Senior Ava De Filippo, is graduating early and committing to University of Washington to further advance her athletic career playing division one, NCAA women’s soccer. De Filippo verbally committed to UW in December of last year, leaving her excited and eager to start her journey in a few months.
Ranked top 100 in women’s soccer, competing in the Big Ten conference, one of the most competitive conferences in the country, UW is proud to offer Ava De Filippo, a spot on their roster for the 2026-2027 season.
With years of experience, De Filippo has been committed to the sport since she was three, as well as thriving in other athletics such as basketball, softball, and volleyball. However, soccer secured De Filippo’s focus by actively playing as a center back on Slammers HBK team for five years, three year varsity starter, and playing for 14 years.
Playing a big role in De Filippo’s soccer career, club Slammers HBK, is ranked number one in the nation for club teams, along with De Filippo’s team ranked third in the nation.
“I’ve been lucky enough to make this club team…to have the coach that I do, and all my teammates we all work so hard…I’ve just been really blessed with the opportunity to play for this team and just the club in general because We’re number one in the nation,” Said De Filippo.
During the summer before junior year, colleges and coaches are officially able to reach out, call, and email athletes that have caught their eye. De Filippo experienced this excitement the summer before her 2024 season.
“The calls are like really stressful because my family was there and we had zoom calls sometimes too, and you kind of just tell them about yourself and they’re kind of telling you about the school so its really nerve racking but it was a cool experience to do,” said De Filippo.
De Filippo however is no stranger to UW, competing in tournaments located in Seattle, allowing her to see the campus and expose herself to the community. Despite this, her official visit took place in November and December of her junior year.
“It was really cool, I got to meet all the soccer girls, I got to see where they eat, where they practice, and I got to meet all the counselors and all the academic help,” said De Filippo.
Nonetheless, committing to UW means De Filippo will be leaving SJHHS a semester early, cutting her senior year short.
“It makes me excited because there’s so many opportunities ahead but it’s also like really scary because I have to leave my parents a whole six months early, and I have to leave my friends behind, but I know that there is just something so big ahead of me,” said De Filippo.
Along with graduating early, De Filippo will be benefitting from getting a head start to her college experience and soccer season. She will be rooming with two of her teammates and starting classes within the upcoming semester.
“That’s also one of the reasons why I’m going early because season for college starts in the fall, so I’ll have all the spring semester to get chemistry with the team, get moving, and get going like a college athlete would do before that season starts,” said De Filippo.
Not only is De Filippo excited to pursue her soccer career at the collegiate level, but to further enhance her academic career at a school with a strong academic environment for its students.
