Photo courtesy of Max Boyko ’28
Whether it is Presley Wahl ’27 leading the forward line, Devon Stewart ’27 controlling the midfield, or Anna Sturm ’27 anchoring the defense, the Episcopal Academy girls soccer team always has a captain guiding each part of the field.
Head Coach Andy Fraggos sees that balance as one of the team’s greatest strengths. “We have their leadership kind of on all three levels of the field,” he explains. “It’s pretty unique and pretty exciting to have that voice and that type of person at each location of the field.”
Although all three share the title of captain, their unique qualities prove that leadership doesn’t look one way. “You don’t always have to be the loudest, most hyped person to be the best leader,” Stewart explains.
For Wahl, leadership comes from the energy and effort she brings to the forward line. Fraggos says, “Presley’s energy on the field, the way she even defends as a forward, is pretty incredible.” Wahl describes herself as “a very selfless player,” who “loves to set up [her] teammates for success.” After an injury sidelined her, her selfless mindset was evident; she continued to show up as a dedicated captain and worked every day to return to the game.
Sturm’s captaincy from the back line is equally important: “She comes flying out of nowhere to clean up a play,” Fraggos says. Her experience and communication allow her to organize the players around her and keep opposing teams from scoring. “I have a lot of soccer IQ from my built-up soccer experience,” Sturm says, adding that she tries to make sure her teammates know where to be on the field while “keeping the energy positive.”
As a player, Sturm finds most of her motivation from the people around her. “We all get hype for each other. If anything goes wrong, we bounce right back,” she says. The team’s closeness and ability to support each other in difficult moments are what push her to show up as a player and captain.
In the midfield, Stewart’s collected energy and intelligence bring composure to the field. After four years on varsity, she has learned from the players who came before her and developed into one of the team’s most central voices. She describes herself as “an unselfish leader,” emphasizing her commitment to putting the team first. Fraggos reinforces this, calling Stewart “a rock in the middle of our field.” He acknowledges her consistent ability to execute the smaller parts of the game that help the team work so well together.
Unexpected injuries have tested their leadership this season by forcing complete lineup changes and, at one point, leaving six varsity players unavailable. Fraggos watched the senior captains guide the team through these difficult adjustments. “Who we are as people when we hit adversity really shows our true character,” Fraggos explains, recognizing how the captains responded to the setbacks.
Despite this season’s adversity, the captains have kept encouraging their teammates. Stewart believes the team’s response to adversity reflects its commitment to one another. “We fight till the end, and it just shows our perseverance. Even though the results aren’t always the best, we still fight for each other as a team and try our hardest,” she explains.
All three captains’ soccer careers will extend beyond EA. Wahl will continue playing at Trinity College, Sturm will attend Washington and Lee University, and Stewart will attend Swarthmore College. For the rest of this season, however, they remain committed to the same team, each captain leading in their own way but pushing the same team forward.