Emma Daleen '23 Recruiting Profile

My goals for the future are to play volleyball in college and to excel academically.  I am interested in studying psychology and creative writing, as well as other subjects that will allow me to expand my experience and knowledge.   I'd like to be able to use my graduate degree to help those with mental issues.  

I started playing volleyball when I was 8 years old.  My parents signed me up for volleyball at the local YMCA the year my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.   They did it to give me a distraction.  Little did they know that volleyball would give me a safe place and an escape during a pretty stressful time in our family.  Being a part of that first volleyball team was transformational for me.  Volleyball connected the dots for me...you work hard, you will see results.    Pretty soon after starting that YMCA team, I was asked to move up to play with the 10 year olds and soon after that, I moved to play club volleyball.  I've been playing with STL Crossfire Elite for the last three years on their travel teams and am now playing on the 17's College Prep Team.  I have also played every year for my high school volleyball team, with the last two years on varsity.  During my volleyball career I've played every position on the court.  Right now, I'm playing right side hitter, but I regularly set and play middle too.  Bottom line--I was meant to play volleyball.  

I'm more than a girl that plays a position on a volleyball team..I'm the smart player...the one that has intuition about where the ball is going to be.... I'm also the passionate player that knows how important it is to rally my team members and keep them motivated.   I learned a lot at an early age with my mom's cancer diagnosis...not to sweat the small stuff, celebrate the blessings you're given and walk through life with a grateful heart.   I believe these lessons are what makes me stand out in life and on the court.  

I'm hungry for the next phase of my life...my college experience and all the "firsts" that come with that.