Never Be Comfortable: Emma Halter
9/1/2023
Emma Halter celebrated with her team in Omaha at the NCAA Volleyball National Championship upon defeating Louisville, but for the sophomore, that’s last year’s news.
What Texas’ libero brings to the table is a striving to never be comfortable, evidenced by the 5’5 starter’s tendency to hit the floor in 126 digs during the 2022-23 national championship run. Everything fell into place for Halter last season, and not only is she hungry for more, she’s anticipant of it – a hallmark of Texas’ value of always striving for excellence.
“Never be comfortable,” Halter said. “Yes, it was great, but it could be better and everything can always be better. Right now, as far as volleyball (is concerned), don’t think about last year. This year is a new year. Last year (was) awesome, but it can’t be carried over. Everything is new …. (I’m) really not thinking about what happened last year because this year’s not last year.”
When Texas initially signed the Indianapolis, Indiana, native, head coach Jerritt Elliott was quick to point out something rare within Halter: her feisty, energetic energy that brings not only a superb attitude to the table but also a “high level of skill to pass and play defense.” What Elliott saw was a player who would not only be successful on and off the court but a joy to all those around her: coaches, teammates and fans.
Upon that signing day as a bright-eyed 16-year-old, Halter chose to represent The University of Texas because of the success of the Texas Volleyball program, the culture of the team, the gravitas and beauty of the Forty Acres and the relationships she knew she would build with coaches and teammates alike. And thinking ahead of what her life would be like post-daily practices and national championships, Halter knew that Texas would be the foundation to her professional aspirations.
“I would agree with everything I said (when I was 16),” Halter said. “So far, Texas, the coaches, the staff and everyone I get the opportunity to be with have been nothing but supportive. And being in McCombs … There have been more opportunities than I could literally (ever) imagine … The opportunities that I thought I would have, now, they are 10 times more. Everything I said was true, but more than that, more than I thought there would be.”
Coming from an Indiana sports family, Halter has always seen the steer head logo of the Longhorns and been enamored by the pride and nationwide bond of the Longhorns. Halter’s father, Gary, played baseball at the University of Indianapolis in the ‘80s, and her sister, Courtney, played volleyball at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in the 2010s.
“Being from Indiana, I always looked at Texas or would see the Longhorn logo everywhere and (thought), ‘Dang, people really love that school,’” Halter said. “And I didn’t really know much of it, and then when I came here I thought, ‘Wow, I see why everyone loves it so much … (Whether it’s at Gregory Gym or football games or at the Moody Center), you can just feel the love from everyone there. It doesn’t matter, good or bad game, everyone still loves you and supports you because you are wearing that burnt orange and you are a part of a family.”
Texas has provided for Halter a home away from home. Over 1,000 miles away from Indianapolis, Halter sees the Longhorn Foundation and the generosity of donors as a way she is cared for and supported by a family unit – Longhorn Nation – far away from those who love her most. Halter’s family travels to almost every single game, representative of a level of support that is far beyond imaginable, and the libero sees this dedication to Texas student-athletes mirrored in the support of donors and Texas fans.
Two-time Texas national champion Elliott acts as a father figure, a vessel of wisdom and advice and – the obvious – a coach to his players. Halter sees Elliott as a home-away-from-home parent, who has given her parents the assurance they need to know their daughter is safe and thriving from afar.
“Jerritt has the resources that he needs to be a father to us all,” Halter said. “That helps my parents. They’re so comfortable with me being here (and) knowing that I have a second family (with) multiple sets of ‘parents’ … (I know that) everyone is going to take care of me in whatever way they can, and that happens because (of the Longhorn Foundation). They allow us the resources we need and do the things we need to do to be healthy and great athletes and great students.”
Texas is more than Halter could have ever dreamed of, and the ability to get to be a student-athlete at The University of Texas is not put past the libero. With her “never be comfortable” mentality, Halter challenges herself even more by being a McCombs marketing student at the No. 7 ranked undergraduate business program in the country. To Halter, there’s nothing else she rather do than brag on the prestige and excellence of Texas.
“Having a degree from Texas alone, but then also having a degree from McCombs is something that I probably would’ve never thought of growing up,” Halter said, reminiscent on her journey to and success at Texas. “(I) never though that was what I was going to have (going) out of college … (The name of Texas) means so much to people because this school just encompasses intelligent people, good people with good hearts, and they’re going to create that leadership environment because that’s what it means to be a Longhorn … There’s literally nothing I can do but brag on Texas, and hopefully I’ll do that for the rest of my life.”
Texas’ 2022 National Championship is the standard for Halter, which is met by the challenge for the feisty, energetic libero to repeat and redeliver upon last year’s success. But while Halter is looking at the 2023 season as a clean slate, the lessons learned and relationships harnessed from last season are ones she will never forget.
Halter established deep-knit friendships with then seniors Logan Eggleston, Jenna Ewert, Zoe Fleck, Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres and Kayla Caffey, noting how the lessons they taught her extended beyond the court. To Halter, those seniors were not just teammates but were mentors and older sisters, molding Halter into the woman she wants to one day be.
“She taught me to be undeniably myself and just be the leader that you’re supposed to be, don’t let anyone else tell you otherwise,” Halter said on her relationship with Eggleston. “And also, (she taught me) to accept your roll and role with it. It’s not always going to be exactly what you want (and) not every day is going to be perfect, but that’s how that day is going to be and you’re going to accept that. You’re going to move on, build and be better from it.”
If you’re not doing well in one thing, if you’re not working hard in volleyball or not working hard in school, then you aren’t going to perform (well) in the other. I really think that being a student-athlete is a really important thing and you have to include both. I can’t be a good student if I’m not being a good athlete, and I can’t be a good athlete if I’m not being a good student.Emma Halter
If anything, Halter’s experience at Texas has been defined not by a national championship but by the relationships she has created along the way, on the court and in the classroom – a Texas core value of loyalty to the Longhorn Family – in her early and promising career as a Longhorn.
“If you’re not doing well in one thing, if you’re not working hard in volleyball or not working hard in school, then you aren’t going to perform (well) in the other,” Halter said on the hunger for excellence. “I really think that being a student-athlete is a really important thing and you have to include both. I can’t be a good student if I’m not being a good athlete, and I can’t be a good athlete if I’m not being a good student.”
Halter is after the chase for the perfect marriage of school and sport, of student and athlete, and she’s always hungry for more, never afraid to be uncomfortable but scared of being comfortable.
