EMORY VOLLEYBALL TO HOST SPRING TOURNAMENT

(Apr. 7) - The Emory volleyball team will host its annual Spring Tournament this Saturday (Apr. 11) at the Woodruff PE Center.  Action will begin at 10:00 a.m. and is slated to conclude at approximately 5:00 p.m.

The Eagles of 2008 National Coach of the Year Jenny McDowell will be one of 11 teams taking part in this year's tourney.  Other squads competing include  Augusta State, Berry, Birmingham Southern, Brenau, Kennesaw State, Montevallo, Newberry, Oglethorpe, Piedmont and Wasabi, an adult women's USAV squad with a number of former Division I players on its roster.

For more information regarding the tournament, please call Emory Assistant Coach Justin Hart at (404) 727-0596.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL STAR DANI HUFFMAN WINS NCAA POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

Men's Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients

Women's Postgraduate Scholarship Recipients

(Feb. 26) - Emory University's Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), a key member of the 2008 NCAA Division III National Championship Volleyball team, has been named as one of the 58 recipients of the prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for the fall season.

As a result, Huffman is awarded a $7,500 scholarship for postgraduate study.  The honor is based on both her academic and athletic success over her Emory career.

Emory has been awarded 62 postgraduate scholarships over the school's history, and 45 since 2000, more than any other NCAA institution.

The 5-foot-11 Huffman, who was named the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships, played in 39 of the team's 41 matches and led the squad with a 36.0 hitting percentage, good for a second-place tie among University Athletic Association performers, and blocks per game (0.99 bpg).  A two-time selection to the All-UAA First Team, she averaged 3.11 kills per game, second on the team and fourth in the UAA. She totaled 22 contests of double-figure terminations including a career high of 25 against Ohio Northern in the national semifinals.  Her 436 kills this year placed her seventh on the school's seasonal chart while her career effort of 1,260 tied for eighth all-time at Emory. A 2008 First Team All-American, Huffman concluded her stellar career in the No. 4 spot at Emory in total blocks with 424.

Academically, Huffman became the third Emory volleyball player to be named Academic All-American when she landed a third-team berth on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Volleyball Team. She began the year with a 3.84 grade-point average as a French major.

This season's NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients (29 men and 29 women) represent fall-sports participants from all NCAA divisions, who will receive one-time, nonrenewable grants of $7,500.
 The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The Association awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women.

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. For more information about the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, go to the Diversity and Inclusion link under the About the NCAA tab at www.ncaa.org.

EMORY UNIVERSITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYER DANI HUFFMAN NAMED STATE OF GEORGIA FEMALE COLLEGIATE OF THE YEAR BY WOMEN'S INTERSPORT NETWORK

(Feb. 5) - Emory University senior Dani Huffman, a driving force on the 2008 Eagles' volleyball team that captured the NCAA Division III National Championship, was named the state of Georgia's Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year by the Women's Intersport Network (WIN).  The award was announced last evening during the organization's Community Award Program at the Holiday Inn in downtown Atlanta.

Huffman was a dominant player at her middle hitting position and helped the program to its first-ever national crown along with a final record of 35-6 which established a school seasonal mark for victories.  She was named a First Team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association and claimed first-team berths on region and conference squads as well.

The mission of GA-WIN is to develop and promote public awareness for women's involvement and achievement in athletics and to create a strong network for women and girls involved in sports.  The awards ceremony was held in conjunction with the 23rd annual National Girls & Women in Sports Day.

Other finalists for Georgia's Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year included Jenafer Forward of Augusta State, Brittany Hollins of the University of Georgia and Georgia State University's Catherine Lee and Iliska Verwey.

Huffman closed out her career ranked prominently in numerous school categories including kills (126-, 8th), attack percentage (.366, 2nd), block assists (315, 3rd), block solos (109, 4th) and total blocks (424, 4th).

JENNY McDOWELL NAMED DIVISION III NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL COACH OF THE YEAR

(Nov. 26) - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has recognized Emory University's Jenny McDowell for the Eagles' national championship season by naming her as the National Division III Coach of the Year.

McDowell completed her 13th season at the helm of the Emory program by guiding the Eagles to their first-ever national championship. After defeating Colorado College and Southwestern in its first two NCAA contests, Emory topped the College of Saint Benedict in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals before edging Ohio Northern in five games in the semifinals.  In the championship match, the Eagles prevailed over No. 4-ranked La Verne, 3-1, and closed out the team's record at 36-5, establishing a school seasonal record for most victories.

McDowell was tabbed as the AVCA South Region Coach of the Year for the third time in her career, and, Emory's final victory total marked the 10th time during her tenure that the Eagles finished a season with 30 or more victories. In addition, Emory qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the 13th consecutive year under her guidance where it advanced to the Round of 16 for the 11th time.  McDowell subsequently directed the Eagles to the school's second-ever berth to the Final Four (2003 was the other appearance).

Her career record now stands at 406-117 and she notched her 400th career win on Nov. 7 when Emory defeated Brandeis University during the University Athletic Association Championships.  Emory was ranked No. 1 nationally in the final Bison/AVCA Division III Poll and the Eagles have been ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in every weekly poll since the early stages of 1996.

McDowell saw three of her players earn All-America honors in 2008, senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) both garnered first-team recognition while freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) was a second-team selection.  McDowell has coached a total of 16 players to 24 All-America berths during her career.

"I am honored to be selected by the AVCA for this award," McDowell said.  "I feel truly blessed to coach at one of the finest institutions in the country.  This season was so special because of the seventeen young women who committed themselves completely to our journey of achieving a national championship.

"The success that we experienced could not have been accomplished without the incredible work of our amazing assistant coaches, Justin Hart, Amanda Metz and Eric Hawes, as well as the support of the Emory administration."

The AVCA will formally present the Division III National Coach of the Year award to McDowell at the 2008 Jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon in Omaha, Neb., on Thursday, December 18.  The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 2008 AVCA Annual Convention.

EMORY'S DANI HUFFMAN ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN

(Nov. 25) - Just a couple of days after being named the Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship, Emory University senior middle hitter Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) has earned another prestigious award by earning a third-team berth on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Volleyball Team.

The 5-foot-11 Huffman played in 39 of the team's 41 matches and led the squad with a 36.0 hitting percentage, good for a second-place tie among University Athletic Association performers, and blocks per game (0.99 bpg).  She averaged 3.11 kills per game, second on the team and fourth in the UAA. She totaled 22 contests of double-figure terminations including a career high of 25 against Ohio Northern in the national semifinals.  Her 436 kills this year placed her seventh on the school's seasonal chart while her career effort of 1,260 tied for eighth all-time at Emory. A 2008 First Team All-American, Huffman concluded her stellar career in the No. 4 spot at Emory in total blocks with 424.

Huffman was tabbed as to the Academic All-District first team earlier in the season, and began the year with a 3.84 grade-point average as a French major.

Huffman is the third Emory volleyball player ever to earn Academic All-America honors.  Previous Eagles to have earned that distinction include Laura Helton (1994 & 1995) and Liana Roman (1996).

Emory closed out the season with an overall record of 36-5, establishing a school mark for most wins in a campaign.

To be eligible for the national team, a student athlete had to have been selected to its District's first team. Initial nomination criteria at the District level includes being a varsity starter or key reserve, maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, reaching sophomore athletic and academic standing at his current institution and be nominated by their sports information director.  Emory nominees represent the College Division, which is composed of NCAA Division II, III, and NAIA school across the country.

Since the program's inception in 1952, COSIDA has bestowed Academic All America honors on more than 14,000 student athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM CAPTURES NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 3-1 WIN OVER LaVERNE


(Nov. 22) - The Emory volleyball team capped off its storybook season Saturday evening with a 3-1 win over the University of  La Verne in the title match of the NCAA Division III National championship.  The Eagles closed out their year with a 35-6 record following the 16-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22 win over the No. 4-ranked Leopards who finished out the campaign with a 27-3 won-lost ledger.  The match was held at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus in Bloomington, Illinois.

Emory hit 28.1 percent in the match (56-20-128) while La Verne posted a 22.4 attack percentage (47-19-125).  Each team totaled 47 digs while the Eagles finished with a 7-5 edge in total blocks. 

Emory had a number of players produce outstanding matches.  Senior middle Dani Huffman led a balanced offensive attack with 13 kills while finishing the contest with a 36.0 hitting percentage (13-4-25) along with four blocks.   Huffman registered four digs, perhaps none more important than one she came up with in the decisive fourth set that fell into the La Verne side of the court resulting in a kill and giving Emory a 21-20 lead.  Sophomore Amelia McCall banged away to the tune of 12 kills while senior Maggie Baird and freshman Alexandra Wright each came up with 11 put-aways. Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld dished out 47 assists and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston and freshman Brannan O'Neill paced the defensive effort with 11 digs each. 

Emory stumbled out of the gate in the first game, hitting just 11.5 percent while La Verne countered with an impressive mark of 34.5 percent.  However, in games two and three, the Eagles' offense got untracked and hit 40.6 and 39.3 percent, respectively, in surging to a 2-1 lead in the match.  Holding a 19-18 margin in a hotly contested second game, the Eagles made the most of a pair of La Verne attack errors, along with a kill by Amelia McCall, to take a 22-18 advantage. The Leopards drew to within three points on a couple of occasions, but a pair of McCall terminations helped Emory seal that set.

Emory used a pair of kills by both McCall and Huffman in bolting to an 8-2 lead in the third game.  After the Leopards crept to within 11-9, a kill by Wright, combined with a pair of attack errors by La Verne and a service ace by Schonefeld boosted Emory's lead to 15-9.  The Eagles eventually built a 22-13 cushion en route to taking a 2-1 edge in the match.

La Verne led during the early stages in game four before a kill by Wright knotted the set at 9-9.  The teams battled back and forth and the game was tied on six occasions as the scored settled into an 18-18 deadlock.  Eventually, the Leopards went up by a 22-21 count but Emory closed out the contest with a 4-0 run, the winning point coming on a termination by Baird.

Huffman was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament after compiling 49 kills, a 31.4 hitting percentage and 19 total blocks.  Also garnering spots on the team were Schonefeld and Wright.

All-Tournament Team
Dani Huffman, Emory, "Most Outstanding Player"
Alexandra Wright, Emory
Natalie Schonefeld, Emory
Christa Jones, U. of LaVerne
Brianna Gonzales, U. of LaVerne
Liz Schnelle, Ohio Northern
Erin Albert, Juniata

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM RALLIES FOR DRAMATIC WIN OVER OHIO NORTHERN IN NCAA SEMIFINALS - PLAYS LA VERNE FOR NATIONAL TITLE ON SATURDAY


(Nov. 21) - In what most likely will be considered the greatest comeback in the sport of volleyball at Emory University, the Eagles rallied from a 2-0 deficit to post a 3-2 win over No. 8-ranked Ohio Northern in the semifinals of NCAA Division III National Championship on Friday evening.  Emory advanced to the national title match Saturday evening against the University of La Verne following an improbable 27-29, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15, 15-12 over the Polar Bears.  The victory upped the Eagles' record to 34-6 and in the process established a school seasonal record for victories while Ohio Northern saw its 27-match winning streak snapped in closing out the year with a 34-5 slate.

After seeing the Polar Bears escape with close victories in the first two sets, the Eagles stormed back in the third game to notch a 25-15 victory, wiping out an early 5-3 deficit with a 10-3 run to go up by a 13-8 count.  ONU eventually drew to within 16-13, but four straight kills by Alysse Meyer put the Eagles ahead, 20-13, and in control of that game.

In the fourth set, a couple of kills apiece by sophomore Amelia McCall and freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld enabled the Eagles to jump out to a 6-1 margin. After three straight points by ONU, the Eagles rattled off six straight points to assume a 12-4 bulge.  Holding a 16-11 cushion, terminations by sophomore Kelsey Krzyston, senior Dani Huffman and sophomore Amelia McCall upped the score to 19-11 and the Eagles went on to close out the game on the strength of freshman Alexandra Wright's kill.

Ohio Northern quickly regained the upper hand in the fifth and deciding game, using a kill by Liz Schelle to bolt to a 9-3 lead.  Undaunted, Emory slowly battled back - using kills by Wright and Meyer to draw to within four points.  Following a Polar Bear put-away, the Eagles chipped away with two unanswered points to cut the gap to 10-7.  Ohio Northern countered with a kill by Renee Berry to keep ONU in front, 11-7, but Emory roared back with five straight points, four of those coming from two kills each by McCall and Huffman, to nudge ahead, 12-11.  Ohio Northern tied the game following a kill by Berry, but the No. 2-ranked Emory squad closed out the match with three straight points, the final coming on a termination by McCall.

Huffman paced the Eagles' offensive attack with a career-high 25 kills while finishing with a fine 33.3 hitting percentage (25-7-54).  After totaling a career-high 17 kills last evening against St. Benedict, McCall enjoyed another solid effort with 13 put-aways, as did Meyer.  Senior Maggie Baird rounded out the double-digit kill producers with a dozen.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston led an outstanding defensive effort with 27 digs while junior Vista Murphy finished with 26.  The Eagles finished the contest with 110 digs, the third highest-match total in school history.

La Verne, ranked No. 4 nationally, advanced to the championship match after topping No. 1-ranked Juniata, 3-2.  The Leopards take an overall record of 27-2 into the title contest.

