Featured Freshmen is a biweekly article showcasing a freshman who has performed exceptionally well on a UW-Eau Claire athletics team.

“Not only is (Emily Neave) a really talented setter,” said women’s volleyball Team Captain senior Lindsey Smith, “but she is a hard worker, too and doesn’t just rely on her talent. Her potential is amazing.”

Freshman Neave started as a setter this year, a position that holds a leadership role and a lot of responsibility on the team, said head coach Kim Wudi.

“(Neave) really brings a lot of quickness to the court,” she said. “A setter touches the ball every time it’s on our side, so she has a lot of responsibility for opportunities to score points. She definitely makes good decisions, works hard at it and gets better every day.”

Neave will be an important asset to an already strong team, Wudi said, though she is only a freshman.

“It was really nerve-wracking the first time I went in, but it was really exciting,” Neave said. “I feel honored that I get to play.”

Neave holds a lot of promise, Smith said.

“I think (Neave) has a great career ahead of her,” said Wudi. “She’s a really smart player, and if she continues to work, she might be one of the better to go through the program.”

Neave, who began her volleyball career in the fifth grade, is no stranger to the court, Neave said.

“My uncle is a director of a volleyball club, so (volleyball’s) always been in my family,” she said. “All my older cousins played volleyball in college and are now coaches.”

Playing at the collegiate level will be a new step in her career, she said.

“I think it’s going to be challenging,” Neave said. “I want to make sure that we make the team better. I look at it as a challenge to stay at the top.”

The women’s volleyball team is going strong and looking ahead to the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference next month, Wudi said.

“We’re going to work really hard this week to close out all of our matches and see what happens in conference,” she said Neave said she is confident in their future success.

“I think we can compete to win conference and be in the NCAA tournament,” she said.

Competing really becomes a team effort on and off the court, Smith said.

“She’s leading her teammates off the court as well,” she said. “She has a great work ethic. She has really learned a lot from the other setter, (junior) Amanda Lessner. They’re on an equal playing level and balance out each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”

Aside from being an excellent volleyball player, there’s a lot more to Neave than just skills on the court, Smith said.

“She’s a great person – she’s smart and outgoing, but she stays humble,” she said. “She has a bright future.”