The Emory University volleyball team’s 2024 season was full of successes. The Eagles finished with a 29-3 record and captured the 11th University Athletic Association (UAA) title in program history before their stellar campaign ended with an Elite Eight loss in the NCAA tournament.
This year, the team is hoping to learn from that experience and build on it through mental toughness and unwavering camaraderie. The 2025 Eagles roster is made up of 24 players who are not just teammates, but a group of close-knit friends. Senior setter Olivia Rabinowitz said that despite all the time they spend training and practicing together, they still prioritize spending time with each other off the court.
“You would think that being in the gym for four hours practicing and lifting that you would be tired of each other after leaving the gym and want nothing to do with each other, but we actually are best friends on and off the court,” Rabinowitz said. “It’s pretty awesome that we can just hang out with each other 24/7. These girls are all my best friends.”
Rabinowitz will be a crucial piece for the Eagles this season. She led the team in assists last year by averaging 5.79 per set, which ranked fifth in the UAA and earned her All-UAA Second Team honors. Rabinowitz will be working alongside senior outside hitter and defensive specialist Kate LaRocco, who averaged 2.81 kills per set and recorded 25 blocks during the season. LaRocco received All-UAA First Team honors while making it to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region First Team.
With seven incoming freshmen, the team is facing major roster changes this year. Amidst these new additions, LaRocco said she recognized the importance of guiding her teammates in the right direction as a senior this season.
“We had a lot of strong leaders … who just graduated this past year,” LaRocco said. “This year I definitely need to step up, and same with the seniors in my class, to lead the incoming freshmen and the rest of the team throughout the season.”
After last season’s run, the team has seen what it takes to advance deep into the postseason. Head coach Brianna Jones said that being only three wins away from winning the national championship has made their ultimate goal seem more achievable as they prepare for this season.
“Now that we’re in and understanding that we can get to the finals, and understanding that it’s a doable thing for our program because we have the talent, we have the mindset, we have the drive to get there, I think that was a big thing,” Jones said. “We stay in the moment, but at the same time knowing that this is a part of our journey and every single day will eventually help towards the goal that we really want.”
Other valuable returning Eagles include junior right side hitter Sophia Luo, who notched 2.45 kills per set last year, and senior middle hitter Sophie Zerrouki, who charted 0.98 kills per set. Jones believes that the seniors, who have already contributed greatly to the program, will play into their new roles as leaders.
Jones and LaRocco specifically mentioned that senior defensive specialist Caroline Coyle could jump into a leadership role in addition to taking on a new position this season.
“I see her as our libero and our main defensive player this year,” LaRocco said. “She just has the most energy on our team, and I think that really is what’s going to carry us through. I think she’s really going to step up as more of a leader than she already is.”
Jones shared that the team has a yearly tradition of having the seniors choose a book for the team to read together. This season, the seniors chose the book “Mind Gym” by Gary Mack, which Jones said is helping the team instill mental toughness ahead of the season.
“We are working on, essentially, our mind gym, our mental side, and how that is truly 90% of what’s going to lead us to our goals,” Jones said. “That has been a key focal point and what we do every single summer, but this year this book has resonated with our team in a totally different way.”
The Eagles’ season starts at home on Aug. 29, where they will face off against LeTourneau University (Texas) in the Jenny McDowell Invitational. The following weekend, the team will travel to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh for the Marty Petersen Invitational. The Eagles will start conference play in late September before finishing out their regular season back at home with the Emory Invitational in early November.
With the whole schedule in front of them, Rabinowitz said that the team is ready to use last year’s tournament loss as fuel to propel them even further this year.
“We still definitely have the same goals,” Rabinowitz said. “We’re excited and we’re even more determined because we stopped at the Elite Eight, but we want to make it even further to the championships.”
Sammy Brodsky (28C) is majoring in QSS and minoring in Film and Media. He is from Phoenix, Arizona. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball, rooting for Philadelphia sports teams, golfing, and analyzing music. He loves sports analytics and journalism, and is excited to see what he can do for the Wheel.