NOTE - It is the 10th time in school history that Emory has rallied for a win after dropping the first two games of a match.  The last time the Eagles posted such a rally came against Lee University on Sept. 3, 2005.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM TOPS ST. BENEDICT IN NCAA QUARTERFINALS - CAPTURES SECOND-EVER FINAL FOUR BERTH


(Nov. 20) - Propelled by the play of sophomore Amelia McCall, the No. 2-ranked Emory volleyball team recorded a 3-1 win over the College of Saint Benedict in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday evening.  The Eagles now advance to the program's second-ever semifinal appearance following a 25-16, 16-25, 25-14, 25-20 triumph over the Blazers (29-7). Emory's semifinal match takes place on Friday (Nov. 21) at 8:00 p.m. (EST) against the winner of the Ohio Northern - Williams College contest.

With the match squared at 1-1 following a pair of 25-16 scores, the Eagles broke a 5-5 deadlock in the third set with a 6-0 run with McCall, along with freshman Alexander Wright coming up with a pair of kills.  The Eagles pushed their advantage to 16-9 following a pair of put-aways by McCall, and then iced the game with a 5-1 burst giving them some momentum heading into the fourth game.

Both Emory and Saint Benedict traded points during the early stages of the fourth set and fought to an 8-8 score before Emory rattled off five unanswered points, two coming on kills by McCall, to take a 13-8 advantage. A block by Wright gave the Eagles an 18-11 cushion but the Blazers scrapped back to whittle Emory's lead to 18-16.  However, Emory was able to hold off the late charge and boost its record to 33-6 this season, tying the school record for most victories in a season.

McCall's career-high 17 kills and 46.7 hitting percentage (17-3-30) led all players and she also chipped in a pair of blocks.  Senior Dani Huffman totaled 11 kills and played a solid defensive match with six digs and seven blocks (3-4) while Wright chalked up eight kills and seven blocks.

THREE EMORY VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS EARN AVCA ALL-AMERICA HONORS

NCAA Division III All-America Teams

(Nov. 19) - Three members of the No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team have earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America honors for the 2008 season.  Senior middle blocker Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and junior outside hitter Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) were named First Team All-Americans while freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) was chosen as a Second Team All-American. 

The 5-foot-11 Huffman has been an anchor on this year's squad that will take an overall record of 32-6 into a NCAA quarterfinal contest on Thursday evening (Nov. 20) against St. Benedict.  Huffman stands first on the team and second among UAA performers with a 36.6 hitting percentage which currently places her ninth on Emory's seasonal chart. She stands second on the squad and fourth in the league in kills per game (3.05 kpg) and tops the club in blocks per game (0.94 bpg). Huffman has posted double-figure kills in 19 of her 36 matches including a career-best 22 terminations against Southwestern University last Saturday in the NCAA Regional championship contest. Career-wise, she currently ranks No. 9 on the Eagles' all-time listing in kills (1,211), first in hitting percentage (.368) and fourth in total blocks (405). It marks the first time in her career that she has captured All-America status.

Meyer has pounded out a team-leading 3.49 kills per game this season, good for second place in the UAA, and has produced double digits in that category in 28 of 36 outings.  She has chalked five matches of 20 or more kills this year, including a career high of 30 against Haverford College.  The 6-foot Meyer is hitting at a 30.1 percent clip, second on the team and eighth in the UAA. Her 464 kills thus far places her sixth on the school's season chart while her 1,262 career terminations is good for seventh on the school's all-time list. It marks the second time during her tenure at Emory that she has brought home All-America acclaim, having earned a third-team spot in 2006.

The 5-foot-7 Schonefeld stepped into the starting role at setter early in the season after an injury sidelined Madison Robelen.  Schonefeld has directed the Emory offense with a deft hand, averaging a UAA-leading 10.53 assists per game and was ranked 10th nationally among all Division III players in NCAA statistics released Nov. 9.  She doled out 50 or more assists in four contests including 54 against Washington University at the UAA Round Robin II.  She currently stands seventh on the Eagles' single-season list with 1,274 assists. 

The trio of Huffman, Meyer and Schonefeld also were recognized for their outstanding seasons with first-team berths on the AVCA All-South Region Team.  It represented the first time Huffman had landed a spot on that team after drawing honorable-mention status last year.  It is Meyer's second time on the all-region team, landing a spot as a freshman in 2006.  In addition to her selection, Schonefeld was also tabbed as the Region Freshman of the Year.

Also drawing recognition on the All-South Region Team as honorable-mention choice was senior right side Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX). Baird is averaging 2.20 kills per game and is fourth on the team with a 0.53 kills per game average and 25.0 attack percentage.

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM ADVANCES TO NCAA QUARTERFINALS

(Nov. 18) - MATCH FACTS - The Emory volleyball team, ranked No. 2 among Division III squads, heads to Bloomington, Illinois, this week in hopes of bringing home the program's first national championship.  The Eagles have advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championship for the fifth time in the past six seasons and will tangle with St. Benedict on Thursday (Nov. 20) starting at 7:00 p.m.  The winner advances to the semifinal round on Friday (8:00 p.m.) against the winner of the Ohio Northern - Williams College contest.  The title match will be played on Saturday (Nov. 22) at 8:00 p.m.

Other quarterfinal matches on Thursday include No. 1 Juniata (40-2) vs. Wisconsin-Oshkosh (32-4) and La Verne (25-2) vs. New Paltz State (33-9).  All of the contests will be played at the Shirk Center on the Illinois Wesleyan campus.


THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 403-116.  She has 10 campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 13 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  She has been tabbed as the AVCA South Region Coach of the Year on three occasions.  

The College of Saint Benedict is led by 12th-year head coach Michelle Blaeser (Mankato State, 1990).  Blaeser takes a school and career record of 161-102 into Thursday's contest.  This is the third time that she has directed the Blazers to the NCAA Tournament.  

Kate Witte (Northern Iowa, 1982) is in her 18th campaign as head coach at Ohio Northern University.  Witte heads into the bout against Williams College with a school and career won-lost effort of 487-151.  She is a six-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and has directed the program to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Williams College is guided by Fran Vandermeer (Southern Connecticut State, 1988), who is in her ninth year with the Ephs.  Vandermeer has compiled a school and season record of 244-72 and has six NCAA Tournament appearances to her credit.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally in the Nov. 11 Bison/AVCA Poll, stands 32-6 on the year.  The Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals after coming away with a pair of hard-earned come-from-behind victories in the Trinity (TX) Regional.  Emory topped Colorado College, 3-1, in its opener before topping Southwestern, 3-2 in the final.

The College of Saint Benedict, ranked 23rd, sports an overall record of 29-6.  A member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, the Blazers advanced to this week's play after emerging with a 3-1 triumph over Concordia-Moorhead in the regional final.

Ohio Northern holds down the No. 8 spot in the Bison/AVCA Poll and will meet Williams College with a record of 33-4.  The Polar Bears nabbed three wins last weekend at the Wittenberg Regional including a 3-1 decision over 2007 champion Washington University in the title match.

 Williams stands 28-12 following a 3-1 triumph against Wellesley in the championship match of the Tufts Regional.  The Ephs, a member of the New England Small College Athletic Conefernce, will take a 12-match winning streak into their contest against Ohio Northern

SERIES RECORDS - Emory and St. Benedict have met on just one occasion with the Eagles registering a 3-2 win in 1999.

Ohio Northern holds a 5-2 advantage in the all-time series with Emory.  The two teams last met in 2007 with the Eagles prevailing, 3-1, at the Woodruff PE Center.  

Emory and Williams have met on just one occasion with the Eagles notching a 3-1 win in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.  

O'NEILL NAMED UAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Freshman libero Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) has been named UAA Co-Player of the Week following her performance at the NCAA Regionals hosted by Trinity University. 

In the 3-1 win over Colorado College, the 5-foot-5 O'Neill recorded a team-high 17 digs and one service ace before registering a career-best 31 digs in the five-game victory over Southwestern, tying the school's second-highest match total.  Through matches played Nov. 14, O'Neill is No. 6 among UAA players in digs per game (3.89 dpg) and her 513 digs represents the third-highest seasonal mark in school history.

NOTES - Sophomore Amelia McCall's (Montgomery, AL) 10 kills in the Southwestern match was the third time this season she finished in double digits in that category ...  Junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) dished out four service aces and 14 digs against Colorado College ... The next evening vs. Southwestern, Murphy chalked up two more aces and finished with 11 digs, her 12th outing of double figures ... Emory finished the Southwestern contest with 96 digs, its second-highest effort of the year ... Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) blasted out a career-high 22 kills in the Southwestern contest,  her 19th outing this year of 10 or more terminations ... In her last seven matches, Huffman is hitting 38.8 percent (107-29-201), has 54 digs and has 27 total blocks (13-14) ... Alysse Meyer picked up 15 kills in the both the Colorado College and Southwestern matches and now claims 28 matches of double-figure terminations this season ... Meyer's 464 kills is sixth on school's seasonal chart while her career total of 1,262 ranks her seventh on the Eagles' all-time chart.

SCHONEFELD NAMED SOUTH REGION FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR - Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY), a First Team All-South Region selection, was also tabbed as the region's Freshman of the Year, continuing a distinguished line of Emory players who have earned that recognition.  Schonefeld is the fifth Eagle to earn the award, joining Chrissy Bloomgren (2000), Remley Dodge (2002) Maggie Baird (2005) and Alysse Meyer (2006).

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM RALLIES FOR WIN AGAINST SOUTHWESTERN IN NCAA REGIONAL FINALS - ADVANCES TO QUARTERFINAL ROUND

(Nov. 15) - It wasn't easy but the No. 2-ranked Emory volleyball team kept its season alive Saturday evening with a come-from-behind 3-2 victory against Southwestern University in the NCAA Regional final in San Antonio, Texas.  The Eagles boosted their record to 32-6 following a 25-20, 23-25, 14-25, 25-12, 15-11 decision over the Pirates who closed out their year with a won-lost ledger of 36-5.

After winning the first game, the Eagles had to play from behind in the second and third sets.  In the third game, Emory trailed by a 22-17 margin before rallying to close the gap to 24-23.  However, the Pirates prevailed and in the process knotted to contest.

In game three, the Eagles never really got untracked and saw the Pirates close out the frame with a 7-2 spurt to take a 2-1 lead in the match.

Staring the end of the season in the face, Emory put on a determined and impressive rally over the final two games.  The Eagles never trailed in the fourth and fifth sets, using the combination of timely hitting and tenacious defensive play to secure the win.  Holding a 14-11 edge in game four, junior Vista Murphy's tough serving propelled the Eagles to 10 straight points and a commanding 24-11 lead.  After the Pirates snapped the streak, Emory closed out the game, setting the stage for a decisive fifth set.

Emory kept the pressure on Southwestern in the final game, jumping out to an 8-4 lead with sophomore Amelia McCall providing a lift with her offensive play.  After Southwestern battled back to within 9-8, three kills by senior Dani Huffman staked the Eagles to a 12-9 advantage.  Nursing a 12-11 lead, Emory closed out the contest with three straight points.

Huffman led the squad with a career-high 22 kills while freshman Brannan O'Neill spearheaded the defensive effort with a personal-best 31 digs, tying the second-highest match total in school history.

Emory advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals on Thursday (Nov. 20) in Bloomington, Illinois, where it will play No. 23-ranked College of St. Benedict (29-6).  The winner of that match will play the victor of the Ohio Northern - Williams College contest in the semifinals on Friday.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL WELL REPRESENTED ON ALL-UAA TEAMS - NATALIE SCHONEFELD NAMED ROOKIE OF YEAR

(Nov. 12) - Five members of the No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team have been chosen to the 2008 All- University Athletic Association first or second team. The all-league teams were selected by the conference coaches.

Three Eagles landed first-team berths - senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) and freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY).  Schonefeld was also tabbed as the league's Rookie of the Year.  Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) and freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) brought home second-team recognition.

Huffman has played in 34 of the team's 36 matches and ranks among the UAA leaders in several categories.  She tops the team and stands second in the league with a 36.5 hitting percentage while her 2.93 kills per-game average places her second on the club and fifth in the conference.  The 5-foot-11 Huffman has been a force at the net as well with a team-best 0.97 blocks per-game effort.  She has totaled 17 contests of double-figure kills, including five in her past six outings, and claims three of the squad's top-four hitting performances this year including a 76.5 attack percentage (15-2-17) against Chicago at the UAA Championships.  In conference affairs, her 48.1 hitting percentage paced the loop while her 3.31 kills per game average was good for the No. 2 spot.  It marks the second straight year that Huffman has earned first-team acclaim.

Meyer continued to enhance her status as one the conference's premier offensive stalwarts, with a team-high 3.50 kills per-game average, second on the UAA chart. She is hitting at a 30.2 percent clip, second among Emory players and eighth among league performers.  The 6-foot Meyer has seen action in 34 matches and totaled double-figure kills in 26 of those, including five efforts of 20 or more terminations.  In conference affairs, Meyer is fifth on the league ladder in kills per game (3.00 kpg) and ninth with a 31.1 hitting percentage.  In addition to her attacking skills, Meyer is second on the team and the league in service aces (0.39 apg).

Schonefeld stepped into the starting setting role early in the season after an injury felled veteran Madison Robelen and directed the Eagles' offense to a second-place finish in hitting percentage.  The 5-foot-7 Schonefeld doled out a UAA-leading 10.57 assists per game with her total of 1,184 currently ranking 11th on the school's seasonal ladder. She has 50 or more assists in four matches including a 54-assists outing against Washington University at the UAA Round Robin II.  She also distinguished herself defensively with a 2.11 digs per game average.  She is the fifth Emory player since 2000 to be named the conference Rookie of the Year joining Chrissy Bloomgren (2000), Remley Dodge (2002), Maggie Baird (2005) and Alysse Meyer (2006). 

Baird, a second-team selection last season, holds down the No. 3 spot on the club in both hitting percentage (.280) and kills per game (2.05 kpg).  She has appeared in 32 matches and has registered five matches of double-figure kills.  She made the most of her conference contests, ranking second among UAA players with a 42.0 hitting percentage. She was named UAA Co-Player of the Week following her performance at the UAA Round Robin II where she recorded 34 kills, a 54.7 hitting percentage (34-5-53) and 10 total blocks.

