Top Story Spotlight Former St. Stephens volleyball coach, LR player reflects 7 years of volleyball and life in Hickory jason.koon Feb 11, 2026 Feb 11, 2026 Updated Feb 11, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Emma Clark was a wide-eyed 18-year-old when she first arrived at Catawba Valley Community College in 2018.kAm$:?46 E96?[ D96 92D A=2J65 7:G6 J62CD @7 4@==686 G@==6J32==[ =2?565 96C 7:CDE A@DE\4@==68:2E6 ;@3[ 5:D4@G6C65 2?5 C67:?65 96C A6CD@?2= 2?5 AC@76DD:@?2= 2>3:E:@?D[ 4@24965 9:89 D49@@= G@==6J32== 2?5 72==6? :? =@G6]k^Am St. Stephens head coach Emma Clark talks with her team after a game against Hickory in 2024. Jason Koon, Record file kAm“xE 567:?:E6=J :D E96 >@DE E92E x’G6 6G6C 8C@H? H:E9:? >JD6=7 5FC:?8 E9:D E:>6 :? w:4<@CJ[” D2:5 r=2C<] “w:4<@CJ :D =:<6 >J D64@?5 9@>6] q@@?6 :D >J 9@>6 2?5 :E H:== 2=H2JD 92G6 2 DA64:2= A=246 :? >J 962CE[ 3FE 2 =@E @7 9@H x 92G6 8C@H? 2?5 E9@D6 >:=6DE@?6D H6C6 :? w:4<@CJ]”k^Am k9am%96 E:>6 @7 J@FC =:76k^9am People are also reading… Appalachian Mountain Brewery bringing new ‘outpost’ to Old Fort. Here's when, where Meet Marion's citizen of the month, a devoted educator Marion woman charged in burglary cases from 2020, 2023 with DNA evidence Father injured, 18-year-old son killed in Burke County shooting along Mount Olive Church Road McDowell County’s Memorial Day service set for Sunday at Carson House North Cove Elementary alumni turned love of creativity into career of service West Marion Inc. to hold Juneteenth celebration. 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Now is the time to speak up South Caldwell baseball and softball are both going to the state championship next week kAmr=2C< H2D 2 DE2?5@FE >:55=6 9:EE6C 7@C (2E2F82 :? 9:89 D49@@= 367@C6 D96 DE2CE65 2E r'rr :? a_`g] $96 :>>65:2E6=J =@G65 E96 AC@8C2> 2?5 E96 4@>>F?:EJ D96 7@F?5 E96C6 2?5 D2:5 96C E:>6 2E r'rr H2D EH@ @7 E96 36DE J62CD @7 96C =:76]k^Am CVCC's Emma Clark (13) goes for the kill against Louisburg's Elizabeth Tuton (11) during the game in 2018 in Hickory. David Scearce, Record file kAm“}@ @?6 H2?E65 E@ =62G6[” D96 D2:5] “x7 :E H2D 2 7@FC\J62C[ :7 J@F 2D<65 2?J@?6[ E96J H@F=5 DE2J E96C6 2== 7@FC J62CD[ ;FDE 3642FD6 :E H2D 72>:=J @C:6?E65 2?5 9@H >F49 7F? H6 925 2?5 H6 2E6 C62==J 8@@5 7@@5 2?5 H6 H6C6 >@E:G2E65] %96 4@249:?8 DE277 H2D 2=H2JD 7665:?8 :?E@ FD :? 