Flying High

Emory Eagles Set to Soar in Full Return to Sports

EMORY MAGAZINE | FALL 2021

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic that shut down many sports, Emory athletics fans still had a lot to cheer about these past several months. This past spring, the Eagles won their national championships in women’s and men’s tennis—their 28th and 29th NCAA Division III titles overall. A few months later, alumnus Andrew Wilson 17C not only became the first DIII swimmer to represent the US in the Olympics, but also won gold as part of the men’s 4x100 medley relay team. Meanwhile, new athletics director Keiko Price joined Emory last December, bringing a standout career as a student-athlete and ample Division I athletics knowhow from her leadership experiences at Stanford, UC Berkeley, and Illinois.

But perhaps the most welcome news to the school’s 400-plus student-athletes was the return to full University Athletic Association (UAA) conference play for the 2021–2022 academic year. “Our athletes have demonstrated incredible resilience and perseverance through unprecedented challenges,” says Jenny McDowell, who enters her 26th year as the Eagles’ head volleyball coach. “We are thrilled to move forward with conference competition, and we are thankful to conference presidents and athletics directors for their commitment to getting our student-athletes back on the court.”

While DI athletics may get all the hype, the accomplishments of Emory’s student-athletes across 19 varsity sports can be viewed as even more impressive. Because there’s no athletic scholarships available for them in DIII, our Eagles play purely for the love of sport and how it enriches and balances their academic pursuits.

And just like they study hard to earn top grades, Emory’s student-athletes play to win.

Emory ranks among the best DIII athletics programs in the country. Case in point: It’s just one of 10 schools in the nation—others include Stanford, Duke, Johns Hopkins, and MIT—to place in the top 10 in the NACDA Directors’ Cup for best all-around athletics program while simultaneously ranking among the top 25 universities academically by US News & World Report. Emory has also finished in the top 10 of the 334 DIII schools counted in the Directors’ Cup the past 18 of 19 years it’s been scored (the last time was 2018-2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic). In addition, a total of 1,082 student-athletes have earned All-American status in their sports since 1984.

Emory Eagles also excel in the classroom—192 have been singled out as CoSIDA Academic All-Americans since 1984. And our student-athletes have won a total of 121 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, with the 104 awarded since 2000 second only to Division I Stanford.

Below, we break down the upcoming seasons for all of Emory’s varsity sports teams, highlight star student-athletes to watch and catch-up with notable Eagles alumni.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 24

Women's Tennis Schedule

Home Court: WoodPEC Outdoor and Indoor Tennis Courts

Head Coach: Amy Bryant

2020–2021 Record: 10-3, NCAA DIII National Champions

Team Success: 8-time NCAA DIII National Champions, 5-time ITA National Indoor Champions, 6 NCAA DIII Singles Titles and 5 NCAA DIII Doubles Titles, 41 Individual All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Christina Watson — A stellar junior campaign culminated in Watson becoming the NCAA DIII Singles and Doubles National Runner-Up and an ITA All-American in both singles and doubles.

Ana Cristina-Perez — All-UAA as a freshman, Cristina-Perez went 5-2 in singles and 7-4 in doubles, including a win in her NCAA Championship doubles match.

Notable Alumni

Gabrielle Clark — A dominant playing career with the Eagles from 2010–2014, Clark led the women's tennis team to the program's sixth national championship in 2014. She was a two-time NCAA Division III Singles National Champion and the ITA National Player of the Year as a senior. She works as a manager of strategy and operations for the Los Angeles Organizing Committee of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

2021–2022 Season Start: Schedule TBD

Men's Tennis Schedule

Home Court: WoodPEC Outdoor and Indoor Tennis Courts

Head Coach: John Browning

2020–2021 Record: 10-3, 2021 NCAA DIII National Champions

Team Success: 6-time NCAA DIII National Champions, 39 Individual All-Americans, 27 UAA Championships

Key Athletes to Watch

Andrew Esses — Esses logged his second career All-UAA singles selection and shined in both singles and doubles play during the NCAA DIII National Tournament.

Antonio Mora — A three-time All-American, Mora ranks among the tennis program’s all-time top five in singles winning percentage.

Nolan Shah — As a freshman last year, Shah won the deciding singles match at the NCAA DIII National Tournament finals, helping Emory clinch the championship.

Notable Alumni

Yoji Masuoka — Masuoka helped the men’s tennis team capture four UAA titles and make four trips to the NCAA Championships, winning the national crown in 2006 and finishing runner-up the next year. He now works in Tokyo, Japan, for his family’s commercial real estate company Tekko Building.

