Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's soccer program is unveiling its 2019 signing class in a different way. Rather than announcing all of them and their accomplishments in one release, the Hokies will highlight each new signee individually, which will include a brief "Get to Know" Q&A, until all of the incoming freshmen have been announced.
Our second 2019 addition to the program is Makenzie "Mak" Graham, a 5-foot-9 midfielder from State College, Pennsylvania. She currently attends State College High School and is undecided in a major but is leaning towards psychology or nutrition. For the Little Lions, Graham played three seasons of soccer and also ran track, earning three letters in each sport.
This past fall, Graham, a senior captain, scored 18 goals and added 23 assists while earning a spot on the Mid-Penn First Team All-Star team for the second time in her career. She was also named to the team as a sophomore (she did not play high school soccer her junior season due to her club obligations).
On the track, Graham was a member of the 4x200m relay team that finished seventh in the indoor state championship, and the 4x100m team that was a district champion and placed 18th in the state meet. She also finished second in the 200m at last year's district meet.
Graham's ODP experience includes two years with the PA West State Team and she spent the 2016-17 season with the Region 1 Team, as the squad won the Inter-Regional Tournament in Boca Raton, Florida. Playing with the Region 1 1999 team, Graham travelled to Spain in April of 2017 and competed in the Mediterranean International Cup.
Over 10 days, the team won three out of five matches, beating two teams from Barcelona and one from Japan. They lost twice to Paris Saint-Germain, the second time in the semifinals of the MIC. She has also played with PA Classics DA and, most recently, has been with Pittsburgh Riverhounds Academy ECNL.
"Makenzie will add more athleticism to our group. She is tremendously quick going forward and is really good off the dribble," Tech head women's soccer coach Chugger Adair said. "She can play out wide on the midfield and she'll add some spice to our game going forward. She can break other players down 1v1 and create off the dribble. We're looking forward to her coming in and just adding some flare to our team."
GET TO KNOW - Mak
Name: Makenzie Graham
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-foot-9
Hometown: State College, Pennsylvania
High School: State College High School
Other Schools considered: North Carolina, Penn State, La Salle
Why did you choose Tech? I loved the coaches, the campus and the women's soccer program.
What was your favorite thing about your visit? I loved getting to know the team (#HokieNation) and getting to be a part of the team's pregame hype before one of its matches.
What do you like about the Tech soccer program? I really enjoy how hardworking all of the girls are academically and athletically. I also like how connected the players are to each other, including the coaches.
What are your soccer strengths? My soccer strengths include the ability to use both feet, my vision and my accuracy.
Who is your favorite pro player (why)? Mia Hamm has always been my favorite pro player since I was really little because she is so inspirational to young athletes and she teaches players to never give up. My favorite quote from her is "Celebrate what you accomplish, but raise the bar every time you succeed."
What is your most memorable soccer moment (why)? My most memorable soccer moment was when I played with the Region 1 1999 team in the MIC Tournament in Spain against PSG (France). This moment is special because it gave me the opportunity to challenge myself as a player and show my passion for the game.
What do you think you will major in? As of right now, I am undecided, but I'm leaning towards majoring in psychology or nutrition.
What's one thing you'd want Tech fans to know about you? I love puppies.
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