- "I made Virginia Wesleyan my top choice because of the lacrosse coaches and team, it is down south, not too far from the beach, and it had my major."
- Selected VWC over Christopher Newport University and Greensboro College
Career Highs
Goals: 1 – (5x, most recent, at Sweet Briar - 4/27/16)
Assists: NA
Points: 1 – (5x, most recent, at Sweet Briar - 4/27/16)
Ground Balls: 6 – (Randolph-Macon – 4/15/15)
Caused Turnovers: 4 – (Roanoke - 4/23/16)
Draw Controls: 2 – (6x, most recent, Lynchburg - 4/6/16)
2015-16 ODAC All-Academic Team
2016 All-ODAC Third Team
Senior (2016): Started all 17 games for the Marlins as a senior… Led the squad in ground balls (42) and caused turnovers (32)… Scored a goal at Hollins on March 19 while corralling five ground balls and causing three turnovers… Posted five ground balls with three caused turnovers at Guilford on April 9… Registered four caused turnovers to go along with three ground balls against Roanoke College on April 23.
Junior (2015): Drew a starting nod in all 19 games as a junior… Got involved in the offense, scoring three goals on the year, including scores in back-to-back games against Sweet Briar and Hollins… Set a new high with six ground balls against Randolph-Macon on April 15… Scooped five ground balls and caused a turnover against Sweet Briar… Posted four ground balls, two draw controls, and a caused turnover at Marymount (Va.) on March 23.
Sophomore (2014): Started all 16 contests for the Marlins… Had a career week at the end of March, corralling four ground balls in back-to-back games against Washington and Lee and Hollins… Caused three turnovers in the first game of the year against Greensboro College and in the final game of the year against Randolph College… Posted two draw controls against St. Mary’s (Md.) on March 1.
Freshman (2013): Played and started in all 16 contests as a first-year… Scooped her first ground ball at Goucher College while causing two turnovers on March 9… Had two ground balls on two separate occasions on the year.
Academic Accomplishments: Presidential Scholarship recipient.
Before VWC: An Athlete of the Week for the lacrosse season of 2012… A defensive leader for the lacrosse team… Competed in lacrosse, basketball, soccer and winter track.
Personal: Daughter of Mary and James Ruffalo… Mother attended The College of New Rochelle, father attended Manhattan College… Has two sisters: Brianna and Lauren; Lauren attends Rowan University... Sociology minor.
Get to Know Shannon
- Enjoys listening to all types of music and spending vacation time in Jamaica
- Favorites include the book "Twilight Saga," the movies Twilight Saga and all Disney movies
- A fan of musician Justin Bieber and actress Mila Kunis, pro football's New York Giants, and any hockey team her cousin is on since he is in the NHL.
- Self-description in 10 words or less: "generous, trustworthy, kind, out-going, easy-going, reliable, athletic."
- My favorite aspect of being an athlete is: "being part of a team and having a bond with the teammates that other people don't have, as well as it keeps me in shape."
- The part of your game you've improved most: "communicating with my teammates and sliding more to help on defense for lacrosse."
- My personal athletic goal at VWC is: "to have a starting stop on defense for the women's lacrosse team."
- It's the year 2025 and: "I will be in the FBI and raising a family."
- If you could spend a day with one famous person from any time period, who would it be and why?: "I can't pick just one because there are many people that I would like to meet and spend the day with."
- If you could participate in a reality TV show, which one would it be and why?: "The Real World because I feel that it would be a great learning experience and that I would who I really am as a person."
- What one superpower would you like to possess, and why?:" flying, so I could go anywhere in the world."
- What would people be most surprised to know about you that they don't already know?: "I held and drank from the Stanley Cup when the Anaheim Ducks won because my cousin was on the team."
- The most important advice you have received is: "to not give up and push through the pain to finish what you start." -- my sister Lauren
