FH Feature: Where Are They Now? Ashley Rich - University of Connecticut Athletics - UConn Huskies

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by Danny Barletta

Ashley Rich graduated from UConn's School of Nursing in 2019 after playing four years as a defender on the field hockey team. Now, she works as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of Yale New Haven Hospital, which she says is the perfect job for her.

"I knew I wanted to be a nurse ever since volunteering at my local hospital for a few years in high school," Rich said. "I saw how special the patient-nurse relationship could be and I was in awe of it … After completing my clinical rotations at UConn, I knew I wanted to work with the pediatric population, so interviewing for this job was already a dream come true. Now I'm lucky enough to spend my days caring for the sweetest preemies and their loving parents."

Rich came to UConn from Stamford, Connecticut, knowing exactly what she wanted to study, but she also had the opportunity to play for one of the best field hockey programs in the country. She appeared in 46 games over her career, starting six of them, and notched three assists, while winning a National Championship in 2017. But most of all, she exemplified what it means to be a great student-athlete.

"As a student-athlete at UConn, I was expected to put in the work on and off the field," Rich said. "My team especially was very supportive of academics and always encouraged prioritizing school. As a nursing major, I spent most of my days in the classroom or at clinical experiences that went from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. As soon as I got out of clinical I would jump right into a three-hour practice and spend the rest of the night getting work done and studying for upcoming exams."

Rich acknowledges that it was far from easy, but it helped her become who she is today

"It was a demanding schedule but the most valuable skill I gained from my experience was time-management and I can honestly say I'm a better nurse because of it. UConn field hockey ultimately taught me what a respectable work ethic looks like."

In 2017, Rich was awarded for her hard work, winning the prestigious NCAA Elite 90 award, given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's championships. She became the first UConn field hockey player to win the award and the second UConn athlete after Maya Moore won it for women's basketball in 2011.

Rich kept up her high academic achievement throughout the rest of her time at UConn and graduated as the co-valedictorian of the nursing school, finishing off an exceptional career on the field and in the classroom.

"Balancing school and field hockey was definitely tough at times and I can't say I never thought about quitting, but looking back I'm so proud and thankful that I didn't," Rich said.

Looking back, Rich's fondest memories of UConn field hockey come from practicing with her team.

"Although I experienced a lot of victories playing field hockey at UConn, my best memories were made during the practices," she said. "Although there was always work to be done, scrimmaging against each other at the end of a practice always felt like pure competitive family fun. It was the best feeling when we were able to walk away from a practice feeling not only like we improved, but that we were going into our next match even more connected as a team."

Rich also credits the field hockey coaching staff for giving her the confidence she needed and supporting her throughout her career.

"The coaching staff taught us a lot of valuable lessons about commitment, work ethic and selflessness but personally they also helped me find my confidence," Rich said. "They were always willing to put in the time to help me improve and they had constant faith in me when I had little in myself. I will always be grateful to them for their support and belief in me."

Now, as a nurse working in the NICU, she loves her job, especially because of the adorable and vulnerable baby population.

"These babies are so strong and resilient," Rich said. "It's truly a privilege to watch them overcome the obstacles of prematurity. Sending them home is one of the most bittersweet things we do."

As with so many other student-athlete alumni, UConn served as the base for Rich's professional achievements. But believe it or not, Rich still has more that she wants to accomplish.

"In the future I'd actually like to go back to school to become a primary care nurse practitioner," Rich said. "Nutrition, fitness and holistic health played a big role in my collegiate athletic career and have also become passions of mine. I'd like to someday use these passions to support health maintenance and disease prevention in children and adolescents."

Rich will continue to be an asset to her community as a medical worker for years to come.

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FH Feature: Where Are They Now? Ashley Rich - University of Connecticut Athletics - UConn Huskies
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