Recent Emmaus High School graduate Annika Herbine will go down as one of the best players to play in the prestigious Green Hornets field hockey program. She was a varsity contributor since her freshman year and led the team in scoring each of the last two seasons. She also played with the U.S. women’s national indoor team in Austria as a junior.

Her individual success in leading Emmaus to the 2020 PIAA state championship earned her the 2020-21 East Penn Press Female Athlete of the Year honor.

“This past season was a little rough but we all found ways to stay motivated,” said Herbine. “In the end though, we won gold with the state championship, and I’m so proud of my team to accomplish our goal even in the hard times that was last year.”

Herbine was the captain and leader of an unbeaten Emmaus field hockey team that won its 13th state championship. She was a third-team all-American and was named a top-10 player in the country as a senior.

“It was a huge honor for me,” Herbine said. “It’s not really something I aspired to be. I just worked hard to be the best possible player I could be and it all worked out in the end. It was all about training hard and never giving up.”

Herbine became a leader on and off the field during her senior campaign. She finished her career with 141 goals and 110 assists. She said that she changed her ways and grew as a player and teammate.

“I changed in a positive way,” said Herbine. “I became more of a leader on the team. I tried to be a role model. I want everyone to do their best. I’ll do whatever it takes to help them out. I was speaking up and communicating more. I did not talk much when I was younger. Now I have to communicate because I’m looked up upon. That’s what really changed.”

Herbine committed to play field hockey and attend the University of Iowa, beginning this fall. She wants to study health and human physiology, looking at a career in nursing. Iowa was an easy choice according to Herbine.

“I just Iowa because the school and campus is amazing,” Herbine said. “The athletic program, the academics and just the team environment is all so great. I’m so excited to get there this fall and play for them and study my courses.”