ANDERSON, S.C. - On the heels of a record-setting season, Anderson University head volleyball coach Craig Mosqueda has announced that Emily Conard, Megan Embry and Katherine Lloyd have signed with the Black and Gold and will compete for the Trojans starting in the fall.
"Our early signees address the loss of our three primary ball handlers to graduation," said Mosqueda. "Emily [Conard], Katie [Lloyd] and Megan [Embry] all come from competitive club programs and will definitely compete for two positions next fall."
Emily Conard, a native of Plano, Texas, was a two-year
letterwinner and helped lead head coach Teri Minnis' squad to
berths in the 2013 District 5A playoffs, where the Wildcats tied
for fifth, and a spot in the 2014 6A playoffs. The 5-foot-5 libero
earned District 6A Honorable Mention honors and
under the guidance of head coach John Critzer, Conard's AAU team
tied for fifth place at the 2013 USAV Nationals. She also holds the
Plano High School record in the 1600 meter relay.
Off the court, Conard is a member of the National Honor Society and was named to the "A Honor Roll" multiple semesters. She earned the First-Team Academic Award and was a PTA Reflections contest winner.
"Emily is such a neat young lady and I cannot wait to coach her," said Mosqueda. "I saw her at AAU's this past summer and then had her come to camp in July. She played libero for one of the top clubs in the nation and is going to make a great addition."
Embry is a 5-foot-4 setter and defensive specialist/libero who
recorded more than three thousand assists during her prep career
and came up with 913 career digs. She handed out 757 assists and
posted 211 digs last season, while averaging 8.5 assists per set
for head coach Heather Mills' Covenant Day School Lions.
The native of Matthews, N.C., helped lead the Lions to a 24-7
overall record last season, including an 8-2 conference record, as
Covenant earned state runner-up honors. Embry served as team
captain for three seasons, garnering All-Conference accolades from
2011 through 2014. She was named team MVP and earned All-State
honors, while also being named "Player of the Year" by the
Matthews-Mint Hill Weekly in 2013.
Embry was named "Best Setter at Tournament" at the 2012 Capital City Tournament in Washington, D.C., while her Open 16s club team claimed first place at the Monument City Classic and finished in the top 10 at nationals. She was a three-time Honor Roll honoree and a member of the National Honor Society.
"Megan is a great young lady," added Mosqueda. "She too comes from a strong high school and club program and will make an impact on the team and on the campus. Megan has played both setter and DS/Libero but will focus on defense here at AU."
Lloyd was a three-year varsity letterwinner at Dorman High School in Spartanburg, S.C., where she helped lead the Cavaliers to three consecutive South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) Region II-4A titles. She posted nearly career 400 digs, including 215 last season and recorded 52 service aces during the 2014 season. Lloyd earned All-Region II-4A accolades and was named Dorman High Athlete of the Week.
The 5-foot-5 libero/defensive specialist was a member of the National Honor Society and the Beta Club, while also being named the Spartanburg Sports Report Scholar-Athlete of the Week and earned the Cavs of Character Award.
"Katie came to camp this summer and we were very impressed with
her skills and hard work," noted Mosqueda. "She is a tough
competitor and very quick. Katie plays club ball for Upward Stars
for Coach Helle, so she'll even be stronger by the time she get
here. She is definitely a great fit for the [school] and our
program.
