From Women’s Army Rugby To The Paris Olympics: Soldier-Athlete Sammy Sullivan’s Story

CPT Sammy Sullivan, a standout West Point rugby player and 2024 Olympic bronze medalist, reflects on her path from a plebe navigating Beast Barracks to becoming one of the Army’s most accomplished soldier-athletes. She revisits formative cadet experiences, balancing academics, military culture, and Division I athletics, as well as the mentors, teammates, and challenges that shaped her identity. CPT Sullivan describes the competitive yet supportive culture of Army West Point women’s rugby and highlights pivotal moments that revealed her potential for international play. She also discusses the turning points that led to national team selection and eventual entry into the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), including her internal debate between pursuing a traditional Army career or competing on the world stage. CPT Sullivan offers insight into the realities of WCAP service, including funding and legal constraints, emotional trade-offs, and the leadership expectations that guide her performance in international rugby. She reflects on shifting Department of War and service academy policies that shaped her opportunities and considers how perceptions of service have affected her journey. Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics and beyond, CPT Sullivan shares the lessons she hopes future cadets and soldier-athletes, especially young women, take from her story.