Emory head volleyball coach Jenny McDowell has announced that the following student athletes will be enrolling at Emory in the fall of 2011 and be competing for the Eagles’ volleyball program.

Cat McGrath (6-2, Middle Blocker/Right Side, St. Louis, MO/St. Joseph’s Academy) – Four-year member of the highly-regarded St. Joseph’s Academy volleyball program where she was coached by Karen Davis … As a senior, she helped her squad to a Class IV state championship, averaging a team-high 2.9 kills, hitting .483 and registering 77 total blocks … St. Joseph’s finished her final year with an overall record of 31-7-2 and was ranked 34^th nationally … Captured all-state and all-region honors in 2010 and was a two-time pick to district, conference and metro teams … Helped her squad to a state crown in 2008 and a fourth-place finish in 2009 … Served as team captain her junior and senior seasons … Fine student who was chosen to the  2007-10 Missouri High School Coaches Academic All-State Teams … National Honor Society Member … Member of Beta Chi Pi (Honors Science Society ) and Mu Alpha Theta (Mathematics Honor Society) … Plays club volleyball for St. Louis CYC 18 where she was coached by Matthew Kalisiak … Her club team captured first place at the 2009 JVDA Open Division (16U) and the JOVC Open Division (17U) … Named to Prep Volleyball’s “Best High School Sophomores in the Country” Honorable Mention Team.

“Cat is one of the premier volleyball players in the country,” McDowell said.  “She has it all -- great athleticism, outstanding knowledge of the game, an incredible work ethic and the potential to dominate the game both in the front row and back row.  I am confident that Cat is going to take our program to a whole new level.  She had endless options for college and we are so excited that she decided on Emory because of the combination of great academics and our elite volleyball program.”

Dana Holt (6-0, Setter/Right Side, Moraga, CA/Campolindo HS) – Standout player with the Norcal Volleyball Club where she played for five years … A three-time selection to the All-Norcal Team … Named Norcal’s 16-1 Black Most Valuable Player … Served as her club team’s captain in 2010 … Distinguished herself as a member of her high school’s swimming and water polo teams … Earned second-team all-league honors in water polo in 2010 … Two-time all-league pick in swimming … 2010 All-American Relay Team member … Named Most Improved Swimmer in 2010.

“Dana is one of the finest athletes in the entire country as evident with her success on the volleyball court and in the pool,” McDowell stated.  “Not only is Dana a great athlete but she is a great leader.  She has an uncanny ability to make every player around her better.  I knew from the first time I watched Dana play that we had to have her on our team.  She will make a great impact in our program as a teammate and as a leader.  Dana is one of a kind!”

Kate Bowman (5-9, Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter, Corpus Christi, TX/King High School) – Competed four years in the volleyball program at King High School where she was coached by Glenn Jacobs … Helped her 2010 team to an overall record of 45-4 and a spot in the state championship semifinals by registering 282 kills, a hitting percentage of .323 and 92 total blocks … King High School was ranked as high as No. 5 in the nation by ESPN Rise … Two-time pick to the All-South Texas First Team … 2010 Honorable Mention All-Texas Team … First Team 28-5A All-District as a senior … Guided her team to an outright district crown her final season after sharing the title in 2008 and 2009 … Among her accolades was being chosen as the All South Texas Newcomer of the Year … Also competed on her high school’s tennis and swimming teams … Plays club volleyball for CC Waves 17s & 18s and  is coached by Tasha Wilson.

“Kate is an incredible athlete and volleyball player who fits our style perfectly,” McDowell said.  “Kate is as quick off the floor, as explosive and as dynamic as any athlete we have ever had at Emory.  She also plays the game with a tenacity and passion that very few athletes possess.  Kate is a winner which is evident by all the success each of her teams have had.”  

Camden Spade (6-0, Outside Hitter/Right Side, Raleigh, NC/Athens Drive HS) --  Four-year member of the volleyball program at Athens Drive High School … Was coached by Angela Coticchio … Served as team captain her junior and senior seasons … Two-time team MVP … First Team Tri-Nine All-Conference pick in 2009 and 2010 … Recorded 311 kills, 49 blocks and 57 aces her senior season … Academic All-Conference all four years of her prep career … National Honor Society member in 2009 and 2010 … North Carolina Honors Scholar … Plays for the Triangle Volleyball Club … Her club coaches are Robin Bugg and Nikki O’Connell.

“Camden is a fantastic six rotation player and can do it all,” McDowell said.  “She has incredible ball handling skills to go along with great play in the front row.  I have watched Camden play for years and I am so impressed with her ability to get it done with the game on the line.  She is able to make the great pass or get the important kill when it’s 13-13 in the 5^th game.  Camden also is one of the most unselfish players I have ever seen…she the epitome of the Emory Volleyball Player.”

Cami Silverman (5-11, Outside Hitter, Bellevue, WA/Eastside Catholic HS) – Four-year member of the volleyball program at Eastside Catholic High School where she played for head coach Andrew Ness … Served as a co-captain of her prep squad her final year … Was a member of the 2008 and 2010 teams that finished second in the Class 3A state tournament … Earned a berth on the 2010 State Volleyball All-Tournament Team … Helped her squad to district and Metro championships her senior year … All-Metro 3A First Team pick in 2010 … Seattle Times Volleyball Star Times Athlete … All-Metro 3A Second Team in 2008 after helping her team to a title … Scholar Athlete in 2008 and 2009 … Plays club volleyball for the Washington Volleyball Academy under the guidance of coach Dave Weitl … Landed a spot on the USAV All-American Tournament Team in 2008 after helping her team to a fifth-place finish at nationals in 2008 … Four-year team captain … AAUs 2^nd place finish in the silver U18 Open Division in 2010.

“Cami is a proven winner and a player you have to have on your team because her consistency in every area of the game,” McDowell stated.  “She is a fantastic all-around volleyball player that can attack effectively from the front row or back.  She is a primary passer who can successful pass in a two or three person serve receive formation.  Cami has a great college career ahead of her.”

Olivia Volarich (5-8, Setter/RB, St. Louis, MO/Whitfield School) – Was a four-year starter at setter for the Whitfield School where she was coached by Cipriano Casado … As a senior, she helped her team to an overall record of 27-6 and a berth in the quarterfinal round of the high school state tournament … Helped Whitfield to the program’s sixth district crown in nine seasons … Captured first-team all-district honors in 2008, 2009 and 2010 … Was the recipient of her high school’s 2009-10 Outstanding Female Athlete Award … All-conference first-team selection on three occasions … Co-captained her team as a junior and senior … Three-time pick to the first team of the Metro Women’s Athletic Association … Played on Whitfield’s soccer team her sophomore and junior seasons … Plays club volleyball for H2 St. Louis Black 18s where she is coached by Geoffrey Davis … Serves as team captain.

“Olivia is an amazing athlete with a work ethic to match,” McDowell said.  “Her passion for the game is evident every time she steps on the court.  Olivia finds a way to win no matter what it takes.  She is a great teammate and leader who expects excellence out of herself and everyone around her.  She will do great things in an Emory uniform.”