Global strength benefits Blugold athletics

Jannuzzi, a defender and influential junior on the soccer team, was one of 13 international students to participate in Blugold athletics last school year.

“It’s nice being the only international on the team because that makes me feel special,” says Jannuzzi, who’s referred to as ‘Uzzi’ by her teammates. “I really like doing it.”

Adapting to teammates, coaches, a new campus and a new climate were all challenges Jannuzzi faced early on in Eau Claire, but she settled into athletics and academics thanks to a strong support network. She connected with associate head coach JD Jones, who first presented her the opportunity to play, and with many women on the team, including freshman midfielder Olivia Lukrafka Varassin, whose parents are from Brazil.

“The family would invite me over to Thanksgiving or holidays. They will come for the game and then invite me to have dinner with them. It was a way to speak Portuguese, which is my native language,” says Jannuzzi, who is from Niterói, within the state of Rio de Janeiro. “It just feels closer to home.”

“It’s just such a joy to finally have somebody who shares my background and culture,” says Lukrafka Varassin. “Hanging out with her is such a fun experience.”

Both women have experienced success on the pitch as well. Lukrafka Varassin was named the team’s Rookie of the Year while Jannuzzi received Practice Player of the Year following their first seasons as Blugolds. Jones says Jannuzzi’s work ethic and determination have created ‘glow moments’ for the team.

“She shows us how to deal with hard. She does it with grace, she does it with consistency and she does it with humor,” Jones says. “I think that’s a great lesson to learn in college.”

Tennis has a strong tradition of international players

UW-Eau Claire’s tennis teams have traditionally featured more international players than other sports on campus. Pablo Rincón, a third-year student from Bogotá, Colombia, was one of three such players on the men’s roster this past season.

Rincón enrolled at UW-Eau Claire without touring, drawn to campus by the College of Business and the ability to prioritize academics while still competing. He also received scholarships to make the opportunity more affordable.

The biggest challenges for Rincón have been the distance from home and the language barrier. A native Spanish speaker, Rincón says speaking primarily English is still a struggle at times but he’s happy with the progress he’s made.

“It has become a tool for me, something I can be proud of,” says Rincón, who is double majoring in business economics and business finance.

A welcoming environment within the tennis team has helped Rincón succeed on and off the courts. He credits head coach Matt Boughton with accepting everyone no matter their differences.

“I probably wouldn’t have asked for anything better,” Rincón says of his time at UW-Eau Claire.

Boughton has been improving his Spanish so he can converse with his players, learning words from them throughout the season. Rincón recently offered advice to Boughton’s high school-aged daughter who was struggling with the language.

“He’s like ‘I’d love to talk to her about it’,” Boughton says of Rincón. “He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

While Boughton doesn’t recruit international players, he welcomes those who seek out the Blugolds and can help build a strong culture. Currently that includes Rincón, sophomore Billy Hughes from England and freshman Emilio Monge Andrade from Ecuador.

“I’m not willing to bring someone in who’s a great player but not a culture fit,” the second-year head coach says. “There’s very much a gratitude to be able to play the sport and the sport can give them the opportunity to come to school in the United States. They’re really hard workers, really good leaders.”

Eau Claire native and first-year Blugold Danylo Ripeckyj has enjoyed learning about different cultures and backgrounds.

“It kind of opens up what life is like outside of this area,” he says. “They’re just a blast to be around. Their work ethic drives me to be better too because of their determination. It kind of rubs off on everyone else.”

High-achieving students

Catherine Lee played sports in high school and college, so she knows the commitment required to be successful as a student and as an athlete.

As the international student and scholar manager for UW-Eau Claire’s Center for International Education, she’s constantly impressed by the perseverance and determination of the small population of international Blugold athletes.

“The pattern is they’re very successful,” Lee says. “These are high-achieving students and the amount of success they’ve had in their academics, in their sport, I do see a lot of time management.”

Lee reviews applications that students submit for merit-based scholarships for international education. She also advises students and ensures they follow the rules of their student visas.

The current group of international student-athletes is primarily from North America and South America, but Lee says UW-Eau Claire is always looking to diversify its international student population.

“Those close connections have such a reach for our domestic students to get to know other cultures and also the different team cultures within international culture,” she says.

International students typically maximize their four years of eligibility while completing their academic degrees, assistant athletic director Amanda Hopkins says. The data also shows continued interest in becoming Blugolds, with five international students slated to join teams for a third straight academic year in 2026-27.

Cultural encounters at home and abroad

While international student-athletes make direct impacts on campus each year, some Blugold teams choose to travel abroad for cultural encounters.

The swim and dive program visits Puerto Rico each year, while the men’s soccer and football teams have both recently visited Germany.

The volleyball team has made three international trips since 2019, with its most recent excursion to Brazil in January. Head coach Kim Wudi says those opportunities allow students who don’t want to miss an entire semester of training to experience immersive activities.

“That’s been a commitment of our culture to say this is something really important to us and we will work really hard to raise the funds to do that,” says Wudi, who has led the Blugolds on international tours since 2006.

Wudi also pushes her players to live with athletes in different sports to increase their chances of interacting with international students.

Growth is a key goal

Jannuzzi has high expectations for her final season of college soccer. She’s known as the hardest worker on the team from her dedicated training regiment, and is in constant contact with her personal trainer, therapist and family members back home to ensure she’s strong physically and mentally.

With each practice and assignment completed, Jannuzzi continues to close in on a main reason for coming to the U.S.: to find success on her own.

“College is necessary,” Jannuzzi says, “to grow and reach your goals and achieve your dreams.”