Ava Veith

Ava Veith is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Plant Science, where she studies sports field performance and athlete-surface interactions. She earned her M.S. from Virginia Tech and was a Division I student-athlete on the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team as an undergraduate, an experience that continues to shape her research perspective and passion for improving athlete safety and performance.

Her research focuses on within-field variability and how localized surface conditions may influence the athlete. She has contributed to applied research efforts with professional organizations, including work with the Kansas City Current women's soccer team and upcoming pitch performance testing at MetLife Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Her long-term goal is to advance data-driven field management practices that optimize both playing surface and athlete performance, bridging the gap between turfgrass science, sports surface research, and sports medicine.