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Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Emily Russell, Northern Volleyball

Russell sets it up for the Skylights

or the Montana State University-Northern volleyball team, and many others like the Skylights, the start of a new season is always exciting. But it comes with a price. It usually means you don't get to play at home for the first three weeks of the season.

For Northern senior setter Emily Russell, and the Skylights, that's always the case. Northern is always on the road for the first three weeks of the regular season. But that all changes on Friday night, and Russell, a former Flathead Bravette, is bursting with excitement to play her first home match in what will be her last year of collegiate volleyball.

"I'm so excited," Russell, who transferred to Northern a year ago from Spokane Falls Community College, said. "It's senior year. I'm ready. It's time to go out and kick butt."

Truth be told, Russell has been kicking butt on the volleyball court for years now. She says she started in seventh grade, and eventually, she became an All-Conference setter for Flathead High. She also starred in club volleyball in Kalispell during her high school years - something she says really helped her game progress.

"Club volleyball started when I was in seventh grade in Kalispell, and it was huge for us," she said. "It gives you a chance to get so much more experience, and so much more competition. To have that and then take that into the fall season, that was so big for us, and it really helped us as a high school team."

Indeed, Russell went on to star at Flathead, alongside fellow Northern players Cassie Krueger and Timi Severson, before she spent her first two years playing college volleyball in Spokane. Transferring to Northern, she instantly earned the starting setter position, and, she was reunited with Krueger, and this season, Severson.

Now, as her senior year begins, she's not only playing with fellow Flathead teammates, Russell, who's majoring in elementary education, is also embracing her role as Northern's floor general. She knows setters have to be leaders, and she is certainly that for a Skylights' squad that's young, but extremely talented.

"I'm very self-driven, very self-motivated," Russell said. "And I take pride in that. I take pride in being a leader on the court, in being loud and being able to communicate with my teammates. I'm also very competitive, and volleyball is a very competitive sport. So I'm proud to be in a leadership role with this team. This is an awesome group of girls, and I'm just so excited to see what we can do this season."

The Skylights are excited for Frontier Conference play too. But before Northern opens its home schedule Friday night against Rocky Mountain College, the HDN sat down with Russell for five questions.

HDN: How fun is it to be playing with two former high school teammates from Flathead High?

Russell: "I've been playing with Cassie (Krueger) since eighth grade, and I've played with Timi (Severson) since my sophomore year. So we've all known each other a long time. We all have that same competitive drive, and because we've played together so much, we all have great chemistry together, and that's allowed us to adapt to the rest of the team. So it's been great playing with girls you know so well."

HDN: Setter is a tough role. Why do you like it, and why are you suited for it?

Russell: "I've been playing setter since seventh grade. Honestly, it's the only position I've ever played. And at first, it was hard. You have to be outgoing, confident and loud to play setter, and I was shy at first. But, it's a role I've really developed into. I'm a very self-confident player, and now, I'm totally comfortable with being loud, communicating with everyone and handling everything that comes with the position. It's a hard position, but I love it."

HDN: Speaking of loud. Volleyball is a very loud sport. Why do you suppose that is?

Russell: I think it's because we play with such a competitive fire and passion for the game. All athletes have it, but volleyball players just have such a drive to win, and you just find yourself getting really excited. Whether it's practice, or a really big match, you just can't help but get really pumped up."

HDN: What do you love most about being a student-athlete at Northern?

Russell: "It's a small-college atmosphere and I love that. It's hard being a student athlete, and school comes first. So, the great thing about Northern is the small classes, the personal relationships you build with your advisors and instructors. I'm one of those students that likes to ask questions, to be involved in discussions in class, and this school really invites that. So, as a student, you just get so much support here, from everybody, and that means a lot to me."

HDN: Your team is finally playing in the Armory Gymnasium Friday night. After three weeks on the road, that has to be exciting?

Russell: "Friday can't get here fast enough. We've been looking forward to this match since the first day of practice. The turnout we had for our (Maroon/Gold) scrimmage was so awesome, and it showed us how much our fans support us. We have such great fans, and great support when we play at home, and we can't wait for that first ball to be served Friday night. We're definitely ready to go."

 

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