Emily Saunders

CAREER HIGHS

* Indicates most recent high

Averaged 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds per game during her three seasons with the Lady Vols.
Appeared in 60 games, including a career-most 20 as a junior in 2021-22.
Carded career shooting efforts of 54.5 percent from the field and 60 percent from the free-throw line.

Tied her career highs of eight points and five rebounds while setting a new career best with two assists against ETSU.
Followed up that effort with six points vs. Chattanooga, while adding an assist, block and steal.
Saw eight minutes against Oklahoma State, tallying a point, assist and three rebounds at the South Point Shootout.
Went one-of-one with two points in SEC games at Vanderbilt and Florida.

Averaged 0.8 ppg. and 1.1 rpg. in 2020-21, appearing in 16 games as a sophomore.
Snagged a career-high five boards and chipped in a season-best three points in UT’s win over Western Kentucky.
Contributed eight valuable minutes in the win at No. 15 Indiana, grabbing three boards and going a perfect two of two from the free-throw line.
Logged two points and a rebound in the home victory over No. 12 Kentucky.
Tallied a steal, an assist and two points in a season-high 15 minutes against UNCG.

Played in 10 games, averaging 3.7 ppg., 2.2 rpg. and 1.0 bpg.
Shot 70.8 percent (17-24) from the field for the season, including 80 percent (4-5) in SEC play.
Her best outing came at Ole Miss, as she equaled career bests in both points (8) and rebounds (4), connecting on four of five attempts from the field in nine minutes.
Posted her initial scoring career high vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, dropping in four of five shots to tally eight points vs. the Golden Lions.
Scored her first points as a Lady Vol vs. Central Arkansas, ending the evening with two points and pulling down four rebounds in seven minutes.
Tallied four points and three rebounds in only six minutes against Howard.
Led the team in blocked shots against Air Force, recording three swats, four points and two rebounds in 10 minutes.
Saw nine minutes of action against Tenn. State, tallying six points, two rebounds and a blocked shot.

No. 88 overall player, No. 18 post player, four-star recruit by ProspectsNation.com.
No. 187 overall player in Dan Olson College Girls’ Basketball Report.
Gatorade West Virginia Player of the Year (2019).
USA TODAY All-USA West Virginia First Team (2018, 2019).
WVSWA AA All-State First Team (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019).
All-State Tournament Team (2016, 2018, 2019).
WOAY-TV Girls Basketball Player of the Year (2019).
Led Wyoming East to three Class AA state championship game appearances, winning a title in 2016 and finishing second in 2018 and 2019.
Scored 1,243 points and had 892 rebounds and 559 blocks during her career.
Averaged 13.1 ppg., 6.6 rpg. and 4.5 bpg. per game as a senior.
Averaged 11.4 ppg., 7.8 rpg. and 6.1 bpg. per game as a junior.
Averaged 12.9 ppg., 10.9 rpg. and 6.6 bpg. as a sophomore.
Played volleyball at WEHS as a junior and senior as well.
Member of honor roll and FCA, and volunteered with Students Against Destructive Decisions.

Full name is Emily Joy Saunders.
Nickname is Em.
Born on July 17, 2001, in Beckley, W. Va.
Parents are Chris and Andrea Saunders.
Father is a retired master gunnery sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Has a younger sister, Sarah.
Her late maternal grandfather Gary Shrewsbury had great admiration for the late Pat Summitt and Lady Vol basketball.
Because of that, UT was Emily’s dream school since she was eight years old.
Graduated with her degree in therapeutic recreation in May of 2022.
Recipient of the Doris Lewis Winners' Circle Scholarship For Centers.