RIPON, Wis. - Janine Emmer '05 is arguably the greatest female athlete in Ripon College history, and she has the hardware to prove it. In addition to earning Midwest Conference Player of the Year honors three times, across two different sports (basketball and volleyball), Emmer was also named All-Region in both sports. She was inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015, the first year she was eligible.

It's hard to define which sport Emmer excelled at more, as she dominated on both courts. As a basketball player, Emmer was a two-time First Team All-Conference selection, earning the honors during her junior and senior seasons, while being named MWC Player of the Year in both of those seasons. She was also named Honorable Mention All-American in both of those years and is one of five players in program history to earn All-America honors. That helped the Red Hawks win back-to-back MWC Championships for the first time in program history, hosting an NCAA Tournament game and advancing to the second round of the tournament in both seasons. With Emmer leading the way, Ripon went 42-12 during that two-year span, including 27-5 in conference play. One of the program's nine 1,000-point scorers, Emmer holds the school record for career steals (213), while ranking sixth in rebounds (640) and eighth in points (1,138). She also ranks eighth in career blocked shots (54) and has recorded the seventh-most double-doubles in program history (10).

"Janine brought competing to a whole new level. Her drive, intelligence and wanting to be the best were superior to most other players. She was swift, graceful, and could outrun anyone," said former Ripon Women's Basketball Coach Julie Johnson at Emmer's Hall of Fame induction in 2015. "Her passion to embrace challenges and succeed were impeccable. She was spectacular to watch and an extreme honor to coach. Janine is truly a shining example of what a Division-III student-athlete should be."

A four-time All-Conference selection on the other court, Emmer's volleyball career culminated with MWC Player of the Year honors during her senior season, which also saw her receive All-Region honors. Ripon's all-time leader in kills (1,965), Emmer also graduated as the program's career leader in digs (2,054), which currently ranks third, while ranking fifth in service aces (122), and ninth in blocks (295). The Red Hawks never won less than 20 matches in a season during Emmer's four years with the team, averaging 22 wins per year. She led the MWC in kills in each of her final two seasons.

Originally from Slinger, Wis., Emmer went on to serve as an assistant basketball coach at Concordia (Wis.), while also becoming a school counselor at both Milwaukee Public Schools and Watertown. She was also a guidance counselor at Kettle Moraine, before transitioning into her current role as a Residential Mortgage Lender at Associated Bank.

"Every year, there is a new champion and records fall. Some of mine have already, and many more will in the future, but that makes me proud to be a Red Hawk, as the bar continues to be raised," Emmer said. "Thank you to Coach Julie Johnson and Ripon College for giving me a platform to grow, make mistakes, and to triumph."


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