Quite the Encore Performance for Emily McCormack

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The conclusion of the 2023 University of Massachusetts Amherst women's soccer season was supposed to mark the end of her playing career.

Emily McCormack (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had appeared in 52 games over four years for the Minutemen and was several months away from getting a degree after studying biology and psychology.

She was beginning to plan for graduate school in the 2024-25 academic year, ready to put soccer in the rear-view mirror.

"I thought I was going to be done with soccer," said McCormack. "After my season ended at UMass, I was at peace with soccer being over."

McCormack did have another year of eligibility remaining, however, due to the COVID pandemic disrupting her freshman season at UMass.

And when she started looking at potential graduate schools, the list included Bridgewater State University, where some former East Bridgewater High teammates were playing.

So everything began falling into place for McCormack, who decided she'd pursue a Master's degree in clinical psychology at BSU in addition to playing for the Bears this season.

"There was a little piece inside of me that really wanted to take advantage of my fifth year of eligibility," said McCormack. "And once the idea that soccer could happen for me another year, that's when I said that I want to go to BSU."

Not only is McCormack playing with her younger sister, Caroline (McCormack), a sophomore forward, there are four other East Bridgewater products on the team.

McCormack's presence has helped the Bears (12-4-3) win the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships and reach the NCAA Division 3 tourney for the first time since 2013.

BSU will open on Saturday at 11 a.m. against 10th-ranked The College of New Jersey (17-0-2) in Ewing, N.J.

McCormack is second on the team and fourth in the MASCAC with eight assists, third on the team and sixth in the conference with 22 points and third on the team with seven goals in 19 games.

"It's been really awesome," said McCormack. "I love soccer so much. Being able to play for another year is awesome, but to do it with all these girls that have been so welcoming and to be able to do what we did all together, I feel like we've played together for years.

"It's been very satisfying. For me, this was the best way to close out my career. Just being able to be back at home and play, I'm at peace. I know when my career ends, I'll be OK with that. I'll have no regrets. I feel like I've done everything I wanted to do."

McCormack made six starts during her UMass career, coming off the bench in 46 games.

"I loved it there," said McCormack. "It was a great four years. I wasn't a starter, but I contributed off the bench for the majority of my career and had some good minutes, worked really hard and learned a lot. It was a great experience with a great coaching staff and teammates."

McCormack returned home from UMass to East Bridgewater one weekend last November and was able to attend BSU's MASCAC championship game against Westfield State with the Bears losing, 2-1.

"I was just there to support my friends," said McCormack. "I'd been watching them on-line during the season. When my team lost, I went back home for the weekend and supported them. I remember seeing them sad and upset because they had such a good season and were so close to closing it out."

Two weeks later, McCormack had gotten in touch with BSU coach Yasmina Carvalho about joining the team in 2024 for her final year of eligibility.

"I had no idea that I'd be a part of it a year later," said McCormack. "Looking back, it's crazy."

McCormack's presence in the lineup has helped boost the Bears' offense.

Junior Olivia Robarge (Pepperell, Mass.), the most valuable player of the MASCAC tourney, has scored 14 goals to rank second in the conference. Five of McCormack's eight assists have come on goals scored by Robarge.

"When you look at Olivia's success, a bit of it comes from Emily making the correct runs off the ball that created so much space for Olivia to attack," said Carvalho. "It comes from Emily creating that bond with Olivia and taking the time to get to know the person she was going to play with. They'd have conversations during the season so they could make each other successful."

Carvalho praised the way McCormack transitioned to the Bears after a four-year career at the Division 1 level.

"You just never know what to expect with graduate students," said Carvalho. "You don't know if they're going to fit in right away. You don't know if they're here for their own accolades or if they're here to help out a team.

"The first time I talked to her over the phone, she said, 'I'm committing to BSU, I'm committing to this team and helping your team to win a championship.' For her to walk right in and make a difference for us because of how she is as a teammate was unbelievable.

"You can come in with a big head and say, 'I'm a D-1 player. I'm here to show you D-3 players how to do it.' She came in so level-headed and so humble and just wanted to win a championship."

The final year has allowed McCormack to reunite on the soccer pitch with younger sister Caroline. The two had not been teammates since Emily was a senior at East Bridgewater and Caroline was a sophomore.

"It's been so awesome," said Emily. "She started soccer before me. I'd go to her games and watch her. She's unbelievably athletic. She encouraged me to sign up and start playing. She's my best friend and it's been great to play with her again."