Appalachian State volleyball recorded 1,485 kills during the 2019 season. However, an essential and non-recorded 1,486th occurred off the court and behind the scenes with senior outside hitter Emma Longley.
Longley spiked away built-up tension, anxiety and stress from that of volleyball, school and everyday life through creative expression for the 1,486th kill. The first-team All-Sun Belt honoree's zeal for escaping the stresses of life through art arose as early as she can remember.
"My grandmother, whose father was an artist, kept art supplies in the basement," Longley said. "So, when we would go over to her house, I would sneak into the basement and color on the walls with doodles.