Lenoir-Rhyne's Allen Awarded Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Lenoir-Rhyne University's Emmaleigh Allen was voted as the 2025 South Atlantic Conference Women's Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the conference announced today.

The South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year award is presented annually to one student-athlete in each of the Conference's championship sports and is voted on by the SAC's Faculty Athletic Representatives Committee. The honor recognizes a student-athlete's combined excellence in academics, athletics, service, and leadership.

Allen, a senior, has distinguished herself as one of the premier student-athletes in the conference both on and off the court. She carries an outstanding 3.95 cumulative GPA while triple majoring in Accounting, Finance, and Management, and is also enrolled as an Accelerated MBA student, successfully completing graduate-level coursework in addition to her undergraduate studies. Her academic accomplishments include being named CSC Academic All-District, earning a spot on the President's List, and receiving the Broyhill Family Foundation Scholarship through the Charles M. Snipes College of Business and Economics.

On the court, Allen has been a key contributor for the Bears throughout her four-year career. She was named the SAC Freshman of the Year, earned First Team All-SAC honors as a sophomore, and later added Second Team All-SAC recognition during her senior season. Allen was also selected as an All-American Honorable Mention and an All-Region Honorable Mention during her career. Despite missing her junior season due to injury, she returned to the lineup to play 29 matches as a senior, finishing the year with 220 kills, 32 service aces, and 278 digs, while continuing to provide veteran leadership for the program.

Beyond her academic and athletic success, Allen has made a lasting impact through her leadership and service. She is a graduate of the Bears Leadership Academy, has served as a team captain for the Lenoir-Rhyne volleyball program, and is an active tutor in the university library. Allen is also the vice president of The Hidden Opponent, a national mental health awareness organization for student-athletes, where she has helped promote mental wellness and peer support across campus.

Her commitment to excellence and character has earned high praise from university leadership and her coaching staff, who cite her discipline, leadership, and ability to elevate those around her as hallmarks of her collegiate career.

2025 Women's Volleyball Scholar-Athlete Finalists

• Emmaleigh Allen, Lenoir-Rhyne

• Blair Cherry, Carson-Newman

• Karris Oller, Tusculum
• Laela Jimenez, Mars Hill
• Lauren Jacob, Lincoln Memorial
• Maya Van Heyst, Wingate
• Samantha Shaffer, Newberry
• Tori Boling, Emory & Henry