13 Melanie Ruderman
Class: Junior Hometown: Valley Stream, N.Y. High School: Valley Stream Central Height: 5-3½ Position: INF B/T: L/R

2011: Started 22 of 25 games in which she played predominantly at second base...hit for a .193 average with four RBI...had an on base percentage of .281 and a .263 slugging percentage...started the second-most games at second base...went 2-for-3 and knocked in three runs against Rider (3/16)...suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against Wagner (4/6)...one of 13 Lafayette players selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.

High School: Five-year varsity player who was a team captain her junior and senior seasons...selected All-Nassau County in 2010...earned all-conference laurels as a sophomore and junior...high honor roll student who was a National Honor Society member and a member of the mu alpha theta, a mathematics honor society... lettered in volleyball as an all-conference player and basketball...awarded the Henry Waldinger Award which is given to the top athlete at Valley Stream Central...worked on the fundraising committees for her school's Make A Wish and breast cancer awareness chapters...member of the varsity volleyball and basketball team.

Favorite Quote: "Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

Why I Chose Lafayette: I chose Lafayette College so that I could receive an extraordinary education at a prestigious institution while also playing a Division I varsity sport.