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One of the best offensive players in the history of The College of Wooster’s field hockey program, Emily White had elite speed and athleticism, which she used to develop into a strong lacrosse player as well, on her way to a very successful two-sport career.
Only two players at Wooster have ever totaled 100 career points in both field hockey and lacrosse, and White was the first to do it, with 102 in the former (35 goals, 32 assists) and 105 in the latter (90 goals, 15 assists). While the 100-point milestone is more challenging to reach in field hockey, that was White’s primary sport – whereas lacrosse was something she only began to take seriously after arriving on campus, making those 100 points a significant accomplishment in their own right.
White’s field hockey career got off to a solid start, with 10 goals and six assists over her first two seasons, and two all-North Coast Athletic Conference certificates (honorable mention and second-team) to boot. She had some exciting moments to that point, like scoring an overtime game-winner to beat archrival Wittenberg University 1-0 her sophomore year, but that was only a preview of what was to come.
As a junior, White produced a breakout season for the record books, with 15 goals and 17 assists en route to NCAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year honors. At the time, those 17 assists were the most in a single-season in NCAC history, and to this day, she remains the only Wooster player to have a 15-goal, 15-assist campaign. As a team, the Fighting Scots had a strong year with a 13-5 record and a third-place finish in the conference, but White and the star-studded cast around her (including W Association Hall-of-Famers Kate Dunne and Miriam Esber) had loftier goals to achieve in their senior seasons.
White was impressive once again, with 29 points on 10 goals and nine assists, which earned her first-team all-conference and all-region accolades for the second consecutive year. In addition, the Scots had great team success, as they won their first NCAC championship in 16 years with a sparkling 16-4 record (11-1 in NCAC), and qualified for the NCAA Div. III Tournament, where they were eliminated by a tough first round draw – No. 4 ranked William Smith College.
With career numbers that still rank among the best in program history, including the fourth-most assists (32) and 10th-most goals (35), White was voted to the NCAC All-Decade Team (1993-04).
“Emily is one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” confirmed longtime head coach Brenda Meese. “She was a talented athlete – very quick and aggressive – but what made her exceptional was how she willed the team to win. She would put them on her back to win.”
In lacrosse, White steadily improved over her four years into a top contributor, and the team improved with her, winning eight games, 10, 10, and a team-record 12 in 2002 on their way to their first NCAC championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. White’s best statistical season came as a junior with 34 goals and four assists, although she was second-team all-conference three times, and earned an all-region nod (second-team) as a senior.
White, who majored in history at the College, has gone on to work admissions jobs at several institutions, including Carver Academies, Western Reserve Academy, and now overseas at The American School in Switzerland as the associate director of admissions. Her occupation has given her the opportunity to travel to over 60 different countries. She also stays involved with field hockey and lacrosse, as the head coach for both programs at The American School, while also playing for an international club field hockey team.
She resides in Montagnola, a small Swiss village close to the border between Switzerland and Italy, with her husband Kevin and children Delaney (7) and Greer (5).