By Marty Gordon
NRVSports@ourvalley.org
Christiansburg’s Maston Stanley is headed to Emory and Henry (E&H) this fall to continue his playing career. The all-county/all-city football Player of the Year announced his intentions on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day.
Stanley called the college a special place. “I knew that something was different about it from the first time I set foot on campus,” he said. “They really care about you and graduating is their top priority. Classroom sizes are small and the help they offer is a major draw.
“I went to a camp last summer and loved the way the coaches gave me direction and interacted with me,” Stanley said. “I know that they can help me be my best, and their knowledge will give us the opportunity to win games and be successful long after football is over.”
Emory & Henry College is a private liberal arts college in Emory, Va. The campus comprises 335 acres of Washington County, which is part of the Appalachian highlands of Southwest Virginia. Founded in 1836, Emory & Henry College is the oldest institution of higher learning in Southwest Virginia with a current enrollment of 1,246.
The athletic program is a member of Division III’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference, and the football team is coming off its best season since 2014 after compiling a 7-3 record.
Stanley rushed for 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns this past fall at Christiansburg High School and was named an All-River Ridge District and All-Region 3D linebacker. He tallied more than 100 tackles for the second year in a row.
Stanley’s goals on the field are to contribute from the very start, wherever they need him.
“I want to hang a few ODAC championship banners up at E&H. They haven’t won an ODAC championship outright in a while so we need to bring championships back to Emory,” he said.
“Individually, my goals are to earn a starting position, set the E&H tackling recor, and become an All-American.”.
Stanley joins former Christiansburg teammate, Liam O’Reilly, who is a rising sophomore at the school.
Off the field, Stanley wants to set himself up for a successful life after football.
“I’d like to thank my family, friends, coaches, teammates and the Christiansburg community for all their love and support,” he said. “I hope many of them will make the short drive south on Saturdays to watch us play.”
Stanley plans to major in environmental science at E&H.