This article originally appeared in the September 28, 2017 issue of The Vantage
By Vlada Litvinova
Emily Harvey, senior volleyball player, has already received three conference awards in the first weeks of the team’s fall season.
Harvey was selected as preseason All-Heartland Conference and grabbed two Offensive Player of the Week awards in the first two weeks of season. Harvey also averaged 4.13 kills per set and 4.53 kills per set during the first two weeks as well.
This is not Harvey’s first time receiving conference honors.
The right-side hitter was awarded Offensive Player of the Week four consecutive times during her junior year. She was also selected to the Heartland Volleyball Championship All-Tournament Team.
Harvey said she was exposed to a lot of different sports growing up, but eventually chose volleyball.
“My parents wanted me to play a bunch of sports, so, I choose which one I liked the most,” Harvey said. “I played a lot of sports. I did basketball, cross country, track & field, softball and soccer, but then I decided that I want play volleyball.”
Harvey said she has an older sister that was showed her the importance of working hard for higher education. As a freshman in high school, Harvey said she realized she could use her volleyball skills to help pay for college.
“As much as I love volleyball, I also treat it like a job and it’s paying for my school,” she said. “My other motivation is my teammates. I have been with this group of girls for the past few years and playing for them and winning games with them is such a good feeling.”
Harvey, from Arlington, Texas, said being away from home has been tough but her team has become a second family to her. “They make me feel really comfortable being at school,” Harvey said.
She said the team is close and hangs out with each other not only during practices and games, but also at different events and around campus.
After four years playing volleyball at Newman, Harvey is set to graduate this spring. She is a communication major and works in the Newman Advancement office shooting video for the Newman360five Youtube channel.
Harvey said she’s grateful for the opportunity to play volleyball in college, but is looking forward to a news video job after graduation.
Courtesy Photo, Newman Athletics
