草莓社区

贵辞谤听聽(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), the final stretch of her final year of field hockey at 草莓社区 is turning out to be pretty special.

鈥淪he is having quite the week!鈥� said Coach Ashley Kisner. 鈥淪enior recognition was Saturday and we just got word Wednesday that she has been selected for the NFHCA Division III Senior Game! And Royals Athlete of the Week!鈥�

Preceding all of the off-the-field recognitions, Augsburger had a strong week of play. She assisted on the team鈥檚 only goal in their game against Bridgewater and then scored a stroke in Saturday鈥檚 senior recognition game against Roanoke.

鈥淓mily definitely deserves any recognition and accolades that come her way,鈥� said Kisner. 鈥淪he has been part of the backbone of this year鈥檚 squad. She is so versatile as a player as she plays both offense and defense, but she is a huge offensive threat for us and creates scoring opportunities for the Royals.鈥�

Augsburger, who is known as Augs to those on her team, has had three different head coaches in four years, but has maintained a positive presence in the midst of transition.

鈥淚鈥檝e definitely just tried to bring consistency and a positive attitude,鈥� she said.

That consistency has been aided by felow seniors 聽(Harleysville, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) and聽聽(Colorado Springs, Colo./Lewis Palmer) , who started with the Royals as freshmen.

鈥淓ven when other leadership is changing, the three of us, we鈥檙e together,” Augsburger said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely been good.鈥�

She balances field hockey practices and competitions with a busy schedule of nursing courses. During her clinicals, she had to be at the hospital by 5:30 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday. 鈥淚 guess my mantra coming into this year is that this is the last year I could possibly do this, and I didn鈥檛 want to give it up unless I really had to,鈥� she said.

Augsburger also has a role model in Lisa King, a nursing professor at EMU.

鈥淟isa was a nursing major and played field hockey,鈥� Emily said, 鈥渁nd she was like, 鈥楨mily. I did it, and you can do it. And you will do it.鈥� … So I knew that someone had done it, and it was possible.鈥�

Other nursing professors have also said they are proud of their athletes in their department. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 people supporting me,鈥� Emily concluded.

In high school, Emily was initially interested in radiology but after a shadowing experience, decided there was not as much patient interaction as she wanted. “I was definitely in it for the people,” she says. “It felt like there was a lot of opportunity with nursing.鈥�

And Emily is in it for the people in all areas of her life. Her favorite part of being on the field hockey team is the team itself.

鈥淚 get to play with such fun girls,鈥� Emily said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always stuck to the idea that there鈥檚 not a type of field hockey player. There鈥檚 girls from so many different majors, and so many different types of people.鈥�

She first got into field hockey in sixth grade, when she went to a field hockey camp. Her two older sisters played and several cousins.

Over her years of playing, she has become a real leader on and off the field. 鈥淎ugs is a leader both spiritually and athletically and has really made this team mesh as EMU field hockey, rather than a collection of athletes from different class years,鈥� said Coach Kisner. 鈥淲e will miss her very much next year and will need someone to step up to fill her role on the team as a captain and a player.鈥�

Augsburger will miss her team as well. 鈥淚 think I鈥檝e just been super fortunate to have a team that has been so positive and fun, especially this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd though it鈥檚 been tough having three different coaches, I鈥檝e learned something different from each one and I feel like I鈥檝e used that as I鈥檝e played.鈥�

After graduation, Emily plans to work in an area hospital.

鈥淒efinitely staying in Harrisonburg, maybe Charlottesville,鈥� Emily said. 鈥淕et a job, stay around here. I鈥檓 not done with Harrisonburg yet!鈥