O'Neill has given the Eagles exceptional defensive play from her libero position and stands as the team leader with a 3.78 digs per-game average, seventh on the UAA list.  She has seen action in 35 matches and has manufactured 28 contests of double-figure digs.  She has recorded five matches of 20 or more digs including a 21-defensive saves performance against Washington University at the UAA Championships last weekend.  The 5-foot-5 O'Neill has 465 digs to her credit, third on the school's seasonal chart.

Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL), 5-foot-10, rounded out the Emory contingent of All-UAA performers by garnering a honorable-mention nod.  McCall, who missed the 2007 campaign following an injury during preseason drills, has bounced back nicely and has averaged 1.77 kills per game while seeing action in 35 matches.

Emory, 30-6 overall, will play either Colorado College or Christopher Newport on Friday (Nov. 14) in NCAA Regional action hosted by Trinity University.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL SQUAD EARNS 13th STRAIGHT NCAA TOURNEY BID

(Nov. 10) - The Emory University volleyball team has earned its 13th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and will play either Christopher Newport or Colorado College on Friday in a 4:30 p.m. start. The Eagles are part of the seven-team bracket that will be hosted by Trinity University.  Emory enters the Trinity Regional as the No. 1 seed and drew a first-round bye. If Emory passes its opening test, it will advance to the regional finals on Saturday starting at 7:00 p.m.

Other opening-round match-ups that will be played on Thursday include Southwestern (#3 seed) against UT-Dallas (#6 seed), Webster (#7 seed) vs. Trinity (#2 seed) and Christopher Newport (#4 seed) vs. Colorado College (#5 seed).

Emory finished the regular season with an overall record of 30-6, the sixth time in the past seven campaigns that the program has registered 30 or more victories.  The Eagles earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament following a runner-up finish at the University Athletic Association Championships this past weekend.  

The Tigers of Colorado College, coached by Rick Swan, take an overall record of 26-11 into the NCAA Tournament and earned an at-large bid to the postseasonChristopher Newport, coached by Lindsay Birch, earned an automatic bid by winning the USA South Tournament.  The Captains check into the weekend with a won-lost ledger of 33-6.

This will represent Emory's 14th trip to the NCAA Tournament (other appearance came in 1994) with the Eagles positing an all-time record of 17-14 in those contests. Last season, Emory advanced to the Round of Eight.

Emory is one of three UAA teams to advance to the national tournament.  Washington University will battle Frostburg State in an opening-round match at the Wittenberg Regional while Carnegie Mellon meets Lebanon Valley at the Juniata College Regional.  

NO. 1 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM FALLS TO WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN UAA CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEST

(Nov. 8) - The No. 1-ranked Emory University volleyball team fell short in its bid to defend its UAA Championship, falling in five hard-fought games to Washington University.

The Eagles saw their record slip to 30-6 overall following a 18-25, 26-24, 13-25, 25-19, 12-15 setback to the Bears.

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) led a trio of Emory players who recorded double-figure kills with 13 put-aways.  Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) finished with 12 terminations while junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) totaled 11 kills.  Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld registered 43 assists and 15 digs and freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) finished the contest with a team-high 21 digs while doling out three service aces.

Facing a 2-1 deficit, Emory forced a fifth and deciding game following a 25-19 win in game four. In the fifth set, the Eagles held an 11-8 lead but couldn't hold onto the lead as host Wash U. claimed the championship.

Emory will now turn its attention to the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament next week.  The Eagles of head coach Jenny McDowell will most likely learn upcoming opponents and destination of those matches late Sunday evening with the formal announcement being made on Monday.

NO. 1 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM TOPS CHICAGO - ADVANCES TO UAA CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

(Nov. 8) - The No. 1-ranked Emory University volleyball team has put itself into the title match of the University Athletic Association Championships following a 3-0 win over the University of Chicago.  The Eagles raised their overall record to 30-5 following a 25-13, 15-14, 25-20 decision over the Maroons.

Senior middle Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) recorded a team-high 15 kills while junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) chipped in eight terminations.  Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) doled out 33 assists and junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) chalked up three service aces.

The win marked the sixth time in the past seven seasons that Emory has come up with 30 or more victories.

The Eagles will battle No. 4-ranked Washington University in the championship contest later this afternoon starting at 5:30 p.m. (EST). 

NO. 1 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM TOPS BRANDEIS AT UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - McDOWELL NOTCHES 400th CAREER WIN

(Nov. 7) - The No. 1-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out the opening day of the University Athletic Association Championships with a decisive 3-0 triumph over Brandeis University.  The Eagles raised their record to 29-5 (9-0 UAA) following a 25-15, 25-10, 25-14 over the Judges.  This year's event is being held in Saint Louis and hosted by Washington University.

Senior middle Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL) each tallied a team-high six kills while senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) and junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) each chipped in five terminations.
Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) registered 13 and 10 digs, respectively, and freshman Natalie Schonefeld recorded out 30 assists.

The victory over Brandeis enabled Emory head coach Jenny McDowell to claim her 400th career win.  Now in her 13th season as the Eagles' head coach, she claims a record of 400-111.

The Eagles continue play on Saturday with a contest against the University of Chicago starting at 12:30 (EST).

NO. 1 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM BEATS ROCHESTER IN UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS OPENER

(Nov. 7) - The No. 1-ranked Emory University volleyball team opened defense of its University Athletic Association Championship on Friday morning with a 3-0 sweep over the University of Rochester.  The Eagles raised their record to 28-5 (8-0 UAA) following a 25-15, 25-10, 25-14 over the Yellowjackets.  This year's event is being held in Saint Louis and hosted by Washington University.

Senior middle Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) continued her torrid play, posting a team-high 13 kills, a 57.8 hitting percentage (13-2-19), and four blocks (4-0).  Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) chipped in 10 terminations, her 25th match of double-figure kills this season.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) registered 12 and nine digs, respectively, and freshman Natalie Schonefeld dished out 38 assists.

The Eagles continue play Friday afternoon with a contest against Brandeis University starting at 1:30 (EST).

EMORY'S DANI HUFFMAN NAMED TO ESPN THE MAGAZINE ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL TEAM

(Nov. 6) - Emory University senior middle hitter Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) has been recognized for her accomplishments on the volleyball court and in the classroom by earning a first-team berth on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team. The team is nominated and voted upon by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The 5-foot-11 Huffman has played a key role in helping the Eagles to a No. 1 national ranking among Division III teams as the squad heads into this weekend's University Athletic Association Championships.  She has played in 30 of the team's 32 matches and has registered 14 contests of double-figure kills.  She leads the team and is tied for fourth among UAA players with a 35.8 hitting percentage (299-73-632) and also paces the squad with a 0.96 blocks per-game average.  Most recently, she was named UAA Co-Player of the Week following her performance this past weekend at the Emory National Challenge. Career-wise, she stands ninth all-time at Emory in career kills (1,198) and holds down the No. 4 spot in total blocks (381).  Huffman entered her senior year with a 3.84 grade-point average as a French major.  This year's award marks her second straight academic all-district honor after landing a second-team bid in 2007.

By virtue of her inclusion to the Academic All-District first team, Huffman will be placed on the ballot for the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America team. Emory is in the "College Division" in District 3 which is composed of NCAA Division II and III, and NAIA schools in the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

Emory, 27-5 on the year (7-0 UAA), will play Rochester and Brandeis on Friday in its opening two matches of the UAA Championship.

NO. 1-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM EYES UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Nov. 5) - MATCH FACTS - The Emory volleyball team, ranked No. 1 among Division III squads, takes to the road when it competes at the University Athletic Association Championships.  This year's event will be held on Friday and Saturday (Nov. 7-8) and hosted by Washington University.  The Eagles head into weekend looking to defend its crown.

The Eagles are the No. 1 seed and will meet the University of Rochester at 10:00 a.m. on Friday before battling Brandeis at 12:30 p.m.  On Saturday, Emory will meet Chicago (11:30 a.m.).  Action continues on Saturday with matches scheduled for 2:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.  The semifinals and championship match are slated to be webcast.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 398-111.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Ladi Iya (Evansville, 2001) is in her first campaign as head coach at the University of Rochester. Prior to her appointment in May of this year, Iya had previous coaching stops at Evansville, Nicholls State and Buffalo.  

Brandies head coach Michelle Kim (Binghamton, 1996) is in her fifth campaign with the Judges' program. 

The University of Chicago is guided by Vanessa Walby (UW-Whitewater, 2002), who is in her first year with the Maroons.  She had previously served as an assistant coach for three years at Wisconsin-Whitewater.  

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 1 nationally for the first time since Nov. 15, 2005,
stands 27-5 on the year (7-0 UAA).  In their most recent action, the Eagles posted a 2-1 record at the Emory National Challenge. Emory opened with a 3-0 decision over No. 1 Juniata on Friday evening before coming out on the short end of a 3-0 decision to Birmingham Southern on Saturday.  The Eagles then closed out the weekend with a tight 3-2 decision against Lee University.

Rochester takes an overall record of 11-23 (0-7) into the Emory match.  Last weekend, the Yellowjackets finished fourth out of five teams at the Vassar College Invitational after going 1-3 in the tourney.

Brandeis starts the weekend with an overall record of 17-11 (3-4 UAA).  Brandeis swept its way through its own Judges Classic Tournament last weekend, posting three 3-0 wins against Baruch College, SUNY-Geneseo and Moravian.

Chicago stands 18-14 and is returning to action for the first time since the weekend of Oct. 24-25 when it dropped three of four matches at the Elmhurst Invitational.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory holds a 17-14 edge in the all-time series against Rochester.  The two teams met at the UAA Round Robin II this year (Oct. 19) where the Eagles notched a 3-0 win.

Emory has come away with victories in 28 of 34 meetings against Brandeis.  In an earlier contest this season at the UAA Round Robin I, Emory emerged with a 3-0 win.

Emory stands 24-11 all-time against Chicago.  The Eagles and Maroons met earlier this season with the Eagles posting a 3-0 triumph.  

HUFFMAN NAMED UAA PLAYER OF THE WEEK - Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) was named the UAA Co-Player of the Week following her performance at the Emory National Challenge.  In the three matches, she hit 29.8 percent (38-12-87), registered 30 digs and posted 13 (6-7) total blocks.  In the victory over No. 1 Juniata, she tied for the team lead with nine kills while contributing eight digs and four blocks.  Dani again tied for team honors with 10 kills against BSC before closing out the weekend with  a career-high tying 19 terminations against Lee University.

NOTES - In this week's UAA statistics, Huffman stands tied for fourth with a 35.8 hitting percentage while junior Alysse Meyer's (Stockton, CA) 30.5 percent mark places her eighth ... Meyer is second among league players with a 3.64 kills per game average while Huffman holds down the No. 6 position (2.88 kpg) ... Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) continues to set the pace in the UAA with a league-leading 10.59 assists per-game mark while sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) is first with a 0.55 aces per-game average ... Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX), eighth in the conference with a 3.75 digs per-game effort, ranks sixth on Emory's seasonal chart with 409 digs ... O'Neill has played in 31 of the team's 32 matches and claims 24 contests of double-figure digs ... Emory finished the Lee match with 65 kills, the third-highest total this year ... The Eagles registered 15 total blocks in the Juniata contest, the team's second-highest mark in 2008 ... Meyer's team-high 400 kills is good for 11th place on Emory's seasonal chart ... Krzyston's team-best 62 service aces places her in a tie for 14th on the Eagles' seasonal ladder ...  Meyer will enter the weekend with 1,198 career terminations to her credit, eighth on Emory's all-time list.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL EARNS NO. 1 RANKING

(Nov. 4) - The Emory University volleyball team holds down the No. 1 spot in the week's Bison/American Volleyball Coaches Division III Poll.  The Eagles received 21 of 24 first-place votes and totaled 596 points.  Juniata College, which had been No. 1 since the start of the season, slipped to the No. 2 position with one first-place vote and 571 points. La Verne (559 pts.), Washington University (526 pts.) and Wittenberg (499 pts.) round out the top five.

Emory ascended to the top of the poll following an impressive 3-1 win over Juniata this past weekend at the Emory National Challenge.  It marked the second time this year that the two schools had met with Juniata claiming a 3-0 decision at the Leopard Invitational hosted by La Verne.

Head Coach Jenny McDowell and her squad have enjoyed considerable success against nationally ranked teams this year, compiling an 8-1 mark against teams that have been ranked among the top 25.

This week's No. 1 ranking represents the first time since Nov. 15, 2005, that the Eagles have held the top position among Division III teams.

Emory returns to action this Friday and Saturday (Nov. 7-8) when it looks to defend its title at the University Athletic Association Championships in St. Louis.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS LEE UNIVERSITY


(Nov. 1) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out the home portion of its schedule with a five-game win over Lee University at the Emory National Challenge.  The Eagles upped their record to 27-5 following a 25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 25-27, 15-12 decision over the Lady Flames who fell to 23-9.

Emory, which hit 23.5 percent in the match (65-25-170), was led by junior Alysse Meyer's (Stockton, CA) season-high 22 kills, her fifth contest of 20 or more kills this season.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) made her final appearance at the Woodruff PE Center a memorable one with a career-high tying 19 terminations, 17 digs and seven (3-4) total blocks.  Both Meyer and Huffman garnered National Challenge All-Tournament honors

Freshmen Alexandra Wright and Kelsey Freeman each chipped in seven kills in helping the Eagles close out the campaign with a home mark of 11-1.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out a season-high 55 assists and chalked up 10 digs and seven block assists. Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) paced Emory with 18 digs while classmate Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) contributed 16 digs.

