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It doesn’t take long to notice Ashley Dimnaku‘s confidence.
It’s not arrogance. Rather, Dimnaku exudes that confidence with how she attacks everything. Going into her recruiting process for both soccer and lacrosse, Dimnaku knew that she wanted to be a little bit different than everyone else.
“I’m very driven and self-motivated, and I do like to challenge myself,” Dimnaku said. “I try to be the best at everything that I do and I’m very motivated to be the best. That consistent effort is how I got to this point.”
The No. 4 player in the class of 2028 in the first One Percent girls rankings, the dynamic two-way midfielder from Phillips Andover (Mass.) and Mass Elite first went through the recruiting process in June. Soccer starts its Division I recruiting for rising juniors on June 15, and Dimnaku got plenty of interest from major schools. Despite that, she knew that she wanted to wait until Sept. 1, when lacrosse programs could reach out, to make a decision as to exactly what she would do in college.
“I was highly recruited in June, but I told the schools that I’m also good at lacrosse and that lacrosse is super important to me, just like soccer,” Dimnaku said. ” I wanted my experience to include both sports. The decision wasn’t based on a whim because I didn’t want to be committed for one and walk on for the other.”
Taking On a Major Challenge
Problem solved. Apparently, it wasn’t challenging enough for Dimnaku to play two Division I sports. She also felt the need to do it at one of the premier academic institutions in the world when she verbally committed to Princeton for both sports. She’s one of two top-50 commits in the Tigers’ class, where she’s joined by East Chapel Hill (N.C.) and Ultimate South midfielder and One Percent No. 35 ’28 Avery Ellis.
“Andover is so rigorous academically and that was something I knew that I wanted to continue,” Dimnaku said. “You can’t play sports forever, so it’s setting yourself up for after that. I like to challenge myself and that’s just what I did. I never thought twice about it and I’m happy with my decision.”
Dimnaku was a dominant force for Massachusetts at the American Select event to finish the summer. In the semifinals, she essentially singlehandedly vaulted Massachusetts into the final with a ludicrous performance against Philly. Dimnaku dominated the draw circle in the first half and had three goals and an assist on her team’s first four goals. It gave a glimpse of her ability to effortlessly take over a game. Dimnaku’s ability to make her presence felt all over the field is a big reason why she was so highly recruited. In soccer, she plays a holding midfielder spot. She expects to play similar roles in college, which is another factor that drew her to the Tigers.
“The coaching staffs were everything that I was looking for,” Dimnaku said. “Strategically, I can envision myself in my roles for both soccer and lacrosse. The staffs were very supportive and they fit what I was looking for. I talked to a lot of the girls on both teams and they had a lot of good things to say.”
Tigers Over the Top?
Both programs have been competitive, but they’re looking to take that next step forward in the coming years. The lacrosse team won the Ivy League Tournament last year but hasn’t made the Final Four since 2004. The soccer team won the Ivy League’s regular-season title last year, but also hasn’t made the Final Four since 2004. Dimnaku sees an opportunity for her and her classmates to push the Tigers over the hump, both in the fall and in the spring.
“They’re growing programs, and playing for them and helping them improve is obviously a goal,” Dimnaku said. “I feel like they’re both very good and I can definitely make an impact.”
It’s hard to imagine that she won’t.