Player Profile · Outside Hitter
Emily Holterhaus
American professional volleyball player and outside hitter, best known for her record-setting career at the University of Northern Iowa. A four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection who debuted professionally in Béziers, France.
Early life
Holterhaus grew up in Pella, Iowa, where she became one of the state's top high school volleyball players. During her career at Pella High School she surpassed 1,000 career kills, earned multiple First Team All-State selections, and helped lead her team to deep postseason runs. Standing 6-foot-2, she developed into a versatile attacker capable of impacting matches both offensively and defensively.
College career — Northern Iowa Panthers (2019–2023)
Holterhaus enjoyed one of the most productive careers in Northern Iowa volleyball history, finishing 4th in school history in career kills, 6th in career points, 2nd in matches played, 2nd in sets played, and as the program record holder for career attack attempts. In her senior season (2023) she recorded 410 kills, earned First Team All-MVC honors, was named MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and became the sixth player in UNI history to surpass 1,500 career kills.
| Kills | 1,631 |
|---|---|
| Career Points | 1,867 |
| Attack Attempts | 4,771 (Program Record) |
| Consecutive Matches Played | 156 |
| Sets Played | 561 |
Awards & honors
Collegiate Honors
- First Team All-MVC (multiple seasons)
- MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- MVC Scholar-Athlete First Team
- MVC All-Freshman Team
- AVCA All-Midwest Region Honorable Mention
- UNI All-Tournament Team MVP
- MVC Offensive Player of the Week (multiple selections)
Playing career
Following graduation, Holterhaus signed her first professional volleyball contract with a club in Béziers, France for the 2024–25 season.
The move marked the beginning of her professional career overseas and fulfilled a long-standing goal of competing internationally at the club level. She spent the 2024–25 season playing in France before returning to the United States.
Playing style
Holterhaus is known for high-volume attacking, consistent offensive production, durability, strong court awareness, and balanced offensive and defensive contributions. Throughout her collegiate career she served as Northern Iowa's primary offensive weapon while maintaining strong all-around play. Her responsibilities on the court include:
- High-volume attacking from the outside
- Consistent offensive production
- Durability and reliability
- Strong court awareness
- Balanced offensive and defensive contributions
Emily is right-handed.
Beyond volleyball
During her time at Northern Iowa, Holterhaus earned a degree in Kinesiology and Sport Performance while becoming heavily involved in coaching, strength and conditioning, and mentorship programs. In a unique chapter of her collegiate career, she also joined the Northern Iowa women's basketball team during the 2023–24 season after completing her volleyball career, appearing in Division I basketball games as a forward. She has expressed interest in pursuing coaching and athlete development after her playing career.
Career timeline
- 2019 — Joins Northern Iowa volleyball program
- 2019 — Named to MVC All-Freshman Team
- 2021 — Earns All-MVC First Team honors
- 2022 — Records 1,000th career kill
- 2023 — Surpasses 1,500 career kills and earns First Team All-MVC recognition
- 2024 — Graduates from Northern Iowa and joins the women's basketball team
- 2024 — Signs first professional contract in Béziers, France
- 2025 — Completes first professional season overseas
Personal information
| Full name | Emily Holterhaus |
|---|---|
| Birthplace | Pella, Iowa, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Height | 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) |
| Position | Outside Hitter |
| College | University of Northern Iowa (UNI) |
| Professional debut | 2024 |
| Handedness | Right |
| Current club | None (Free Agent) |
Last updated: 2026-06-13