Emory finished with a 14-11 cushion in blocks and held an 81-75 edge in digs.Emory returns to action next Friday and Saturday (Nov. 7-8) when it plays at the University Athletic Association Championships in St. Louis, MO.  

2008 Emory National Challenge Team Winner - Birmingham Southern

All-Tournament Team
Michelle Maciejewski (MVP) - Birmingham Southern
Caitlin Dees - Birmingham Southern
Morgan Anderson - Birmingham Southern
Amber Thomas - Juniata
Meghan Sollenberger - Juniata
Alysse Meyer - Emory
Dani Huffman - Emory

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL FALLS TO BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN


(Nov. 1) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team came out on the short end of a 3-0 decision to Birmingham Southern Saturday afternoon at the Emory National Challenge.  The Panthers of BSC upped their season record to 27-7 following a 25-20, 29-27, 25-18 over Emory who saw its overall mark slip to 26-5.

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) each posted 10 kills to lead the Eagles in that category.  For the match, Emory finished with a 21.2 hitting percentage (43-18-118) compared to BSC's 28.7 percent effort (42-11-108).  Each team recorded 50 digs while the Panthers held a slim 4-2 edge in total blocks.

Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) doled out 37 assists for the Eagles and classmate Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) chalked up a match-high 16 digs.

Emory will play its final home match of the season later on today starting at 3:00 p.m. against Lee University.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPPLES NO. 1 JUNIATA


(Oct. 31) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team thrilled a large and enthusiastic Senior Night crowd at the Woodruff PE Center this evening with an impressive 3-0 win over No. 1 Juniata College in its opening match of the Emory National Challenge. Head Coach Jenny McDowell saw her team raise its record to 26-4 following a 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 decision over Juniata which saw its won-lost ledger slip to 26-4.

Emory spread its offensive attack around with senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) each finishing with a team-high nine kills. Huffman also finished with eight digs and four total blocks (1-3)  Junior Kaitlin Westfall (St. Louis, MO) helped Emory to a decisive 15-6 edge in total blocks with six stuffs (3-3) while freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 28 assists along with eight digs.

For the match, Emory hit 15.9 percent (34-17-107) while Juniata hit .080 percent (33-24-112).  Each team totaled 50 digs while Emory posted a slight 8-6 margin in service aces.

After Emory captured the first two games, a fourth game appeared inevitable as Juniata held a 20-14 bulge in the third game.  An ace by Meyer drew Emory to within 20-19, and the host Eagles then knotted things up at 20-20 on the strength of a solo block by freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL).  An attack error by Juniata then gave Emory a one-point lead which it pushed to 22-20 following a kill by McCall.  Following a Juniata point, another McCall termination gave Emory a 23-21 edge before a point by Juniata kept it within striking distance.  However, a blocking error by the visitors set up the match's final point, appropriately a kill by Huffman that closed out the contest.

"Early in the match we focused upon our serving and passing, and we were solid in those areas which helped us get off to a quick start," assistant coach Eric Hawes said.  "In the second game, Juniata changed up some of the things they were doing and it took us some time to adjust to it. In the third game, our serving and passing dropped off a bit while Juniata stepped it up in those areas.  But our players battled through that and always had the belief and confidence that they were going to pull through that game."

It is Emory's first win over a No. 1 team since Nov. 5, 2005, when it notched a 3-0 triumph over Washington University in the University Athletic Association championship match.

Emory finishes off the Challenge with Saturday matches against Birmingham Southern (noon) and Lee University (3:00 p.m.).

2008 Emory National Challenge

Friday -- 4:30 p.m.

Friday -- 7:00 p.m.

Saturday -- Noon

Saturday -- 3:00 p.m.

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL HOSTS FINAL HOME GAMES OF REGULAR SEASON

(Oct. 27) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 2-ranked Emory volleyball team makes its final home appearances of the regular season this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 31-Nov. 1) when it hosts the Emory National Challenge.  This year's field shapes up as a high-powered event with the Eagles taking on No. 1-ranked Juniata College on Friday evening starting at 7:00 p.m.  On Saturday, Emory entertains Birmingham Southern at noon and Lee University at 3:30 p.m.  All matches will be played at the Woodruff PE Center.

Fans can view the Juniata match via an online webcast, which requires RealPlayer, version 10 or newer, to view.  The link will be available on the Emory Volleyball homepage approximately 15 minutes before the start of the match.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 396-110.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Larry Bock (Penn State, ‘71) is in his 32nd campaign as head coach at Juniata College and starts the weekend with a school record of 1,173-180 which includes national championships in 2004 and 2006. He is a five-time AVCA National Coach of the Year.

Lee University head coach Andrea Hudson (Lee College, ‘84) is in her 18th campaign with the Lady Flames' program.  At the start of the week, Hudson has a school and career record of 579-213.  While at Lee, she has guided the program to 12 seasons of 30 or more victories.

Birmingham Southern is guided Pavlina Steffkova (Texas, '98), who is in her fifth year with the Panthers.  

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 25-4 on the year (7-0 UAA).  In their most recent action, the Eagles posted a 4-0 record at the University Athletic Association Round Robin II, Oct. 18-19.  Emory opened with a 3-1 decision over Washington University, before sweeping Case Western, Rochester and Carnegie Mellon.  Heading into this weekend, Emory stands 9-0 in matches played on its home court.

Juniata, ranked No. 1 nationally, meets Emory with an overall record of 26-3. Juniata won three matches at the Wid Guisler Invitational, defeating Washington & Lee, 3-2, before sweeping New York University and Carnegie Mellon.  

Birmingham Southern comes to town sporting a 14-match win streak that has boosted its overall record to 25-7.  On Sunday, the Panthers swept both Hendrix and Sewanee.  BSC last lost on Sept. 27 when it dropped a 3-0 decision to Georgetown College.

Lee University will take an overall record of 21-6 into an October 28 contest against Shorter College.  The following evening Lee will battle Reinhardt College.

SERIES RECORDS - Juniata stands 8-1 all-time against Emory. Friday's contest will represent the second meeting between the schools this year with Juniata posting a 3-0 triumph over Emory at the Leopard Invitational on October 11.

Both Emory and Lee University have posted 11 wins in the series that has its roots in 1989.  The Lady Flames' topped the Eagles earlier this year (Sept. 30), 3-0.

In a series that began in 1999, Birmingham Southern holds a slim 3-2 edge over Emory.  The Panthers have won the last three meetings, all of which have gone five games, including this year's lone meeting at the Comfort Inn Challenge (Aug. 29) hosted by BSC.  

BAIRD CLOSING IN ON 1,000 CAREER-KILLS MARK - Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) is on the verge of becoming the third Emory player this season to reach the 1,000 career-kills plateau.  Heading into the weekend, the 6-foot-1 Baird has 983 terminations to her credit, good for 12th place on the school's all-time ladder. Earlier this year, junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) and senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) each attained their 1,000th career kills.

FRIDAY NIGHT IS SENIOR NIGHT - Friday evening's match against Juniata will be Senior Night with the volleyball program recognizing the four-member senior class in a pre-match ceremony.  This year's class includes Madison Robelen (Boca Raton, FL), Lulu Kaiali (Woodstock, GA), Maggie Baird and Dani Huffman

NOTES - Meyer's team-leading 3.66 kills per-game average stands eighth on the school's seasonal chart ... Dani Huffman will check into the weekend with a 36.7 hitting percentage (261-61-545), good for ninth place on the Eagles' season ladder ... Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) is making an impact on the school's seasonal listings with her 364 digs good for 11th place ... Emory's 13 service aces against Rochester in the UAA Round Robin II represented the eighth match of 10 or more aces this season ... Junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA), second on the squad with a 2.22 digs per game average, has recorded nine contests of double-digit digs ... Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston's  (Noblesville, IN) five service aces against Washington University at the UAA Round Robin II marked her seventh performance of four or more aces in a match ... Krzyston holds down the No. 18 spot on the school's seasonal list with 59 aces and is just four shy of moving into 13th place ...  Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) totaled 11 kills against Washington University at the UAA Round Robin II, her second match  of double figures in that category ... Meyer has double-figure kills in 22 of the 27 matches that she has played in ... Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) is 14th on Emory's seasonal chart with 918 assists.

EMORY'S MAGGIE BAIRD NAMED UAA VOLLEYBALL CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

(Oct. 21)- Emory University senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Volleyball Co-Player Week following her performance at the UAA Round Robin II last weekend.  Baird shares the honor with Abby Blasco of Brandeis University.

The 6-foot-1 Baird played a key role in helping the Eagles to a 4-0 over the two-day Round Robin II with stellar offensive and defensive play.

Over the course of 13 games, she recorded 34 kills (2.6 kpg), hit 54.7 percent (34-5-53) while finishing with 10 total blocks as Emory raised its overall record to 25-4, 7-0 in the UAA. Against No. 4 Washington University, she posted 12 terminations and three blocks and tied for the team's high with nine kills against the University of Rochester.

So far this year, Baird has played in 27 of the team's 29 matches and is averaging 2.07 kills per game and hitting 29.1 percent (178-62-398).

Emory, 25-4 on the year (7-0 UAA), returns to action, Oct. 31-Nov. 1 when it hosts the Emory National Challenge.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL CLOSES OUT UAA ROUND ROBIN II WITH A SWEEP OVER CARNEGIE MELLON

(Oct. 19) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out an extremely successful weekend at the University Athletic Association Round Robin II Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 victory over Carnegie Mellon. The Eagles boosted their overall record to 25-4 (7-0 UAA) following a 25-12, 25-20, 25-21 decision over the Tartans.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) paced the team's offensive effort with 12 kills and was followed by senior Dani Huffman's (San Diego, CA) 10 terminations.  Senior Maggie Baird aided the cause by chipping in eight kills.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) registered 37 assists and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) led the Eagles with 13 digs.

Head Coach Jenny McDowell and her team return to action the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 1 when the Eagles host the Emory National Challenge.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS ROCHESTER AT UAA ROUND ROBIN II

(Oct. 19) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team opened the final day of the University Athletic Association Round Robin II with a 3-0 triumph over the University of Rochester.  The Eagles upped their overall record to 24-4 (6-0 UAA) following a 25-19, 25-22, 25-20 decision over the Yellowjackets.  

Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) and junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) tied for the team lead with nine kills apiece with Baird hitting a blazing 66.7 percent (9-1-12) for the match.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) all chipped in three service aces while freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) doled out 34 assists.

The Eagles close out Round Robin II action later on this morning with a match against Carnegie Mellon starting at 11:30 a.m.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS CASE WESTERN RESERVE  AT UAA ROUND ROBIN II

(Oct. 18) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out the opening day of the University Round Robin II Saturday afternoon with a 3-0 sweep over Case Western Reserve University.  The Eagles upped their overall record to 23-4 (5-0 UAA) following a 25-21, 25-10, 25-16 decision over the Spartans who saw their record slip to 14-10, 2-3 in the UAA. Hosting the Round Robin II is Brandeis University.

Seniors Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) chalked up a team-high 14 kills and was aided by junior Alysse Meyer's (Stockton, CA) 10 terminations and three service aces. Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) finished with nine kills.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) and junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) tied for team honors with 10 digs and freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) chalked up 40 assists.

Emory will play Rochester and Carnegie Mellon on Sunday.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS NO. 4 WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN OPENING MATCH OF UAA ROUND ROBIN II

(Oct. 18) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team topped No. 4 Washington University, 3-1, in its opening match of the University Athletic Association Round Robin II .  The Eagles upped their overall record to 22-4 (4-0 UAA) following a 21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 27-25 decision over the Bears who saw their record slip to 19-5.  Hosting the Round Robin II is Brandeis University.

Emory enjoyed a balanced offensive attack with seniors Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), and Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX), along with junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) all finishing with 12 kills. Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) played a key role with 13 digs and along with four service aces in the fourth game that sparked an Eagles' rally from a 16-21 deficit.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 50 assists.

Emory will close out Saturday's action with a 3:00 p.m. contest against Case Western Reserve University.  

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM PREPS FOR UAA ROUND ROBIN II

(Oct. 15) - MATCH FACTS - After winning two of three matches at the Leopard Invitational last weekend, the No. 2-ranked Emory volleyball returns to conference play this Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 18-19) when it ventures to Boston to compete in the University Athletic Association Round Robin II.  The Eagles battle Washington University (10:00 a.m.) and Case Western (3:00 p.m.) on Saturday before meeting Rochester (9:00 a.m.) and Carnegie Mellon (11:30 a.m.) on Sunday.  Serving as the host for the UAA Round Robin II is Brandeis University.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 392-110.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Rich Luenemann (Eastern Illinois, ‘72) is in his 10th campaign as head coach at Washington University and starts the weekend with a school record of 333-44 which includes national championships in 2003 and 2007. In 28 years of head coaching in the college ranks, Luenemann owns a career won-lost ledger of 923-307.  

Case Western Reserve University head coach Karen Farrell (Brandeis, ‘93) is in her second stint with the Spartans' program, having served there from 1995 through 1998.  After a stint at Clark University as a coach and administrator from 1998 through 2005, she returned to Case in March of 2006.

Calling the shots for the University of Rochester is first-year head coach Ladi Iya (Evansville, '01).  Iya, appointed to her current post in May of this year, had previous coaching tours with Nicholls State and at the University of Buffalo. Carnegie Mellon is guided by fourth-year head coach Kim Kelly (Gettysburg, '92).  Kelly takes a school record of 79-59 into the weekend along with a 12-year career effort of 329-141.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 21-4 on the year (3-0 UAA).  Last weekend, the Eagles opened play at the Leopard Invitational with a 3-1 decision over Claremont-Mudd Scripps.  On the second day of action, Emory came out on the short end of a 3-0 decision to No. 1 Juniata before claiming an intense 3-2 victory against No. 3 and host La Verne.

