Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's soccer program is unveiling its 2018 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 Sarah Smith, a 5-foot-6 forward from Portsmouth, Virginia. She currently attends Norfolk Collegiate School and is contemplating majoring in human nutrition, food and exercise when she gets to Tech.
For Norfolk, Smith actually played five years for the high school team, earning a varsity letter each season. She was the team's MVP as a ninth and 10th grader, while earning first team all-conference honors. In 2016, she was the league's offensive player of the year, a first team all-state selection and led the Mighty Oaks to a conference title and a berth in the state title game.
Club experience for Smith includes playing for the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club for three seasons, earning the player of the honor twice, while the team finished third in the state cup.
"Sarah is a strong, athletic forward who has a good ability to hold the ball and be dangerous around the goal," Tech head women's soccer coach Charles "Chugger" Adair said. "She's someone who we have seen during the recruiting process and has played at different levels. We look forward to her being an attacking presence up front and adding to the depth of our front line and the ability for us to play balanced within our group. She will mix in well with the rest of our group and add some continuity with our team."
GET TO KNOW - Sarah Smith
?Name: Sarah Lawrence Smith
Position: Forward
Height: 5-foot-6
Hometown: Portsmouth, Virginia
High School: Norfolk Collegiate School
?Other Schools considered: William & Mary, James Madison, VCU, Radford, Old Dominion
Why did you choose Tech? My Grandpa went here during WWII and was drafted, but came back and finished his years here, so that had a big impact on my decision because I love feeling connected to him in that way. He loved this place. It's also the perfect place for me both academically and soccer wise and has the academic areas that I look forward to exploring.
What was your favorite thing about your visit? The facilities and food are amazing, but getting to see how much the students at Tech love really sold me. It was really important to me to go somewhere that the students loved fully and have no regrets, Tech is that, it seems like anyone who I talk to that goes here or went here is absolutely in love with it.
What do you like about the Tech soccer program? It's such a competitive atmosphere and I think I will thrive in the setting. It is an ACC school that has so much potential and players that grind. I'm especially excited to become a part of the athlete community in Blacksburg.
What are your soccer strengths? I have a knack for the goal, it seems weird to say out loud but I score goals. It's just always been something that I can do and I am good at. I have good speed and know when to be selfish and when to give it up. It's a team sport but it's important to be able to read the game while its going at 100 mph around you, and I believe I do that quite well.
Who is your favorite pro player (why)? My favorite pro player is Lionel Messi. He doesn't flop, he's such a team player, and he wins games. He's just such a clutch player all of the time.
What is your most memorable soccer moment (why)? Probably playing in my conference championship because it was 0-0 until there was only 15 minutes left. Our team was playing amazingly and we finally connected and I got an amazing through ball, and scored, then scored two more, and then drew a PK. It was so surreal. Suddenly the entire team just connected, we were all on the same page, no question about it. The fans ran onto the field after, it's just something unlike anything else.
What do you think you will major in? HNFE - Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise
What's one thing you'd want Tech fans to know about you? I'm a sucker for corny jokes, but ultimately I'm here to win games with my new team so I hope the fans are too.
Previous GET TO KNOWS
Kiersten Hening
Nicole Kozlova
Emily Gray
Emmalee McCarter
Karlie Johnson
Emma Steigerwald
Grace Sklopan
Molly Feighan
SA Phillips