Western Carolina University

PRONUNCIATION: Giovanni RICCIARDI (rich-CHAR-dee)

2023 (Junior): Played in all 11 games as a reserve on defense and on special teams … Did not record any official statistics … Selected to 2023 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors … Named to the 2024 NFF Hampshire Honor Society ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2022 (Sophomore): Played in all 11 of the team’s games between special teams and as a reserve on defense … Credited with four tackles on the season with one tackle for loss – a 13-yard sack in the home win over Presbyterian (Sept. 17) … Matched his career-high with three tackles against the Blue Hose … Named to the 2022 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team … Credited with six tackles in WCU’s annual Spring Game intrasquad scrimmage ... Named to the 2022-23 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2021 (Freshman*): Played in 10 of the team's 11 games as a reserve on defense and mostly on special teams ... Finished the year with eight total tackles including seven solo stops ... Recorded a career-high three solo tackles at Chattanooga (Oct. 2) and had two solo stops in the road win at Wofford (Oct. 30) ... Named to the 2021 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2020-21 (Freshman): Played in seven games as a reserve on defense and on special teams … Made his collegiate debut at North Carolina (Dec. 5) … Credited with one solo stop at Furman (Feb. 20) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Recorded 104 tackles with four for losses and two sacks as a senior at West Forsyth HS where he earned All-Central Piedmont 4-A … Also broke-up 10 passes and forced three fumbles … High school head coach was Adrian Snow … Also played varsity lacrosse as a prep … Started his prep career at R.J. Reynolds High.

Personal: Is the son of Chrisann and Ralph Ricciardi … Has a sister, Sienna, who is involved in rodeo competitions.