Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's soccer program is unveiling its 2018 signing class in a new way. Rather than releasing them all in one story, the Hokies will announce a new signee each week in a "Get to Know" format until all of the incoming freshmen have been announced.
The next player to be featured is Emma Steigerwald, a 5-foot-4 forward from Downingtown, Pennsylvania. She currently attends Downingtown East High School and will look to pursue a degree in either real estate or criminology at Tech. She played for coach Craig Reed and in her three-year high school career, she scored 43 goals and added 25 assists earning three letters.
She was the captain of the team during her junior season when she led the league with 28 goals and was named an all-state player, a first team all-region and the league's player of the year. She helped Downingtown to a runner-up finish in the league and a berth in the state playoffs.
Steigerwald was also the captain of the Penn Fusion Soccer Academy team in its inaugural season last year, which is part of the US Soccer Girls Development Academy. The team is ranked No. 2 in the Mid-Atlantic conference and 12th nationally. Prior to that, she spent five years with Penn Fusion in the ECNL league and was on the state's ODP team for three seasons, and once made the ODP Region I team.
"Emma's a great addition to our program. She came into us a little later in the recruiting process, but she's a really strong, physical, athletic forward who has a really good engine, a good work rate and is going to give us honest work up front," Tech head women's soccer coach Charles "Chugger" Adair said. "She has the mentality that we have here at Virginia Tech, just hard working and she's someone that is going to work for everything and to continue to grow in the program. I think she can be dangerous up front and really fit in with the other players well and I look forward to her impacting our forward line."
GET TO KNOW - Emma
Name: Emma Steigerwald
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-4
Hometown: Downingtown, Pa.
High School: Downingtown East High School
Other Schools considered: Villanova, James Madison
Why did you choose Tech? The program is fantastic and it's such a perfect campus.
What was your favorite thing about your visit? Seeing the campus and all the facilities it provides to student athletes.
What do you like about the Tech soccer program? How hardworking everyone is.
What are your soccer strengths? Speed, strength and athleticism.
Who is your favorite pro player (why)? Lionel Messi is my favorite, because he adapts to the most challenging situations so well. He can have several players on him at any given time and he manages to get through it.
What is your most memorable soccer moment (why)? Getting to play the Girls Development Academy feature game in a stadium with a live stream broadcast at a showcase in Florida. It was such a thrill and that moment will never be forgotten!
What do you think you will major in? Real Estate or Criminology
What's one thing you'd want Tech fans to know about you? I have 2 dogs – 1 lab and 1 beagle/terrier mix – and they are the love of my life.
Previous GET TO KNOWS
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