Meet Virginia Tech Professor Stella Volpe, who plays on the U.S. women’s national field hockey team | VTx

Throughout sporting occasions this fall, it gained’t simply be Virginia Tech undergraduate athletes working up the scoreboard – the Hokies can be  joined by another person from the classroom.

On high of main the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, the most important division within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Stella Volpe M.S. ’87, Ph.D. ’91 will signify Virginia Tech on the USA Masters Women’s National Field Hockey group in Cape City, South Africa, in early October.

Volpe, 59, acquired her first style of aggressive athletics when she engaged in gymnastics in grade faculty. That have led her to softball, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, monitor, and, after all, area hockey. Because the youngest of 4, she cherished competitors, whether or not it was out on the sphere or simply going for a run.

Volpe started area hockey in ninth grade, performed for the College of Pittsburgh as an undergraduate, and coached the membership group throughout her time in graduate faculty at Virginia Tech. She additionally was a collegiate and highschool referee.

That aggressive spirit by no means left Volpe. She continued to play in native golf equipment, which led her to check out for the USA Ladies’s Masters Nationwide Area Hockey group for the primary time in 2018 and once more in 2022. 

In between working a division and working on the sphere, we caught up with Volpe to ask her a couple of questions on area hockey, competitors, and her “pump up” tune. 

The place did the aggressive nature come from?

Because the youngest of 4, we messed round, performed, and have been all the time making an attempt to be higher than one another — in a great way. We might have foolish little contests wish to see who may eat a cantaloupe quickest. It was a little bit of every part — little issues that have been foolish and enjoyable.

How do you steadiness being a division head, a professor, and an athlete?

I work lengthy hours and typically very late into the evening and into the morning to make it possible for my work will get executed. A few of my workers will discover that they get 3 a.m. emails. It’s a sacrifice I’m keen to make, however it’s a steadiness. All of us must make it possible for we do the issues that we like to get a great steadiness in our lives. For me to have the ability to do that, to have good well being and the flexibility to do it financially, I really feel grateful.