PONTIAC — The Kowalkowski era at Notre Dame Prep volleyball has ended.

Olivia (Livy), who will be graduating this spring, and Emma (class of 2016) combined over eight varsity seasons to lead the Fighting Irish to the 2013 and 2017 Class B state championships, a finalist runner-up in 2018, three final fours, and seven district titles. 

Both were named All State, Emma a Miss Volleyball finalist.

They’ve embellished the still-active 33-year career of coach Betty Wroubel, the third-winningest coach in Michigan high school history with 1,572 wins, 1,028 of those in 25 years at Notre Dame.

Emma, at 5-foot-6, and Livy, maybe an inch shorter, are ideal designated back-row players — the libero position — whose most important ability is serving and receiving, neutralizing opponents’ serves with a good pass, and possessing cat-like reflexes with a “ball doesn’t hit the floor” mentality.

Their prep career stats are impressive. Emma recorded 2,525 digs, 1,892 combined serves and aces, and 131 kills. Livy, who was promoted to the varsity halfway through her freshman year, wound up with 1,913 digs, 1,783 serve receptions, 220 aces, 34 kills.

“We’re both aggressive,” Livy says about their approach to earning the respect of their  teammates.

“She’s more calm,” Livy says about Emma, whom Wroubel had described as “the glue that kept our team together” with her confident go-about-your-business attitude.  

“You can see (and hear) my personality on the court,” Livy says. “I show more emotion.”

Wroubel says this year’s squad (38-10 record, Final 4) “was probably one of the closest teams we have had. I don’t know if it was COVID, or the outdoor practices on the softball fields, or what, but Livy (who was the only senior on the team) has really been able to bring them together and play really hard for her.” 

Emma went on to a distinguished career at Western Kentucky University. She made an immediate impact, playing in every set of every match of her four years there, a total of 452 sets and 132 matches. She had 1,017 digs, the 16th Lady Topper to reach the 1,000-dig milestone.

She’s working on a master’s degree in sport management at Belmont University in Nashville as a graduate assistant in the athletic department and coaching club volleyball at Alliance Volleyball Club.

Livy has committed to continue her volleyball career at Georgia State University.

“She had an offer to play at the Naval Academy as well,” her mother, Michele, explains. “She had spoken to other schools, but these were the two that it came down to.

“She had no qualms about leaving Michigan. In fact, both of our girls preferred to go out of state. Obviously, the two options were very different, but GSU has better options if she decides to go the med school route.”

Livy chose Georgia State for another reason, that it is a Division 1 school.

“Our family has all played Division 1,” she says. Her father, Scott Kowalkowski (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 1987), played football at Notre Dame and for 10 years in the NFL, including eight for the Lions. Michele played tennis at Western Michigan.

It’s no surprise that with the pandemic-plagued high school season finally over that Livy is playing more volleyball for the Michigan Elite 18 Mizuno club. “I love the sport,” she says.

Her roster mates include five seniors from archdiocesan Catholic high schools.

Four are from Farmington Hills Mercy: Ellie Tisko, Charli Atiemo (committed to Northern Illinois), Kaylin Collins (College of Charleston) and Julie Bishop (Michigan State). The fifth is Mikayla Haut from Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central (Fairfield University).

“We’re No. 1 in the nation,” Livy exclaims.

Would we expect anything else?

Contact Don Horkey at [email protected].