Photo by: Greg Vasil
Cunningham Wins Prusmack Award
5/30/2025 2:11:00 PM | Women's Rugby
SHU Senior Takes Collegiate 7s Top Honor
SAN DIEGO, Calif. – The U.S. Rugby Foundation announced its recipients of the 2025 Prusmack Award, the preeminent honor for Collegiate Sevens, and Sacred Heart's Aly Cunningham was the female recipient.
Cunningham, who led the Pioneers to the best finish ever at the CRAA Women's Collegiate Sevens 2025 Championship Tournament, captained the Pioneers to several milestone victories over traditional rugby powerhouses. She will be honored by the foundation at the 2025 US Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - presented by Major League Rugby – on July 18 in Washington, D.C.
"Aly is the most prolific player in the history of our program," said Michelle Reed, Sacred Heart's head coach. "This is a tremendous honor, and she is a very deserving recipient. Aly's passion and commitment to SHU rugby will have a lasting impact."
She was selected All-NIRA First Team three consecutive years and named SHU's top female senior athlete (2025 Athletic Director's Award) this Spring. Cunningham joined the New York Exiles for the inaugural Women's Elite Rugby season and is also planning a late summer of sevens competition before heading to the University of Edinburgh, where she will pursue an MSC in management and continue playing rugby at a high level in Scotland.
Cunningham totaled 662 career points combined in 15s and 7s over her four-year SHU career. She had 80 career tries and 416 points from conversion.
The U.S. Rugby Foundation, when announcing the recipients, had this to say about the Pioneer star. "Alyssa (Aly) Cunningham's success in the rugby world feels almost inevitable — she was immersed in the sport before she could lace her boots. Though she excelled in multiple sports, she narrowed her focus in high school to pursue her true passions: rugby and ski racing. At Catholic Memorial High School (CMH) in Wisconsin, Aly was a key figure on a strong rugby team that regularly competed at the State, Midwest, and National Championship levels — winning the State and Midwest titles and finishing as national runners-up. She capped off her high school career as CMH's 2021 Athlete of the Year."
Cunningham, who led the Pioneers to the best finish ever at the CRAA Women's Collegiate Sevens 2025 Championship Tournament, captained the Pioneers to several milestone victories over traditional rugby powerhouses. She will be honored by the foundation at the 2025 US Rugby Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - presented by Major League Rugby – on July 18 in Washington, D.C.
"Aly is the most prolific player in the history of our program," said Michelle Reed, Sacred Heart's head coach. "This is a tremendous honor, and she is a very deserving recipient. Aly's passion and commitment to SHU rugby will have a lasting impact."
She was selected All-NIRA First Team three consecutive years and named SHU's top female senior athlete (2025 Athletic Director's Award) this Spring. Cunningham joined the New York Exiles for the inaugural Women's Elite Rugby season and is also planning a late summer of sevens competition before heading to the University of Edinburgh, where she will pursue an MSC in management and continue playing rugby at a high level in Scotland.
Cunningham totaled 662 career points combined in 15s and 7s over her four-year SHU career. She had 80 career tries and 416 points from conversion.
The U.S. Rugby Foundation, when announcing the recipients, had this to say about the Pioneer star. "Alyssa (Aly) Cunningham's success in the rugby world feels almost inevitable — she was immersed in the sport before she could lace her boots. Though she excelled in multiple sports, she narrowed her focus in high school to pursue her true passions: rugby and ski racing. At Catholic Memorial High School (CMH) in Wisconsin, Aly was a key figure on a strong rugby team that regularly competed at the State, Midwest, and National Championship levels — winning the State and Midwest titles and finishing as national runners-up. She capped off her high school career as CMH's 2021 Athlete of the Year."
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