Washington University, ranked No. 4 nationally, meets Emory with an overall record of 19-4 (3-0 UAA).  The Bears have won their last nine matches including all four contests at their Invitational II last weekend.  

Case sports an overall slate of 13-9, 1-2 in the UAA.  The Spartans are looking to get back into the win column after losing 3-1 decisions to Wilmington College and Heidelberg College last weekend.  

Rochester stands 8-9 in overall action and is coming off a loss at St. John Fisher in its last outing (Oct. 8).

Carnegie Mellon claims an overall mark of 14-11 (2-1 UAA).  The Tartans hosted Geneva College on October 9 and won, 3-0.

HUFFMAN CRACKS 1,000 CAREER-KILLS MARK - Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) reached a milestone in the Claremont-Mudd Scripps match when she registered her 1,000th career kill. The 5-foot-11 Huffman closed out the Leopard Invitational with 41 kills, boosting her career total to 1,039, good for ninth place on the school's all-time chart.  

NOTES - Emory finished the La Verne match with 64 kills, the team's third-highest total of the season ... Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) knocked down a season-high 11 kills against Claremont-Mudd Scripps and then bettered that effort with a 12-terminations performance the next day vs. La Verne ...  Baird is on pace to become the third Emory player this season to reach 1,000 kills in a career as she claims 949 put-aways heading into this weekend ... Both Huffman and freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) earned spots on the All-Invitational Team ...  Schonefeld averaged a little over 10.0 assists per game and her 49 assists against CMS represented her third-highest effort of the season ... Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) paced the Eagles with 18 terminations in the La Verne contest, her 19th outing of double digits in 23 matches ... Junior Vista Murphy's  (Laguna Beach, CA) 14 digs against La Verne was her eighth match of 10 or more defensive saves this season ... Junior Kaitlin Westfall (St. Louis, MO) hit a season-high 66.7 percent (7-1-9) in the La Verne match ... Emory posts a 5-1 record in five-game matches this year.  In UAA statistics released earlier this week, Huffman is fourth among UAA players with a 34.5 hitting percentage while Meyer holds down the No. 7 position at 31.2 percent .... Meyer also figures prominently among the league leaders with a 3.71 kills per-game average, good for the No. 2 slot ... Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) is first among league spikers in service aces (0.55 apg) while Schonefeld is tops in assists (10.12 apg).

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL SPLITS A PAIR OF MATCHES IN FINAL DAY OF LEOPARD INVITATIONAL

(Oct. 12) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out play at the Leopard Invitational on Saturday with a split of matches against nationally ranked teams.  Emory opened the day coming out on the short end of a 3-0 decision against No. 1-ranked Juniata (16-25, 12-25, 23-25) before rallying for a five-game victory over No. 3-ranked and host La Verne, 22-25, 25-14, 17-25, 25-23, 15-13.  The split leaves the Eagles' overall record at 21-4.

In the Juniata contest, Emory could not get its offense untracked, hitting 10.9 percent (33-23-93) compared to the opposition's mark of 24.5 percent (35-12-94).  Though Emory held a 36-30 edge in digs, Juniata finished with a 6-1 advantage in service aces and 11-6 margin in total blocks.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) each totaled eight kills to pace Emory in that department.  Freshmen Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) and Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) tied for team honors with eight digs while Schonefeld doled out 26 assists.

Needing to salvage a win in the La Verne bout to come away with a winning record in the Invitational, the Eagles fell behind by a 1-0 margin before rallying to knot the match at 1-1 following the 25-14 victory in game two.  After the Leopards' win in the third game, the Eagle's forced a decisive fifth game with a dramatic 25-23 decision in the fourth game.  In game five, Emory's offense clicked on all cylinders and hit 41.7 percent (13-3-24) compared to La Verne's 20.0 percent effort (6-2-20) in securing the match.  Meyer led the team with 18 kills and was aided by Huffman's 14 kills and senior Maggie Baird's (San Antonio, TX) season-high 12 terminations.  In addition, Huffman was credited with 28 digs and three blocks.  Junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) chipped in 14 digs and Schonefeld doled out 48 assists in the victory.

Emory's representatives on the all-tournament team included Huffman and Schonefeld.  Amber Thomas of Juniata was tabbed as the MVP.

Emory returns to action next Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 18-19) when it takes part in the UAA Round Robin II hosted by Brandeis University.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL POSTS WIN OVER CLAREMONT-MUDD SCRIPPS AT LEOPARD  INVITATIONAL                                                               

(Oct. 10) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team opened play at the Leopard Invitational with a four-game win over Claremont-Mudd Scripps.  The Eagles raised their record to 20-3 following a 25-25, 25-23, 17-25, 25-23 decision over the Athenas who saw their record slip to 13-8.  The Invitational is being hosted by the University of La Verne.

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) returned to her home state and enjoyed an outstanding match, leading all players with a season-high tying 18 kills while registering a 61.5 attack percentage (18-2-26).  Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) made a notable return as well with 14 terminations and a 41.7 hitting percentage (14-4-24).  Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) rounded out the trio of double-figure attackers with a season-high 11 put-aways.

As a team, the Eagles hit 35.1 percent (53-19-97) compared to 26.9 percent (50-14-134) for CMS.

Emory continues play with a pair of matches on Saturday - against No. 1-ranked Juniata (18-1) at 1:30 p.m. (PDT), and No. 3 La Verne (13-1) at 6:00 p.m. (PDT).

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM LOOKS FORWARD TO LEOPARD INVITATIONAL

(Oct. 7) - MATCH FACTS - After enjoying a perfect weekend at the University Athletic Association Round Robin I, the No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team faces a formidable challenge this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 10-11) when it takes part in the Leopard Invitational.  On Friday, the Eagles battle Claremont-Mudd Scripps in a 6:00 p.m. start (PDT) before battling No. 1 Juniata College (1:30 p.m.) and host and No. 3-ranked La Verne (6:00 p.m.) on Saturday.  All matches will be contested at the Franz Athletic Court on the La Verne campus.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 390-109.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Dianna Graves (Claremont McKenna College, ‘98) is in her 10th campaign as head coach at Claremont-Mudd Scripps. Heading into an Oct. 7 match against Occidental College, Graves has a school and career record of 135-113.

Juniata head coach Larry Bock (Penn State, ‘71) is a legend in the college coaching ranks with his 32-year record of 1,164-178 making him the all-time leader in NCAA women's volleyball for wins.  A five-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, he has directed Juniata to national titles in 2004 and 2006.

University of La Verne is guided by 11th-year head coach Don Flora.  Heading into a Tuesday encounter against Whittier College, Flora posts a school and career ledger of 254-56 including four appearances to the NCAA Final and a national crown in 2001.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 19-3 on the year.  Last weekend, the Eagles battled their way to a 3-0 record in the UAA Round Robin I, sweeping Brandeis, Chicago and New York University.

Claremont-Mudd Scripps stands 12-7 overall prior to its contest against Occidental. Last weekend, the Athenas dropped a four-game decision to Cal Lutheran before defeating Redlands, 3-0.

 Juniata holds down the No. 1 national ranking and claims a 17-1 won-lost mark.   The Eagles defeated Scranton, Moravian and Merchant Marine all by 3-0 scores last weekend.

La Verne will take a perfect 12-0 ledger into the Tuesday bout against Whittier. The Leopards topped Chapman (3-0) and Pomona-Pitzer (3-0) last weekend. 

SERIES RECORDS - Emory holds a 2-0 edge in the all-time series against Claremont-Mudd Scripps.  The teams last met in 2001 (at La Verne) where the Eagles claimed a 3-1 victory.

La Verne owns a 4-0 advantage in the all-time series against Emory. The programs last met on two occasions during the 2003 campaign.

Juniata has captured seven of eight meetings against Emory.  The last match between the two schools took place in 2006 with Juniata notching a 3-0 verdict at Emory.  The teams will meet later this season on Oct. 31 at the Woodruff PE Center.

HUFFMAN ON VERGE OF 1,000 CAREER KILLS - Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) will most likely accomplish a significant milestone in her home state this weekend as she is just two kills shy of reaching the 1,000 career-kills plateau. Huffman checks into the weekend with 998 terminations to her credit, good for 10th place on the school's all-time list. 

NOTES - Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) has double-figure kills to her credit in 17 of the 20 matches she has played in ... In UAA statistics released Oct. 1, Meyer was No. 2 in kills per game and fifth in hitting percentage ... Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) dished out a season-high six service aces against Brandeis, her second-highest career total ... Krzyston held down the No. 1 position among UAA players in aces in the Oct. 1 stats ... Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) recorded a season high 58.3 attack percentage (7-0-12) in the Chicago match ... Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) averaged 10.9 assists and 9.0 digs per game last weekend at the UAA Round Robin I.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL NOTCHES TWO WINS - CLOSES OUT UAA ROUND ROBIN WITH 3-0 RECORD      

(Oct. 5) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out the University Athletic Association Round Robin I with a pair of wins on Sunday as the Eagles closed out the weekend with a 3-0 record.  Emory defeated Chicago, 25-14, 25-20, 25-20, and New York University, 25-21, 25-10, 25-20, on the final day of action, boosting its overall record to 19-3.

Against the Violets of NYU, junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) paced the team with 10 kills while classmate Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) each chipped in eight terminations.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) sparked a strong defensive effort with 13 digs and was aided in that department by sophomore Kelsey Krzyston's (Noblesville, IN) nine digs.

Earlier in the day, Meyer and McCall posted 14 and seven kills, respectively, against Chicago. Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 36 assists and contributed nine digs.

The Eagles return to action next Friday and Saturday (Oct. 10-11) when they play at University of La Verne Tournament.  

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL EYES UAA ROUND ROBIN I

(Oct. 1) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team heads to the Steel City this weekend to take part in the University Athletic Association Round Robin I.  Serving as the host for the initial conference action of the season will be  Carnegie Mellon University.  The Eagles take on Brandeis University on Saturday (Oct. 4) starting at 12:30 p.m., in their lone action of day.  On Sunday, Emory meets up with the University of Chicago at 9:00 a.m., before closing things out with a date against New York University beginning at 3:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 387-109.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.  In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Michelle Kim (Binghamton, ‘96) is in her fifth campaign as head coach at Brandeis University.

Head coach Vanessa Walby (Wisconsin-Whitewater, ‘05) is in her first season as the head coach at the University of Chicago.  Prior to her appointment at UC, Walby served as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

New York University is guided by seventh-year head coach Ed Caesar (NYU, '93).  Heading into the weekend, Caesar has a school and career ledger of 214-65 and has seen the program earn five trips to the NCAA Tournament.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 16-3 on the year.  The Eagles saw a 13-match win streak come to an end when they dropped a 3-0 decision to Lee University on Tuesday night.  Prior to the contest against Lee, Emory recorded a 3-1 triumph over No. 5-ranked Trinity on Friday, Sept. 26.

The Judges of Brandeis will meet the Eagles with an overall record of 9-4.  Brandeis split of a pair of contests on the final day of the Amherst Invitational last Saturday, defeating Westfield and losing to Middlebury.

Heading into a Thursday match against Lake Forest, Chicago has compiled a record of 13-6.  The Maroons split two decisions last Saturday at the Concordia Chicago Triangular, coming out on the short end of a five-game verdict to North Central before topping Purdue-North Central, 3-0.

NYU checks into the UAA Round Robin I with a won-lost performance of 13-4.  In the Violets' last outings, they finished with a 2-2 record at the Whittier College Tournament, Sept. 19-20.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory holds a 27-6 edge in the all-time series against Brandeis.  The Eagles and Judges met twice during the 2007 season with the Eagles coming away with a pair of 3-0 victories.

Emory enjoys a 23-11 advantage in the all-time series against the University of Chicago. During the 2007 campaign Emory notched a pair of 3-0 decisions.

The Eagles stand 25-13 all-time against NYU including two wins last year.

MEYER MOVES UP EMORY'S CAREER KILLS LIST  - Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) pounded out a match-high 25 kills in the Trinity match and in the process moved into eighth place on Emory's career list in that category.  Meyer moved ahead of Janet Bunning (1,032 kills, 2004-07) and enters the UAA Round Robin I with 1,046 terminations to her credit.

NOTES - Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) is approaching the 1,000 career-kill plateau with 972 successful attacks to her credit ... Huffman finished the Trinity match with 11 kills, her sixth performance of double digits this season ... Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) continues to lead the squad in services with a 0.57 per-game average ... Krzyston is six aces shy of reaching 100 in her career ... Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) tied for the team lead  in kills in the Lee University match with six put-aways, her 10th outing of the campaign of six or more kills ... Alysse Meyer has four matches of 20 or more kills this season ... Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) tops the club in digs (3.97 dpg) and claims four matches of 20 or more digs ... Freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL) tied her season best (10 or more attempts) with a 41.7 attack percentage (6-1-12) in the Lee contest.

EAGLES ON THE ROAD FOR A SPELL - Last Friday's match vs. Trinity was Emory's last home outing until the weekend of Oct. 31-Nov. 1 when the team hosts the Emory National Challenge.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS NO. 5 TRINITY UNIVERSITY - CAPTURES 13th STRAIGHT WIN


(Sept. 26) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team shook off an opening-game loss and rallied for a 3-1 victory over No. 5 Trinity University Friday evening in match played before an appreciative crowd at the Woodruff PE Center on the Emory campus.  The Eagles recorded their 13th consecutive victory and raised their season ledger to 16-2 following a 19-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-23 triumph over the Tigers who slipped to 9-5.

After seeing the visitors hit 35.3 percent in the opening game, Emory held Trinity to just 12.7 attack percentage over the next three games en route to the victory.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) spearheaded a strong defensive effort with a match-high23 digs while junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) chipped in 12. 