Jed Weinstein — From 1995 through 1998, Weinstein earned All-America honors on four occasions and was named the UAA Most Valuable Player twice. Also a three-year member of the soccer team, Weinstein was elected to Emory’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. He owns a New York City–based experiential marketing company called Rise & Set Agency.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 1

Women's Volleyball Schedule

Home Court: WoodPEC Gymnasium

Head Coach: Jenny McDowell

2020–2021 Record: No matches played (due to COVID-19). 34-3 record in 2019, reaching NCAA DIII Final Four and earning final ranking of No. 2 nationally

Team Success: 2-time NCAA DIII National Champions (2008 and 2018), 24 NCAA DIII Tournament appearances, 7 Final Four appearances, 9 UAA Championships

Key Athletes to Watch

Tara Martin — During the 2019 season, Martin captured AVCA Second Team All-America honors while earning a first-team nod on the All-UAA Team. She ranked fourth among conference performers in kills average.

Cassie Srb — As a rookie setter in 2019, Srb garnered AVCA Honorable Mention accolades and was tabbed as the South Region Rookie of the Year. She ranked sixth nationally in DIII in assists average.

Notable Alumni

Maggie Baird — Baird enjoyed a stellar career for the Eagles, including All-UAA honors three times and was tabbed as the conference Rookie of the Year. She now works for Nike at its headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, where she’s played a pivotal role in building a women’s division within the famed Jordan brand.

Sarah Taub — During Taub's four years on the volleyball team, the Eagles compiled an overall record of 139-21 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA DIII Championships on two occasions, finishing runner-up in 2010. Today she works at Emory Healthcare, in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery as a physician assistant.

2021–2022 Season Start: Nov. 11 (at Piedmont), Nov. 27 vs. Guilford at home

Men's Basketball Schedule

Home Court: WoodPEC Gymnasium

Head Coach: Jason Zimmerman

2020–2021 Record: No games played. Went 22-5 in 2019–2020, UAA Conference Champions, made NCAA tournament.

Team Success: 9 NCAA DIII Tournament appearances, 7 UAA Championships

Key Athletes to Watch

Matt Schner — The UAA Co-Player of the Year in 2019–2020, Schner ranked among the league’s top-10 performers in 12 different statistical categories.

Romin Williams — The No. 6 all-time leading scorer in the history of Emory men’s basketball, Williams is a two-time All-UAA selection.

Nick Stuck — Stuck played his way to All-UAA Second Team honors in 2019–2020, ending the campaign No. 2 in the conference in assists average.

Notable Alumni

Chad Hixon — A former rebounding machine for the Emory men's basketball program, Hixon now serves as an academic adviser at Emory. He earned an MBA from Mercer after graduating and also runs his own business called Student-Athlete Connection that helps high school athletes find resources to make college more affordable.

Austin Claunch — When he hung up his jersey following the 2011–2012 season, he was just one of three players in program history to have been selected as a First Team All-UAA three times. He is now the head coach at Nichols State and was named the 2020–2021 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.

2021–2022 Season Start: Nov. 10

Women's Basketball Schedule

Home Court: WoodPEC Gymnasium

Head Coach: Misha Jackson

2020-2021 Record: No games played. 19-6 in 2019, including an NCAA DIII Tournament appearance

Team Success: 4 NCAA DIII Tournament appearances, 38 First- or Second-Team All-UAA Conference players, 9 All-Region honorees

Key Athletes to Watch

Tori Huggins — Huggins enjoyed a breakout season in 2019–2020, ranking third in the UAA in rebounding while posting a double-figure scoring average.

Anna Arato — A starter in 24 of the team’s 25 contests in 2019–2020, Arato averaged more than 20 minutes per game while placing third on the team in three-point field goals.

Notable Alumni

Lora Turner Smothers

Lora Turner Smothers

Lora Turner Smothers — Turner Smothers ranked among the UAA's top performers in her four years at Emory, finishing up her career by playing in 99 games and placing third on the school's all-time scoring list. She now works for Downtown Ministries in Athens, Georgia, where she oversees their outreach programs to underserved youth and their families.

2021–2022 Season Start: Oct. 1 (Blue-Gold Meet)

Men's Swimming and Diving Schedule

Home Pool: Madeleine Jude Brown Aquatic Center (WoodPEC)

Head Coach: Jon Howell

2020–2021 Record: No meets held (due to COVID-19). UAA Champion in 2019–2020.

