Playing in the big time helps Ziegler land at Creighton

The transfer portal has gained popularity in the last few years, and volleyball is no

stranger to it. We had the opportunity to talk with Emma Ziegler about her recent experience in

the transfer portal. Recently, Emma announced her verbal commitment to Creighton University

after spending 2 seasons at Denver University.

During her recruiting process in high school, Emma said she wasn't ready to be too far

from home. Growing up in a southern suburb of Denver, DU was an ideal school for her. The

academics were rigorous enough and the volleyball program was very competitive. But, it wasn't

all that easy of a path. Emma said she was later than others in the process, not committing until

her senior year of high school. She was riddled with injuries during her club career that

prevented her from playing in front of coaches and getting film. "It was really tough because you

saw all these girls announcing commitments, and I couldn't help but compare", she said. She

leaned on her family and club coaches for support. They advised her to stay patient, but to also

be persistent on what she wanted. Through that process, Emma got in touch with the coaches

at Denver, and after discussions with her support system, it was a done deal.

At Denver, Emma played in 12 matches contributing 146 assists, 47 digs, while

compiling 2 double-doubles. On April 6th, Denver announced Head Coach Tom Hogan would

step down to focus on his health. Emma said this was the final straw on her decision to transfer.

Upon entering the transfer portal, Emma felt the nerves of uncertainty. She wanted to

find a home where she could compete at a high level and still pursue her career goals in the

medical field. Playing volleyball and studying medicine is no easy task, but Emma was up for it.

She knew that not many schools were able to provide that for her. There was a school in Florida

she was in contact with, but when Creighton reached out, she just had a feeling. "Having the

opportunity to play at a top program like Creighton is something I couldn't pass up", she said

With June 15th around the corner, we asked Emma if she had any advice for the class of

1. She encouraged prospects to

‍

"build relationships with coaches, go on visits, attend

camps, and take your time".

‍

Seeing other prospects announce their verbal commitments,

pressure to make a decision can creep in. Know that each process is different and each

prospect has different priorities.

Photo Credit : Emma Ziegler Via Twitter