When 2010 Monroe High School graduate Jamie (Armstrong) Maguire was recruited by George Washington University in Washington D.C. to play volleyball on scholarship, she didn’t know the full extent of what her contributions to the college’s athletic programs would be.

After Armstrong’s freshman volleyball season, the Colonials had a string of injuries on their girls basketball team. Armstrong was recruited to join Washington University’s basketball team for the 2011-2012 season, becoming one of a handful of rare athletes who’ve played NCAA Division I athletics in two sports.

She played a key role on the practice squad as the team went 11-18 overall and 4-10 in the Atlantic 10 Conference. She saw minutes in three games that season, with four rebounds, three blocks, a steal and two points in 14 total minutes.

“The basketball coaches had found out about my high school basketball career and they asked me to walk-on to the basketball team as well,” Jamie said. 

In high school, the 6-1 forward helped Monroe to three consecutive state tournaments in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Cheesemakers won it all in 2008, her sophomore season. 

In her senior season at Monroe, she had 99 blocks in 27 games year.

“Bringing that volleyball (skill) to basketball,” Jamie exclaimed.

She stands as the program’s career all-time leader in rebounds (803) and has top-10 marks in career points (4th, 1,059), shooting percentage (4th, 51.9%) and free throw percentage (5th, 78.2%). She holds four spots in the program’s top-10 in single-season categories for free throw percentage, rebounds and shooting percentage. 

“I will never forget the parades that the community put on every time we went to state. We drove the bus through the city and by all the schools — which was such an incredible way to start the drive to Madison,” she said. “I would say that my fondest memories are the way that my family, friends, and the community as a whole would rally around all of us — win or lose.”

Not only was Jamie a star in basketball, where she was an all-state pick and the 2010 Wisconsin State Journal Player of the Year, she also excelled in volleyball.

“There are way too many highlights from both high school and college. Not all of them revolve around a great season or a winning match,” Jamie said, “but are aligned with the memories made with family, friends, teammates and coaches.”

Jamie held the position of Middle Blocker on the volleyball court in college. Her team twice made the A-10 championship game, and her squad finished with a winning record both overall and in conference play during her four years on the team.

During her sophomore volleyball season at George Washington, she was honored three times as the A-10 Defensive Player of the Week. As a senior, she held the team leadership position. She said that of all the highlights and excitement that came with being a Division I college athlete, it was the camaraderie within the athletic community that sticks out.

George Washington University gave Jamie more opportunities than to just play sports. She met and married husband Andrew, a former swimmer for GW, and she was able to chase her dream as an events coordinator at the school. Jamie earned a Bachelors Degree in Sport, Event and Hospitality management in 2014 and completed her Masters Degree in the same field in 2016. She currently works for the Economic Club of Washington D.C. as a Senior Manager of Events and Meetings. 

“My studies at GW opened many doors for me in regards to the path I could take to work in the hospitality industry. I’ve always found joy in putting together special events for people and giving them an unforgettable experience,” Jamie said. “I was lucky enough to make connections with fellow classmates, that led to my role at the Economic Club. The Economic Club provides a prominent forum where eminent global leaders can share their insights about major issues of the day.”

She said the events she helps organize range from meetings to signature gatherings. While each new role and event adds skills and confidence, she said the largest event her company hosted was her first as senior manager: 1,500 people, a dinner and an interview with Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO.

“As silly as this sounds, I feel like my career path chose me,” she said. “Anyone who knows me, can speak to how organized I am — just ask my family: I typically make trip itineraries for all our vacations. I like to think that I took skills that came naturally to me — like organization, being detail-oriented — and found an industry that allowed me to grow those skills and learn new ones along the way.”

She also recently launched her own event planning company: Jamie Ruth Events.

“During my postgraduate time, I partnered with local D.C. event planners to assist as a day-of planner. What started out as an extra side hustle quickly turned into a passion,” she said. She plans on launching a website in the near future. Jamie said she brings something a little bit different to her events. “I love working in the hospitality industry because for me, I get to bring a sense of ‘Midwest charm’ to the events I work on the East Coast.”

When she was younger, Jamie saw the movie The Wedding Planner with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, and it put her down her career path.

“I remember watching that movie and falling in love with how she planned these amazing weddings. I loved that she was always prepared with her little wedding emergency pack, always had words of encouragement and was ready to keep things in order at all times,” Jamie said. “This was pre-high school, but I remember knowing that I wanted to be someone who was that prepared and ready to help others.”

During her senior year of high school, she helped set up the Hoops for Haiti fundraiser following the devasting earthquake in 2010.

She said she is thankful for the memories she’s made over the years. “Everything happens for a reason and those experiences have made me a stronger professional and a better person,” Jamie said.

“I am so thankful for the teammates I had, the rivals that became friends, the coaches who guided me, the media staff who followed our team and the memories that were made. All these aspects of prep athletics helped shape me,” she said. “I have some incredible memories with my family and friends of growing up in Monroe. My entire family was so supportive throughout my childhood in showing up for each other all the time.”

Jamie grew up the eldest daughter of Sue and Randy Armstrong, with younger siblings Andrew and Rebecca. 

“I can tell you, the thing I miss the most about Monroe, is how friendly and welcoming everyone is,” she said. “One of the biggest changes I experienced when I moved to D.C. was that everyone is in quite the rush and did not always take the time to smile or say hello on the sidewalk. Whereas, in Monroe, you always wave at the car driving by or say good morning to someone walking by you on the sidewalk.”

She said that one of the best things about being a student athlete all those years were that she was constantly learning how to manage her time better and to pay attention to details, skills that transferred over into her professional life.

Jamie said that of all the lessons the world of athletics has taught her, there are three things that stick out most.

“Take care of your mental health. You can be in the best shape of your life physically, but if you aren’t in a good headspace, it will never be enough,” she said.

Next is to “make time for the people who are important to you. I’m so thankful to have an incredible family and a tribe of wonderful friends who have helped me through great opportunities and difficult changes.”

The final lesson, she said, is to remember that everyone is a person.

“It is so easy nowadays to judge a person and decide if you like or dislike them, without even knowing them, she said. “You never know what someone is going through and why they might be acting the way they are. So, before you jump to saying ‘I hate XYZ’ and make sure you remember that — for the most part — everyone is a human being and dealing with their own set of ups and downs.”

She said that young athletes need to remember to play sports for the fun and to not be scared to try new things. “Nowadays, sports can become so intense and serious at a very young age and we can so easily forget that we are supposed to be having fun while participating. I am so thankful my parents put me in everything from ballet to soccer to volleyball to basketball and even a little stint in track and field. Each experience taught me something.”

Jamie added that high school athletes should understand they are role models for the younger generation, but that everyone should remember that the world is bigger than just sports.

“I say — as a competitive athlete and with a love of watching sports — that athletics can give you so many opportunities, but education and experience can take you even farther,” Jamie said. She went on to quote the NCAA, which states that fewer than 2% of all college student-athletes go on to become professional athletes. “Now imagine how small that number is for high school athletes trying to go pro. So, take the opportunities that athletics can give you and use that as a vehicle to continue to grow in other areas.”