Piedmont University Athletics

Jacque DeMarrais - 2007 Graduate - Volleyball (Bio at time of induction)
As a freshman for the Piedmont volleyball program, Jacque DeMarrais was thrown into the starting position of middle hitter filling Katie Gibb’s (HOF 2012) shoes.  Voted “Most Improved” by her teammates that season, she was named the Great South Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year for her efforts during the fall of 2003. 

Even though Jacque wasn’t sure she wanted to play as a middle hitter in the beginning of her Piedmont career under then Head Coach and 2013 Hall of Fame classmate Katie O'Brien-Chapman, DeMarrais ended up becoming one of the best middles in the conference.  Named GSAC Player of the Week multiple times during her career,  Jacque was on the All-Conference Team as a sophomore, junior and senior while also being named to the All-Regional NCCAA Team her sophomore and junior seasons.  

A team captain her senior season, DeMarrais was also named to several All-Tournament teams with honors coming at the Guilford Tournament, Greensboro College Tournament, and Thomas More Tournament.  Twice Jacque was voted as one of the top 3 players in the GSAC by coaches throughout the conference. 

The Lawrenceville native currently holds six records for the Piedmont volleyball program including kills in a single season (441 in 2004) and hitting percentage (.312 in 2004). In a three-way tie for the most kills in a match record (25 vs. Guilford College 10/9/04), Jacque was the first junior at Piedmont to break the 1,000 mark in career kills. 

DeMarrais' career average of 2.96 kills per game and kill percentage (.281) still stands as the best in those categories.  At the end of four seasons with the Lady Lions, she led all career hitters with 1,435 kills, still a high to this day.  Addtionally, the team’s overall record was 88-61 during her 4 years at Piedmont with three of her four seasons including 20-win performances. 

DeMarrais was named to the GSAC All-Academic Team all three years in which she was eligible and also named a NCCAA Scholar Athlete in 2005.  The Brookwood High School graduate was on the Dean’s Scholar List each of her semesters in Demorest while also a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities & Colleges, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society as well as Chi Alpha Sigma, and was nominated both to the National Dean’s List and for the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. 

Jacque graduated from Piedmont College with a BS in Biology in 2007 completing her four-year undergraduate degree.  She continued her education at North Georgia College & State University and graduated in 2010 with her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. 

Currently Jacque, the daughter of Ron and Amy DeMarrais, works at Self Regional Healthcare as a Physical Therapist in Greenwood, SC.  She married Dr. Jordan Young in 2010 and they welcomed their first child this spring, a daughter named Adelyn.  Jacque is one of three children herself, including a brother Craig and younger sister Kalin.  Kalin Demarrais ('11) followed Jacque’s lead and attended Piedmont College where she also played volleyball for 4 years and was a key part of the 2010 GSAC championship team.