Suffredini Enjoying Early Success at Suffolk

Andrea Suffredini graduated in 2010 from where she played basketball and volleyball for the Scarlet Hawks. In her junior and senior spring seasons, she decided to participate in track, running the 400 meter relay. During her sophomore year she got the opportunity to play in the state semifinals and state finals games for volleyball. In her senior year, she helped lead the Scarlet Hawks to their first district tournament in years. Off the field, Suffredini was a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society, as well as a member of the high school’s peer mentor program.

After graduating, Suffredini decided to attend Suffolk University in Boston, where she is part of the entrepreneurship program (open business major) and a member of the Rams’ basketball team. In her first year, she averaged 3.6 points and 2.3 rebounds in 29 games for the Rams and helped pave their way to the conference championship game.

Suffredini begun playing basketball in the sixth grade and hasn’t stopped since. She looks up to Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo because of his style of play and how he carries himself as a player on the court. Suffredini loves Boston and is happy to have three-plus years left at Suffolk.

Favorite food: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Favorite athletic team: New York Yankees

Favorite movie: Dumb and Dumber

Favorite book: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

What’s on your iPod: I would absolutely go with Bruce Springsteen. I love every song by him.

What have you been up to since graduating from Milford High School a few short months ago?

I’ve been really busy with basketball and school, but I like that a lot. It’s been going really great. I absolutely love the city. I’m so happy I chose Suffolk. I know it was the right choice.

How was your first collegiate basketball season?

The basketball season was very, very good. We were a very young team and we didn’t have any seniors, so with the freshmen coming in we were essentially a brand new team. We made it all the way to the conference championship. We ended up losing to Emmanuel, but it was still quite an accomplishment for us.

What’s the biggest difference between high school and college basketball?

The biggest difference is the pace of the game and the overall speed of it. It’s so much faster, so much quicker; you just have to be such a solid player to be successful. Everybody is good now. Everybody loves the game, as opposed to high school where you have one or two basketball players on the team, if any. It’s definitely the pace of the game that is the huge difference.

What made you choose Suffolk University and where else did you apply?

I applied to schools where I wouldn’t play [basketball] and schools where I could play, because if I wasn’t going to play [basketball] I was going to go to a huge Division I school. So when it came down to it, I knew that I had to play basketball in college. I wasn’t done playing it. It ultimately came down to Western New England [College] and Suffolk and I absolutely loved the program at Western New England, but I knew I’d be happier at Suffolk because it was in the city.

Can you talk about your Milford High School experience and if you have any favorite memories on or off the court?

I absolutely loved high school. I was so happy that I went to Milford High; I loved all the people there. My favorite moment is…well, I have two. One of them was when we went to the state finals in volleyball my sophomore year. Coach Zacchilli pulled me up to play in the tournament and I actually got into the tournament and played in the state semifinals game and the state finals game, so that was real exciting. Even though we lost, it was so great to make it that far; it was such a great experience. My second favorite moment would probably be making the state tournament for basketball my senior year because it was the first time in I don’t even know how many years that our team made it to the playoffs, so it was quite an accomplishment for us.

Though your experience at Suffolk has just begun, what are you looking to do for a career when you get out?

Ultimately, I would love to own my own gym someday, that’s my goal. That’s what I’m looking to do with my degree [entrepreneurship program].

Who has had the biggest influence on your life?

My parents obviously have been unbelievable to me. They’ve been so supportive, by coming to every game and just being the best support system I could ask for. As far as coaches go, every single one of my coaches has influenced me. My AAU coach has been with me since sixth grade and he’s been with me every step of the way. He absolutely loves the game and I look up to him for his passion for the sport of basketball. Also, Brian Macchi, my high school coach…I just look up to him so much as a person, a coach, a competitor; I have so much respect for him. He just instilled the utmost confidence in me that no other coach was able to do. I’ve learned a lot from him and he’s definitely had a huge impact on my athletic career.

What kind of hobbies do you have/what do you do in your down time?

I love spending time in the city with all my friends here. Also, I actually like just relaxing in my down time, when I have it.