Relationships & Goals: Emily Taggart Remembers Strong Academic, Athletic Culture at Wake Forest
12/16/2021 12:00:00 PM | General, Women's Soccer
Emily Taggart will become the first women’s soccer alumnae to be inducted in the Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame.
Emily Taggart joined Wake Forest women's soccer in the second season of the Tony da Luz era and helped establish a culture that saw the Demon Deacons advance to NCAA Tournament play in 18-consecutive seasons. She was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1998 and earned All-ACC recognition all four years of her career.
Taggart will soon be inducted as part of the 2021-22 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame Class and will be the first inductee from the Demon Deacons women's soccer program.
"It's a huge honor," Taggart said. "There's so many great players who have come through Wake Forest women's soccer. I was quite frankly surprised, grateful and honored."
Originally committed to Cal, Taggart decided to take the path less traveled and explore Winston-Salem and help build a program at Wake Forest.
"What really led me to Wake Forest was the opportunity to help establish the program and work with such a great coach," she said. "I met so many coaches in all my recruiting trips and throughout my career before I got to Wake Forest. I felt like Tony was a special coach. He cared about, and still does, the whole individual. I could really sense that about him."
After coming in for a visit to the area around ACC Tournament and watching multiple star players like Mia Hamm mix it up on the pitch, the idea of coming to Wake Forest became even more attractive to Taggart.
"I want to play for this guy," she said at the time. "I want to play in the ACC. This is where all the best players are.
"And I'm very adventurous. I didn't want to stay in California and go to Cal, which is where I was at first verbally committed. I had been playing with the same players my whole life. Why not take a risk, go on an adventure and try something completely new!"
The Deacons finished Taggart's freshman season 13-7-1 overall with their first ACC winning record, while Taggart earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
"They did a great job of preparing us fitness-wise before we got there, then there's a lot of training before the season even begins to help ensure we're as ready as possible," she said. "The things I was scheduled to do day-to-day before I arrived at Wake Forest coupled with the preseason was immensely helpful.
"Wake Forest is an amazing school. For me, I was excited about that challenge. I didn't know what I wanted to major in but was excited about a liberal arts education."
On Oct. 11, 1998, a little past the halfway mark of her freshman season, Taggart scored two goals against Duke just 31 seconds apart in a 4-1 home victory over the Blue Devils.
"I never felt like I was an amazing soccer player, but I just always felt great running," she said. "I was a really good sprinter. Even today, just getting out for a run is my haven and meditation. Naturally having speed was a huge advantage for me. Then having skilled athletes beside me helped me have success at Wake Forest."
Going from California to North Carolina could potentially offer a significant change for a college freshman both socially and culturally, but Taggart adapted quickly.
"Culturally, very different places," she admitted. "I enjoyed living in the south and enjoyed North Carolina. I ended up staying an extra year to finish a class. I loved the place, the people, and the pace of life. Being in a small community of around 5,000 students was special as well. My family all went to large schools, so I know what that campus life is like. Being at Wake Forest was really special because you get to know everybody."
The Deacs finished 16-6-1 in 1999, Taggart's sophomore season, while advancing to the finals of the ACC Tournament and the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
"It was pretty magical," Taggart said. "Erin Regan, who I'm still friends with and lives in California, was our goalkeeper and there was also Stacy Roeck and Kate Noftsinger — the four of us came in together. We decided that we really wanted to build a program together. We believed as freshmen when we arrived at Wake Forest that we could make an impact. We just lived and breathed soccer and that is something that was special.
"Our older players were ready for success as well. That time coming in, with the class we had, and the team dynamic, there was a special unity there. That's why we were so successful in the early years."
Wake Forest finished second in the ACC regular season standings in 2000 but lost to Florida State 1-1 (5-4) in the first round of the postseason tournament after Taggart missed a penalty kick. However, Coach da Luz put his trust in her and asked her to take a penalty kick in the Deacs opening game of the NCAA Tournament against Liberty.
Undaunted, Taggart drilled the back of the net.
"As soon as I made that kick again, I was back on my game," she said. "That was a tough moment (the miss), but a powerful moment as well."
Taggart had a hat trick in the 6-1 first-round win over Liberty, scoring three goals while assisting on another.
"When you're young and playing, you're just so excited to be there," she said. "Some of the memories are hazy, but I'll always remember the people."
Earlier that season, the Demon Deacons got their first win over No. 5 North Carolina in Winston-Salem, 1-0.
"That was incredible," Taggart said. "We had never beat UNC before. It was Stacy Roeck that made the goal. It's all a blur. That was a massive highlight. They had been such a powerhouse in women's soccer for a long time. That was very satisfying."
Taggart became a social worker right out of college, working with youth who had been kicked out of the public school system for various mental health issues. She later studied international policy at the University of Sydney, but now works in business development. She does not ignore the option of combining those interests for a venture down the road.
"I like the competition," Taggart said of her current career. "It's kind of like my athletic career. Now I'm just hunting for business instead of goals. It's a good fit for me."
