By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
SUAMICO – The Bay Port girls’ soccer team now has two Division I recruits on its roster.
Junior Emma Nagel recently announced that she will be continuing her soccer and academic career at Drake University, a Division I college in Des Moines, Iowa.
Nagel’s commitment comes after another junior, Alaina Abel, committed to Division I Loyola University in Chicago last November.
“From the first time I visited Drake, it has been my No. 1 option,” said Nagel, who was first-team all-state after her sophomore season when she tallied 27 goals and 23 assists. “The school is exceptional academically, is a good distance from home, the campus is beautiful and the size of the school is perfect. I really like the coaches – they are genuinely amazing people who love soccer and the team is very family-oriented. The recruiting process has been time-consuming and a was a little stressful but well worth it.”
The Pirates, who finished 24-1 last season, won the WIAA Division 1 state championship in 2018 and finished runner-up in 2017.
“My goal was to pick a school and make an impact right away,” said Nagel, who will study occupational therapy or speech pathology with a minor in Spanish. “In my conversations with (Drake) head coach Lindsey Horner, she believes that I can compete for a starting spot, so the expectations are definitely high.”
In 46 career games, Nagel has 42 goals and 29 assists.
Nagel said between now and reporting to Drake in the fall of 2020, she plans to continue to play high school and club soccer, but she also must get stronger due to the physicality of collegiate soccer.
Nagel was also recently named the Fox River Classic Conference basketball/defensive player of the year, so realistically, she could have played Division I basketball, too.
“I have been playing basketball and soccer for as long as I can remember,” Nagel added. “When I am asked what my favorite sport is, it’s always the one I am playing at the time. As I have gotten older, my heart has leaned toward soccer. A goal of mine has always been to be a multi-sport athlete. I have been privileged to play both, but the thought of playing college basketball and college soccer at the same time at the Division 1 level, would be very tough. Someday athletics will, unfortunately, come to an end, so I want to succeed academically as much or more than athletically.”