Hokie ClubBuilding off its run to the second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament, the Virginia Tech women's soccer team is beyond proud to welcome each and every member of its 2022 signing class as part of the next generation in its program-long tradition of family. During the weeks to come, Tech will eagerly introduce its newest class of Hokies one by one as the program excitingly looks forward to its return to the pitch.
BLACKSBURG – Emma Stanley is a five-foot-three forward who hails from Grand Blanc, Michigan, where she was a National Honor Society student and a College Board AP Award recipient at Grand Blanc High School. Eager to study aerospace engineering at Virginia Tech, she competed exclusively on the eastern Michigan club circuit, having co-led Nationals to the 2021 Girls Academy national championship trophy.
"We are excited to have Emma join our 2022 signing class and our Virginia Tech women's soccer family," said head coach Chugger Adair. "She is somebody who is proven to be an attacking-minded player who can play up front, play in the midfield and create or score goals.
"We have also been impressed with Emma's ability to lead. We think her leadership qualities will be a wonderful fit for our team culture and we cannot wait to have her on campus."
While competing with Nationals Blue, Stanley trained with coaches Gronthik Chatterjee, Jeremy Harkins, David Robertson and Tino Scicluna. During the club's run to the 2021 Girls Academy trophy, she and her teammates did not concede a postseason goal, ultimately defeating The St. James FC Virginia – a side that featured some of her to-be Tech rookie teammates.
Stanley, who led Nationals in goals during the 2018-19 campaign, served as the club's representative to the Girls Academy Advisory Panel and was a U.S. Youth National Team ID Camp invitee. Additionally, she competed for La Forza Soccer Club (since renamed Michigan Jaguars FC) under coach Dean Welsh, winning a Midland Invitational Tournament title.
What schools did you consider? "Purdue, Michigan, Virginia Tech and Western Michigan."
Why Virginia Tech? "I chose Virginia Tech for multiple reasons, but the most prominent being that it provides my specialized area of study while I compete at a very competitive athletic level. I felt at home on campus, with the upperclassmen and around the coaches. While playing in the ACC, I hope to be able to grow exponentially as a player under Coach Adair and the rest of the coaching staff while enjoying my college experience. Additionally, the campus is absolutely beautiful! I love that Blacksburg is a college town with nearly everything located within biking range."
What was your favorite takeaway from your visit to Blacksburg? "My favorite part about my visit was experiencing the atmosphere surrounding athletics. I loved watching the women's soccer team play No. 1 Florida State as well as attending Tech's football game against Pitt. I am a huge fan of all kinds of sports and follow them closely on ESPN or other platforms, so experiencing two different athletic events in one weekend was awesome! In addition to the games, I had a great time with the upperclassmen and finally got to meet the other women in my class, which was super exciting."
What do you like about the Tech women's soccer program? "Although I have not been able to step onto campus more than a handful of times so far, I can already tell that the atmosphere around this team is amazing! Just being in the locker room for the pre-match hype was enough to tell me that this team will be like family to me – that means a lot to me because I will be so far from home. I also like the competitive nature of the ACC, so I will be challenged daily to become the best version of myself that I can be on the pitch."
What are your soccer strengths? "I think that some of my strengths as a player include my abilities to go with the flow, play multiple positions and have a vision for the pitch when I am off the ball. I am constantly trying to develop myself further so that I can keep adding strengths to my game."
Who is your favorite professional player? "My favorite professional player is Tobin Heath. Out of hundreds of other pro players, both male and female, I love watching her play the most. Tobin is extremely talented and crafty with the ball and can beat defenders in the tightest of places. While following her statistics and her social media pages, it is clear to see how dedicated she is to the game, as well as how good a teammate she is. I aspire to play like her on the field and be able to beat defenders with such ease that someday young girls might watch me and want to be like me!"
What is your most memorable soccer moment? "My most memorable soccer moment is when my club team (Nationals) won the 2021 Girls Academy national championship. We had been pushing ourselves all season and well into the summer months to achieve this goal. Sometimes, it was hard when we had to go to training while others were taking vacations and hanging out with friends. But, once we were holding the trophy in North Carolina it was all worth it!"
What are you interested in studying at Virginia Tech? "I am planning on majoring in aerospace engineering. For the past eight years, I have had a similar passion for aviation. For a while, I considered becoming a pilot or something similar to that field. But, I began to get ahead in math and science throughout high school and realized that I might be interested in engineering. Working with the latest technology as well as professional design systems, I feel as though this will be a great career choice for me. I have spoken with a couple of professionals throughout the field of aerospace and quickly decided that aerospace engineering at Tech will be challenging, but equally exciting for my future."
What is one thing you would want Tech fans to know about you? "One thing that I want Tech fans to know about me is that I am very crafty and love doing hands-on projects. For example, I built my own surfboard during the summer of 2021 and even took it to California! Some of my other hobbies include drawing, painting, crocheting and wood burning. Two years ago, I began selling my items online and have had success at the local level. I look forward to developing my crafts further!"
Stay tuned to hokiesports.com through the weeks to come as Tech introduces more members from its 2022 signing class.