Emily joined the WAVE Staff in 2026!

Emily played travel volleyball as a setter at Bay Area Volleyball Academy (BAVA) from age 13 through 18, running the offense throughout her junior career, and has never really stopped since. Volleyball has been a constant thread through her life, from sunrise beach games to weeknight pickup after work, and she brings that same daily commitment to improving as a player into how she coaches. Her coaching path began in Maryland, where she led a 12U recreational team for two seasons and assistant coached BAVA's 13U girls club team, before bringing that experience west to San Diego and WAVE.

Emily holds a Master's Degree in Special Education and has spent years working with learners of all ages and abilities, in classrooms, in one-on-one coaching, and in group settings. That range has shaped a core coaching belief: there's no one-size-fits-all athlete. Every player learns, builds confidence, and finds motivation differently, and Emily's job is to see each girl as a whole person, rather than only looking at her technical skills, and meet her there.

She believes deeply that the lessons volleyball teaches, such as communication, trust, resilience, and a growth mindset, extend far beyond the court. With that, the reverse is true too: the confidence and self-awareness girls build in life show up in how they play. Whether she's breaking down a skill one-on-one or helping a team find its identity together, Emily coaches with the belief that development, connection, and joy aren't separate from winning but are actually intrinsically connected.