The 2015 Emory volleyball team enjoyed another successful season, recording many team and individual highlights that continued to cement its status as one of the premier programs in the Division III ranks.

The Eagles concluded the year with an overall record of 34-4, the ninth straight year and the 17^th campaign of 30 or more victories during the 20-year tenure of head coach Jenny McDowell. The team’s final win count represented the program’s 22^nd consecutive winning campaign. 

Emory’s appearance in the NCAAs marked the 20^th straight year (21^st overall) that it landed a berth in the postseason. The Eagles advanced to the championship round of the regional finals, which was hosted by Berry College. Emory posted 3-1 decisions over both Greenville College and Birmingham Southern before dropping a 3-2 verdict to Hendrix in the title match for the regional crown.   Following its appearance at the NCAAs, Emory posts an all-time mark of 42-21 in postseason action, 42-20 under coach Jenny McDowell. 

The Eagles finished runner-up at the UAA Championships, and earned their ticket to the postseason with an at-large bid. Emory was one of four UAA teams to play in the postseason along with Washington University, Case Western Reserve and the University of Chicago.

As usual, Emory played one of the nation’s most demanding schedules, totaling 17 regular-season matches against 14 teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles enjoyed a fair amount of success against the field, racking up a 14-3 won-lost mark, with one of the victories a 3-0 outcome over eventual D-III national champ Cal Lutheran.

Some of the other noteworthy accomplishments turned in during the year included the following.

** Finishing the season ranked No. 7 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 Poll.  Emory has been ranked in the top 20 in every weekly poll conducted by the AVCA for the last 17 seasons.

** Playing three contests against top-25 teams, finishing with a 10-3 slate in those affairs.  

** Going 3-0 in contests against No. 1-ranked teams (3-1 vs. Calvin, Sept. 4; 3-2 vs. Washington Univ., Oct. 17; 3-0 vs. Juniata, Oct. 30).

** Seeing two of its players, senior Sydney Miles and junior Jessica Holler capture first team All-America acclaim, while the junior tandem of Kathryn Trinka and Sarah Maher were third-team selections.  

** Having Jenny McDowell selected as the AVCA South Region Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her tenure at Emory.

** Having setter Sydney Miles close out her career as the program’s all-time leader in assists. Miles closed out a brilliant four years with 5,835 assists to her name, bettering the previous standard of 5,732 held by Natalie Schonefeld (2008-11).

** Leading the UAA and ranking second nationally in the D-III ranks with a .293 hitting percentage, good for fourth place on the school’s seasonal chart.

** Topping the league in opponent hitting percentage (.126).

** Finishing No. 2 in the league and holding down the No. 7 position o.n the national scene in kills per set (13.77 kps).

** Enjoying an edge in hitting percentage in 35 matches (77 of last 81).

** Ranking second in the UAA and fourth all D-III programs with a total of 1,832 kills.

** Finishing No. 2 in the UAA and standing fourth nationally with an average of 12.94 assists per set.  The team’s final total of 1,721 assists placed third nationally.

** Continuing to see the Woodruff PE Center provide the Eagles with a great home-court advantage.  Emory posted a 12-2 won-lost mark in home matches during the season, and over the past 12 years the Eagles have manufactured an impressive showing of 181-21 on their home floor (118-9 since 2008).

Senior Sydney Miles capped off an outstanding career by earning AVCA First Team All-America honors for the fourth straight year, the first Eagle and just the third player ever in D-III to earn that distinction.  She was selected to the All-University Athletic Association First Team for the fourth straight season, joining Natalie Schonefeld (2008-11) as the only Emory players to accomplish that feat. She finished off the year No. 2 in the UAA and No. 3 among all D-III players with an average of 11.43 assists per set, good for the No. 4 position on the Eagles' seasonal ladder.  She doled out 1,451 assists, the fifth-highest seasonal total in program annals, and her precision-like setting helped Emory to a  conference-leading .293 hitting percentage, which ranked second nationally and fourth on the school's seasonal chart. Named UAA Setter/Defensive Player of the Week on five occasions during the year, she recorded 50 or more assists on four occasions.

Junior middle Jessica Holler came through with another big year that culminated with a first-team nod on the AVCA All-America Team.  A First Team All-UAA honoree for the third straight campaign, she topped all D-III players with a .421 hitting percentage, good for the No. 3 spot on the program’s seasonal ladder. She appeared in 31 matches and chalked up 11 outings of double-figure terminations. In addition, she paced the team with 43 service aces and her 0.39 per-set average in that category was fifth on the UAA ladder.  In addition, she led Emory with an average of 0.83 blocks per set, good for the No. 6 slot on league list.

Junior Sarah Maher’s all-around play figured prominently in the success that came the Eagles’ way, and which saw her land AVCA Third Team All-America recognition.  A Second Team All-UAA pick, she saw action in 36 matches and finished second on the squad and 11^th among UAA players with a 2.76 kills-per-set average. She compiled 18 matches of double-figure kills, 20 contests of 10 or more digs and 12 doubles-doubles (kills/digs). 

Junior Kathryn Trinka propelled herself to a breakout season, emerging as one Division III’s most dynamic offensive forces. Chosen as a Third Team All-American by the AVCA, Trinka led the team and placed second among UAA players with a 3.61 kills-per-set average, good for 68th place nationally and 11th on the program's seasonal list. A Second Team All-UAA pick, her team-high 459 terminations represented the 12^th-highest seasonal effort in school history. She recorded a team-best 31 matches of double-figure kills and led or tied for team honors in that department on 27 occasions.  

Freshman libero Becky Breuer was an anchor of a solid Emory defense that paced the UAA in opponent hitting percentage.  A honorable-mention pick on both conference and region teams, Breuer set the pace on the team and was fourth among UAA players in digs average with a 4.57 per-set mark, good for the No. 3 slot on the program’s seasonal ladder. She either led or shared for team honors in digs in 27 matches and totaled 30 contests of double figures in that department.  The owner of eight outings with 20 or more digs, her total of 549 digs ranked as the seventh-highest seasonal mark in school history.

Honors and Awards