Rising Stars Spotlights: Emma Cantril and Gabrielle Jacobs
Emma Cantril
Cantril was a part of Western Colorado University’s Women’s Soccer program 2012-13, and graduated from Western in December 2015 with a degree in Biology and Exercise & Sport Science. In 2018, Emma began part-time coaching in a CrossFit gym and found a passion for helping individuals realize their athletic potential. In the Fall of 2020 she began her role as a Volunteer Assistant Strength & Conditioning coach. She went on to earn her CSCS in the Summer of 2021 and enroll in Western’s High Altitude Exercise Physiology Master’s Program for the Fall 2021 school year. She is currently working on her Master’s thesis project assessing inflammation levels in Collegiate Women Soccer players over their competitive match weekends.
During the Spring 2022 semester, Emma started as a Graduate Assistant in the Strength & Conditioning department at Western. She now oversees Western’s Cross Country team and Women’s Swim & Dive team, and assists with the Women’s Soccer team in their strength and conditioning programming.
When she graduates with her Master’s Degree in May 2023 she hopes to transition into a role as a Strength & Conditioning Coach at a University or with an Olympic Team.
Gabrielle Jacobs
Jacobs is the Operations Coordinator for Kauffman Scholars, a multi-year postsecondary access, persistence, completion and scholarship program in the Kansas City area. Some of her duties include managing calendars and expense reports, coordinating travel and events, assisting with legal agreements and grant processing as well as tracking and reconciling individual scholarship payments and analyzing student financial data.
Prior to joining KSI, Jacobs served on the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics' (NAIA) eligibility team as a standard student processing representative. Before that, Jacobs assisted with special events, promotions and tours at the Olathe Family YMCA where she served as a membership services analyst. A 2022 graduate of the Women Leaders in College Sports Institute for Advancement, she also volunteers with the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation at local sporting events.
With an increasing passion for the fan experience and learning about new tech and marketing trends, Jacobs remains committed to her career goal of helping further develop innovative ways to engage fans and build brand loyalty for teams, sports and brands while elevating women and girls in sports. In the next 5 years, she hopes to serve as part of an innovative and diverse team recognized as thought leaders in the sports marketing space.
Jacobs earned a Master of Science in Sport Administration from Arkansas State University and a Bachelor of Science in Sociology from the University of Central Arkansas.