Team Success: 2016–2017 NCAA DIII National Champions, 17 Top-3 NCAA DIII National Finishes, 30 NCAA DIII Individual National Champions, 119 Individual All-Americans, 22 UAA Championships

Key Athletes to Watch

Jason Hamilton — Returning senior Hamilton was the NCAA DIII National Champion in the 200-meter breaststroke in 2019 and is a six-time career All-American.

Nicholas Goudie — Now in his sophomore season, Goudie earned All-America status in seven events during his freshman year in 2019. He's also a two-time UAA Conference Champion and Emory's record holder in the 200-meter freestyle.

Luca Bumgarner — Bumgarner is a two-time All-American in the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events and two-time UAA Men's Diver of the Year. The junior is also an Emory record holder in all four diving events.

Notable Alumni

Andrew Wilson — Breaststroke specialist Wilson became the first DIII swimmer to make the US Olympics team, and he helped the men’s 4x100 medley relay team take home gold from Japan in 2021. He’s headed to England this fall where he begins graduate studies at Oxford University.

Tom Shane — A member of the program from 1998–2002, Shane was a driving force in helping elevate the Eagles into the national power it is today. He swam to nine All-America honors including a third-place finish in the 200 butterfly at the 2002 NCAA DIII Championships and lifted Emory to top-10 finishes all four years, a first-ever feat for the men's program. Today he’s an ophthalmologist specialized in retinal surgery and lives in Sarasota, Florida.

2021–2022 Season Start: Oct. 1 (Blue-Gold Meet)

Women's Swimming and Diving Schedule

Home Pool: Madeleine Jude Brown Aquatic Center (WoodPEC)

Head Coach: Jon Howell

2020–2021 Record: No meets held (due to COVID-19). UAA Champion in 2019–2020.

Team Success: 12-time NCAA DIII National Champions, 38 NCAA DIII Individual National Champions, 144 Individual All-Americans, 28 UAA Conference Championships, 26 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars

Key Athletes to Watch

Clio Hancock — A standout in the individual medley, freestyle and butterfly, Hancock is a career six-time All-American, two-time UAA Champion and six-time All-UAA swimmer.

Taylor Leone — Leone earned All-American status in seven freestyle and butterfly events as a junior in 2020. She’s a four-time UAA Conference Champion and six-time All-UAA performer.

Caroline Maki — Freestyle specialist Maki was a four-time All-American in 2020, as well as a career three-time UAA Conference champion and six-time All-UAA performer.

Notable Alumni

Samantha White — Freestyler White played a pivotal role in helping the Eagles capture the first two NCAA DIII National Championships in team history in 2005 and 2006. She was also a four-time NCAA DIII Individual National Champion, 13-time All-American, 7-time UAA Champion, and the UAA Swimmer of the Year in 2006. She now works as a scientific and public engagement branch chief at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Anna Dobben — Dobben helped the women’s swimming team capture NCAA Division III National Championships in 2012 and 2013, winning individual national titles in four events. Today she works as the associate director of awards at the National Book Foundation in New York City, where she manages all the logistics for the National Book Awards.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 19

Men's Golf Schedule

Home Course: Smoke Rise Country Club, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Head Coach: John Sjoberg

2020–2021 Record: Ranked 4th nationally, finished 6th in NCAA DIII National Championships

Team Success: 23 NCAA DIII Championship Appearances, 19 UAA Championships, 10 NCAA DIII Top-10 Finishes, 20 All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Max Schwarz — Though three seasons, senior Max Schwarz ranks first on the school's all-time list for scoring average and was chosen as a DIII PING First Team All-American, the first Eagle to claim that distinction since 1972.

Logan Ryan — Right on Schwarz’s tail, he was named a member of the All-UAA Conference Team and holds down the No. 3 spot on the school’s all-time scoring average

Notable Alumni

Alex Wunderlich — Golfed for Emory from 2012 through 2105 and landed First Team All-UAA honors twice. He works as the director of product and growth at Seattle-based financial software start-up company Clockwork.ai.

