Q&A with Lacrosse's Emma Johnson '22

What led you to Davidson?
I wanted a school that felt like home. A school that made me feel welcome. I was intrigued by the Honor Code as I had one at my school growing up. I wanted to be in warmer weather and decently close to home. I had never heard of Davidson, before being looked at by the lacrosse program. But after touring, I knew it was where I wanted to be.

What made you choose Davidson over other opportunities?
The academic rigor of Davidson greatly appealed to me.

If you were speaking to a recruit, what would you tell them about the highlights and challenges of being a scholar-athlete at Davidson?
Lacrosse is hard. You spend many hours practicing, running, watching film, traveling and playing games. You will have aches, pains and likely an injury or two, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. The support and friendships of teammates enriches your experience at Davidson. You have 33 built-in best friends. People to laugh with, cry with and struggle alongside. The environment at Davidson pushes you to be the best version of yourself and achieve success in many areas of your life. I feel well equipped to handle many situations that I may face in the real world. As a scholar-athlete, you don't just learn information; you also gain important life skills that will greatly benefit you in the future.

Philanthropic gifts from alumni, families and friends of Davidson Athletics help fund our 21 Division I programs at Davidson. What does that support mean to you and how do you believe support for your program has enhanced your experience and that of your teammates and program overall?
The Davidson women's lacrosse team has always been a small group of girls; it is not until recently, through scholarships, that we were able to grow our team. We were 26 strong my freshman year, and now we have 34 in my junior year. It is incredible to see our team grow. We are able to create a more competitive and intense practice environment to grow our skills in. With larger numbers, we can do more effective drills and even scrimmage ourselves (with subs!). It is incredible the difference donors have provided us. I am extremely grateful.

You've been a scholar-athlete at Davidson during unexpected and challenging circumstances in our country and around the world. How has that shaped who you are now versus who you were when you first came to campus, and how do you think it has affected the direction your career path is taking?
When I came to Davidson, I knew I liked science. I figured I would go pre-med and become a doctor one day. And, of course, that has changed. I was introduced to the idea of the pre-nursing track by a pre-health event panel where one of the speakers was a nurse practitioner. I loved the idea of having autonomy and spending more quality time with patients. From there, my interests grew, and I strove to learn more and more about the career. In speaking with my coach about my goals, she connected me with a former player who is currently a nurse practitioner down in Charleston, SC. I was able to speak with her, gain advice and solidify my interest in this career path. Even once the pandemic hit, my goals did not waver. If anything, I was even more attracted to the idea of being in the medical field. Being an athlete at Davidson encouraged me to crave a quick-paced work environment.

What interests/paths do you plan to pursue after Davidson?
Nursing. Specifically, I would like to become a nurse practitioner in the field of women's health.

Favorite memory as a Wildcat?
My favorite memory was our game against Duke (2/12/2021). This was our first game back since the beginning of the pandemic. After months of training, we were finally able to be back on the field doing what we love. Though we lost, it was the most fun I'd had in a very long time. Playing a close game with Duke (No. 15 in the country) was an incredible way to kick off our 2021 season. I am so grateful for the opportunity to play again with my best friends.

Donor contributions to the Davidson Athletic Fund support scholar-athletes in many ways including scholarships, sport-specific operational budgets and capital projects.

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