2== <:?5D @7 5:776C6?E H2JD E92E H6C6 3F:=5:?8 FD FA]”k^Am kAm$96 D2:5 D96 DE:== <66AD :? 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Jason Koon, Record file kAmr=2C< 42>6 324< 9@>6 27E6C E92E D6>6DE6C[ 5:5 @?=:?6 4=2DD6D 2?5 AC6A2C65 7@C 2 EC2?D76C 5FC:?8 E96 DAC:?8 E6C>] pE E96 D2>6 E:>6[ |2C< (:>36C=J =67E r'rr E@ 8@ E@ {6?@:C\#9J?6] w6 C624965 @FE E@ r=2C< 2?5 @776C65 96C 2 DA@E @? E96 q62CD’ C@DE6C 7@C E96 a_a`\aa D49@@= J62C] $96 E@@< :E]k^Am kAm“xE H2D E96 36DE 564:D:@? x’G6 >256[” r=2C< D2:5] “%96C6 H6C6 E9C66 J62CD @7 4@==686 E92E H6C6 >J 72G@C:E6[ 9@?6DE=J] %9@D6 EH@ J62CD 2E r'rr 2?5 E96 7:CDE J62C 2E {#]”k^Am kAm{# H2D 2=D@ E96 A=246 H96C6 D96 >6E 96C 3@J7C:6?5[ ?@H @7 D:I J62CD[ $E6A96? r2CA6?E6C] %92E 92AA6?65 5FC:?8 96C r'rr 52JD] k^AmkAm“x >6E 9:> A=2J:?8 D2?5 G@==6J32== 2E {# @?6 DF>>6C[” D96 D2:5] “w6 E9@F89E 96 H2D D@ 8@@5]”k^Am kAmr=2C< D2:5 D96 82G6 9:> 2 G@==6J32== =6DD@? E92E 52J 2?5 :D DE:== H@C<:?8 H:E9 9:> @? 9:D G@==6J32== 82>6] w6 D6ED E96 32== H6== ?@H]k^Am kAmQw6VD C62==J 86EE:?8 36EE6C[Q D96 D2:5]k^Am k9amr@>:?8 7F== 4:C4=6k^9amkAmr=2C< 2?5 E96 q62CD 82G6 E96 $@FE9 pE=2?E:4 r@?76C6?46 2 G@==6J32== =6DD@? :? a_a`] {# H@? E96 4@?76C6?46 E92E 72== 2?5 25G2?465 E@ E96 $H66E `e] r=2C< H2D 2 3:8 A2CE @7 E92E DF446DD[ =625:?8 E96 E62> H:E9 `bc E@E2= 3=@4<D 2?5 255:?8 `hd <:==D]k^Am Lenoir-Rhyne’s Emma Clark, left, celebrates with teammates during a match against Coker in 2021. Photo courtesy of Lenoir-Rhyne Athletics kAmr=2C< A=2J65 EH@ >@C6 J62CD 7@C E96 q62CD 2?5 62C?65 2 32496=@C’D :? ADJ49@=@8J] p7E6C E2<:?8 E96 DF>>6C 2?5 72== @7 a_ab @77[ D96 3682? 8C25 D49@@= 2E {#]k^AmkAm“x’> H@C<:?8 E@H2C5D >J 4=:?:42= >6?E2= 962=E9 4@F?D6=:?8 2?5 x’> 5@:?8 2 7@4FD :? 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E96 7FEFC6 2?5 92D?VE CF=65 @FE 4@249:?8 9:89 D49@@= 32== 282:?] $96 D2:5 E96C6 :D 2? @G6C=2A 36EH66? 4@249:?8 2?5 E96 >6?E2= 962=E9 7:6=5 E92E D96 36=:6G6D :D 8@:?8 E@ >2<6 96C 2 36EE6C 4@F?D6=@C]k^Am kAm“r@249:?8 :D D@ >F49 >@C6 E92? ;FDE 4@249:?8[ ;FDE E96 7F?52>6?E2=D[” r=2C< D2:5] “xE’D =:E6C2==J 4@249:?8 =:76 D<:==D 2?5 >6?E2= E@@=D] ]]] %96 }@] ` AC:@C:EJ 7@C 2 4@249 D9@F=5 36 E96:C H6==\36:?8]”k^Am Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. jason.koon Author email Follow jason.koon Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. 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