Emily Elsbernd '23 Recruiting Profile

My name is Emily Elsbernd and I am a class of 2023 defensive specialist from Ogden, IL. At 9 years old, I started playing competitive soccer in the local boy’s league and as we picked up tournament and league championships, I found a passion for soccer, specifically defense. Six years of playing with the boys encouraged me to go out for the high school boy’s soccer team and I fell in love with the sport even more as I worked my way up to being a varsity starter by the fifth game of my freshman year. Every practice, I can be found on the defensive line, always the first to volunteer when my coach asks for a defender. Playing with the boys has taught me that I thrive when challenged, and I carry this trait into the classroom, challenging myself and thriving in honors and AP classes as I work hard to be valedictorian come graduation. In college, I hope to continue to challenge myself both academically and athletically and step outside of my comfort zone as I pursue a degree in engineering. One of my greatest challenges so far came when I sustained an ankle injury in the spring of 2021 following a year-long hiatus from competition due to the pandemic. My injury kept me out of the majority of my sophomore season, as well as the entirety of my junior season this past fall. While I couldn’t play, I attended every game, cheering my team on as I took stats and helped coach the junior varsity team. As I continued to recover from ankle surgery this past October, I worked my way back to sprinting and long jumping in track and field this spring and I look forward to attending camps in the summer and providing video as I finish out my high school career strong next fall.