Allan Phillips — Received All-UAA honors all four years (1997–2001) and played on three Eagle teams that posted top-10 finishes at the NCAA DIII National Championships. He also was an Academic All-American and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. Today, Phillips works as a physical therapist and serves as a member of the US Army Reserves.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 4

Women's Golf Schedule

Home Course: Smoke Rise Country Club, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Head Coach: Katie Futcher

2020–2021 Record: Finished 7th in NCAA DIII National Championships

Team Success: 1 NCAA DIII National Tournament appearance (in just 2 seasons), 3 All-UAA Individual Honorees, 1 WGCA All-Region Honoree

Key Athletes to Watch

Mariana Chong — Sophomore Chong was the Eagles’ top scoring leader last season, and she hopes to build upon a performance that earned her a spot on the All-UAA Conference Team and WGCA All-South Region Team.

Rebecca Schiffman — Also a sophomore, Schiffman turned in the team’s best individual performance at the NCAA DIII National Championships this past spring and was named to the All-UAA Conference Team.

Notable Alumni

None yet — the program is just going into its third year.
Stay tuned.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 1

Men's Soccer Schedule

Home Field: WoodPEC Soccer Field

Head Coach: Cory Greiner

2020–21 Record: No games played (due to COVID-19). 9-7-2 in 2019–2020.

Team Success: 2017 NCAA DIII Elite Eight, 16 NCAA DIII National Tournament appearances, 7 UAA Championships, 15 NSCAA/USC All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Nate Sampson — Fifth-year senior captain looking to build on his breakthrough 2019 season, when he was named to the All-UAA Second Team. He was the top offensive option for the Eagles, registering six goals and one assist in 18 games while leading the conference in both shots (65) and shots on goal (30).

Notable Alumni

Boris Jerkunica — Soccer standout and second-team All-American in 1985 is a serial entrepreneur who co-founded Vonage Business Solutions and served as chairman-owner of the Atlanta Silverbacks.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept 1

Women's Soccer Schedule

Home Field: WoodPEC Soccer Field

Head Coach: Sue Patberg

2020–2021 Record: No games played (due to COVID-19). 13-5 in 2019–2020, NCAA DIII National Tournament appearance

Team Success: 18 NCAA DIII National Tournament appearances, 2012 NCAA DIII National Runner-Up, 6 UAA Conference Championships, 11 NSCAA Individual All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Natalie Klar — Klar put forth one of the stronger rookie seasons in recent memory in 2019, leading the team with nine goals and 19 points, the most points by an Emory freshman since 2011.

Peyton Robertson — Anchoring a defense that recorded nine shutouts, Robertson also posted a stellar rookie campaign and was named the UAA Rookie of the Year and earned a spot on the All-UAA First Team.

Notable Alumni

Jenn Hildreth — Hildreth has enjoyed a career as a broadcaster, covering numerous different sports for ESPN, Fox Sports, and other networks during a career spanning 20 years. She currently serves as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN/ACC Network covering women’s college soccer, basketball, and softball. She not only was Emory’s goalkeeper but also lettered in basketball and track and field.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 1

Men's Cross Country Schedule

Home Course: Lullwater Preserve

Head Coach: Linh Nguyen

2020–2021 Record: No meets last year (due to COVID-19). In 2019, ranked No. 1 in region, finished 17th nationally

Team Success: 22 NCAA DIII National Championship appearances, 11-time NCAA Region Champions, 8 All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Spencer Moore — Moore made a significant impact on the team, scoring in six of his seven meets. The Eagles' No. 2 runner on five occasions, he was an all-region performer.

John Cox — An All-Region runner, Cox scored in six of his seven competitions and was the squad’s No. 2 finisher at the 2019 NCAA DIII National Championships.

Notable Alumni

Charles Meade — Meade holds the distinction of being just one of three Emory runners to have earned All-America acclaim in cross country twice, racing to those honors in 2008 and 2009. His 8K time of 24:49 in 2008 established a school mark at the NCAA Championships and stood for over 10 years. He is currently a manager at L.E.K. Consulting, a global management consultancy.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 1

Women's Cross Country Schedule

Home Course: Lullwater Preserve

Head Coach: Linh Nguyen

2020–2021 Record: No meets last year (due to COVID-19). In 2019, ranked No. 1 in Region, finished 35th nationally

Team Success: 28 NCAA DIII National Championship appearances, 21 NCAA DIII Region Championships, 7 All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Annika Urban — A surging star in distance events for the women's track and field team, Urban also competed in seven cross country races during the 2019 season.

Isabella Racette — Racette ranked among the team’s top-three finishers in three of her four outings during the 2019 season.

Notable Alumni

Vista Beasley — As a senior in 1997, Beasley became just the second Emory women’s cross country performer to earn All-America acclaim. She's now an assistant professor of sports and exercise psychology at SUNY Brockport.

