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

Throughout sporting occasions this fall, it received’t simply be Virginia Tech undergraduate athletes operating up the scoreboard – the Hokies will probably be  joined by another person from the classroom.

On high of main the Division of Human Vitamin, Meals, and Train, the biggest division within the School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Stella Volpe M.S. ’87, Ph.D. ’91 will signify Virginia Tech on the USA Masters Ladies’s Nationwide Discipline Hockey workforce in Cape City, South Africa, in early October.

Volpe, 59, received her first style of aggressive athletics when she engaged in gymnastics in grade college. That have led her to softball, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse, monitor, and, after all, discipline 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 discipline hockey in ninth grade, performed for the College of Pittsburgh as an undergraduate, and coached the membership workforce throughout her time in graduate college 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 Discipline Hockey workforce for the primary time in 2018 and once more in 2022. 

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

The place did the aggressive nature come from?

Because the youngest of 4, we messed round, performed, and had been at all times attempting to be higher than one another — in a great way. We’d have foolish little contests wish to see who may eat a cantaloupe quickest. It was a little bit of every part — little issues that had 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 night time and into the morning to ensure that my work will get completed. A few of my employees 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 have to ensure that we do the issues that we like to get a very good 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.