15 questions with... Abby Bosco, a Penn women's lacrosse senior

The Daily Pennsylvanian asked Abby Bosco of Penn women’s lacrosse 15 questions about her time with the team, her experience at Penn, and her life overall. Here's what the senior had to say. 

1. Where are you from?

I’m from Suffern, N.Y. It’s actually very similar weather to Philadelphia. It’s only a two-hour drive, which is so nice. During non-COVID times, I definitely got to see my family a lot and they got to come to all my games which was nice. There are a lot of trees, mountains, a lot of outdoor stuff.

2. How did you get into lacrosse?

I actually started playing a long time ago. I was four years old. Suffern is actually a really big lacrosse town so me and a ton of my friends started playing lacrosse when I was in kindergarten.

3. Is there any history of sports in your family?

My mom and dad both played sports in high school as well as my younger sister and older brother. My dad actually played basketball at Geneseo State, which is a Division III school.

4. How did you end up choosing Penn?

I never thought I wanted to go to school in the city but from the second — I was actually only a freshman in high school when I visited, and I came with my mom — I stepped on campus, and I loved how you are in the city so we have the luxury of going a couple blocks and getting some the best food, cool scenery, cool monuments and shops, but when you are on campus you really feel like you are on a campus. You can’t really find a better opportunity that pairs such prestigious academics with playing for a top-ten team in the country, where we are competing for a national championship and are being coached by some of the most decorated coaches in the game. From the second I visited, I just felt how much of a family the team was.

5. What are you studying? How do you like it?

I’m majoring in Communications. I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do coming into school and a few of the older girls had said that they were Communications majors and really enjoyed some of the professors and classes. I’ve really liked it. Some of the professors are really awesome people and I’ve had a good experience.

6. How has your team coped throughout COVID-19?

Obviously that quote, “Play every game like it’s your last.” You never know when you play your last game and that came full circle on March 13 last year. I was like, "they will never cancel [the] season because of this’" and then the next day they did. At first, we were all devastated and blindsided but this year coming in, we’ve really tried to make the most of what we did have. In the fall, we were able to do a lot of stuff over Zoom with the team, and our strength and conditioning coach, Cory Walts, was amazing and put out a whole program for us based on if we had weights or if we didn’t, really to make sure we were staying [in] shape and in playing shape for when we did get back. We were able to find a field where we were able to go, obviously without coaches, to run through the seniors where we were able to play some lacrosse and get our sticks back in our hands. It’s been really devastating watching all these other conferences play but this spring, we’ve really been cherishing every moment and not taking a single second on that field for granted and just having so much fun out there.

7. What measures has the team done in terms of keeping spirit?

It’s been really hard but I think encouraging everyone that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. So, we don’t know if it’s six months, eight months, or a year from now but it’s all going to be worth it when you beat Princeton, when you win an Ivy League championship. Whether it’s going to be this year or next year, it’s still for something. I think that’s the biggest thing, having to remind people it’s going to be worth it and all the work you are putting in now will pay off in the end.

8. Who is your favorite team to compete against?

I think I have two. So, one, I mean this is going to be the obvious answer, but Princeton is our biggest rival in our conference. It’s always so much more than a game and it’s such a big game. But then also, we have a very, very strong rivalry with Northwestern, so there’s a lot of pent up emotions and energy going into playing Northwestern.

9. Favorite lacrosse player at Penn of all time?

Definitely, I guess one of the reasons that I chose Penn was one of the first girls from my high school, her name was Lely DeSimone, she went to Penn and graduated two years before I got there. She was from my town, so I would always watch her play and her dad was my [junior varsity] lacrosse coach in high school and was somebody who gave me confidence and believed in me when other coaches didn’t. He’s a big reason as to why I am the player I am today. When I was making my decision, he was a guidance counselor, [and] I went into his office and he was like, “I mean, obviously I’m biased towards Penn” and he was definitely a factor in making my decision. So, I loved to watch her play and her speed was nothing like you’ve ever seen before.

Also, I actually played with Erin Berry for three years and she really was a person who left her mark on everybody around her. Every single day watching her play, she gave her body for her team and she was such a role model on and off the field. She was the perfect teammate.

10. Favorite moment on the lacrosse team?

We have so many good memories together but I would say that one of my favorite memories or moments here was in my freshman year, getting to play in my first NCAA tournament game. That’s something you dream of as a little girl who’s aspiring to play a Division 1 sport and we wound up winning and beating Penn State in double overtime, and that feeling, when we were storming the goalie was just the best and a dream come true. That moment is everything you picture when you dream of playing college sports.

11. Favorite sport to watch?

My favorite sport to watch is definitely football. I love the NFL and college football. I have an older brother so he’s obviously so into that stuff. Every Sunday, my Dad and him and my whole family have big NFL game days.

12. What is your dream job?

This is something not a lot of people know about me, but when I was growing up, my dream job was always to be the first female head coach in the NFL. But now it’s more so just, I’m not sure what exactly I want to do still, but I definitely want to work somewhere in the sports industry, whether it’s marketing or PR, but something where I’m getting to work with a sports league.

13. Favorite movie?

My favorite movie, and I can’t even count the amount of times I’ve watched it, is "Cheaper by the Dozen".

14. What music do you listen to?

I was never really into this type of music until quarantine, but I started to listen to country a lot. But honestly, when I’m working out or just walking down Locust, I usually just play whatever is on the top charts. I’m not really picky about music, I listen to anything.

15. What is your Dream travel destination?

I have had this one in my head and I’m going there someday: Bora Bora. It’s just so beautiful.