Erin Short, a six-foot outside hitter for the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team, is a great teammate. She is a member of the All-Mid-American Conference freshman team. A ball of electrifying energy, she is simply a person you would love to meet, so let me take some time to introduce you.

Short grew up in Orrville, Ohio, the same town Smuckers Jelly is made. She first suited up for a volleyball game in the third grade as a member of the Boys and Girls Club in Orrville. The sport caught the eye and attention of Short after watching her sister play.

“I chose volleyball because my sister started when she was young, and I really wanted to follow in her footsteps,” Short said.

Since then, Short has found her niche in the game, hitting.

In her first season with the Eagles, she averaged 2.01 kills per set with a .282 hitting percentage after playing in 124 sets. Her efforts earned her a spot on the All-MAC freshman team, and she became just the fifth student-athlete, second freshman since 2001, to do so in the history of the program.

“My favorite thing is attacking of course because I’m a right-side hitter,” Short said. “So attacking and being able to hit somebody in the face is always fun.”

Even in high school, Short made her presence on the court known through her explosive hitting capabilities. As a senior she slammed down 364 kills along with posting 209 digs and blocked 31 hits.

She was honorably mentioned on the 2009-10 Under Armor Girls High School All-America Team by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. She holds the school record at Orrville High School for most kills in a career as she posted 1,109.

“She has a lot of energy and enthusiasm, she has a will to never quit,” teammate Paige Roback said.

Short graduated from Orrville High School in 2010. There were a number of MAC schools on her list of colleges. Toledo and Akron were the top two because they are close to her hometown, however, close wasn’t quite what she was looking for.

“I considered Akron and Toledo because they were close to home,” Short said. “But I didn’t really want to go that close to home so I chose Eastern because it was the right distance.”

After a year at EMU, Short has come to love her teammates, in fact, they’re her favorite thing about being an Eagle.

“My favorite thing is that they’re like a family and they’re there for whatever you need whenever you need anyone and they’re just like all my sisters.”

Everyone has their quirky attributes, and Short is no exception to the rule.

According to Roback, when an apple is on the menu for Short someone else has to bite into first or she just simply won’t eat it. At least she never has to worry about the rotten apple spoiling the bunch.

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