Her main takeaways from her four years at Wake Forest were simply the relationships she built.
"Great friends and great people," she said. "Academically, amazing things happened for me. I learned so much. Obviously, athletically amazing things happened as well but at the end of the day it's about people."
Taggart will soon be inducted as part of the 2021-22 Wake Forest Sports Hall of Fame Class and will be the first inductee from the Demon Deacons women's soccer program.
"It's a huge honor," Taggart said. "There's so many great players who have come through Wake Forest women's soccer. I was quite frankly surprised, grateful and honored."
Originally committed to Cal, Taggart decided to take the path less traveled and explore Winston-Salem and help build a program at Wake Forest.
"What really led me to Wake Forest was the opportunity to help establish the program and work with such a great coach," she said. "I met so many coaches in all my recruiting trips and throughout my career before I got to Wake Forest. I felt like Tony was a special coach. He cared about, and still does, the whole individual. I could really sense that about him."
After coming in for a visit to the area around ACC Tournament and watching multiple star players like Mia Hamm mix it up on the pitch, the idea of coming to Wake Forest became even more attractive to Taggart.
"I want to play for this guy," she said at the time. "I want to play in the ACC. This is where all the best players are.
"And I'm very adventurous. I didn't want to stay in California and go to Cal, which is where I was at first verbally committed. I had been playing with the same players my whole life. Why not take a risk, go on an adventure and try something completely new!"
The Deacons finished Taggart's freshman season 13-7-1 overall with their first ACC winning record, while Taggart earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors.
"They did a great job of preparing us fitness-wise before we got there, then there's a lot of training before the season even begins to help ensure we're as ready as possible," she said. "The things I was scheduled to do day-to-day before I arrived at Wake Forest coupled with the preseason was immensely helpful.
"Wake Forest is an amazing school. For me, I was excited about that challenge. I didn't know what I wanted to major in but was excited about a liberal arts education."
On Oct. 11, 1998, a little past the halfway mark of her freshman season, Taggart scored two goals against Duke just 31 seconds apart in a 4-1 home victory over the Blue Devils.
"I never felt like I was an amazing soccer player, but I just always felt great running," she said. "I was a really good sprinter. Even today, just getting out for a run is my haven and meditation. Naturally having speed was a huge advantage for me. Then having skilled athletes beside me helped me have success at Wake Forest."
Going from California to North Carolina could potentially offer a significant change for a college freshman both socially and culturally, but Taggart adapted quickly.
"Culturally, very different places," she admitted. "I enjoyed living in the south and enjoyed North Carolina. I ended up staying an extra year to finish a class. I loved the place, the people, and the pace of life. Being in a small community of around 5,000 students was special as well. My family all went to large schools, so I know what that campus life is like. Being at Wake Forest was really special because you get to know everybody."
The Deacs finished 16-6-1 in 1999, Taggart's sophomore season, while advancing to the finals of the ACC Tournament and the third round of the NCAA Tournament.
"It was pretty magical," Taggart said. "Erin Regan, who I'm still friends with and lives in California, was our goalkeeper and there was also Stacy Roeck and Kate Noftsinger — the four of us came in together. We decided that we really wanted to build a program together. We believed as freshmen when we arrived at Wake Forest that we could make an impact. We just lived and breathed soccer and that is something that was special.
"Our older players were ready for success as well. That time coming in, with the class we had, and the team dynamic, there was a special unity there. That's why we were so successful in the early years."
Wake Forest finished second in the ACC regular season standings in 2000 but lost to Florida State 1-1 (5-4) in the first round of the postseason tournament after Taggart missed a penalty kick. However, Coach da Luz put his trust in her and asked her to take a penalty kick in the Deacs opening game of the NCAA Tournament against Liberty.
Undaunted, Taggart drilled the back of the net.
"As soon as I made that kick again, I was back on my game," she said. "That was a tough moment (the miss), but a powerful moment as well."
Taggart had a hat trick in the 6-1 first-round win over Liberty, scoring three goals while assisting on another.
"When you're young and playing, you're just so excited to be there," she said. "Some of the memories are hazy, but I'll always remember the people."
Earlier that season, the Demon Deacons got their first win over No. 5 North Carolina in Winston-Salem, 1-0.
"That was incredible," Taggart said. "We had never beat UNC before. It was Stacy Roeck that made the goal. It's all a blur. That was a massive highlight. They had been such a powerhouse in women's soccer for a long time. That was very satisfying."
Taggart became a social worker right out of college, working with youth who had been kicked out of the public school system for various mental health issues. She later studied international policy at the University of Sydney, but now works in business development. She does not ignore the option of combining those interests for a venture down the road.
"I like the competition," Taggart said of her current career. "It's kind of like my athletic career. Now I'm just hunting for business instead of goals. It's a good fit for me."
Her main takeaways from her four years at Wake Forest were simply the relationships she built.
"Great friends and great people," she said. "Academically, amazing things happened for me. I learned so much. Obviously, athletically amazing things happened as well but at the end of the day it's about people."
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