hokies defender jakob bluemler forced to medically retire

Ishan Lamba

Staff Writer

October 2, 2021

BLACKSBURG — Virginia Tech soccer fans got quite the shock Saturday afternoon when they learned that senior defender Jakob Bluemler announced that he would be medically retiring on Saturday.

The Frankfurt, Germany native had been with the Hokies since 2017 and was a staple for the defensive front.

Over the course of four years, he played in 69 games, of which he started 52, tallying three goals and three assists.

Despite his strong defensive performances, Bluemler had not played a single minute this season, which came as a surprise to most. Bluemler revealed that it wouldn’t have been smart for him to try and play again.

“I’ve done everything in my power to come back and play on Thompson one more time, but after speaking with multiple doctors and my coaches, it’s best for my health that I hang up the cleats,” Blumler said in an Instagram post.

He continued, thanking his teammates, coaches, and staff for the help and encouragement they provided along the way and looks forward to the future of the program.