Ava Pugliese

Position:
Midfield
Height:
5-4
Class:
Freshman
High School:
St. Thomas More Catholic Secondary School
Hometown:
Ontario, Canada

CAREER HIGHS

Minutes: 90 (8/31/23 at SIUE)
Shots: 1 (3x, Most Recent: 10/5/23 vs. Belmont)
Shots on Goal: 1 (9/7/23 at North Alabama)
Goals: 0
Assists: 1 (8/17/23 vs. Jackson State)

2023 SEASON

Played in 16 games and made seven starts ... posted one assist on the season ... lone assist came on SIU's first goal of the year vs. Jackson State on Aug. 17 ... assisted McKensey Bunch in the 2-1 win against Jackson State ... first start as a Saluki came at SIUE on Aug. 31 ... started five games in a row before returning to the bench on Sept. 24 at Northern Iowa ... made two more starts on Oct. 1 at Illinois State and Oct. 5 vs. Belmont ... tallied three shots and one shot-on-goal, which came at North Alabama on Sept. 7 ... finished the season with 591 minutes played.

PERSONAL

Daughter of Tanya and Rocco ... father is a contractor, mother is a nurse ... sister of Francesca and Giovanni ... was OFSAA AAA Girls Soccer champion in 2022, along with being a two-time HWCDSB Indoor Soccer and a two-time HWCDSB City champion ... received the MVP Unsung Hero Award in 2023 ... played for Caledon United Football Club, were Ontario Cup champions in 2022 and Canadian National Championship finalists in the same year ... four-time honour roll ... born on September 4, 2005.

WHY I CHOSE SIU

"I chose to come to SIU because of its very welcoming environment as well as the fantastic coaching staff and players. It felt like home away from home for me. I am so excited for the next four years here at SIU."