2021–2022 Season Start: Sept. 1

Men's Track and Field Schedule

Home Field: WoodPEC Indoor and Outdoor

Head Coach: Linh Nguyen

2020–2021 Record: Wins at Panther Invitational and Hilltop Classic

Team Success: 2 NCAA DIII Outdoor National Championships, 7 UAA Indoor Championships, 5 UAA Outdoor Championships, 18 Outdoor and 9 Indoor Individual All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Kenya Sei — Sei starred for the Eagles as he set a new school record in the hammer throw as just a freshman. He's also an up-and-comer in the discus throw.

Brett Henshey — Made the NCAA DIII Outdoor National Championships this past spring, competing in the high jump. Henshey finished tied for 13th in the event, but he returns his senior season with more to prove.

Notable Alumni

Freddie Linton — Linton gained All-America acclaim in the 200- and 400-meter dashes and as member of the 4x400 relay team. He was named the UAA MVP three times. Linton currently works as an IT manager for retail apparel company Vince.

2021–2022 Season Starts: Sept. 1

Women's Track And Field Schedule

Home Field: WoodPEC Indoor and Outdoor Venues

Head Coach: Linh Nguyen

2020–2021 Record: Wins at BSC Hilltop Classic and Berry Field Day Invitational, tied for 17th at NCAA DIII National Outdoor Championships

Team Success: 3 UAA Indoor Conference Championships, 8 UAA Outdoor Team Championships, 3 Outdoor National Individual Champions, 24 Indoor and 38 Outdoor Individual All-Americans

Key Athletes to Watch

Claire Evans —As a sophomore, Evans set personal best times in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles and earned USTFCCCA South/Southeast All-Region honors.

Annika Urban — Distance-runner Urban made her first career appearance at the NCAA DIII National Championships last season in the 5000-meter run, and hit new career bests in the 1500-, 3000- and 5000-meter runs, earning USTFCCCA South/Southeast All-Region honors.

Notable Alumni

Kathryn McElheny — A former member of Emory’s cross country and track and field teams, McElheny was named head team physician of MLB’s New York Mets this past spring.

2021–2022 Season Starts: Spring 2022

Baseball Schedule

Home Field: Chappell Park, named in honor of alumnus Robert Chappell Jr., 56Ox 58C 68MBA

Head Coach: Mike Twardoski

2020–2021 Record: 7-5 (shortened season due to COVID-19)

Team Success: Six NCAA DIII World Series appearances, 11 NCAA DIII National Tournament berths, 13 UAA Championships

Key Athletes to Watch

Joey Bock — Bock led the Eagles' pitching staff last year in wins and strikeouts while holding opponents to a .247 batting average.

Robby Wacker — Wacker batted .333 last season and tied for the lead in RBIs, landing a spot on the All-UAA Team.

Notable Alumni

Connor McGuiness — McGuiness starred at Emory from 2009 to 2012 and also served as the Eagles' pitching coach during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He capped off a memorable first year as assistant pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers by helping the team win the 2020 World Series.

Softball Schedule

2021–2022 Season Starts: Spring 2022

Home Field: Cooper Field

Head Coach: Adrianna Baggetta

2020–2021 Record: 9-2 (shortened season due to COVID-19)

Team Success: 5 NCAA DIII National Championship appearances, 2018–2019 National Runner-Up, 12 UAA Championships. 15 seasons of 30 or more wins, 14 All-Americans, 6 NCAA Postgraduate Scholars

Key Athletes to Watch

Megan Weisenberg — Now a senior, Weisenberg captured her second straight nod on the All-UAA Team last season after leading Emory in RBIs and hitting .400.

Mattie Ryan — Ryan led the team in batting average (.545), total bases (22), and slugging percentage (.667) on route to an All-UAA Team berth.

Notable Alumni

Janelle Turnquest — Followed her standout Emory softball playing career by becoming a program manager senior analyst at Cigna in Houston, Texas. Turnquest recently presented at the UAA’s “Conversations About Race and Racism” series, which seeks to lift the voices of people of color and recognize the challenge faced in athletics and academics at the collegiate level.

Cassie Walsh — Walsh was a four-year (2007–2010) member of the Emory softball program, garnering first-team acclaim on conference and regional teams on three occasions. She’s now an attorney with law firm Adams and Reese and lives in Houston, Texas.

Let the games begin!

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