NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP FACTS –  The No. 1-ranked Emory University volleyball team will meet Christopher Newport on Friday in a quarterfinal round match of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships.  The Eagles are one of eight teams remaining in the original field of 63 squads who will be competing for the national crown this weekend.  All action will take place at the Washington University Field House on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis in St. Louis, Mo.

A schedule of the matches are listed below

Friday, Nov. 19
St. Thomas (MN) vs. Juniata – 12:30 p.m. (CST)
Calvin vs. Mass.-Boston – 3:00 p.m. (CST)
Emory vs. Christopher Newport – 5:30 p.m. (CST)
Washington University vs. New York University – 8:00 p.m. (CST)

Saturday, Nov. 20
St. Thomas – Juniata winner vs. Calvin-Mass.-Boston winner – 3:30 p.m. (CST)
Emory – Christopher Newport winner vs. Wash U. – NYU winner – 6:00 p.m. (CST)

Sunday, Nov. 21
National Championship Match – 5:00 p.m. (CST)

For more information on the NCAA Division III Championships, click here.

EMORY HEAD COACH JENNY McDOWELL – 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 474-122.  She has 12 campaigns of 30 or more wins and has now directed the program to 15 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.  While at Emory, she has posted a NCAA Tournament record of 25-14.

2010 RECORDS – Emory, ranked No. 1 nationally among Division III teams, stands 34-4 in overall play.  Last weekend, the Eagles earned the right to advance to the quarterfinals after capturing the Atlanta Regional. Emory opened with a 3-0 decision over Piedmont College on Friday before registering a 3-1 triumph over Washington & Lee on Saturday.  In the championship match on Sunday, Emory battled to a 3-2 triumph over 20^th-ranked Cal Lutheran.  The Eagles open play this weekend with a 17-match win streak.  Emory’s last loss came to Washington University back on Oct. 16 in the UAA Round Robin II in Waltham, Mass.

Christopher Newport, ranked No. 5 nationally, will meet Emory with a 38-2 record.  The Captains earned their second straight berth to the NCAA quarterfinals by virtue of a 3-2 win over Randolph-Macon College in the Newport News, VA Regional Championship.

Washington University starts the weekend with an overall record of 34-3 following three wins last weekend at the Kenosha, WI Regional including a 3-0 verdict over UW-Platteville in the championship match.  The Bears, tied for the No. 3 spot in the national rankings, are the defending national champs.

The No. 15-ranked New York University Violets check in with a won-lost ledger of 38-5.  NYU emerged as the champ of the New York Region after defeating Stevens Institute of Technology, 3-2, sending it into the Round of Eight.

Calvin posts a record of 29-4 and is ranked 10^th.  The Knights earned their first regional crown since 1992 when they upended Wittenberg College in the championship match last weekend.

Ranked No. 24 among Division III squads, UMASS-Boston stands 30-4 following its championship performance in the Springfield College Regional where it defeated host Springfield, 3-2, in the title contest.  The Beacons will be making their first-ever trip to the national finals this weekend.

Juniata College, tied with Washington University for the No. 3 spot in the national rankings, takes a 33-5 record into its encounter with St. Thomas.  The Eagles advanced to this weekend’s action after defeating host Frostburg State, 3-0, in regional title contest. 

St. Thomas of Minnesota, is ranked 12^th and has chalked up a record of 31-6. The Tommies punched their ticket to the national finals, their first-ever berth, after topping host St. Olaf, 3-0, in the regional championship match.

SERIES RECORDS WITH FINALS FIELD – Emory has met five of the seven teams in this year’s finals field.  The only clubs that Emory has not played are Calvin and UMASS-Boston.

Emory owns a 9-0 edge in the all-time series with Christopher Newport.  The teams last met in 2009 with the Eagles recording a 3-1 at CNU.

Emory posts an all-time slate of 28-13 against NYU.  The Eagles and Violets met earlier this year (Oct. 2) at the UAA Round Robin I with Emory prevailing by a 3-0 margin.  Emory and NYU have met once in NCAA Tournament play, with that contest taking place in 2003 when the Violets posted a 3-2 win.

Washington University has won 46 of 51 matches against Emory.  The teams have split two meetings this season with the Bears coming away with a 3-2 win at the UAA Round Robin II (Oct. 16) before Emory earned a 3-1 decision in the conference champion match on Nov. 6.

Emory shows a 5-3 edge in the series with Wittenberg.  The last meeting between the Eagles and Tigers took place in Atlanta in 2008 with Emory winning by a 3-0 count.

Juniata enjoys a 9-3 bulge in the series with Emory.  Emory won an earlier meeting this year (Oct. 22), 3-1, at Juniata.

Emory has won both encounters against St. Thomas with the last match taking place in 2007.

EMORY TRIO EARNS ALANTA REGION ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS – Three Emory players were named to the Atlanta Regional All-Tournament Team, led by sophomore middle Breanah Bourque who was named the Most Outstanding Player.  Also garnering sports were senior Amelia McCall and junior setter Natalie Schonefeld. Bourque was named MOP after picking up double-figure kills in all three matches and hitting 42.5 percent (39-5—80) over the weekend.  In addition, she averaged a team-high 1.17 blocks per set. 

EMORY AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT – Emory’s appearance in this year’s NCAA Tournament Championship represents the program’s 16^th appearance in the event, and the 15^th during Jenny McDowell’s tenure as head coach.  The Eagles post an all-time record of 25-15 in NCAA play, 25-14 under McDowell.  The Eagles raised their all-time NCAA home mark to 11-4 following last weekend’s three victories. 

EMORY AND THE NCAA FIELD – Emory played a total of 17 matches against 14 teams that advanced to this year’s NCAA Tournament Championship.  The Eagles have enjoyed a fair amount of success against this year’s field that it has faced, racking up a 15-2 won-lost mark.  The Eagles have battled three NCAA Tourney members on two occasions (Washington University, 1-1, Chicago, 2-0 and Case 2-0).

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