Career Highlights
- Entering 3rd Season
- 3 NAIA Tournament Appearance (2023, 2024, 2025)
- 1 NAIA National Runner-Up (2025)
Bella Ricchiazzi enters her third season as an Assistant Coach for the Patriots women's lacrosse team after joining the coaching staff in August 2023. Ricchiazzi was a standout player for the Patriots prior to joining the coaching staff.
During the 2025 season, the Patriots compiled a 17-4 record in 2025 in which they captured the AAC Tournament title and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament. UC went on to knock off top-seed Keiser in the national semifinals to become the first Cumberlands team to reach the national championship game multiple times. Cumberlands had six NAIA All-American honorees and 10 AAC All-Conference selections..
In her first season on the coaching staff, the Patriots compiled an 19-3 record and advanced to the semifinals of the NAIA National Tournament. UC swept the AAC top honors, while having 11 players earned AAC All-Conference accolades and seven NAIA All-Americans.
“I am thrilled to welcome Bella back to UC,” said Coach Buikus. “So much of our success she has been a part of and I can’t wait to see her coach and mentor these players with her high level of skill, integrity, sportsmanship and work ethic.”
Ricchiazzi had a stellar career for the Patriots, where she is one of the most decorated players in program history. She made history becoming the first women’s lacrosse player to earn NAIA Player of the Year accolades in back-to-back seasons. Ricchiazzi was a four-time NAIA First-Team All-American, a four-time First-Team All-Conference selection, and was the 2021 MSC Offensive Player of the Year as well as the 2019 MSC Freshman of the Year.
Ricchiazzi has etched her name in the UC record books with 359 goals, 207 assists, and 566 points over her Patriot career. The Framingham, MA native became the first player to tally over 200 career assists and 500 career points.
In her time as a player, the Patriots compiled a 74-12 record winning the conference regular season title four times, the conference tournament title in 2019, and qualifying for the NAIA National Tournament four times. Ricchiazzi was key member of UC’s 2021 team that advanced to the national championship game, becoming just the third team in Cumberlands history to earn a national runner-up finish.
