Blanton to play volleyball at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

The REPORTER

Hamilton Heights senior Emma Blanton has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute. Rose-Hulman is a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and a Division III athletic institution. She is the daughter of Mat and Kelly Blanton.

It was the positive atmosphere of the team and coaching staff along with the campus and high level of comment to a quality education that made Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Blanton’s pick to continue her education and play volleyball at the collegiate level.

“From the moment I set foot on campus, Rose-Hulman felt like home,” she recalled. She plans to study mechanical engineering with a focus in aerospace with the long-term goal of working for NASA.

Blanton, a member of the National Honor Society and the district’s High Ability Broad-Based Planning Committee, Husky Ambassador, and volunteer at the Little Husky Volleyball Camp, is a highly talented multi-sport student athlete. She is a four-year varsity letter winner for volleyball was also a member of Hamilton Heights’ Varsity Softball team (freshman and sophomore year), Track and Field Team (junior and senior year), and played for Munciana Club Volleyball (sophomore, junior and senior year).

Heights’ senior volleyball captain, Blanton was named a 2025 AAU Academic All-American and to the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association (IHSVCA) Academic All-State Class of 2025. She was a three-time Lifter of the Week at Heights, named twice to the 2025 Junior Volleyball Association (JVA) Watchlist twice to the Volleyball All-Conference team, invited to the Indiana Volleyball All-Star Tryouts (2024), and helped her team to bring home the 2023 Volleyball Sectional Championship and reach the 2023 Regional Volleyball Finals.

Blanton has been playing volleyball since the sixth grade and said she has loved every moment of it.

“I have worked extremely hard to get where I am not, both mentally and physically,” she pointed out.  “I have always believed hard work and a positive attitude can overcome any obstacle. I play club volleyball at one of the best clubs in the country during the high school offseason and enjoy weightlifting.”

She credits several people who have been a major influence in her development throughout her volleyball career including her middle school volleyball coach, Jerry Saffold, high school coach, Steve Ward, and current club coach, Dan Bergren.

“Coach Saffold saw my potential as a new player and development my fundamentals; Coach Ward always believed in me and pushed me to be my best; and Coach Bergren has enhanced my volleyball IQ and allowed me to see the game in ways I hadn’t before,” she said.

“Emma came in with a lot of raw talent as a freshman,” recalled Steve Ward, Hamilton Heights Varsity Volleyball Head Coach. “Emma worked hard every day to become a better player. Emma will be the hardest worker on the floor and run through a wall for you. Her hard work has led her to be a good all-around player. Blocking a ball straight down became one of Emma’s favorite things to do, and she is good at it. She was instrumental in our success over the last few years. I look forward to seeing her rise even higher at the next level. Go Dawgs!”

“Emma is one of the most dedicated and driven athletes I’ve had the pleasure of being around,” said Kurt Ogden, Hamilton Heights Athletic Director. “All of the success she has experienced and will continue to experience is through her hard work and commitment to the sport of volleyball and in the classroom.  We wish her well as she continues her career at Rose-Hulman.”