While the Emory women’s volleyball team finished the 2015 season seventh overall and made a regional finals appearance, the team knows that there is possibility for greater accomplishment in the 2016 season. Their ultimate goal — as always — is to win a national championship. This season, they believe that goal is attainable.
“I really love this team; [it has] great work ethic, [is] really coachable [and is] super disciplined,” Head Coach Jenny McDowell said. “I think we have a chance to be really good. I think it’s just going to take some time.”
“We believe that every year we have a chance to win the national championship,” senior Captain Kathryn Trinka said.
In talking to the team members — both players and coaches — a pervading theme seems to arise: the emphasis on team over the self.
“It’s really fortunate, because we just recruited a group of really solid character players,” McDowell said. “This is probably the best team chemistry that we’ve had in the last couple of years.”
Indeed, the team’s chemistry — anchored by senior Captains Sarah Maher, Jessica Holler, Trinka and junior Captain Hannah Billings — is one of the many factors that fuel the team’s year in and year out contention for Division III’s national championship.
The program has not won the championship since 2008. Both players and coaches acknowledge the improvement the team must undergo in order to come out on top of Division-III volleyball.
“Our goal is to get one percent better every day,” McDowell said. “That’s our goal. If we do that, I think we have a really good shot to have a successful season.”
The team opens the season ranked fourth overall in the nation by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, so expectations are high. The Eagles are the favorite to win the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship, making them one of the few D-III teams to beat.
The team will be hard-pressed to replace first-team all-American setter Sydney Miles, who graduated this past spring, but McDowell has confidence that freshman Sarah Porter and Billings will fill the post admirably.
The two-setter system the team will be employing this season will replace the 5-1 formation, a one-setter system.
“We have outstanding setters to replace Sydney Miles,” McDowell said. “Right now we’re using two setters: Hannah Billings, who is a junior and just a phenomenal athlete and a very good freshman setter in Sarah Porter. The two of them are sharing the setting duties, and both have done an outstanding job so far.”
To McDowell, character is what will ultimately help the team rise to Division-III volleyball’s apex.
“Our program would never sacrifice character for talent,” McDowell said. “I think this team has the potential to be really good, but we have a lot of work to do.”
The team will start play on Friday, Sept. 2, when they host the Emory Classic against the University of St. Thomas (Minn.).
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