Thursday is a big day for Adriana Kuryla, who will check into a Rutgers women’s soccer game for the first time after suffering two concussions last August. It’s also her birthday, which is the subject of more than a few one-liners within the program.
The Marlboro resident and Howell High School graduate is turning 24.
“All the coaches and players keep making jokes about it. They’re like, ‘She’s going to be 30,’ but I feel young at heart,” Kuryla said. “But I’m definitely in a different place in my life than other people.”
The defender was granted a rare seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA, making her one of the oldest players in collegiate sports. She has a bachelor’s degree from Columbia (in psychology and sociology) and a master’s degree from Rutgers (in labor and employment relations). She entered college in 2016, when Barack Obama was still president.
“I haven’t gotten what I wanted out of soccer,” she said. “I’ve been in soccer but I haven’t been playing. I want to finish the way I want to finish.”
Kuryla missed two seasons at Columbia due to stress fractures and stress reactions in both of her lower legs. During her first postgrad season at Rutgers, in the spring of 2021, she was a regular defensive contributor on an NCAA Tournament team. Then, on her 23rd birthday last August, she took an accidental elbow to the temple from a teammate during practice. Fortunately, that concussion was mild, but right after she was cleared to return, her car got rear-ended on Route 18 and she sustained another concussion.
This one lingered. For a while she could not attend school or even go on her phone. Only in late November, when Rutgers won the school’s first Big Ten title, was Kuryla able to join the team as a spectator. She made the trip to California as the Scarlet Knights advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals.
“Growing up that was always my dream; you want to go to the Final Four,” she said. “My teammates and coaches deserved it, but it was tough for me. I was there and it was exciting, but I wasn’t playing. I wasn’t practicing hard. It was hard because I couldn’t be there the way I wanted to be there.”
After the season she considered her options. She petitioned the NCAA for a seventh year. In her letter she mentioned setting an example for her younger sister Gabriela, who suffered an ACL tear a couple of years ago and is now entering her senior season with Marlboro High School’s soccer team.
“I want to show her she can still do it, too,” Adriana wrote.
She actually entered the transfer portal in the spring — it’s tough to get playing time at Rutgers, which enters Thursday’s opener ranked sixth in the national preseason coaches’ poll and as the co-favorite to win the Big Ten along with Penn State. But after a conversation about her role with head coach Mike O’Neill, she decided to stay put.
“It’s awesome to be back at Rutgers,” she said. “Soccer-wise, it’s the best option I could ever have. I really love the group of girls here. We have a couple of (graduate) transfers, which is nice because there are some people my age.”
Her decision to stick it out was a welcome surprise to her teammates.
“I was shocked when Adriana was coming back, but I really respect her determination,” said sophomore goalkeeper Cameron Kennett, who is a Toms River North graduate. “For her to still want to be here and want to do it, and want to make something of her final season, she brings such good energy as someone who is older and has a leadership role.”
Missing three years due to injuries is rotten luck, but it brings perspective. Coaches like to preach things like “living in the moment” and “respecting the game.”
No one has to remind Adriana Kuryla.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and the college basketball beat since 2003. He is an Associated Press Top 25 voter. Contact him at [email protected].