It took her a little while, but Emily Brown has come full circle in her volleyball career.

Brown, who was Emily Soto in high school, played for Joliet Catholic Academy and was a key part of the Angels’ 2003 state championship team, the first of three titles in school history. After graduating from JCA, Brown played at both Joliet Junior College, where she was named the 2006 NCJAA Region 4 MVP, and St. Xavier University, where she also served as a coaches’ assistant.

She went on to get master’s degrees at Lewis and Concordia universities. Since returning to high school sports, she has served as an assistant coach for both girls and boys volleyball teams while teaching at Minooka High School. She also served as Minooka’s athletic director for a year in the 2023-24 school year and was nam

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