PHOENIX — Emilie Hilliard views all the success of the past season as the ultimate reward for overcoming a series of devastating hardships on and off the field soccer field.
The Phoenix native and 2019 John C. Birdlebough High School graduate was recently named to the Academic All-America Second Team by the College Sports Communicators for the latest in a line of accolades following the deepest playoff run in NCAA Division II Gannon University women’s soccer history. .
Hilliard served as the senior captain and started all 23 games on defense, helping the Golden Knights (15-4-4 overall) to their first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament final and into the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the team history.
She did so while maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average managing an intense academic workload as a biology major with a pre-med concentration to go with minors in chemistry, health care ethics, and philosophy.
Hilliard stayed the course after tearing both ACLs in separate injuries early in her career. As a senior, she played through grief and charged emotions after losing her mother, Aimee, to a cancer battle this past July at age 56.
“I think every year, every obstacle that I faced, it just made this year that much sweeter,” Hilliard said during a recent phone interview. “It was super cool to be able to make that history and show ourselves that this was a special team that will be remembered for years.”
Hilliard scored her first career goal as a senior, and the 5-foot-10 defender was named the PSAC Women’s Soccer Champion Scholar for the second straight year. She is a three-time PSAC Scholar Athlete, and last year, won the Division II ADA Academic Achievement Award.
“Regardless of the circumstances, it always seemed like she was facing adversity, one way or another, and every single time she just came through it with flying colors,” Gannon coach Colin Petersen said. “That says a lot about her character, and she’s a very smart kid going into medicine, and you need that kind of drive and confidence in yourself to succeed, so I think that’s going to help her a lot down the road.”
Hilliard started on her challenging course when she tore the ACL in her left knee prior to her senior year at Phoenix. She missed the season but still graduated as the program’s all-time leader with 51 career goals, a record just eclipsed this fall by Courtney Carter.
Gannon honored Hilliard’s commitment and she gained full medical clearance six months after her initial tear. But during a preseason scrimmage entering her freshman year for the Golden Knights, Hilliard suffered another major setback by tearing the ACL and MCL in her right knee with a slight meniscus tear.
She diligently went back to the rehab process and said she felt confident knowing she had the continued support of Petersen and her teammates.
“It made me feel like this was a place I wanted to put a lot of effort into, because they were putting their faith in me,” Hilliard said. “It showed me that they believed in me, and I wasn’t just some player, I was more than that. They believed in me as a person and player and my ability and my drive, so that was reassuring.”
Hilliard’s expected return to the field was delayed in fall 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns prompting a condensed spring season, making it nearly three years between her final high school appearance and in-game collegiate debut.
She started two matches in the spring 2021 campaign, five outings last year, and was selected as a captain upon becoming a full-time starter on defense as a senior.
“I really appreciated getting that (captain) opportunity because the last few years, I tried to lead by example, even when things were hard and weren’t going my way,” Hilliard said. “Getting that recognition spoke volumes to me but also to the other girls on the team, especially those who are coming back from injury or don’t have a set spot, that if you work hard and come in every day with a positive attitude, who knows what can happen.”
Petersen spoke of Hilliard’s rise to the starting lineup among the most impressive he has overseen in his 21 seasons as head coach of the Golden Knights.
“It wasn’t always easy for Emilie, every year she just got better and better,” Petersen said. “She’s the kind of kid that was in my office early on asking what she could do, and she went out and did it. It goes without saying that her teammates respected her, she was a captain this year, and she earned her spot more than anyone I can remember.”
Hilliard pointed to her first career goal this year as one of her brightest on-field memories. She took a corner kick against regional rival Mercyhurst for the first time as a collegiate player and hooked the shot into the back post.
“The goalkeeper tried to tap it, but it still went in, so everybody was screaming and crazy and ecstatic, and I think I actually cried a little bit,” Hilliard said.
She also pointed to the program offering to recognize her a year early on senior night in fall 2021 so her mom could participate in the ceremony while fighting illness. Hilliard was recognized again this year with her father and brother present and said that she cherished the gesture from the year before.
Petersen credited Hilliard’s bravery and courage displayed over the course last year.
“It just seemed like she was really determined to carry on,” Petersen said. “She could have easily just said: ‘It’s going to be too much,’ and she never did. There was obviously a lot of emotion, but she just handled it much better than I would have, and I think she’s just that kind of kid.”
Hilliard pointed to her mother’s illness and her positive experiences with doctors while recovering from knee injuries as the key reasons she chose to study medicine.
Hilliard is currently conducting interviews in the process of entering medical school and said that she currently plans to move forward pursuing her career instead of seeking additional eligibility for Gannon through potential medical redshirts and a COVID waiver. She is aiming to enter the osteopathic field.
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