Heidelberg University Athletics

In a classic example of leave it better than you found it, Emily Hurlburt Dieringer left an indelible mark on the upward trajectory of the Heidelberg Volleyball program in the mid 2000s. The Student Princes went from a 17-16 record her freshman year to 31-8 her senior year -- and Dieringer’s 1,180 career kills played a major role in that transformation.  

Hailing from St. Marys, Ohio, Dieringer played sparingly at middle hitter behind 2019 Hall of Fame inductee Christina Siegel Myslenski. As a sophomore, she blossomed into a powerful force at the net for Head Coach Jason Miller. She was second on the team with 308 kills and 121 total blocks as Heidelberg crept up to 22-15 on the season. 

In her junior season, Dieringer garnered All-Ohio Athletic Conference Second Team honors as Heidelberg compiled a 27-11 campaign -- with eight of the losses coming to teams ranked in the top 25. That season, Heidelberg advanced to the finals of the conference tournament -- a run that included a thrilling five-set win in the semifinals over Mount Union. Dieringer led the club with 382 kills (hitting .329) and 121 total blocks -- helping lead the team to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Student Princes were 8-1 in OAC play during Dieringer’s senior season. Despite falling in the OAC Tournament finals again, Heidelberg received another at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament. There, The Berg upset No. 18 Hope in five sets for the second time that season, before falling to No. 7 Oshkosh in the second round. Individually, Dieringer received American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honorable mention status alongside setter Morgan Magers -- the first AVCA All-Americans in program history. She was a first-team All-OAC honoree, hitting .369 with 458 kills, no small feat in the first year of the NCAA’s 25-point era. She added 117 total blocks.  

Dieringer ended her career number two in program history in kills and remains in the top 10. She picked up 368 blocks, which still ranks seventh. Dieringer’s career attack percentage of .333 remains the second-best mark in school history. 

Still residing in her hometown of St Marys, Dieringer and her husband, Scott, have two daughters, Rilynn and Harper. They all enjoy spending time together outdoors. She is in her 11th year as a fifth grade math teacher at St. Marys Intermediate School.