Hokie ClubEditor's note: After perhaps the best individual season a Virginia Tech lacrosse student-athlete has produced, we caught up with Paige Petty to discuss how she got her start in the sport, reviewing the 2018 season and her goals for the future of the program.
Q: When did you first start playing lacrosse? And what are some of your memories from the beginning of your career?
PETTY: "I first started playing in eighth grade and I have memories of playing every summer. What I remember the most is all of my teammates."
Q: What drew you to lacrosse and made you stick with it?
PETTY: "I really like the speed of the game and how quick you have to think and make decisions in a flash. It just goes by so fast I think."
Q: Who are some the people that you credit with your development and success in the sport of lacrosse?
PETTY: "Definitely my parents have always been the backbone of everything that I've done, but Coach DeWitt he coached me in eighth grade and he definitely got me started on the right path I think."
Q: What was your recruitment like and how did you make contact with Coach Sung?
PETTY: "I didn't get recruited by Coach Sung at first, but when he came in it was really nice to hear everything he wanted to do and still wanted me to be a part of it which was awesome."
Q: How would you summarize your first year in Blacksburg?
PETTY: "Extremely hard at first. My first semester was definitely really hard getting used to everything. You learn a lot and it's just like a system where everything comes into place second semester and hopefully this year is a lot easier."
Q: What were some of the things that were different than what you expected they would be and what might have been similar?
PETTY: "I kind of knew what to expect but I didn't expect it to be that difficult. As freshmen all going through the same thing everyone in my class got really close and helped each other out."
Q: What is it like learning from Coach Sung and the staff every day?
PETTY: "It's good, you definitely get better every day, the level of competition is always matched by everyone else's, its good."
Q: What aspect of your game has improved the most since you stepped on campus?
PETTY: "Probably working with everybody as a team on the field."
Q: Can you describe the feeling of being a part of the most successful season in program history your freshman year and already raising the bar for Virginia Tech lacrosse? You led the team in scoring, you led the conference in ACC goals and had the program's first ever goal in the NCAA Championships.
PETTY: "It was so cool to be a part of especially to be the first team to go to the NCAA tournament is crazy and just getting to say that you did that, not many people get to say that."
Q: The awards keep rolling in for you, First team All-ACC, All-American etc. what does that recognition mean to you personally?
PETTY: "I didn't really expect any of that when I came in here but just wanted to be the best for the team and it just came with it I guess. It feels good though."
Q: What are you looking forward to about 2019 with a season of experience under your belt?
PETTY: "Definitely the new players coming in but just being able to play with everyone again and I think we got a lot closer also so it's just like you are family out there playing together."
Q: Any areas of your game that you are most focused on sharpening or adding a piece to your game?
PETTY: "Probably shooting. I think I can have more power and accuracy"
Q: What are your personal goals in 2019 and what do you think the team can accomplish?
PETTY: "I think we can get further than we did this year in the NCAA tournament. I think we need to just click and we have everything we need to be successful this year and I think we will be."
Q: Down the road in 2021 when you walk out with a diploma, what do you hope to have accomplished on the lacrosse field, what is Paige Petty's legacy going to be?
PETTY: "National champions for sure, and our legacy …. I hope we leave a huge mark to everyone coming in and establishing that this is how we do things here. (Sung) is always talking about the process and I want everyone to believe in the process."