Ariana Ramsey '22 Named to 2020 U.S. Olympic Women's Rugby Team

HANOVER, N.H. – It was announced today by USA Rugby that Dartmouth women's rugby junior Ariana Ramsey has qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. She is the first Big Green player in program history to represent her country at the Olympics.

"I am beyond honored and ecstatic to take on this opportunity," Ramsey said. "My years of hard work of being an athlete have finally paid off, and I am indeed following my dreams. I hope that I can be an inspiration to all people by sending the message that if you have a dream, to go and get it because the world is yours! My dad would have been so proud."

Ramsey is one of three National Intercollegiate Rugby Association (NIRA) players to have qualified for the Olympics that were pushed back from last summer due to COVID-19. Also part of Team USA are Harvard's Cheta Emba and Quinnipiac's Ilona Maher.

"I can't begin to explain how proud we are of Ari," head coach Katie Dowty said. "She's proven her resilience and ability to meet challenges at a world-class level to earn this incredibly special opportunity.

"Her mindset and attitude toward growth give her limitless potential, and I have a feeling we will see her on the world stage for many years to come," Dowty continued. "She's one of the fastest, most exciting players I've ever seen play, and I cannot wait to watch her represent her family, Dartmouth and the USA as she puts the world on notice in Tokyo!"

Even with the season canceled, Ramsey kept herself busy during the pandemic, being selected to attend a competitive training camp in Dubai back in April. She has been living and training at the Olympic Training Center of Chula Vista in San Diego since last summer.

After scoring two tries her freshman year, Ramsey really stood out as a sophomore in 2019-20, ending up first in tries (10) and second in points (50). She had a season-high three tries in the first two games of the season and scored the last two tries in the NIRA Semifinal game against Harvard. At the end of that season, she was named to the U.S. Pan American Games Women's Sevens Team.

Ramsey is the third athlete affiliated with Dartmouth to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics thus far. Molly Reckford '15 will compete in the women's, and Isalys Quiñones '19 is a member of the Puerto Rican women's basketball squad.

Schedules