MA's McBride signs with Emory
Elle McBride signed a scholarship to play volleyball at Emory. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Elle McBride had several volleyball offers to sort through, but the Montgomery Academy senior wasn’t willing to compromise her academic goals to continue playing her favorite sport at the collegiate level.
“I told myself, ‘Elle, if you don’t get the offer that you want at that school, (but) you can also do what you want academically,’ I knew I wasn’t going to take it and I was just going to find a school where I can live the normal life and just go for my education,” she said. “So I was really grateful that Emory took a chance on me.”
McBride announced her decision at a signing ceremony at the school on Thursday, choosing Emory University as the place where both her academic and athletic goals can be achieved.
“I think it’s kind of a surreal moment,” she said. “I didn’t start getting that giddy feeling until I sat down to sign my papers. I knew that I had gotten into a school in December and so I’ve kind of been in this waiting period of getting here (to the signing ceremony) and haven’t felt this feeling until right now. It feels really good that I can finally officially say that I’m an Emory Eagle and I’m going to go finish my career there.”
McBride finished her four-year career at Montgomery Academy as one of the most accomplished volleyball players in state history. She ranks 24th on the Alabama High School Athletic Association career kills list (1,932), 35th on digs (1,056) and 38th on aces (255) while playing for a team that doesn’t channel its offense toward one player.
She earned all-state honors as a sophomore, junior and senior and helped the Eagles win the 2023 5A state championship while moving from Class 4A to 5A to 6A because of Competitive Balance Factor.
“Elle has a distinct way of finding ways to bring the best out of her teammates, mentally, physically and emotionally,” Montgomery Academy coach Julie Gordon said. “We’re so proud of what you’ve earned over the past few years. Having success is hard work. It takes perseverance, it takes sacrifice. Especially, having the passion for what you do … what you have done for our program, our city, our state, the Southeast in volleyball is phenomenal. We can’t thank you enough for the legacy that you leave behind for the younger girls in the room.”
But McBride, who carries a 4.8 (on a 4.0 scale) grade-point average, was fully committed to attending a nursing school, wondering whether she could juggle the demands of nursing school and collegiate volleyball. That’s when assistant coach Amelia McCall Gathers pointed McBride to Emory, where Gathers had handled both nursing and volleyball after her graduation from Montgomery Academy.
“Coach Amelia introduced me to Emory and told me about their awesome volleyball program there, their awesome campus and academic life and especially their nursing program,” McBride said. “I knew that I wanted to go to a school that offered me both athletics and academics. I wanted to be a nurse and at most schools I can’t do both volleyball and nursing. Emory gives me that opportunity.”