The 5-foot-9 sophomore forward and midfielder led the Ka Makani to an 11-2-2 record and the Division II state championship this past season. Higgins scored 19 goals, including seven of Hawaii Prep's nine tallies in five postseason games, and passed for seven assists. She scored both goals in the state semifinals and the only goal in HPA's 1-0 win over Kapaa High in the title game, earning herself the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award.
Higgins has maintained a 3.91 GPA in the classroom and represents one of the state's top academic candidates in meeting the Gatorade award's broad criteria. She will begin her junior year of high school this fall.
A Hawaii Prep student ambassador, Higgins is a member of her school's student council and she has volunteered locally with the Kona Hospital Foundation. "Emi is a great soccer player. She's very technical with the ball and she's very athletic," said Josh Woodard, head coach of Kamehameha School-Hawaii. "She doesn't have overwhelming top-end speed, but she's fast and quick enough to create opportunities for herself around the box. She was their most important piece this season."
