Super Sub: Abbondandolo is FGCU’s impact player off the bench
While the starters get a lot of attention in sports, it’s incredibly valuable to have a player that can come off the bench and make an impact. Just like Jamal Crawford or Lou Williams have in the NBA, Alyssa Abbondandolo has carved out a successful role as a “super sub” for Florida Gulf Coast University.
The junior star has three goals to go with an assist this season, all coming as a substitute. “I embrace any role that I can play in order for our team to be successful through the year,” Alyssa told BGN. “My teammates are a big help in this. We are all so encouraging to each other and we play for each other!”
When asked what goals she had individually for this season, Abbondandolo responded, “We all of course have goals but this sport is a team sport, we are all focusing on getting back on track to winning another ring and getting to the NCAA tournament.”
In both 2018 and 2019, FGCU has come up short in the ASUN Tournament semifinals. “Every game we play teaches us something,” she said about the lessons the team has learned in those tournament runs. “Win or lose we are always looking to improve on any aspect of the game. the littlest things make a huge difference.”
With Florida Gulf Coast, Alyssa, a native of Cape Coral, Florida, was able to stay continue her academic and athletic careers in her home state. “In the beginning when I was deciding on schools, FGCU wasn’t my first pick because it didn’t have my major,” she said about deciding on the school. “But when I came on my visit I fell in love with the team and the campus. The team was super friendly and accepted me into the team even when i wasn’t here officially.”
“The campus where I dorm we have a waterfront and there are so many things for us to do. The best part so far for me is traveling with my best friends and getting play soccer all over the country.”
For any announcer or fan across that country that’s been mispronouncing it for years, we went directly to the source to ask how to pronounce her last name. Alyssa said, “This is a funny question everyone messes it up it’s actually pretty simple it’s “Uh-bond-ON-doe-low”.
This week, when you say Alyssa Abbondandolo, you’ll want to add ASUN Player of the Week to the end of it. She earned the honor with a two-goal performance last weekend in a win over Jacksonville.
Tomorrow, she will try to keep that momentum going as FGCU travels back to Jacksonville to face UNF tomorrow afternoon. While she might not be in the starting XI, you can expect Alyssa Abbondandolo to make an impact at some point in the match.
