Meet the 2022 Hokies: Ella Valente

In the year Strengthening its journey to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament, the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team is proud to welcome each member of the 2022 signing class as part of the next generation of the program’s long family tradition. Tech introduced its new hockey class one by one as the program looks forward to a dramatic return to the field.

BLACKSBURG – Ella Valente is a five-foot-six forward from Sterling, Virginia, who was a four-year varsity letterwinner in girls soccer at nearby Potomac Falls High School. An accomplished student-athlete both academically and athletically, she was a three-time all-region and all-district honoree with the Panthers as the 2022 recipient of the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame Foundation’s Student-Athlete of the Year. .

“On behalf of the staff and Virginia Tech, we are excited to welcome Elan to the team,” said head coach Chuger Adair. “We think she will be a fantastic addition to our program.

“Ella is an attack-minded player who can play multiple positions and is someone who is not afraid to put her work into all aspects of her game. She is dangerous going forward with her physical, strong, athletic and technical game. We are excited for her to join our team and the impact she will have on our team.”

As a forward and attacking midfielder at Potomac Falls, Valente excelled on the girls soccer team under coach Brendan Ogden. Although her sophomore season was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she turned three varsity seasons into three straight all-state honors, including three first-team All-Region and All-District finishes.


Valente was named Most Valuable Player in girls soccer as a junior at Potomac Falls, where she competed as a four-year varsity point guard in girls basketball. A bright student, she was inducted into the National Honor Society, serving as president of the Panthers’ Best Buddies International chapter and president of the student advisory board.


On the club scene, Valente competed against Virginia Union FC in Northern Virginia and appeared in the 2020 Elite Clubs National League (ECNL) national tournament in Florida. In the year She reached a pair of State Cup championships with DMV FC in 2019 and 2020.


Valente inherited her soccer prowess from her mother, Tina, who won two NCAA Division III national championships at the College of New Jersey.

Which schools are you considering? “East Carolina and Virginia Tech”.

Why Virginia Tech? “I chose Virginia Tech because of its amazing academics and the great women’s soccer players in the ACC. This school is a perfect fit for me because it has the balance of academics and athletics that I want. Tech’s atmosphere along with its beautiful campus also influenced my decision.”



What was your favorite excursion from your visit to Blacksburg? “My favorite thing about my visit was being able to be in the locker room with the team before the game to meet my future teammates. It was so cool to see everyone’s pregame practices and how the team gets up to music and music and music. Dancing.”



What do you love about the Tech women’s soccer program? “I love the environment that the coaching staff, team and fans have created for the Tech women’s soccer program. It looks like a competitive environment where many players are getting better and better, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”



What is your soccer strength? “My soccer strengths include my awareness and decision-making, how to attack defenders one-on-one and my ability to shoot accurately with both feet.”



Who is your favorite professional player? “My favorite professional player is Julie Ertz because of her desire to win every ball that comes her way. You can see her competitive nature and the pride she takes in her game. She always gives everything she has to help her team succeed. She has great vision, leadership and good possessions in the midfield and in the air.” She is good.



What is your most memorable football moment? “My most memorable soccer moment is my sophomore year playing with my sister’s high school soccer team. We both played midfield together and she helped me with some of my goals because we had great chemistry. The field. We used to listen to our pregame playlist to get our voices on before a game.



What do you want to study at Virginia Tech? “I think I put a lot of emphasis on human nutrition, food and exercise because that’s the path that leads to the physical therapy profession. As an athlete, I’ve been involved in physical therapy and I’m interested in helping people recover and get back to their normal lifestyle.”



What’s one thing you want tech fans to know about you? “I have two dogs named Bailey and Lily and I love the beach.”