and dedication. Personally, I can’t wait to see Courtney play soccer at this elite level after working so hard during middle school and high school.

Congratulations Courtney! #golions!