INVITATIONAL FACTS –  The Emory University volleyball team, riding the crest of a six-match win streak, closes out the regular-season portion of the home schedule this Friday and Saturday (Oct. 29-30) when it hosts the Emory National Invitational. On Friday, the Eagles meet up with Birmingham Southern at 5:00 p.m., before playing Maryville in a Senior Night match at 7:30 p.m.  On Saturday, Emory opens with a noon match vs. Randolph-Macon College and then winds up the Invitational with a 4:00 p.m., clash against Washington and Lee. 

THE COACHES – Emory Head Coach Jenny McDowell (Georgia, ’89) is in her 15th year at the helm of the Eagles’ program.  During her stint at Emory, McDowell has posted a school and career won-lost ledger of 463-122.  She has 11 campaigns of 30 or more wins and has directed the program to 14 consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament.  She guided Emory to its first-ever national title in 2008 and was named as the AVCA National Coach of the Year.

Birmingham Southern College is led by April Fricke (St. Mary’s University, 1995), who is in her second campaign as head coach. Entering this weekend’s action, she has a school and career won-lost mark of 39-26.

In her 25th season as the head coach at Maryville University is Kandis Schram.  During her tenure with the Scotts’ program, she has notched a school and career mark of 596-316.   Schram has guided the Scots to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and has been named the Great South Conference Coach of the Year on eight occasions.

Bill Rogers (Virginia Commonwealth, 1990) is in his ninth season as the head coach of Randolph-Macon and checks into the weekend with a school and career slate of 188-89.  Last season, Rogers saw his team earn a school-record 28 victories as well as the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Now in his 11^th year as the head coach of Washington & Lee is Bryan Snyder (Washington & Lee, 1995).  Snyder has compiled a glittering school record of 307-79 while with the Generals and has been named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year six of the past eight seasons.

2010 RECORDS – Emory, ranked No. 2 among Division III teams, stands 23-4 in overall play.  Last weekend, the Eagles came away with a 3-0 record at the Juniata Invitational.  The Eagles opened with a 3-1 triumph over then-No. 1 Juniata before registering 3-0 victories over No. 5 Eastern University and Williams College, respectively.

The Panthers of Birmingham Southern come to town with an overall mark of 23-8.  In its most recent outing, BSC won three of four matches at the SCAC East/Central #2, topping Centre College, Sewanee and Rhodes College, while losing to DePauw.

Maryville stands 14-14 after splitting a pair of home matches last Friday, beating Salem, 3-0, before coming out on the short end of a 3-2 decision against Covenant.

Randolph-Macon saw its record slip to 19-6 following a 3-0 setback to No. 6-ranked Christopher Newport on Tuesday. 

Washington and Lee is on a hot streak with victories in its last eight matches.  The Generals, 22-4 on the year, recorded a 3-0 win at home against Eastern Mennonite on Tuesday.

SERIES RECORDS – Birmingham Southern holds a slim 4-3 edge in the all-time series with Emory.  The Eagles won the lone meeting last season, 3-1.

Emory claims a 15-2 record against Maryville.  The two teams met earlier this year on the Scots’ home court with the Eagles prevailing by a 3-0 score.

Emory has a 5-0 record against the Yellow Jackets of Randolph-Macon.  The Eagles hosted RMC last season and recorded a 3-0 victory.

Emory was won 18 of 19 meetings against the Generals of Washington & Lee.  The two programs met twice last year with the Eagles capturing both encounters.

EMORY SENIORS TO BE RECOGNIZED – Prior to the start of the match against Maryville, the three senior members of the 2010  Emory volleyball team will be recognized for the contributions to the program.  The trio that will be honored include Ana Ramirez (Los Angeles, CA), Kelsey Krzyston (Noblesville, IN) and Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL).

McCALL TABBED AS D-III NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amelia McCall became just the sixth player in school history to be named the AVCA National Player of the Week after her efforts at the Juniata Invitational keyed the Eagles to a 3-0 record. McCall played in all 10 of the team’s sets and averaged a team-high tying 3.5 kills per set and recorded a fine 34.1 hitting percentage (35-7—82).  In addition, she doled out a team-high tying six service aces and averaged 3.60 digs per set, good for the No. 2 spot on the club. 

EAGLES DUO TO SERVE AS CAPTAINS – Serving as captains for the 2010 Eagles will be seniors Natalie Schonefeld and Amelia McCall (Montgomery, AL).

NUMBERS TO WATCH –  Entering this weekend’s action, McCall has posted 21 matches of double-figure kills and has notched 10 or more kills in her last 15 consecutive outings … In UAA statistics released at the start of the week, McCall is third among UAA performers with a 3.43 kills per set average and ninth with a 30.7 hitting percentage … Heading into the weekend, her 880 career kills places her 17^th on the school’s all-time list while her 2.52 kills per set average is 13^th … Junior Jessica McAlvany stands second on the club and ninth in the league in kills (3.09 kps) and is 15^th in hitting percentage (.267) … McAlvany has 18 contests of double-figure kills to her credit this season …Kelsey Krzyston holds down the No. 9 spot on the school’s all-time charts in both service aces (183) and digs (925) …. In addition, Krzyston claims 33 matches of double-figure digs and 24 performances of three or more service aces … Sophomore Breanah Bourque (Houston, TX) continues to be effective in her attack attempts and paces the team and the UAA with a solid 38.4 hitting percentage … Bourque is averaging 3.11 kills per set and has produced 14 performances of 10 or more terminations … Junior Natalie Schonefeld was named the MVP of the Juniata Invitational and starts the weekend in the No. 2 spot on the UAA ladder with a 10.8 assists per set average … Schonefeld is second in career assists at Emory with 3,787.