Freshman setter Sarah Porter’s first thought was to venture far from Georgia. Senior middle hitter Jessica Holler thought California, maybe Texas. But both volleyball players decided on Emory University, less than an hour from their homes.
In recent years, the Emory Volleyball Program has become increasingly committed to recruiting volleyball stars from the Atlanta area. The result has been a symbiotic and successful relationship between the University and Atlanta-based volleyball programs — specifically club volleyball teams. Emory’s volleyball team receives talented players to help vie for national championships. In return, Atlanta’s volleyball programs, such as Georgia’s A5 Volleyball Club, pave a successful path for their players, enriching the overall volleyball experience.
“If we could fill our whole team with local kids and win a national championship, that would be a dream come true for us,” Emory Volleyball Head Coach Jenny McDowell said.
While the head coach recruits players based on their volleyball talent, she has greater ambitions than merely creating a stronger team.
“I want to make a difference in the game of volleyball,” McDowell explained with an air of enthusiasm. “And if we can do it from the inside out, that’s huge.”
In a conversation with the Wheel, McDowell reclined in her chair and reminisced of how this tale came to be.
The Volleyball program’s interest in local players began with the success story of Jessica McAlvany (11C). Atlanta native McAlvany transferred to Emory from Davidson College (N.C.) for her sophomore year and proceeded to play as one of the Eagles’ outside hitters for the next three years.
McAlvany’s success at Emory continued post-graduation, as she became the program’s first volleyball player to reach professional status. She signed a contract with Luxembourg’s CHEV Diekirch team in 2014.
“When that Atlanta player came back home [after playing for one year at Davidson], it really opened the door for us,” McDowell said. “People began to realize [Emory] was a really cool place even though it was just down the street.”
Holler’s recruitment followed McAlvany’s legacy of local volleyball stardom. One of the biggest recruits in Georgia, Holler chose Emory for both its academic and athletic programs.
According to McDowell, Holler’s decision to come to Emory came as a shock to many, and lent major respect and credibility to the school’s volleyball program.
Another Atlanta native, sophomore middle hitter Sydney Leimbach, who helped lead Marist School (Ga.) to a state championship, chose Emory two years after Holler did. And last year, McDowell recruited Porter who, while in high school, coaches considered one of the best setters in Georgia, if not the entire country.
These local players had myriad options at their fingertips when it came to where they would pursue college athletics, but they all ended up miles from home.
On what sells Emory to these young women, McDowell said that her program values both achievement on and off the court.
“We value the extra things they can do,” McDowell said. “We have tour guides on the team, they’re volunteering in the hospital, they have internships, they do work study and some of the seniors are writing their theses. We value that complete experience.”
Leimbach said she appreciates McDowell’s dedication to a well-rounded education, specifically referring to players’ ability to study abroad, an opportunity other institutions do not typically offer their athletes.
Flourishing in academic, social and extracurricular settings is a common narrative among Emory athletes. Although players choose to attend Emory for a well-rounded college experience, the true selling point of her team, according to McDowell, is when potential recruits meet the current players, and they instantly want to be part of the family.
“When I came and visited, I fell in love with the players on the team: how they treated others and how they treated me,” Holler said.
McDowell believes that current players’ identities are crucial in attracting new talent.
“Character sells character,” McDowell said.
While wanting to come to Emory is one thing, being prepared to play on McDowell’s squad is another.
Prior to beginning their collegiate careers, all four local Emory players participated in local club teams in addition to their high school play.
The Eagles maintain a strong relationship with the local club volleyball teams not just for the recruiting process, but also to establish a thriving volleyball community.
The relationship between clubs such as A5 and Emory is a clear one: Leimbach played for both Tsunami and A5, while Holler, Porter and McAlvany played for A5.
Two of the Eagles’ assistant coaches, Helen Lin and Scott Shelley, coach A5 teams, and Assistant Coach Joseph Goodson coaches for Tsunami’s team.
Goodson coached both Leimbach and Porter during their time on Tsunami, and Shelley coached Holler during her time on A5. Senior outside hitter Kathryn Trinka also coaches an A5 team.
For some of Emory’s players to have gone through the A5 program implies that they have experienced a high-level of volleyball play. According to A5’s website, any high school senior who plans to play volleyball in college had an opportunity to do so since 2008. In the past four years, A5 has received more bids than any other team to the USA Volleyball (USAV) National Championship.
Furthermore, Bob Westbrook, founder of A5, said he has established a strong connection with Emory on both a professional and personal level. Westbrook’s daughter attended Emory, and during his own time as a USAV player, he practiced on Emory’s campus.
Westbrook spoke highly of McDowell, Emory and his former players who went on to play for Emory.
“I’ve known McDowell for quite some time, and she is honestly one of the best coaches in the country,” Westbrook said. “It’s pretty easy to hope your applicant will have the chance to play for her. Since the very beginning of A5, which was 12 years ago, we were honored and blessed to have athletes who [McDowell] sought to have and come play at Emory.”
According to McDowell, the volleyball culture in Atlanta has evolved into more of a community. She finds more girls interested in volleyball, as they begin to play at younger ages than previously.
At almost every Emory volleyball home game, young players from local club teams can be spotted in the stands watching the Eagles play on the court. The Eagles clearly serve as inspiration to these younger girls, who flock to the court to attempt to score an autograph at the end of a game.
“When they see the stars on our team doing really great things, they want to grow up and be like [Holler, Maher and Leimbach],” McDowell said.
As McDowell looks to recruit more players from the Atlanta area, the chance for these young athletes’ futures to mirror the successful experiences of Holler, Porter or Leimbach is a realistic one.
