By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/27/11
Villanova senior co-captain Rachel Lasda has been named the Phillylacrosse.com Collegiate Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
Lasda, a graduate of West Genesee High (N.Y.), is a Pre-Med major (Biology) who plans to become a physician and is currently applying to medical schools. She sports a 3.26 GPA and was named to the BIG EAST Academic team last year.
On the field, Lasda, a four-year starter, finished third on the Wildcats in scoring with 26 goals, eight assists and 34 points last year. This year she has two goals for the Wildcats, who fell to 1-1 Saturday after falling to Boston College, 14-8, in a BIG EAST opener.
Lasda’s father, Norman Lasda, is an orthopedic surgeon. He has served as her inspiration and motivation.
“I decided to become a doctor even since middle school because I wanted to help people in a different manner,” she said, noting she plans to study oncology or hemotology. “My father has always been a big part of my life.
“I know how much work he puts into his profession. I guess I have taken a lot of his characteristics into my personality. He knows how difficult it will be for me, but he wants me to do the best I can.”
Last summer Lasda spent 7 weeks in an internship at Guatemala working with nurses and doctors.
“I followed nursers and doctors and was their right-hand man,” she said. “I spoke with patients – they all spoke Spanish – and we handed out pills and vitamins and changed IV bags.
“They don’t have a lot of resources there and the physicians don’t get paid as much. But the experience only made me want to be physician even more.”
Lasda said the Wildcats hope to improve in the BIG EAST after winning one game in the league last year.
“We only won four games my first year and last year we won eight and we’re in a much-tougher conference,” she said. “We are definitely on the way up.”
To nominate a collegiate Scholar-Athlete, e-mail us at gollax@phillylacrosse.com
