Finding the balance of academics and athletics for collegiate athletes is never easy. The recruiting process can be overwhelming for some. However, for Alexa Ritchie, a senior from Ithaca, the stars just seemed to align with her college decision.
Ritchie always had a love for the medical field. Her passion became physical therapy. “I’ve always been interested in the medical field that’s just like how my mind was wired. It has always fascinated me. I got interested in PT before I even tore my ACL and then going through physical therapy just made me fall in love with it even more so,” says the Bethpage native.
Unlike most schools, Ithaca has the option to apply directly into its PT program. For Ritchie, this was a pivotal part of her college recruiting process, and it was one of the main factors for heading up north.
As she trains as a lacrosse player, she connects her passion for physical therapy with her passion for lacrosse. “Now getting to see the body through that lens and now lifting is really cool to kind of like apply it and translate it over,” says Ritchie.
As a senior, this should be her last time playing collegiate lacrosse. However, due to COVID-19, she has two more years of eligibility. The extra two years perfectly aligns with her six-year PT program. Like at the start of her recruiting process, the stars seem to align at the end of her collegiate experience as well.
0:00- Her interest in major Physical Therapy
4:08- Ithaca sports
7:40- Her teammates and their schooling
10:14- Weight Lifting and PT
11:58- Life at Ithaca
