The other eight finalists are Amanda Blumenherst (Duke, golf); Ashleigh Clare-Kearney (LSU, gymnastics); Julia Hopson (Fredonia State, track and field); Venessa Lee (Pittsburg State, cross country/track and field); Tracy Menzel (Kenyon, swimming and diving); Lacey Nymeyer (Arizona, swimming and diving); Ashley Puga (Northwest Nazarene, cross country/track and field); and Kathleen Tafler (Grand Valley State, soccer).

The finalists – three from each NCAA division – advanced from an initial pool of 132 nominees from conferences and independent institutions that was then narrowed to 30 semifinalists – 10 each from Divisions I, II and III.

Huffman, a middle blocker, earned Most Outstanding Player honors during Emory’s run to the 2008 Division III women’s volleyball title. The American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team all-South Region and first-team all-University Athletic Association pick was the female recipient of the Bridges Award as Emory’s most outstanding all-around athlete.

An NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient, Huffman was a 2009 Phi Beta Kappa inductee. A three-time team captain, she was a 2008 CoSIDA third-team Academic All-American and was named to the UAA all-academic team three times. She majored in American Studies and French Studies and plans to pursue a master’s degree in special education at Azusa Pacific University.

Off the court, Huffman taught Chinese students about the Bible on a 2005 mission trip to Chengdu, China, and traveled to India to build an orphanage during a second mission trip in July of this year. She also volunteered at the Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House and participated in the Eggelstein Hospital Children’s Reading Program.

Excerpt from personal statement: “My servant’s heart drives my life, a life that I hope will benefit children with disabilities and others, and provide them with the same passion for learning and living that my parents instilled in me.”