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) turned in another stellar offensive performance with a match-best 25 kills, her third-highest career total, while finishing with a glittering 40.4 hitting percentage (25-4-52).  Meyer also totaled six digs and three total blocks.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) rounded out the team's double-digit attackers with 11 terminations.  Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) came through with nine timely kills while sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) and freshman Kelsey Hodge (Gainesville, FL) registered six and four successful attacks, respectively.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out a season-high 53 assists and also managed 11 digs. 

Emory returns to action on Tuesday, Sept. 30, when it travels to Lee University.

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL HOSTS  NO. 5 TRINITY BEFORE PLAYING AT LEE UNIVERSITY

(Sept. 24) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team, winners of its last 12 matches, faces a formidable challenge on Friday (Sept. 26) when it entertains nationally ranked and region foe Trinity University.  The Woodruff PE Center will serve as the site of the 18th meeting between the Eagles and Tigers and the match is slated for a 6:00 p.m. start.  The Emory-Trinity showdown will be webcast.  Those who are interested in viewing the live video stream can go to www.go.emory.edu.

Following the match against Trinity, Emory will play at Lee University on Tuesday, Sept. 30, starting at 7:00 p.m.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 386-108.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.   In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Julie Jenkins (William and Mary, ‘81) is in her 24th campaign as head coach at Trinity University and owns a school record of 621-274.   Jenkins has guided the program to 16 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances which includes 11 trips to the Sweet 16.  

 Head coach Andrea Hudson (Lee College, ‘84) calls the shots for Lee University and is in her 17th year with the Lady Flames. Heading into a Sept. 26 match against Brewton Parker College, Hudson has a school and career ledger of  547-193. She directed the program to six NAIA Regional titles.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 15-2 following a championship performance at the Emory National Invitational. The Eagles topped Maryville, No. 7 Wittenberg, Washington & Lee and Macalester, all by 3-0 scores en route to the crown.  The Eagles are 8-0 in matches played at the Woodruff PE Center this season.

Trinity University, ranked No. 5 nationally, comes to town with a 9-4 record.  The Tigers enter Friday's battle on a three-match win streak.

Following a 3-1 setback to Berry College on Tuesday evening (Sept. 23), Lee University stands at 12-4.  The Lady Flames will entertain Brewton Parker College on Friday before playing Emory.

SERIES RECORDS - Trinity holds a slim 9-8 edge in the all-time series against Emory.  The Eagles and Tigers last met in the 2007 NCAA Tournament Regional Finals where Emory registered a 3-1 win.

Emory stands 11-10 all-time vs. Lee in a series that started in 1989.  Last season, each team claimed a win on its home floor.

MEYER REACHES 1,000 CAREER KILLS - Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) reached a milestone in Saturday's match vs. Washington & Lee, becoming the ninth player in school history to reach 1,000 career kills.  Meyer, who was named both the MVP of the Emory National Invitational and UAA Player of the Week, heads into the Trinity battle with 1,021 terminations to her credit, just 12 shy of moving past Janet Bunning (1,032 kills, 2004-07) into eighth place on the school's all-time ladder.

NOTES - Emory hit a season-high 34.7 percent (47-14-95) in the Washington & Lee match, the team's sixth performance of 30 percent or higher this season ... While Meyer cracked the 1,000 career-kills plateau last weekend, senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) is approaching that mark as well with 961 terminations to her credit ... Meyer has posted double digits in kills in 14 of her 16 matches ... Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) dished out three service aces against Macalester, her sixth effort of three or more aces this year ... The Eagles have six matches of 10 or more aces ...Freshman Kelsey Hodge (Gainesville, FL) posted a season-high four kills in the Macalester match ... Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) came through with six kills against Washington & Lee, her eighth outing of six or more terminations this year.

EAGLES EARN ALL-INVITATIONAL HONORS - In addition to Alysse Meyer's MVP award at the Emory National Invitational, three Eagles garnered All-Invitational recognition.  Dani Huffman, senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) and freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) were Emory representatives.

EMORY'S ALYSSE MEYER NAMED UAA VOLLEYBALL CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK

(Sept. 23) Emory University junior outside Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) has been selected by the University Athletic Association as Volleyball Co-Player Week following her performance at the Emory National Invitational last weekend.

The 6-foot Meyer was named the Most Valuable Player of the Invitational, helping the Eagles claim the championship with a 4-0 record.  She played in all 12 of the team's games over the four matches and came up with a team-leading 49 kills (4.08 kpg) while hitting 37.7 percent (49-12-98). She paced the team in terminations in all four contests including a pair of 14-kill performances against Washington & Lee and Macalester College.  In addition to her offensive contributions, Meyer added 14 digs and eight service aces.

Meyer's selection represents the second time this year and fourth time in her career that she has been chosen as the league's Player of the Week.

Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III teams, takes an overall record of 15-2 into a Friday evening home match against No. 5 Trinity starting at 6:00 p.m.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS MACALESTER - CAPTURES EMORY INVITATIONAL


(Sept. 20) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out a perfect weekend Saturday afternoon by topping Macalester College in three games, and winning the Emory Invitational with a 4-0 record.  The Eagles topped the Scots, 25-6, 28-26, 25-19, nailing down their 12th straight win and boosting their season record to 15-2.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) paced all players with 14 kills while closing out the match with a 52.0 attack percentage (14-1-25).  Head Coach Jenny McDowell got all of her dressed players into the match at one point or another as the team raised its home record to 8-0.  Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) doled out 31 assists and contributed seven digs while sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) came through with three service aces and eight digs. 

Meyer was named MVP of the Invitational after racking up a team-high 49 kills along with a solid 37.7 hitting percentage (49-12--98). She also totaled eight service aces and 14 digs. Other Emory players to land All-Invitational Team honors included Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) and senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX).

Emory hit 20.8 percent (41-19-106) in the match compared to Macalester's 10.0 percent (24-15-90).  The Eagles held a 45-42 margin in digs while the Scots recorded six total blocks to Emory's four.

Emory returns to action on Friday, Sept. 26, with a home match vs. Trinity.

EMORY NATIONAL INVITATIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Alysse Meyer -- Emory University -- MVP
Dani Huffman -- Emory Univrsity
Maggie Baird -- Emory University
Brannan O'Neill -- Emory University
Lindsay Little -- Maryville
Kathleen Graham -- Wittenberg
Laura Fender -- Wittenberg

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM UPENDS WASHINGTON & LEE

(Sept. 20) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team continued its winning ways on Saturday as it posted a 3-0 win over Washington & Lee at the Emory National Invitational. The Eagles recorded their 11th straight win and boosted their record to 14-2 following a 25-18, 25-18, 25-20 decision over the Generals who saw their record fall to 9-3.

Emory finished with a season-high 34.7 attack percentage (47-14-95) while holding  W&L to 15.0 percent (31-16-100).  The Eagles enjoyed a wide 47-27 advantage in digs and finished with an 8-5 edge in total blocks.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) continued her torrid offensive play, knocking down a match-high 14 kills while hitting 44.0 percent (14-3-25).  Her performance enabled her to crack the 1,000 career-kills plateau as she entered the contest with 993 successful attacks to her credit.  She is the ninth player in school history to reach that mark.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) was the other Emory player to finish with double-digit kills, totaling 10 terminations as well as six digs and five total blocks. 

Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 41 assists while classmate Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) led all players with 16 digs.

Emory closes out the Invitational with a 4:30 match against Macalester.

NO. 2 EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM SPEEDS PAST NO. 7 WITTENBERG


(Sept. 19) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball squad completed a fine opening day of the Emory National Invitational Friday evening with an impressive 3-0 win against No. 7-ranked Wittenberg.  The Eagles brought home their 10th straight victory and upped their overall won-lost ledger to 13-2 following a 26-24, 25-15, 15-16 verdict over the Tigers who slipped to 9-2.

After surviving a hard fought, nip-and-tuck battle in the first game, the Eagles used a solid defensive effort, along with some timely hitting, over the final two games in securing the win.  While Emory hit 17.2 percent for the contest, it held Wittenberg to 3.5 percent (31-27-114).  The Eagles held a 49-40 edge in digs and a 6-2 edge in total blocks.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) led all players with 10 kills while senior Maggie Baird concluded the match hitting 58.3 percent (8-1-12).  Also chipping in eight terminations was senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA).  Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) doled out 28 assists and came through with some key defensive play with a team-best 13 digs.

"We started out playing hard and found another gear throughout the match," said assistant coach Eric Hawes.  "Every hitter we put out there made a contribution against a great team and solid program.  The fact that we kept playing hard and didn't let up is huge, especially for a young team such as ours."

Emory closes out play in the Invitational on Saturday with a 2:00 match against Washington & Lee and a 4:30 tilt against Macalester.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS MARYVILLE


(Sept. 19) - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team captured its ninth straight match Friday afternoon as it registered a 3-0 sweep against Maryville College in its initial match of the Emory National Invitational.  The Eagles upped their record to 12-2 following a 25-19, 25-19, 25-29 triumph over the Scots who saw their record slip to 11-3.

Emory enjoyed a balanced offensive attack with four players picking up six or more kills.  Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) paced the Eagles with 11 terminations while seniors Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA), and Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX), along with sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL), all chalked up six kills.

Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 31 assists in helping Emory hit 28.0 percent (38-12-93) in the match.  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) topped the squad with seven digs.

Emory closes out the first day of play with a 7:00 p.m. match against No. 7-ranked Wittenberg.

2008 EMORY NATIONAL INVITATIONAL SCOREBOARD


Friday -- 2:00 p.m.

Friday -- 4:30 p.m.

Friday -- 7:00 p.m.

Saturday -- 11:30 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

Saturday -- 4:30 p.m.

NO. 2-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL HOSTS  INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 17) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 2-ranked Emory University volleyball team, winners of its last eight matches, returns home to host the Emory National Invitational this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 19). On Friday, the Eagles take on Maryville at 4:30 p.m. before battling Wittenberg in a  7:00 p.m. start.  Emory then will meet Washington & Lee (2:00 p.m.) and Macalester (4:30 p.m.) on Saturday.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 382-108.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.   In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Kandis Schram (Maryville, ‘85) is in her 23rd campaign as head coach at Maryville College and owns a school and career record of 535-296.  Heading into 2008, Schram had guided the Scots to championships in the Great South Athletic Conference in six of the previous eight seasons.

 In his sixth year as the head coach at Wittenberg University is Paco Labrador (Hiram, '95). During his tenure with the Tigers, Labrador has posted an impressive won-lost ledger of 178-25 that includes five trips to the NCAA Tournament.

 Head coach Bryan Snyder (Washington & Lee, ‘95) calls the shots for Washington and Lee and is in his ninth year with the Generals. Heading into this weekend's action, Snyder checks in with a school and career slate of 243-54.

Leading Macalester College is 11th-year head coach Stephanie Schleuder (Minnesota, Duluth). Heading into a Sept. 17 contest against Carleton, Schleuder has a 33-year career effort of 696-425.

RECORDS - Emory, ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III squads, stands 11-2 following a championship performance at the Christopher Newport Invitational. The Eagles topped West Virgina Wesleyan, 3-0, and Christopher Newport, 3-2, on Friday before coming away with 3-1 and 3-0 decisions over Southern Virginia and Franklin and Marshall, respectively, on Saturday.
Maryville College comes to town with a 10-2 mark.  The Scots have captured their last seven matches.

Wittenberg University, ranked No. 7 nationally, starts the weekend with an 8-1 won-lost effort. Wittenberg hosted the Border Battle last weekend and won three of four outings. The Tigers are a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference.

Washington and Lee is off to a fine start with an 8-0 record. The Generals recorded a 3-0 triumph over Roanoke on Tuesday, running their consecutive games won streak to 24.

Before coming to the Emory National Invitational, Macalester will look to improve upon its 4-2 record when it hosts Carleton on Wednesday evening.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory enjoys a 12-2 edge in the all-time series against Maryville College.  The Eagles and Scots last met in September, 2007, with Emory coming away with a 3-0 decision.

Emory stands 4-3 all-time vs. Wittenberg. The last contest between the Eagles and Knights took place in 2006 with Wittenberg rallying for a five-game win.

The Eagles have won 15 of 16 meetings against Washington and Lee including a 3-0 triumph last season.

Saturday's meeting with Macalester will represent the first-ever volleyball contest between the two schools.

NOTES - Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) continued her torrid serving at the Christopher Newport Invitational ...  Krzyston doled out 15 aces over 13 games including five-ace matches against West Virginia Wesleyan and Southern Virginia ... Krzyston's 13 kills vs. West Virginia Wesleyan was her second performance this season of double-figure kills ... Heading into the Emory National Invitational, she paces the team in both total aces (31) and aces per game (0.62 apg) ... Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) is quickly approaching the 1,000-career kills plateau with her 40 terminations last weekend upping her total to 972, which places her 10th on the school's all-time chart ... Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) also has 1,000 career kills in her sights as heads into the weekend with 935 ... Emory's win over Christopher Newport increased its record to 4-1 in five-game matches this season ... The Eagles have six matches of 10 or more aces ... Emory finished the Franklin & Marshall match with a 32.1 hitting percentage, the team's fifth outing of 30 percent or higher ... Freshman Brannan O'Neill's (Houston, TX) 22 digs against Christopher Newport was her third match of 20 or more digs this season ... Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) came through with a season-high 10 kills in the Christopher Newport contest.

