With the kickoff of her final lacrosse season as a Walter Johnson Wildcat, senior Emma Richardell is ecstatic and ready to give it her all. The Naval Academy commit is thrilled about the season, but even more so about what her future holds as D1 collegiate athlete.

Q: As your college lacrosse career is fast approaching what excites you the most? What worries you the most?

A: “I’m really excited to play with people who are ready to give their best effort every practice and who enjoy the game as much as me. I don’t have any worries about college lacrosse.”

Q: What do you hope to get out of your senior season at WJ?

I hope to get more memories with my teammates this season that I can remember forever.”

Q: What will you miss the most about being a WJ athlete?

I’ll miss playing with my teammates and my coaches the most, they have made my time here so enjoyable and I appreciate them for that.”

Q: What is the hardest thing you think you will face when you reach the collegiate level?

It will be hard playing people who are all insane at lacrosse and playing every single practice like it’s a championship game.”

Q: What is your favorite WJ lacrosse memory?

“My favorite memory is when two of my teammates, Colleen and Andrea, had a goalie fight with me and clubbed me before the Churchill playoff game. We ended up winning the game.”

Q: If you could go back in time, would you change anything about the way your career at WJ has gone so far?

“I wish I enjoyed the big and little moments more because it has all just been so special.”

As a teammate of hers for almost 3 seasons now, junior Mila Pekar feels so lucky to have experienced WJ lacrosse with Richardell. She has been a great teammate to Pekar, both on and off the field.

“Emma is an amazing teammate and someone I’ve known for a really long time. Both on and off the field she strives to be the best she can be and always challenges herself. During practice she always encourages and pushes her teammates when they need that extra push for help. She helps complete the team and we’ve been so lucky to have her,” Pekar said.

Varsity head coach Colleen Klipstein has been watching Richardell grow as a player throughout her entire WJ career. Klipstein has no doubt that she will leave as large an impact as she has at WJ during her time at the Naval Academy.

“Emma has an amazing future at Navy. Emma is one of the hardest working individuals I have ever had the pleasure of coaching. She is someone I can trust to step up and lead the team. She is also someone I can talk through challenges with. I will miss her greatly. She is like an assistant coach and a player at the same time. Her knowledge of the game is amazing and she shares that with her teammates. As a team we will miss her leadership and her performance. She has been a constant star for us for the last 4 years and we will definitely feel the loss,” Klipstein said.

The future holds a lot for Emma Richardell. Richardell is the kind of player that only comes around every once in a while. This wildcat is ready to take on the best of the best, and will do it with the best work ethic and attitude possible out of any athlete.