Ruggiero made the commitment to the national team just two weeks before the start of school. She informed Stone of the decision in the final days of August. In the end, it was the commitment of her fellow national teammates and the desire to maximize her chance of winning the Olympic gold in front of her home crowd that convinced her to leave Harvard.

"I had pressure on both sides, but in the end it was my own decision," Ruggiero said. "I think the opportunity to train with the team is something I really needed. I would have been the only member of the team not there. U.S.A. Hockey has just provided us with a good schedule and everything. It's an opportunity of a lifetime, one that I've had twice now. I just needed to come up here and dedicate myself full time to developing this talent I have and play hockey."

Saying Goodbye

During the first week of school, Ruggiero came back to Harvard and spoke with the women's hockey team at the year's first team meeting.

"People just kind of found out I was leaving," Ruggiero said. "I was there first week of school, getting my stuff together, saying goodbye. It was just something I had to do. It was very emotional - there were tears the whole day. But I've got to take chances. I didn't want to go the Olympics and say what if. [Harvard] is such an unbelievable team, on and off the ice."

Ruggiero's Crimson teammates naturally understood her decision, yet were sad to see her go.