Head Coach Sellers and Assistant Coach Walters huddle with the Mount Union volleyball team at the Southern Huntingdon game.
By DELANEY RONK | Journalism Student, Mount Union Area Senior High School
Mount Union, Pa. — Emily Walters joins the Lady Trojans’ volleyball coaching staff alongside Matthew Sellers.
The Mount Union Lady Trojans kicked off their home opener with a win over Williamsburg and a new face on the sidelines. Assistant coach Emily Walters joined head coach Matt Sellers in celebrating the Trojans’ sweep. It was an exciting way to mark the beginning of her high school coaching career.
The Mount Union volleyball team has undergone a restructuring in the coaching staff that resulted in Emily Walters being appointed as assistant coach. When asked what inspired her to take on the position, she shared, “I wanted to involve myself in high school sports since making a move to be a teacher at the high school, and I thought it was a good way to get involved in the community.” Her hopes are to be an individual the players look up to and a role model to them.
Although she has not coached volleyball before, she stated that she has coached younger kids in other capacities. Walters has a strong athletic background. She played soccer year-round for fifteen years and ran track in high school. She credits her coaching philosophy to the influence of two of her own high school coaches: Adam McBride (track) and Michael Armstrong (soccer). She describes her coaching style as “positive, energetic, and focused on helping players grow both as athletes and individuals.” She is eager to learn and contribute to the team’s success this season; her goals are for the girls to work together cohesively and for the team to make it to districts.
Head coach Matt Sellers also shared his insights on the start of the season and working with Walters. “It was a quick turnaround for her, but she is an athlete. She brings a lot of energy and a real willingness to learn. She wants to be here and help us – and that is exactly what we need,” Sellers said.
Reflecting on the 2025 volleyball season so far, Sellers acknowledged that it has been a bit of an adjustment period, but the team is settling in. He noted, “We are using the past six games as an example. We are steadily improving, but we do have some pretty tough opponents ahead of us.”
When asked about the team’s strengths this season, he responded with, “The team’s strengths start with the seniors that played varsity for the past year or two. Practice is much better as the team’s attitude is upbeat and energized. I think the team has been really welcoming of new and younger players to get everyone on the same page.”
Sellers and Walters are excited this season as they welcome both returning and new players. In addition, the coaches expressed appreciation for fans that show up and support the team. Sellers commented, “I would encourage students, faculty, and everyone who reads this article to come to our games because it makes a lot of difference when we have a lot of fans there cheering us on. An empty gym is no fun.” The team is excited to welcome coach Walters and looks forwards to a successful season with their newest addition to the staff.
This article was published as part of Ms. Dimoff’s Journalism class at Mount Union Area Senior High School.
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