Hokie ClubBuilding off its run to the second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament, the Virginia Tech women's soccer team is beyond proud to welcome each and every member of its 2022 signing class as part of the next generation in its program-long tradition of family. During the weeks to come, Tech will eagerly introduce its newest class of Hokies one by one as the program excitingly looks forward to its return to the pitch.
BLACKSBURG – Ella Ciardullo is a five-foot-five attacker who hails from Milton, Georgia, where she was named a finalist for Gatorade Player of the Year out of Cambridge High School. An accomplished goal-scorer there and with NTH Tophat (Atlanta, Georgia), she has the potential to refuel the Virignia Tech attack that has witnessed a steady uptick in scoring during each of its last five seasons.
"We are excited to welcome Ella to Virginia Tech," said head coach Chugger Adair. "She was one of our first commits in our 2022 class, committing as a sophomore before the NCAA rules had changed.
"Ella brings a great deal of athleticism, quality soccer playing, craftiness on the ball and an ability to score goals. We see her playing many different positions for us – both up front and in the midfield. She has a very good creative mind for the game. We are excited to have her as part of our Virginia Tech family!"
A two-year varsity letterwinner at Cambridge, Ciardullo co-led the Lady Bears to their first-ever appearance in the Georgia Class 6A state championship match (2021), scoring Class 6A All-Region Second Team honors while garnering the school's Offensive Player of the Year award. In May 2021, she was selected to the DiVarsity Georgia High School All-Star Soccer Game, having tallied 22 goals and nine assists during her junior campaign.
On the club scene, Ciardullo shined within NTH Tophat for three years, helping the club finish second nationally on the Girls Academy League circuit and earn the No. 2 national ranking. Previously, she also competed for Concorde Fire (Atlanta, Georgia) – the second-ranked team in the Southeast region – and for United Futbol Academy (Cumming, Georgia).
Individually, Ciardullo has ranked inside the Top Drawer Soccer IMG Top 150 and is also ranked among the top five players in her region. She is also part of the Georgia Olympic Development Program (ODP) and has attended the U.S. National Training Center Combine.
What schools did you consider? "Florida, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Wisconsin."
Why Virginia Tech? "I really enjoyed my conversations with the coaching staff during the recruiting process. When I had the chance to visit Virginia Tech, I fell in love with the campus and the people. I love how Tech is a strong academic university and has one of the strongest women's programs in the ACC."
What was your favorite takeaway from your visit to Blacksburg? "The people! I had the best time visiting Virginia Tech with my family. The campus atmosphere was so awesome and welcoming, the soccer team and coaching staff made me feel right at home. I can definitely see myself on campus this fall."
What do you like about the Tech women's soccer program? "I was attracted to Virginia Tech because of its style of play. Everyone, from the players to the coaching staff, is so hard-working and dedicated to making this program a success. There is a great energy about this team and they have a great history of NCAA tournament performances."
What are your soccer strengths? "I feel like I am a creative player and can excel at multiple attacking positions. I feel like my speed, in combination with my technical skills, allows me to put pressure on the defense in the final third. That should help put me and my teammates in positions to score."
Who is your favorite professional player? "Carli Lloyd. She was such a creative and dedicated player who put in hundreds of hours to perfecting her sport. She was a leader both on and off the pitch."
What is your most memorable soccer moment? "With my club team, NTH Tophat Gold, it would have to be assisting on the match-winning goal during the semifinals of the 2021 Girls Academy Summer Showcase in Oceanside, California. With Cambridge High School, it would have to be scoring the match-winning goal during the semifinals of the 2021 Georgia Class 6A playoffs that sent us to the state championship match for the first time during school history."
What are you interested in studying at Virginia Tech? "I love everything about sports – not just soccer. I would love to work in a marketing or a public relations capacity with a sports team or other athletes. Therefore, I am going to concentrate on multimedia journalism at Virginia Tech and/or marketing management."
What is one thing you would want Tech fans to know about you? "I am a fan of the Hokies, the [Denver] Pioneers and the [Georgia] Bulldogs! I have a twin brother, Charlie, who I will be cheering on as he heads to Denver to play men's lacrosse. I also have an older sister who attends Georgia and is a huge supporter of mine."
Stay tuned to hokiesports.com through the weeks to come as Tech introduces more members from its 2022 signing class.