Emory University seniors Morgan McKnight (Manassas, VA) and Elyse Thompson (Tallahassee, FL) have been recognized by the University Athletic Association as Players of the Week following their efforts at the league championships this past weekend in Chicago.  It is the second time this season and fourth in her career that McKnight has been tabbed for the honor while Thompson is selected for the second time this year and fifth in her career.  The pair helped Emory defend its UAA crown and in the process allowed the No. 1-ranked Eagles to claim the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA D-III Tournament.

McKnight was named Hitter of the Week after averaging 3.77 kills and hitting .264 (49-16—125) over 13 sets of play. She led the team in terminations in two of the three matches, starting with a 10-kills effort and an attack percentage of .588 (10-0--17) in a sweep of Brandeis in the quarterfinals. She followed that performance with a career-high 19 kills (second on the team) and five digs in a five-set triumph against Washington University in the semifinals. In the title showdown against No. 2-ranked and host Chicago, McKnight came through with another personal best, banging out a match-best 20 kills while adding five digs and a pair of block assists as the Eagles prevailed by a come-from-behind 3-2 count.   It represented Morgan's 12th straight and team-leading 22nd double-figure performance of 10 or more terminations this season.

The 5-foot-7 Thompson landed Defensive Player of the Week acclaim after contributing stellar defensive play to the Eagles' cause, averaging a team-high 3.62 digs over 13 sets. In addition, she doled out a team-high 10 service aces.  After dishing out five of Emory's 15 service aces in a sweep of Brandeis, Thompson led the squad with 16 digs and totaled three aces in a five-set triumph over Washington University. Against Chicago, Thompson once again paced the club with 27 digs, a number of them spectacular saves that kept Emory alive in rallies, in a come-from-behind 3-2 verdict over the Maroons. It represented her second-highest mark of the season and 10th overall with 20 or more digs.

Emory, 29-2 on the season, will open NCAA Tournament action on Friday (Nov. 15) when it hosts the NCAA Atlanta Regional.  The Eagles' quarterfinal-round foe will be Notre Dame University of Maryland University.