EAGLES EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS AT CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT - Three Eagles were recognized for their outstanding play at the Christopher Newport Invitational. Alysse Meyer was chosen as the MVP after chalking up 40 kills over the course of 12 games (3 matches) and hitting a keen 35.1 percent (40-6-97) ... Dani Huffman, who registered 35 kills and 13 total blocks, and Brannan O'Neill, who shined defensively with 46 digs in three matches, were tabbed to the All-Tournament Team.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL CAPTURES CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT INVITATIONAL CROWN      

(Sept. 13) - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team brought home the championship after winning its two matches on the final day of the Christopher Newport Invitational on Saturday.  The Eagles topped Southern  Virginia in four games (25-17, 19-25, 25-14, 25-17) before coming away with a 3-0 triumph over Franklin & Marshall (25-16, 25-14, 25-14).  Emory closed out the weekend with a 4-0 record and in the process upped its overall record to 11-2.

In the match against Southern Virginia, junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) posted a team-high 10 kills while freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL) chipped in five terminations and four blocks.  Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) and freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) aided in the victory with five service aces and 32 assists, respectively.

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and Meyer keyed the verdict over Franklin & Marshall with 10 kills apiece.  Krzyston added six kills and continued her effective serving with four aces. 

The Eagles have won their last eight matches and return to action the weekend of Sept. 19-20 when they host the Emory National Invitational.

EMORY OFF TO FAST START AT CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT INVITATIONAL 

(Sept. 13) - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team captured its first two matches Friday afternoon at the Christopher Newport Invitational.  The Eagles opened with a 3-0 triumph over West Virginia Wesleyan before battling to a five-game win over host Christopher Newport.  The two victories boosted the Eagles record to 9-2.

In the match against West Virginia Wesleyan, sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) totaled a team-high 13 kills while dishing out five service aces.  Senior Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) notched six kills and recorded four blocks. 

In the five-game battle against CNU, junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) blasted out 20 kills while senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) finished with 12 terminations.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) directed the Emory offense well and totaled 50 assists.

Emory looks to extend its six-match win streak when it closes out play at the CNU Invitational on Saturday with a 2:00 p.m. affair against Southern Virginia and a 4:00 p.m. tilt vs. Franklin & Marshall.

NO. 3-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL EYES CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT INVITATIONAL

(Sept. 11) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team, fresh off a championship performance at the Emory Classic, takes to the road to play in the Christopher Newport Invitational.  On Friday (Sept. 12), the Eagles take on West Virginia Wesleyan at 4:00 p.m. before battling host Christopher Newport in an 8:00 p.m. start.  Emory then will meet Southern Virginia (2:00 p.m.) and Franklin and Marshall (4:00 p.m.) on Saturday.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 378-108.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.   In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Lindsay Birch (Christopher Newport, ‘02) is in her seventh campaign as head coach at Christopher Newport and owns a school and career record of 170-60.  Last season, Birch saw her club post a 33-7 won-lost ledger while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.  

In her first year as the head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College is Andi Morgan (Columbia College (SC), '06). 

 Head coach Brian Pendleton (Central Washington  Univ., ‘80) calls the shots for Southern Virginia and is in his first year with the Knights.  

Leading Franklin & Marshall into this weekend is sixth-year head coach Mary Kate Boland (Franklin & Marshall, ‘01). 

RECORDS - Emory sports a 7-2 record at the start of this weekend's action.  The Eagles brought home the title in the Emory Classic last weekend after posting a 4-0 mark.  Emory defeated No. 18 Haverford, 3-1, and Southwestern, 3-2, on Friday before notching impressive 3-0 victories against both Mount Union and Carleton on Saturday. The Eagles are ranked No. 3 nationally.

West Virginia Wesleyan a member of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, stands 2-4.  In their most recent outing, the Bobcats topped Davis & Elkins, 3-1, on Tuesday.

Christopher Newport starts the weekend with a 2-2 won-lost effort. CNU was to host the Captains Classic last weekend but saw the tournament washed out due to weather conditions caused by Tropical Storm Hanna.

NAIA member Southern Virginia claims a 6-4 record.  The Knights hosted Roanoke on Tuesday and came out on the short end of a five-game decision.

Franklin and Marshall begins the weekend of a 1-5 record following a 3-0 victory against Washington (Md.) on Wednesday.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory enjoys a 7-0 edge in the all-time series against Christopher Newport.  The Eagles and CNU last met early in the 2007 campaign with Emory coming away with a 3-0 decision.

Emory and Franklin & Marshall have met on just one occasion with the Eagles earning the win back in 1996.

The contests against both Southern Virginia and West Virginia Wesleyan will represent the first-ever meetings in volleyball.

NOTES - Emory hit a season-high 34.4 percent (42-10-93) against Mount Union in the 3-0 win ... The Eagles finished with 220 total attack attempts in the five-game battle against Southwestern, tying the third-highest match total in school history ... The 104 digs in the Southwestern match tied for the No. 4 spot on Emory's match list ... Emory recorded 43 service aces in the four matches last weekend compared to 15 for the opposition ... The Eagles have 10 or more aces in five of nine matches ... Junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) recorded a career-high nine aces against Mount Union, tying the second-highest match total in Emory annals and tying for the top mark for a three-game match ... Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) hit an impressive 43.2 percent (40-5-81) in the Emory Classic ... Huffman totaled a season-high 18 kills in the Southwestern contest, tying her second-highest career total ...  Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) is making her mark as a defensive specialist, averaging a team-high 4.06 digs per game.

MEYER EARNS CONFERENCE & NATIONAL HONORS - Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) was chosen as the Sports Imports/AVCA Division III National Player of the Week following her performance at the Emory Classic.  The 6-foot Meyer paced the Eagles in kills in three matches and racked up a total of 71 terminations.  Included in her totals was a career-best 30-kill outing against Haverford, tying the second-highest match total in school history.  She is just the fifth-ever Emory player to earn the award.  Meyer also was tabbed as University Athletic Association Player of the Week for the third time in her career.

EMORY'S ALYSSE MEYER NAMED SPORTS IMPORTS/AVCA DIVISION III NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

(Sept. 9) - Emory University junior outside Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) has been named the Sports Imports/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III National Player of the Week following her performance at the Emory Classic last weekend.

The 6-foot Meyer earned the prestigious honor after an MVP performance that saw her spark the Eagles to a championship effort with a 4-0 record.  She played in all 15 of the team's games over the four matches and came up with a team-leading 71 kills (4.73 kpg), hit 42.2 percent (71-11-142), doled out 10 service aces and averaged 1.73 digs per game. 

In the Eagles' opening match of the Classic against No. 18 Haverford, she pounded out a career-high 30 kills, tying the second-highest match total in school history, and hit a blistering 56.2 percent (30-3-48) while also registering nine digs and five aces in the four-game win.  She followed that up with a 16-kill, nine-dig evening against Southwestern in a thrilling five-game, come-from-behind victory over Southwestern.

She continued her torrid pace on the final day, hitting 68.4 percent with 13 kills in 19 attempts with zero errors in the Eagles' 3-0 decision over Mount Union before closing out the weekend with three aces, while registering a 57.9 attack percentage on the strength of  12 terminations in 19 attempts with one error in a sweep against Carleton.

Meyer's selection represents the fifth time that an Emory player has earned the Sports Imports/AVCA Division III National Player of the Week Award. She joins Liana Roman (Oct. 14, 1996), Jennifer Naeger (Oct. 26, 1998), Lulu Sewell (Sept. 9, 2002) and Courtney Rose (Oct. 25, 2004) as Emory players to have been tabbed for the honor.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL DEFEATS CARLETON - CAPTURES EMORY CLASSIC CROWN        

(Sept. 6) - The No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team captured its own Classic championship, ending out the two-day tourney with a decisive three-game win over Carleton.  The Eagles went 4-0 over the weekend, closing with a 25-16, 25-18, 25-15 triumph against the Knights of Carleton, raising their record to 7-2 on the year.

Emory hit 32.6 percent (39-10-89) for the match and was led by junior Alysse Meyer, who totaled a match-high 12 kills en route to a 57.9 hitting percentage (12-1-19).  Meyer was tabbed as MVP of the Classic after coming up with 71 kills and hitting 42.2 percent (71-11-142).  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 32 assists while chipping in 10 digs.

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) was the other Emory player to garner All-Classic honors, putting away 40 kills, registering a 43.2 hitting percentage and totaling 13 blocks.

Emory returns to action next Friday and Saturday (Sept. 12-13) when it plays at the Christopher Newport Invitational.

2008 Emory Classic All-Tournament Team
Alysse Meyer (Emory) - MVP
Dani Huffman (Emory)
Samantha Lingamfelter - Southwestern
Lauren Brown - Southwestern
Melissa Mahnke - Mount Union
Rebecca Salvo - Haverford
Annie Eckhoff -- Carleton

EMORY VOLLEYBALL RACES BY MOUNT UNION  

(Sept. 6) - Showing no signs of a letdown following an emotional five-game win against Southwestern on Friday evening, the No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team recorded an impressive 3-0 win over Mount Union in its first match on Saturday at the Emory Classic.  The Eagles raised their overall record to 6-2 following a 31-29, 25-8, 25-15 over the Purple Raiders who suffered their first loss in seven decisions.

Junior Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) dished out a career-high nine service aces in the match, tying the second-highest match total in school history and tying the highest mark for a three-game match.  All totaled, the Eagles chalked up 16 aces over the three games compared to Mount Union's two.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) continued her torrid offensive play, racking up a team-high 13 kills while hitting a blistering 68.4 percent (13-0-19).  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) came through with nine terminations while posting a solid 40.9 attack percentage (9-0-22).  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) dished out 36 assists while freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) tied for game-high honors with 12 digs.

The Eagles close out play in the Emory Classic later on today with a 4:30 p.m. match against Carleton.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL RALLIES FOR THRILLING FIVE-GAME WIN OVER SOUTHWESTERN       

(Sept. 5) - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team dug itself a hole early but rallied from a 2-0 deficit to earn a hard-fought, five-game victory over Southwestern Friday evening at the Emory Classic.  The Eagles boosted their season record to 5-2 following a 24-26, 16-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13 verdict over the Pirates who dropped to 4-2.

Both squads displayed tenacious defense throughout the evening, combining for 208 digs, 104 for each team.  Emory hit 17.3 percent (70-32-220) on the night while Southwestern finished with an 18.0 percent effort (56-21-194).

Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) led all players with 18 kills and posted a 41.7 attack percentage (18-3-36).  Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) totaled 16 terminations while junior Kaitlin Westfall (St. Louis, MO) rounded out the double-figure kill producers with a season high of 11.  Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) played a steady game with nine kills and 19 digs while freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) registered a team-best 25 digs.

Freshman setter Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) came on in relief of an injured Madison Robelen and doled out 30 assists while contributing 14 digs over the last three games.

Emory continues play in the Classic on Saturday with matches against Mount Union at noon and Carleton at 4:30 p.m.

NOTES - Emory's 104 digs tied the fourth-highest match mark in school history ... Meyer's 16 kills marked her fifth match of double-figure kills this year ... Junior Vista Murphy's (Laguna Beach, CA) 14 digs was her third outing of double digits in that category this year ... Emory finished the Southwestern contest with 220 attacking attempts, tying for the third-highest match total in school history.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL DEFEATS HAVERFORD        

(Sept. 5) - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team captured its opening match of the Emory Volleyball Classic Friday afternoon, topping Haverford College in four games.  The Eagles upped their record to 4-2 following a 20-25, 25-19, 25-13, 25-7 verdict over the Fords who saw their record slip to 5-1.

Junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) turned in a spectacular offensive performance, recording a career-high 30 kills, tying her for second place on the school's all-time match list.  Meyer hit 56.2 percent (30-3-48) and also contributed nine digs, second high on the squad.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) was the other Emory player to finish in double digits in kills with 10.

Senior setter Madison Roebelen (Boca Raton, FL) dished out 44 assists over three games while freshman Brannan O'Neill paced the team with 17 digs.

Emory hit 30.3 percent (68-24-145) compared to Haverford's 13.0 percent (27-13-108).  The Eagles enjoyed a 55-42 edge in digs.

Emory closes out the opening day of play with a match against Southwestern at 7:00 p.m.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL TO HAVE SELECT MATCHES WEBCAST

(Sept. 4) - Fans of the Emory University volleyball program will be able to follow the team via the worldwide web with a total of four home contests slated for live video streaming.

The first match to be webcast will Emory's outing against Southwestern on Friday, Sept. 5, starting at 7:00 p.m.  Other webcasts are slated for Friday, Sept. 19 vs. Wittenberg (7:00 p.m.), Friday, Sept. 26 against Trinity (6:00 p.m.), and Friday, Oct. 31 vs. Juniata (7:00 p.m.).

In order you view the webcast, you need to have RealPlayer© version 10 or newer installed on your computer.  To download the free version of RealPlayer©, go to www.real.com, and click on the "Get RealPlayer© - Free" button on the upper-left side of the screen.

Once RealPlayer© is installed on your computer, you can click on the link posted to www.go.emory.edu to access the webcasts.  Although you may be able to click on the link a number of hours before the match, the webcast will not become active until approximately 15 minutes before the start of the match, and you will not be able to access the live video and audio prior to that time.

After you click on the link, RealPlayer© should open automatically, and you should see the live video running on your computer.  If you get an error message saying "Requested file not found," it means that the webcast has not yet been initiated, and you should try to access the webcast again, closer to the start of the match.

2008 EMORY CLASSIC SCOREBOARD


Friday, Sept. 5

2:00 pm

4:30 pm

7:00 pm

Saturday, Sept. 6

9:30 am

Noon

2:30 pm

4:30 pm

NO. 3-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM OPENS 2008 CAMPAIGN

(Sept. 4) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team makes its home debut this Friday and Saturday (Sept. 5-6) when it hosts the Emory Classic.  Joining the Eagles in the Classic are Carleton, Haverford, Mt. Union, Clark University, Hardin-Simmons, Averett and Southwestern.

