Austin Emile ’25, a political science major and a licensed FIFA agent, is working to strengthen the soccer connection between the United States and Europe. Emile is the director, USA, at the Belgian-based agency Cherry Sports, where he helps established and overlooked players to secure opportunities in Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League, and other leagues worldwide. Beginning in the fall, Emile will balance his duties while pursuing his master’s in sports management at Columbia University.
“My long-term goal is to be a force in the football industry by leveraging my global network to open doors for players who might otherwise be overlooked,” says Emile, who played defense for Haverford’s men’s soccer team. “When many of the young players I represent grow, I want them to be playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team and in World Cups.”
Emile recently announced that he has signed Olivier Mbaizo, a Cameroonian international who plays right back for the Philadelphia Union and represented his country at the 2022 World Cup, to an exclusive mandate with Cherry Sports. The signing, he says, arose directly from the connection he built with the Union while at Haverford, when he interned for three different MLS teams.
“Haverford sparked me to think outside the box and respond to adversity creatively, and for that I am forever grateful,” he says. “I’ve learned how to learn, lead, and grow within a team.”
At Haverford, Emile found inspiration in the classroom, particularly in Associate Provost and Professor of Political Science Craig Borowiak’s “Global Political Economy.” Borowiak, Emile says, pushed him intellectually and challenged his way of thinking. The understanding of global interests he developed at Haverford has helped him succeed in a global industry, a framework that shapes his advocacy for the players he represents.
As a member of the men’s soccer team, Emile credits his teammates with instilling within him a new level of self-confidence and the persistence to push through injury and other challenges. That encouragement kept him going during his senior year, he says, when he sustained an ankle fracture early in the season.
“I give all the credit to the Haverford men’s soccer players before me. They showed me what it means to be a leader and leave a lasting impact, even if you’re not playing much on the field,” Emile says. “This, to me, is what made Haverford so special. It wasn’t about minutes played, goals scored, or all-conference awards; it was about learning how to lead, win, lose, and persist through adversity.”
Looking ahead, Emile hopes to keep placing players across top leagues, expand Cherry Sports’ U.S. presence, and become a voice for athletes “who feel like the system wasn’t built for them, because that’s where I come from, too.”
As for his classmates, he hopes they will pursue what brings them joy. “I hope everyone in our class finds the courage to do that for themselves,” he says. “The Haverford way has always been about leading with purpose, and I hope we all carry that forward by making an impact in whatever space makes us feel most alive. Whether it’s big or quiet, personal or public, I hope it’s honest, and that it’s theirs.”