Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech women's soccer program is unveiling its 2020 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 includes a brief "Get to Know" Q&A, until all of the incoming freshmen are announced.
The sixth player (of 10) to be introduced from the 2020 class is Averi Visage, a 5-foot-10 center back from Acworth, Georgia. She currently attends Harrison High School and is considering majoring in biology when she arrives at Tech.
For the Hoyas, Visage has earned three varsity letters so far playing under coach Jonathan Gross with her spring senior season upcoming. As a junior, she was the team's captain and MVP, and she will captain the team for the 2020 season as well. Harrison won regional titles in both 2017 and 2019, was the 6A Georgia state champions in 2017 and lost in the title game this past May. Visage was an All-Region first team player after her freshman and junior years and was also an All-County choice in 2019.
Visage has almost a decade of club experience starting with seven years playing for the Tophat Club Soccer team as a forward and center back. Highlights of her time there include two ECNL conference titles (2016, 2017) and three ECNL national playoff appearances (2016-18). She was also a conference player to watch (2017, 2018), an ECNL Southeast PDP invitee in 2018 and a three-time US Soccer Training Center invitee.
The past two years, Visage has played for coach Garvin Quamina, and alongside fellow Hokie 2020 newcomer Erin Carleton, with Concorde Fire Platinum ECNL as a center back or holding midfielder. The Fire were the Southeast Conference champions after the 2018-19 season and made an ECNL national playoff appearance.
"Averi is an experienced player who has played many different positions through the recruiting process," Tech head coach Chugger Adair said. "We've seen her play up front, out wide, center back, and center midfield. She has very good size, good soccer playing ability and is somebody that we think can come in and really improve the spine for our team.
"She can play in that center midfield spot or the center back spot. She is a good ball winner, a good passer and has very good game understanding. We're looking for Averi to come in and compete for one of those spine spots that we're graduating kids out of."
GET TO KNOW - Averi
Name: Averi Visage
Position: Center Back, holding mid
Height: 5-foot-10
Hometown: Acworth, Georgia
High School: Harrison High School
Other Schools considered: University of Georgia
Why did you choose Tech? I chose Tech because I fell in love with it on my first visit. The campus, team, and academics were all what I was looking for in a college.
What was your favorite thing about your visit? My favorite thing about my visit was going to the football game against Clemson. The stadium was packed and it was really fun.
What do you like about the Tech soccer program? I really like the coaching staff, close team atmosphere, and nice athletic facilities.
What are your soccer strengths? I am decently tall so a couple of my strengths are playing in the air and my physicality. Also, another one of my strengths is being able to play anywhere on the field.
Who is your favorite pro player (why)? My favorite pro player is Lionel Messi. I love to watch Messi because of his effortless skill on the ball and his speed.
What is your most memorable soccer moment (why)? My most memorable soccer moment was in my freshman year of high school when I scored a header goal in the state tournament in the last two minutes of the game to send my team to the championship.
What do you think you will major in? I think I will major in biology because I am interested in going to medical school and becoming a doctor.
What's one thing you'd want Tech fans to know about you? I want Tech fans to know that both of my parents went to the University of Virginia, but I have officially made them Hokie fans!
Previous GET TO KNOWS
Kate Bonshak
Dori Haugen
Erin Carleton
Alia Skinner
Tori Powell