Libero and defensive specialist Melissa Eyer ’28 runs the volleyball court like no other. The Idaho native is a central piece to Swarthmore’s back-row defense, keeping plays alive with her elite ball control and ability to cover the court. This past week, Eyer was selected as the Centennial Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week, her fourth career and second season selection. In four separate games, the sophomore recorded a season-high 28 digs. She had eleven assists against Skidmore College, tying her career best set in the 2024 fall season.
This past fall, the then-first year collected 426 digs, averaging 4.30 digs per set. She made 46 aces and 118 assists, the second- and third-highest on the team, respectively. For her effort, Eyer was named AVCA Region V Freshman of the Year, Centennial Defensive Player of the Year, and Centennial Rookie of the Year. Eyer was also selected into the All-Conference First Team squad and named into the Margie Knight Classic All-Tournament Team, held by Salisbury University.
The Garnet stand with a 10-7 overall record and this past Tuesday, notched a 3-0 win against Ursinus College to open up conference play. On Oct. 4, Swarthmore volleyball will play their second Centennial match against Muhlenberg College.
Aimee Lee: Congrats on your fourth Centennial Athlete of the Week selection! How does it feel to receive the award?
Melissa Eyer: I feel really honored to receive this award! It means a lot to be recognized, but I definitely couldn’t have done it without my teammates and their support. For me, these awards are just extra motivation to keep working hard and playing the best I can for my team. There is still a lot of season left, so I’m just focused on preparing for the weeks to come.
AL: As the team is diving deeper into conference play, how are you feeling for the rest of the season? Are there memorable matches you find yourself reflecting back on?
ME: I’m really excited for us to get further into conference play. We’ve faced a lot of tough competition so far, and I think that’s prepared us really well for what’s ahead. Last year we had a lot of success, and I’m hoping we can build on that this season. In our very first match this year, we almost beat the reigning national champions, and I think that really showed what we’re capable of as a team. We also just won our first conference match, which sets a really good tone for the rest of our conference season.
AL: Game days are full of nerves and excitement. How do you prepare for games, especially tournaments? Any game-day rituals?
ME: I don’t really have a personal game-day routine other than listening to music, but I do have a favorite team game-day ritual. Before every home match, my team has a ten-to-fifteen-minute dance party, and we also write funny roasts about the team we’re playing on the whiteboard. It’s always a good time and it really helps me shake off any nerves I might have before the game.
AL: Who have you looked up to, athlete or nonathlete, for inspiration and motivation?
ME: I really look up to my dad for inspiration and motivation. He is the reason I started playing volleyball, and he’s been my biggest supporter throughout my career. He’s always one of the first people to celebrate my successes, and whenever I’m struggling, he’s there to give me advice and encouragement. He was my first volleyball coach ever so a big part of how and why I play is because of him.
AL: What are some personal goals for the rest of the season? Team goals?
ME: As a team, our biggest goal this season is to win a conference title and make it to the NCAA tournament. We came up just short last year, so there’s even more motivation to get there this season. For myself — I just want to keep working on playing consistently, improving my skills, and having fun!
AL: Describe an ideal rest day: no external obligations, just 24 hours spent the way you would like to.
ME: My ideal rest day would probably start with me sleeping for twelve hours. Then I’d go out to eat (probably somewhere in Chinatown), and after that I’d just spend the rest of the day in bed reading or watching TV.
AL: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore? Do you know what you will be majoring in or know what you are academically interested in yet?
ME: My favorite class that I’ve taken is ENGR 006: introduction to mechanics. I took this class my [first-year] spring and it really got me excited to keep going with engineering, which is what I’m planning to major in.
AL: What advice would you give to incoming students at Swarthmore?
ME: My advice to incoming students is to be realistic about how much you can take on. It’s really easy to overload yourself with academics, extracurriculars, and social activities, so I’d encourage incoming students to start by focusing on a few things they really care about and then build from there. You don’t have to do everything all at once.
AL: What is the last song you’ve listened to?
ME: The last song I listened to was “We Belong” by Pat Benatar.