The Eagles will play two matches each day, vs. Haverford (4:30 p.m.) and Southwestern (7:00 p.m.) on Friday and Mt. Union (Noon) and Carleton (4:30 p.m.) on Saturday. 

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) is in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 374-108.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.   In 2007, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Amy Bergin (Bethany College, 1999) is in her seventh campaign as head coach at Haverford College.  Last season, Bergin saw her club post a school-record 31 wins while advancing to its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Fifth-year head coach Hannah Long (Portland State Univ.) calls the shots for Southwestern and will take a school ledger of 125-37 into the Emory Classic.  Long has compiled 30 or more wins three straight seasons and is coming off a 30-12 mark last year.

Leading Carleton College into this weekend is 10th-year head coach Heidi Luehmann Jaynes (Oklahoma).  Jaynes owns a school and career record of 141-98 and has directed the Knights to the NCAA Tournament in 2005 and 2007.

Leigh Ann Matesich (DePauw, 2004) is in her third campaign as the head coach at Mount Union College and checks in with a school and career effort of 56-15.  Last year, Matesich directed the Purple Raiders to a 30-5 record, the first-ever season of 30 or more wins for the program.

RECORDS - Emory takes a 3-2 record into the Classic.  The Eagles captured three of four matches at the Comfort Inn Challenge last weekend in Birmingham, Ala., losing only to host Birmingham Southern in five games.  Emory defeated Berry College and Illinois Wesleyan in five games while racing past West Georgia in three games.  In its most recent outing, the Eagles came out on the short end of a four-game decision at North Alabama on Labor Day.  Emory held down the No. 3 spot in the Division III preseason poll.

Haverford, ranked No. 18 in the preseason, takes a 4-0 record into the Emory contest.  The Fords hosted the Haverford Invitational last weekend and emerged undefeated, topping Cabrini, St. Mary's (Md.), U.S. Coast Guard and Gallaudet while winning 12 of 14 games in the process. 

The Pirates of Southwestern University come to town with a 3-1 mark after opening the campaign last weekend at the UTD Gilbert Labor Day Tournament in Dallas.  Southwestern notched wins over Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons and East Texas Baptist while losing a five-game verdict to host Texas-Dallas.  

Mount Union has gotten off to a good start in 2008, compiling a 4-0 showing thus far.  The Purple Raiders hosted the Mount Union Invitational last weekend and swept matches against Laroche (Pa.), Aurora along with a pair of contests against Case Western Reserve.

Carleton College stands 2-0 after sweeping Crown College and Martin Luther College last weekend.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory has a win to its credit in the only meeting with Haverford with that match taking place in 2001.

Emory posts a 10-4 record in the all-time series against Southwestern.  The Eagles and Pirates last met in September of 2006 with Southwestern coming away with a 3-1 triumph on its home floor.

Saturday's contests against Mount Union and Carleton will represent the first-ever meetings in volleyball for Emory.

McCALL TAKES THE COURT - After missing last season due to a knee injury, sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) made her Emory debut over the weekend.  The 5-foot-10 McCall played in four of five matches and logged a total of 14 games played.  She averaged 2.0 kills per game including a 12-terminations outing against West Georgia in a three-game win.

NOTES - Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) recorded a career-high 16 kills against Berry College, her second career outing of double-figure digs ... Krzyston also posted double digits in digs against Berry College (12) and Illinois Wesleyan (14), giving her eight career matches of 10 or more digs ... Junior Alysse Meyer's (Stockton, CA)  21 kills against Illinois Wesleyan tied her second-highest career total represented her fifth career effort of 20 or kills ... Meyer successfully put away 63 of her attacking opportunities and moved into 15th place on the school's all-time list with 861 kills ... Meyer is 18 kills away from moving past Stephanie Turner (878, 1991-94) and into 14th place ... Freshman Brannan O'Neill (Houston, TX) starred in a defensive capacity and registered 10 or more digs in four of her five matches ... O'Neill recorded 27 digs in a five-game win against Illinois Wesleyan and is averaging a team-high 4.0 digs ...  Freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL) concluded the weekend as the team's most efficient hitter with a 24.7 attacking percentage (30-11-77).

EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPPED BY DIVISION II MEMBER NORTH ALABAMA          

(Sept. 1) -  The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team closed out a busy weekend of opening play by dropping a four-game decision at the University of North Alabama.  The Lions of UNA raised their record to 2-3 following a 22-25, 25-16, 25-15, 25-19 over the Eagles who saw their record slip to 3-2.

North Alabama hit 31.6 percent for the match (71-21-158) compared to Emory's 10.6 percent (32-18-132).  Junior Alysse Meyer and freshman Alexandra Wright tied for the team lead with eight kills apiece.  Senior Maggie Baird was credited five block assists while freshman Brannan O'Neill topped the team with 14 digs.  .

Head Coach Jenny McDowell and her team make their home debut the weekend of Sept. 5-6 when the Eagles host the Emory Classic.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL RACES BY WEST GEORGIA

(Aug. 30) -- The No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team closed out its participation at the Comfort Inn Challenge Saturday afternoon with a decisive win over the University of West Georgia.  The Eagles ran their record to 3-1 following a 25-21, 25-12, 25-12 triumph.

Sophomore Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL) turned in an exceptional offense effort, hitting a blistering 48.0 percent with a team-high12 kills.  Senior Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) totaled nine kills while junior Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) chalked up eight terminations along with a team-best 12 digs. Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) handled the setting duties and finished with 31 assists.

Emory hit 30.6 percent for the match (36-10-85) and held a 12-2 bulge in total blocks with freshman Alexandra Wright (Matteson, IL) notching nine block assists.

Meyer and sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) both earned a spot on the Comfort Inn Challenge All-Tournament Team.

Emory's next action takes place on Monday afternoon (Sept. 1) when it plays at the University North Alabama.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL TOPS ILLINOIS WESLEYAN IN FIVE GAMES

(Aug. 30) -- The No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team boosted its record to 2-1 on the season Saturday afternoon as it topped Illinois Wesleyan in five games at the Comfort Inn Challenge in Birmingham, Alabama, and hosted by Birmingham Southern.  It marked the Eagles third straight five-game match in the Challenge.

Emory junior Alysee Meyer led the squad's offensive attack with 21 kills.  Senior setter Madison Robelen dished out 45 assists and contributed to a strong defensive effort with 17 digs. 

"Our defensive play was strong and enabled us to win the match," assistant coach Eric Hawes said.  "We got a boost in our defensive effort from Kelsey Krzyston and Brannan O'Neill and they played a key role in the victory."

O'Neill finished with 27 digs while Krzyston registered 14 digs while doling out four service aces.

Emory winds up its play in the Comfort Inn Challenge with a bout against the University of West Georgia starting at 5:30 p.m. (EDT).

EMORY VOLLEYBALL OPENS 2008 SEASON WITH FIVE-GAME WIN

(Aug. 29) -- The No. 3-ranked Emory volleyball team started out strong and then held on to claim a five-game win over Berry College in the team's opening match of the 2008 season.  The Eagles bested the Vikings, 25-15, 25-13, 20-25, 23-25, 15-10, in the opening round of the Comfort Inn Challenge held in Birmingham, Ala., and hosted by Birmingham Southern College.

Sophomore Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) paced Emory's effort with a career-high 16 kills and 12 digs.  Also playing key roles in the win were juniors Alysse Meyer (Stockton, CA) and Vista Murphy (Laguna Beach, CA) with 11 kills and 12 digs, respectively.  Freshman Natalie Schonefeld (Louisville, KY) directed the Emory offense and dished out 41 assists.

The Eagles close out the first day of action at the Comfort Inn Challenge Friday evening with an 8:00 p.m. (EDT) bout against host Birmingham Southern.

NO. 3-RANKED EMORY VOLLEYBALL TEAM OPENS 2008 CAMPAIGN

(Aug. 26) - MATCH FACTS - The No. 3-ranked Emory University volleyball team opens the program's 22nd season of intercollegiate play this Friday and Saturday (Aug. 29-30) when it takes part in the Comfort Inn Challenge in Birmingham, Ala., and hosted by Birmingham Southern College.  The Eagles will play four matches over the course of the weekend starting on Friday with a 2:00 p.m. affair with against College. Emory will close out the first day of action with a 7:00 p.m. contest vs. host Birmingham Southern.   On Saturday, Emory tangles with Illinois Wesleyan at noon before closing things out with a bout against the University of West Georgia at 4:30 p.m.   All matches will be played at the Bill Battle Coliseum.

THE COACHES - Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, '89) starts her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles' program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 371-106.  She has nine campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 12 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, including a 2003 Final Four appearance.   Last year, she posted an overall record of 33-7 that included a berth to the NCAA quarterfinals.

Leading Berry College into this weekend is first-year head coach Mika Robinson (Harvard).   Prior to her appointment at Berry, Robinson had served as assistant and later associate head coach at Idaho State University for the past three years.

Pavlina Steffkova (Texas, '98) and Kyndall Waters (Birmingham Southern, 2005) make up the coaching duo for Birmingham Southern.  Steffkova has been on the BSC staff for five seasons while Waters is in her first campaign.

Calling the shots for the Illinois Wesleyan program is Kim Nelson-Brown (Illinois State, '94), now in her 13th year as head coach.  During her tenure with the Titans, she has manufactured a school and career won-lost ledger of 263-178.

Gary Lee (Maryland) is in his first year as head coach at the University of West Georgia. Lee spent the previous six years as head coach at Millersville (Pa.) University where he compiled an 85-105 record.

2007 RECORDS - Emory ended the 2007 season with an overall record of 33-7, the program's 10th year of 30 or more victories.  The Eagles, a quarterfinalist in the NCAA Tournament, concluded the year ranked No. 5 in the nation among Division III teams.

Berry College posted an overall record of 19-16 last year and advanced to the NAIA Region XIII championship match.

The Panthers of Birmingham Southern enjoyed a banner 2007 season, racking up an overall ledger of 32-3.  BSC returns 11 letterwinners, including all six starters from a year ago.

Illinois Wesleyan is coming off a 20-17 effort in 2007, the program's fifth campaign of 20 or more wins in the past six years.

The Wolves of West Georgia came through with a final record of 27-12 last season, the second-most wins in school history, and earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament.  West Georgia, a Division II member, begins the 2008 season as the reigning Gulf South Conference champions.

SERIES RECORDS - Emory holds a 2-0 edge in the all-time series vs. Berry College.  Emory hosted the Vikings last year and notched a 3-0 victory. 

Both Emory and Birmingham Southern have claimed two wins in the series that has its origins in 1999.  Last season, BSC emerged with a pair a five-game wins against the Eagles.

Emory stands 3-0 all-time against Illinois Wesleyan with the teams first squaring off in 2002.  Emory earned a 3-0 triumph on the road last year in the last battle.  

In a series that started in 1988, Emory has been victorious in eight of 12 decisions against West Georgia.  The last meeting took place in October of 2006 with the Eagles recording a 3-0 win.

EMORY NO. 3 IN PRESEASON POLL  - Emory is ranked third in the nation in the CBS Sports College Network/AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll.  The Eagles' preseason ranking is the program's highest since the preseason poll made its debut in 2000.

EMORY SENIORS IN THE RECORD BOOKS --  A pair of Emory seniors, outside hitter Dani Huffman (San Diego, CA) and setter Madison Robelen (Boca Raton, FL)
enter the 2008 season ranked prominently in various career school career categories.  The 5-foot-11 Huffman currently stands first in hitting efficiency, posting a 36.9 percent attack percentage (824-235-1595), and is seventh in total blocks with 285.  Robelen, a Second Team All-American a year ago, holds down the No. 2 position on the school's all-time ladder with 3,403 assists.  The holder of the No. 1 spot in that category is Amy Shapiro (1996-99) with 4,878.

EMORY CAPTAINS FOR 2008 - Serving as the Emory captains for the 2008 season will be seniors Dani Huffman, Madison Robelen, Maggie Baird (San Antonio, TX) and Lulu Kaiali (Woodstock, GA).

EMORY 2008 HOME DEBUT ON THE HORIZON - The Eagles open the home portion of the 2008 season the weekend of  Sept. 5-6 when they host the Emory Classic.  The squad will entertain Haverford (4:30 p.m.) and Southwestern (7:00 p.m.) on Friday before taking on Mt. Union (Noon) and Carleton (4:30 p.m.) on Saturday.

EMORY VOLLEYBALL RANKED NO. 3 IN CBS COLLEGE SPORTS NETWORK/AVCA PRESEASON POLL

(Aug. 21) -- Hopes are high in the Emory volleyball camp during the early stages of fall drills and those optimistic expectations are shared by voters in the CBS College Sports Network/American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Top 25 Preseason Poll with the Eagles holding down the No. 3 position.  Emory finished with 541 points and received one first-place vote.  The Eagles' preseason ranking is the program's highest since the preseason poll made its debut in 2000.

Head Coach Jenny McDowell enters her 13th season at the helm of the program with a total of nine letterwinners, including four starters, returning from last season's club that posted an overall won-lost slate of 33-7 that included an 12th straight appearance to the NCAA Tournament where it advanced to the quarterfinal round.   Among the returnees are senior setter Madison Robelen, a second team All-America honoree from 2007, and senior middle hitter Dani Huffman, who garnered first team All-University Athletic Association status last season. 

Holding down the No. 1 spot in the preseason rankings is Juniata College with 13 first-place votes and 588 total points.  University Athletic Association member and defending national champion Washington University is No. 2 with 584 points while Wittenberg College (492 pts.) and La Verne (466 pts.) are 4th and 5th, respectively.  

The Eagles opens the 2008 campaign the weekend of August 29-30 when they compete at the Comfort Inn Challenge hosted by Birmingham Southern College