Avery Jolley

As the daughter of a medical malpractice attorney, Avery Jolley learned to appreciate good healthcare management.

The volleyball player from Knoxville, Tennessee, thought she wanted to major in biology when she was recruited to Winthrop. Once she learned about the healthcare management degree during freshman Orientation, she realized that is where she belongs so she can learn about administration and policy.

Jolley entered her senior year as the co-female Scholar Athlete of the Year for the Big South Conference, carrying a 4.0 GPA. Finishing with a perfect grade point average, she graduated in December 2025 with the President's Award of Academic Excellence. She was also later named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-American Third Team.

A member of Winthrop’s Honors College, Jolley turned in a historic 2025 campaign, tying the program's single-match record with 30 kills in the regular-season finale while surpassing 1,000 career kills and climbing into the top ten of multiple Winthrop career categories. She totaled 380 kills (3.76 per set) and led the Big South at 4.26 points per set. Jolley earned Big South Preseason Player of the Year and Preseason All-Conference honors, was named to three All-Tournament Teams, collected four Big South Player of the Week awards, a feat achieved by only two Eagles previously, and became Winthrop's first Big South Player of the Year since 2019. 

Part of her success in college consisted of juggling a busy schedule with her academic work, just as she did in high school when she played club volleyball and took AP/IB/honors classes. 

“The big thing for me is writing down my schedule and having to-do lists I create each week for my academics to help me keep up with everything,” Jolley said.

“For example, throughout my week I would focus on the more time consuming and mentally demanding assignments I have and then save the ‘easy’ assignments or ones that take less time for the bus when we travel,” Jolley said. “Therefore, in knowing my schedule and learning when and how I could be the most productive I’ve been able to create systems to help me manage my work.”

Her professors were typically very understanding of the time demands and circumstances of student-athletes, she said. “I do think that level of trust and understanding from your professors comes with building rapport with them, so I was always very intentional about getting to know my professors, submitting assignments early when I can and other ways to create good impressions,” Jolley said.

When she wanted to relax, Jolley enjoyed getting a drink from Starbucks and hanging out or completing work on the Campus Green when the weather was nice.

“I also loved to go to other Winthrop sporting events, as it’s always fun and great to support my friends and the other student-athletes,” Jolley said.

Many of her favorite memories came from volleyball and being able to compete with her awesome teammates and friends. “The past two seasons we have made it to the Big South Championship, and unfortunately lost in a tiebreaker, but being able to do something so special with some of your best friends is such a privilege,” she said.

The players have bonded working on community service with nearby Miracle Park and Hope of Rock Hill. Other extracurricular activities include serving as co-president of SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) and as a study hall monitor for Winthrop Athletics.

On the academic side, Jolley found that Winthrop has been extremely helpful in developing her professionalism and preparation for her career goals. “Overall, I think Winthrop’s College of Business and Technology does a great job providing students with resources such as resume workshops, practice interviews and career fairs,” Jolley said. “I’ve attended all of those events and they’re not only educational, but they help you get out of your shell and become comfortable networking or answering interview questions.”

Appreciative of her professors, she praised both Associate Professor Joanna Jackson’s classes and mentorship and Professor Michael Matthews for his insights into her summer internships and with future graduate school applications. 

As Jolley finished her final year at Winthrop, she hoped to be accepted into law school where she wants to pursue a joint law degree and a master’s in public health. "I hope to get a great education and be well equipped to practice healthcare law or work in healthcare policy,” she said. “Although I am not 100% sure if I will end up in healthcare, I do not see myself being in any profession other than law, so I am very excited for this next step.”