Dear Phoenix Club Member,
On behalf of all Elon student-athletes, thank you for your gift to support Elon Athletics! My name is Lily Emlong, a senior on the volleyball team from Wayzata, Minnesota. I am majoring in sport management with a minor in communications. I am excited to share how the support of donors like yourself has made my Elon experience amazing.
I cannot imagine having an athletic career anywhere but Elon, and I recognize that I would not be here without my scholarship. I have had the opportunity to experience so many amazing things during my time at Elon. Looking back, one of my favorite memories was my study abroad trip to Italy with my team. We experienced the culture, tasted some delicious food, and even played in some matches against top Italian teams. We also had the opportunity to travel to the Appalachian Mountains during pre-season this year and spend four nights in a cabin. This was a great chance for team bonding. We went hiking and river tubing, played games, and cooked meals, all while practicing at a local high school. This helped us build a great team culture that made my senior year my favorite season of volleyball I played at Elon.
The best part of being an athlete at Elon is the support system we have access to. My teammates, coaches, and support staff helped me in many ways, particularly in my junior year. In a huge conference match against Towson, I landed wrong and tore my ACL. I had a very long recovery period, and it was very physically and mentally challenging. My biggest goal throughout my recovery was to make it back and play in my senior season. Thanks to all the support I received and all the resources I had access to, I made it back and played in the final part of my senior season. I was even able to play the entire match on my senior day, which is something I will always be thankful for.
The most impactful part of my Elon experience was the different internships I was able to complete. My first internship was with a minor league baseball team in North Carolina, the Hickory Crawdads. This was my first chance to learn more about working in the sports industry, and I learned a ton during my time there. My second internship was with the Milwaukee Bucks. I loved working directly with an NBA team and learning more about all the details necessary to successfully run a high-caliber sports team. I am currently working on my third and final internship before graduation. I am interning at the National MS Society, helping to execute all of the different walks they put on around the Carolinas. These internships taught me so much, and I know they will set me up for success when I graduate in May. Elon is one of the few Division 1 programs where I can play a sport at the highest level and gain so much practical experience.
After Elon, I plan to have a career working in professional sports. I am excited to enter this industry and apply all the skills that Elon has taught me. Going into a male-dominated industry is something that used to terrify me, but due to my experiences at Elon, I know I have what it takes to be successful and help pave the way for other female student-athletes who want to work in sports.
Thank you again for your support of student-athletes. As I get closer to graduation and look back at my time here, I know that the support from donors is what made my experience so incredible.
With your gift to Elon Athletics, you help provide opportunities that have a real impact on student-athletes. Thank you for your generosity and support of Elon!
Go Phoenix!
Lily Emlong