UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Every great team needs a great center midfielder. Someone who has excellent ball control and passing skills to go along with astute decision-making. Someone who has the ability to always play under control, even in tough situations. Penn State, fortunately enough, has that in Ohio native Emily Ogle.
"As far as I'm concerned, she's the best in the country at that position," head coach Erica Dambach said of Ogle, her fourth-year starter. "She's our quarterback. She's the one that's the brain of the operation and what I love about her is that she's a professional in every way possible."
For Dambach, Ogle is someone she often leans on, especially when it comes to executing the team's gameplan during games.
"I think she has dictated our play (as a team)," Dambach said of the redshirt senior. "You want her around the ball and I think she is capable of changing a game."
Even after being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2014 and making the All-Big Ten First Team last season, Ogle is off to arguably her best start yet. Through seven games so far this year, the kinesiology major has three goals scored, just four behind her career-best of seven in a season, which she accomplished in the 2015 season.
"It's always a work in progress. We're only seven games in and there's still a lot for us to learn and grow as people, players, and as a team," Ogle said about her early season success. "We're just focused on us right now and making sure we all improve each and every day."
Ogle redshirted during the 2016 season as she played for the United States' U-20 Women's National Team during the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. She started all six games for the U.S., and thanks to her good play during the tournament, Ogle was voted to be a candidate for the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year award
The midfielder is also well decorated in the classroom, as she is a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar award and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team in 2017.
Despite all her accomplishments both on and off the field throughout her career, Ogle is most recognized as a good teammate and person. Fellow Nittany Lion midfielder Shea Moyer talked about Ogle's leadership and great reputation throughout the program.
"Ogie is an amazing teammate. She's someone from last year that I learned a lot from," said Moyer, a sophomore from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. "I was coming off the bench last year and she was someone who I could always watch film with or talk to about anything with. She is such a leader on and off the field and I take so much from her."
"Every game, if there's low points, she's the person who tries to bring the team up and definitely plays an important role on this team," Moyer added.
As for the Nittany Lions' upcoming Big Ten opening matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes, Ogle is expecting a close and hard-fought game between two teams that are very familiar with each other.
"We always know we're going to get a good, physical game against them," Ogle said about the reigning regular season Big Ten champions. "Both games last year were battles and we know they're going to come out ready."
Ogle, along with the rest of the Blue and White, will host Ohio State and kickoff conference play Friday, Sept. 14, at 6 p.m. at Jeffrey Field.
