2009 Volleyball Season Recap

The 2009 Emory volleyball team maintained its lofty status as one of the premier Division III programs in the nation as the Eagles finished with another memorable campaign.  Though the Eagles were not able to defend its national title from the 2008 campaign, head coach Jenny McDowell and her charges posted a number of accomplishments both at the team and individual levels.

For the record, Emory finished 2009 with an overall record of 34-6 with the victory total the second-highest mark in school history.  The Eagles' 34 triumphs marked the program's 11th campaign of 30 or more wins during the 14-year tenure of head coach Jenny McDowell and marked the school's 16th consecutive winning campaign.

In addition to the impressive final record, Emory volleyball enjoyed many other highlights that included the following.

** Earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the 14th consecutive year.

** Bringing home its third University Athletic Association Championship in five seasons.  After topping Brandeis and Carnegie Mellon on the opening day of action, the Eagles had to go into the semifinals against upset-minded and host Chicago without the services of three starters who were sidelined with an intestinal virus that swept through the team.  Emory dropped two of the first three sets and was staring at a 23-18 obstacle in the fourth game before rallying for a 27-25 decision that forced a decisive fifth set.  In that game, Emory saw the Maroons race out to a seemingly insurmountable 13-8 lead before rattling off the match's final seven points to advance to the championship match.

In the finals, the Eagles, still minus their three starters, came away with a decisive 3-0 win over No. 3 Washington University. Emory finished the UAA portion of the schedule with a 10-1 record.

** Concluding the campaign ranked fifth nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.  The Eagles have been ranked in the top 20 in every weekly poll by the AVCA for the last 13 seasons.

** Ranking prominently on the national scene in a number of statistical categories including 5^th in hitting percentage (27.5%), 16th in assists per set (11.93 aps), 35th in blocks per set (2.13 bps), 16^th in kills per set (13.06 kps) and 18^th in winning percentage (85.0%).

** Having two players earn AVCA First Team All-America recognition.

As usual, the Eagles played a demanding schedule that included nine regular-season matches against eight teams that earned bids to NCAA postseason play.  Emory also played six matches against Division II competition and chalked up a 5-1 record in those contests which included wins over NCAA D-II Tournament teams North Alabama and Armstrong Atlantic State.

The Woodruff PE Center provided Emory with a definite home-court advantage with the squad recording a 19-1 slate.   Over the last six years, the Eagles stand an impressive 93-14 in home matches.

At one point during the season, Emory won 13 straight matches (Oct. 17 through Nov. 7), winning 39 of 45 sets in the process.


Sophomore setter Natalie Schonefeld was solid in running the Emory offense and was recognized for her outstanding play by earning a spot on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America First Team.   Tabbed as the UAA's Most Valuable Player, she ranked second in the UAA and ninth nationally with a 10.73 assists per set average.  Tabbed to All-South Region's First Team for the second straight year, her final total of 1,405 assists placed her fifth on the school's seasonal chart. Among her other honors included being named the MVP of the Emory Classic and landing a spot on the Emory Halloween All-Tournament Team.  After two seasons of action, Schonefeld already ranks fifth all-time at Emory with 2,826 assists.

Sophomore Jessica McAlvany made a big impact with the program after transferring from Davidson College.  The 6-foot-1 McAlvany turned in an accolade-filled year that culminated with a first-team berth on the AVCA All-America Team.  A conference and region first-team honoree, McAlvany paced the team with 362 kills and her team-leading 3.15 kills per set placed her eighth among UAA players.  Named as the UAA Player of the Week on two occasions, her 30.7 attack percentage (362-124--776) was good for the No. 8 position on the conference chart.  The owner of 18 matches of double-figure kills, her 24 terminations against Armstrong Atlantic State represented the high-water mark by and Emory player during the season.

Senior Alysse Meyer concluded a stellar four-year career by being selected to the All-UAA First Team for the second straight campaign, An honorable-mention choice to the All-South Region Team, Meyer averaged 2.76 kills per set, good for the No. 2 spot on the team and 10th among UAA players.  She recorded 13 matches of double-figure kills and led or shared for team honors in kills in 10 matches.  Career-wise, Alysse totaled 1,573 kills, good for the No. 3 position on the school's career ladder, and finished No. 2 on Emory's all-time chart in kills per set (3.38 kps) and ninth in attack percentage (30.7%).

Amelia McCall continue to blossom and was afforded First Team All-UAA status after finishing second on the team with 315 kills and ranking third on the team on club and 14th among UAA players with a 2.54 kills per-set average.  The junior shined at the UAA Championships, hitting 36.0 percent (47-7-111) while posting 10 total blocks.  In the championship showdown against Washington University, McCall racked up a team-high 15 kills, hit 46.4 percent (15-2--28) and contributed five total blocks (2-3).

Along with Alysse Meyer, Vista Murphy and Kaitlin Westfall were other seniors who bid the program farewell.  A tri-captain, Murphy provided Emory with a stable defensive presence with her team-leading 2.91 digs per set placing her 13^th among league performers.  An honorable mention All-UAA pick, she manufactured 22 matches of double-figure digs with her seasonal total of 375 good for 12^th place on the school's all-time list.   Westfall took to the court in 16 matches and wound up ninth all-time at the school in blocks per set (0.86 bps) and 11^th in total blocks (242).