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 enters her senior year as the co-female Scholar Athlete of the Year for the Big South Conference, and is carrying a 4.0 GPA. A member of Winthrop’s Honors College, Jolley led the Eagles last season with 320 kills, ranked second in the Big South with 3.64 kills per set, and averaged 4.00 points per set to rank second in the league. She has earned All-Conference recognition in each of her three seasons at Winthrop: First-Team in 2024, Second-Team in 2023 and Honorable Mention in 2022.

Part of her success in college has been 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 will 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 can be the most productive I’ve been able to create systems to help me manage my work.”

Her professors are 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 am 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 looks to relax, Jolley enjoys getting a drink from Starbucks and hanging out or completing work on the Campus Green when the weather is nice.

“I also love 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 come 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 has 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 enters her final year at Winthrop, she hopes 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.”