RANKINGS
EVENTS
I COMMITTED
COLLEGE
ABOUT
Ava Venturelli, an outstanding junior outfielder for Dave Lotti’s Rhode Island Thunder 18U National team, gives as good as she gets.
This month, the Top 20-ranked player in the 2023 Extra Elite 100 took her campus visit to Louisville and committed to Head Coach Holly Aprile and her staff. That’s the “getting part.”
*** Got your own verbal story to tell? Share the details on our “I Committed” page! ***
Earlier in September, Ava participated in the “A Shot for Life Home Run Derby” to help raise money for cancer awareness.
How did Ava do? She finished the event with 64 home runs raising $2,245.
That’s the giving spirit she has.
“It really is an amazing honor to be picked for this event,” Ava told the Taunton Daily Gazette, her hometown paper in her home state of Massachusetts, shortly before participating.
“Being able to do what I love and have it help a cause bigger than I’ll ever know, is really amazing. I am super excited for the event and can’t wait to participate in such a fun competition and raise money for cancer research while doing it.”
All this following a superb summer on the fields that saw the athlete earn recognition on Extra Inning Softball’s 16U All-Summer Team after she hit .351 with 11 home runs, 42 RBIs and had a .416 on-base percentage.
We caught up with Ava to get her thoughts on what led her to commit to the Cardinals and how excited she is to play for the ACC school!
*****
Name: AVA VENTURELLI
Class: 2023
Position: Outfield
High School (City/ST): Taunton High School, Taunton, MA
Club Team: Rhode Island Thunder 18U National- Lotti
Committed To: Louisville
Date Committed: September 18th, 2021
What a great Summer you had and then followed it up this month with the Home Run Derby and now committing to the Cardinals! As far as playing on the field, what were a couple of your favorite moments over the last few months?
I would say the Thunder placing 5th at PGF Nationals this Summer and also playing in the Inaugural USA All American games in Oklahoma City on the College World Series field.
Let’s talk about your commitment: when did it pick up with Louisville showing the interest they did?
They watched almost all my games over this past Summer and reached out September 1 to set up a visit.
*** Scroll down to read more about Ava’s decision to play for Louisville…