Welcome back to another episode of the RU Strong Podcast, where we share powerful stories from athletes who have pushed themselves to the highest levels of competition while navigating the challenges that come with elite performance.

Today’s guest is Emma Misal, an outstanding soccer player whose journey is a true example of resilience, sacrifice, and perseverance.

Emma grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where she quickly established herself as one of the top players in the region, earning Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division First Team and All-Centennial Girls Soccer First Team honors, while also being selected to the U.S. Women’s National Team Under-18 pool.

She went on to play for Rutgers University in the Big Ten Conference, where she was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team, earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors as a defender, and was recognized as Academic All-Big Ten. During her time with the Scarlet Knights, Emma helped lead the program to a Big Ten Championship and a Final Four appearance.

After graduating from Rutgers with a degree in psychology, Emma continued her academic and athletic career at the University of South Carolina, completing her master’s degree before taking her talents overseas to play professional soccer in Sweden.

In this episode, we dive into Emma’s journey through elite college athletics, the mental challenges that come with injuries and high-level competition, and the mindset required to keep pushing forward.

Emma Misal, welcome to the RU Strong Podcast.