Rylie Wollerton spent a lazy Friday afternoon livestreaming the opening-round match of the NCAA field hockey tournament between Harvard and Louisville.
As she watched, the Pine-Richland senior envisioned herself on the University of Michigan pitch, wearing Louisville black and helping the Cardinals attack.
“It’s kind of crazy because, right now I’m watching them on TV and next year I’m going to be playing with them,” Wollerton said. “That’s pretty cool.”
Wollerton committed to play at Louisville before she and her family relocated to Pittsburgh from Virginia prior to her junior year. And the Cardinals knew they were getting a gem the moment they saw her play during a three-hour clinic in Virginia Beach.
“I think what got my attention was her energy. She was coachable, kind of in-your-face and had great effort,” Louisville coach Justine Sowry said. “She was pretty raw, but each time we were able to see her, she was improving every single time.”
It’s probably a good thing Wollerton is heading to Louisville next year. The 2020 and 2021 Post-Gazette field hockey player of the year accomplished almost everything she possibly could individually at the high school level.
“She is the best player coming out of the WPIAL I’ve ever seen,” Pine-Richland coach Donna Stephenson said. “Hands down.”
Wollerton took the WPIAL by storm in her two years at Pine-Richland. The midfielder finished with 89 goals and 24 assists in her two seasons with the Rams, including a WPIAL-leading, school-record 56 goals this season, to help the team win the past two Class 3A titles.
Including the 50 goals she scored her freshman and sophomore seasons at West Branch High School in Chesapeake, Va., she finished her career with 139 goals.
“When I look back, I was at two schools and it feels like high school was a lot longer with two years at one place and two years at another,” Wollerton said. “When I moved here, I made an immediate impact and it’s cool to see how much I improved.”
Now that her high school career is over, Wollerton is looking forward to the next step in her journey. What helped bring her decision into clearer focus was when she officially signed her national letter of intent on Nov. 10.
“It definitely feels very real and I’m going to be going in a few months, which is super-exciting,” Wollerton said. “It’s definitely where I want to go, so I couldn’t be happier.”
About the only things left to figure out are where Wollerton will fit into the Louisville lineup and if she could potentially start her freshman year. The Cardinals are graduating three attackers and a midfielder from a team that went into the NCAA tournament as the No. 6 seed.
“What usually holds freshmen back is what’s between the ears, to be perfectly honest,” Sowry said. “She has all the tools, but it’s just, we go fast and furious and, if you are ready, you’re ready and, if you’re not, you’re not.”
Wollerton has a pretty good idea of where she needs to improve and already has a plan in place to get her ready for her debut at Traeger Stadium.
“I definitely want to get stronger because it’s a lot more physical when you get to college,” Wollerton said. “I also have to get more accurate shots because you don’t get as many opportunities as you do in high school.”
Knowing she must bury her chances is a good start to figuring out the college game. But she will still be a freshman and will have to adapt to the speed of the game at the next level.
“She’s got to be OK with making mistakes and moving forward so it doesn’t stunt her growth,” Sowry said. “Every year we have freshmen contribute. What gives her an advantage is that she’s an attacker and they’re likely to get more opportunities.”
First Published: December 1, 2021, 10:30 a.m.
