STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern University holds a special place in Emily Archer's heart. The former women's soccer player transferred in during her sophomore season in 2011, starting all 20 games for the Eagles.

"I think one of my favorite memories are mostly game days, especially the winning ones," Archer says. "I transferred to Georgia Southern as a sophomore from a Division II program, so my first year was both exciting and challenging."

In her first year with the Eagles, Archer helped guide the Blue and White to a SoCon tournament appearance. In the first round the Eagles would upset the No. 1 seeded UNCG in Greensboro, North Carolina, to advance to the second round. The Eagles were later defeated by College of Charleston, ending a successful 2011 campaign.

"The team qualified for conference playoffs as the last seed. Our first playoff game was at UNC Greensboro, who was seeded first. UNCG parents were setting up food and drinks for a CELEBRATION OF THEIR WIN as we were warming up before the game. Man, did we teach them a lesson that day and walked away with our first conference tournament win in years to move on to the second round."

The GS victory was the first since 2006, when the Eagles traveled to Davidson and defeated the Wildcats 1-0 on their home turf. The victory in 2011 would set the tone for what would be a memorable 2012 season. GS would go on to finish the 2012 campaign 10-8-5, winning the SoCon tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament. 

In 2012, Archer played in 19 games for the Eagles, earning the starting nod against UNC Greensboro. She registered nine shots, seven of which were on target. Archer also collected Academic All-SoCon Honors, holding a 4.0 cumulative GPA.

"What is it they say - don't count your chickens before they hatch? It was a good omen of sorts for greater things to come in my years with GSWSOC. I love that story almost, almost, as much as I love the one about winning the Southern Conference Championships for a bid to the NCAA Tournament the following year!"

Archer currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she is the National Accounts Manager for Wastequip, in the Toter retail division. Wastequip is the leading North American manufacturer of waste and recycling handling equipment. 

"I am currently the National Accounts Manager for Wastequip, in the Toter retail division. Wastequip, aside from being THE best company to work for, is the leading North American manufacturer of waste and recycling handling equipment."

While managing corporate relationships with large national retailers, Archer reflects on her time as both a student and an athlete at Georgia Southern. Earning a BBA in Marketing with a minor in Information Systems, allows her to be more well-rounded in her approach with external and internal stakeholders. 

"I learned how to communicate solutions to customers (external) authentically through SPIN selling techniques and also developed the analytical skills to manage and dissect data (internally) from SAP courses within the IS minor."

Graduating summa cum laude in 3.5 years is one of Emily's proudest moments from her time at Georgia Southern, one of her first? Being voted as a captain by her peers during her senior season.

"I have two that I am most proud of. Being voted for as a captain my senior year is my first. As a sophomore transfer from a Division II program, I recognized that I had to train harder and be mentally disciplined enough for a higher level of play. However, the ability to accomplish all that means nothing if your teammates and coaches don't respect you. The fact that my teammates respected me so much as to vote for me as captain is still humbling to this day. The second accomplishment is signing a contract for my first job offer at Wastequip in Charlotte, NC and graduating summa cum laude in 3.5 years."

As a student-athlete, you are the face of the university. Everyone knows who you are, posters are hung around town and campus and your actions reflect not only yourself, but your institution, team and coaches. When asked what is something you would tell current or future student-athletes about their time at Georgia Southern University, this is what Archer had to say.

"What three words do you think people would use to describe you when you are not in the room? As a Student-Athlete, you are the face of Georgia Southern University - your face may be literally on a poster right now in a restaurant or doctor's office. Your actions reflect on the institution and the sport's program (Alumni Included). When it comes time to get recommendation letters for future employers - you will want at least one or two strong, personally written ones from professors or faculty members outside of athletics. All employers greatly appreciate the dedication and discipline of a student-athlete, not an athlete alone."