Emily Peterson

Classroom

Peterson is a fifth-year senior who maintains a 3.921 grade point average and is a two-time member of both ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District first team and the Academic All-Big 12 first team. The Mays Business Honors Program member is a finance major and economics minor who wants to go into the investment side of banking after interning with CMC Markets and The Rock Creek Group in Washington, D.C.  Peterson was twice named a Texas A&M/Verizon Outstanding Athletics Scholar after maintaining a perfect 4.0 semester GPA and earned the Texas A&M/Verizon Athletic Scholar award her freshman year by maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0 over the calendar year. She was on the Dean’s list and President’s honor roll her medical redshirt year (2007). Peterson was the CEO of the Mays Business Titans, organizing meetings, delegating jobs and ensuring participant preparation of 14 students selected to study the greatest literary works in business, investing and financial theory, under the guidance of an industry expert. She was also in the Mays Business School Fellows Program, being selected as one of 43 top business undergraduates to participate in intensive professional development program designed to strengthen team-oriented leadership abilities.

Character

Peterson was born without a left arm and has been overcoming obstacles her entire life, none of which stopped her from participating in and excelling at any sport. Her parents, Peggy and Dennis Peterson, encouraged her to participate in whatever sports she wanted as a child. Peterson learned to handle a ball and glove like former major league pitcher Jim Abbott and played basketball through her freshman year of high school, all the while playing soccer. Peterson deals with questions about her arm gracefully and is very matter-of-fact about having a prosthetic limb. Peterson starred at left back her first two seasons, being named the team’s newcomer of the year and defensive MVP as a freshman and sophomore, respectively. She was forced to redshirt the following season after surgery for stress fractures in both feet. She worked hard to come back from her injury and when she returned the fall of her junior year, a couple of early season-ending injuries by her teammates forced Peterson into a new position as a central defender. As a junior, she led a back line that included three freshmen and helped A&M to its fourth appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. For everything Peterson has gone through on and off the pitch, her competitive behavior and never-say-quit attitude are well-respected by her peers and coaches.

Community

Being born with one arm and excelling in sports, Peterson made it a point to help children like her. So for a weekend every year, Peterson volunteers at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Hand Camp, counseling parents of children with upper-limb differences and addressing difficult topics individually and to large audiences. She spoke at various elementary and middle schools about being a college athlete and the importance of making good grades. She volunteered for Helping One Student to Succeed (HOSTS), helping elementary school students for whom English is a second language by reading to, explaining and motivating them in a difficult communication environment. Peterson volunteered for an event done by Up With Nets. The program focused on fighting malaria. She volunteers for youth soccer clinics and helps at Texas A&M soccer camps, and works with the Junior Aggie Club during various events. Peterson was also one of 12,573 Texas A&M students to make a difference in the Bryan/College Station community in “The Big Event” where she painted, raked and cleaned in the community.

Competition

In her collegiate career, Peterson has helped Texas A&M become a prominent national force, leading the Aggies to three Big 12 Championships, a Sweet Sixteen appearance and two Elite Eight appearances in the NCAA Tournament. She garnered an All-Big 12 first team honor and two Soccer Buzz All-Central Region honors, in addition to being named the team’s defensive MVP twice and the newcomer of the year as a freshman. Peterson registered the most starts among the freshman class in 2005 and notched four assists and one goal in just five shots. She scored her first career goal on her first career shot and helped her team to a Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships and to the Sweet Sixteen. As a sophomore, Peterson started in all but one match. She helped lead the Aggie defense to a Big-12-best 12 shutouts, fired nine shots, six of which were on goal, and led her team to another Big 12 championship and an Elite Eight appearance. Peterson medically redshirted in 2007 and returned in 2008 as the experienced leader on a young backline. She helped the Aggies to eight shutouts and helped bring the Aggies back to the Elite Eight. In three years at A&M, Peterson has played in 82 games and totaled one goal, four assists, 24 shots and 14 shots on goal.