Second Place Isn't Good Enough for Sam Apuzzo

Sam Apuzzo entered the final weekend of Athletes Unlimited in second place behind goalie Taylor Moreno. She knew what she had to do: Pick up a trio of team wins — the last of which would come against a Moreno-captained squad — and she’d take over the top spot on the leaderboard.

Team Apuzzo lost 9-7. But the race was still too close to call. AU put on an award ceremony without knowing the champion for certain.

“It was kind of funny to have an award ceremony and not truly know who got what place,” Apuzzo said. “Taylor and I were really close, but third and fourth, Ally [Mastrioanni] and Britt [Read], were really close, too, which makes it exciting.”

Ultimately, it was Moreno over Apuzzo by a hair (1,798 points to 1,782).

“Taylor played unbelievable that entire season,” Apuzzo said. “She deserved to get that place. There was no question in my mind that I was second.”

The runner-up spot is a familiar one for Apuzzo. At Boston College, she was part of three straight national runner-up teams. As an assistant coach at BC in 2022, she helped the Eagles to a runner-up finish (something she did again in 2023).

“I didn’t even put two and two together — last year and all my other second-place finishes,” Apuzzo said with a laugh.

While she may not have noticed a pattern, the close calls, including finishing in the familiar No. 2 spot last year, aren’t lost on Apuzzo.

“All those second-place [finishes] are bittersweet,” Apuzzo said. “People say, ‘Oh, it’s so great. You got there.’ But you never want to be second place. That’s motivated me year after year. It’s not fun to be in second, but it fuels the fire.”

To say all Apuzzo does is come in second would be a mistake. She has a Tewaaraton Award in her trophy case and was an assistant coach for BC in 2021 when the Eagles broke through and won an NCAA championship. Last year, she was an integral part of the U.S. national team that won a gold medal in the World Lacrosse Women’s Championship. She’s not satisfied.

“Yes, I’ve won a world championship, and that’s awesome, but there’s still a missing piece,” Apuzzo said. “I want to be playing at my highest level and dominating. Being in second and third place is not something I’m comfortable with but in the best way possible. There’s nothing bitter about it. I just want to continue to play and compete my hardest with whoever I am playing with.”

Apuzzo’s fierce competitiveness is sometimes masked by her unassuming — and at times bashful — off-field presence. Even that’s changed in recent years, though. She’s become more active on social media and unafraid to take up space (and make noise).

“I’ve become more comfortable,” Apuzzo said. “It’s given me more confidence not to be afraid to be who I am, to be super excited about a goal, to be a captain or coach my BC team. There are so many people who want us to be successful in our community, which I feel so grateful to be a part of.”

In March of last year, Apuzzo also joined the Athlete’s Unlimited Player Executive Committee, which identifies players to add to rosters and works through rule changes. She is the only college coach on the committee, providing perspective and bridging the gap between the NCAA and professional ranks.

“I’m watching the college game, watching how the game is evolving, and I can see how we can change or adjust stuff for AU or try something new,” Apuzzo said. “I’m trying to have a voice in that, speaking for college coaches and just help the sport grow. That’s my goal, to keep pushing the sport forward.”

After last year’s world championship, two of the sport’s marquee players retired in Kayla Treanor and Taylor Cummings. Apuzzo, the Player of the Match in the championship game against Canada, is a natural candidate to fill those cleats.

“There are really big shoes to fill with Taylor and Kayla leaving, and so many more,” Apuzzo said. “Being a veteran, even though it feels like I am not too far out of school, I want to do my part, push the sport and step into those shoes.”

But, unlike the last day of AU, Apuzzo isn’t looking to stand alone or be the only face on a promotional poster — the more, the merrier.

“I feel like in the past, there were a few spearheading it,” Apuzzo said. “Now, it feels like there’s a lot of people ... It’s cool to see how many people in our league and beyond are doing everything they can to move the game forward, whether it’s rules, broadcasting or social media. Everyone is doing their part, which makes it easier.”

And Apuzzo is learning from all of them as she evolves.

“I love lacrosse, but I am also a student of the game,” Apuzzo said. “I am constantly trying to be different and push myself out of my comfort zone. If I were the same player I was in college, I wouldn’t be where I am. It’s a constant growth.”

Will that growth include a one-spot move up this season’s final leaderboard? Time will tell. But don’t expect to watch Apuzzo settle.

“The competitive drive is still there,” Apuzzo said. “Five years out of college, and I am still competing the best I can. If I was satisfied, I don’t think I’d be competing.”