2017 All-UAA Volleyball Team

Five members of the No. 7-ranked Emory University volleyball team have been chosen to the 2017 All-University Athletic Association Team as selected by the conference coaches. Emory enters the upcoming NCAA Tournament with an overall record of 27-6 and is coming off a runner-up-effort at the UAA Championships this past weekend.

Sophomore Sara Carr (Birmingham, AL) highlighted Emory's selections with her first-team berth. The 5-foot-11 outside hitter has enjoyed a breakout season, registering a team-high tying 19 matches of double-figure kills. She paces the team and is No. 3 among UAA players in kills average (3.28 kps), and her hitting percentage of .263 ranks 11^th on the league ladder.  She has also given the Eagles a boost defensively with her 2.39 digs-per-set average second on the team and 20^th among UAA players.  Carr enters the postseason with a 13-match streak of double-figure terminations to her credit including a career-high tying 22 in a five-set victory over Carnegie Mellon in the semifinals of the UAA Championships.

The sophomore duo of Morgan McKnight (Manassas, VA) and Elyse Thompson Tallahassee, FL) earned second-team recognition. A key component in the Emory offensive attack, McKnight is tied with Carr for the team lead with 19 matches of 10 or more kills. She has ranked as the club's leader in terminations on 10 occasions this year and stands seventh among UAA players in kills average (2.93 kps). This past weekend, she hit .400 (11-1—25) against Carnegie Mellon, the 12^th time this year she had reached or surpassed that mark.  Thompson has been a lynchpin of the Emory defense from her libero post, helping the team pace the league in opponent hitting percentage.   She stands in the No. 2 spot on the conference chart with a 5.25 digs-per-set average, with that mark currently a school season record.  The 5-foot-7 Thompson has come up with 28 matches of double-figure digs in her 31 outings, including nine with 20 or more and six of 30 or more. Earlier in the year, she established a school record with 38 digs in a five-set win over Birmingham Southern. Heading into the week's NCAA Atlanta Regional, her 588 digs stands fourth on the school's season ladder.

Freshman Leah Saunders (Simpsonville, SC) and junior Mady Arles (Richmond, VA) were honorable mention selections to the All-Association Team, with Saunders also being chosen as the league's Rookie of the Year, the eighth Emory player to earn that distinction and the first since 2013 (Jessica Holler).  Saunders has produced 16 contests of double-figure kills and stands fourth on the team and 14^th on the conference ladder in kills average (2.60). She has come through with 10 or more terminations in seven of her last eight matches and established a season high with 16 kills against Carnegie Mellon this past weekend. 

Arles has split time at the setter position with Sarah Porter and has doled out an average of 6.16 assists per set. She has finished with 30 or assists on three occasions including a career-best 35 vs. Birmingham Southern (Oct. 22).

Emory opens NCAA Tournament action on Thursday (Nov. 9) when it hosts Worcester State University in the quarterfinals in a scheduled 8:00 pm start.