Factoids on U.S. Women's Junior Tryouts

Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 21, 2010) – The U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team and U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team are holding concurrent tryouts this weekend at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Each squad’s tryout will ultimately produce the 12-player U.S. roster for their respective event this summer. The U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will compete in the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship in Mexico July 5-10. The event is a qualifying tournament into the 2011 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship. The U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team members are competing for 10 remaining spots on the USA roster that will compete in the Youth Olympic Games scheduled for August.

Facts about the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team
Setter Molly Kreklow is the only player on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team enrolled in college as she transitioned for the spring semester at the University of Missouri.

Twins Carly and Samantha Wopat (Santa Barbara, Calif.), Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill.), Olivia Okoro (Carrollton, Texas), Andrea McHugh (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Jennifer Bonilla (Reseda, Calif.) competed last year for the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team at the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship.

Bonilla, Kreklow, Reeves, Carly Thomas and Carly Wopat were members of the 2008 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship.

Interesting Note on Jennifer Bonilla: “My mother is from El Salvador, and I was born and raised in the inner city of Los Angeles. Being named as one of the twelve on a USA roster is such an honor, and an honor that I share with my own community. People are always looking for something to believe in, something to give them hope. There are children in my community who don’t know what lies beyond the streets of Los Angeles, and feel as if there’s nothing for them out there in the world. I believe that being an example for children in my community gives them the hope that it is possible to attain the impossible; a strong mind and heart will get you there.” – Jennifer Bonilla

Interesting Note on Jane Croson: She placed fifth at the SWATCH FIVB Youth (U-19) World Championship for beach volleyball in 2009 with beach partner Summer Ross.

Interesting Note on Samantha Cash: Happiest moment in life was “winning the gold medal at the 2009 USA Volleyball High Performance Championships.”

Interesting Note on Crystal Graff: “I didn’t compete in high school volleyball my sophomore year in 2008 because of a back injury, but I have successfully come back from it.” – Crystal Graff

Interesting Note on Haleigh Hampton: Intends to major in journalism at Long Beach State starting this fall.

Interesting Note on Stephanie Holthus: “I don’t really have any “stories” but I do have an interesting fact that most people find bizarre. I have pet ducks! I don’t live on a farm or anything, we just randomly have two ducks, and my sister rescued a baby goose from college, so now we have two ducks and baby goose! Most people wonder why they don’t go away but they stay around the house during the day and go to the pond at night (we have a pretty good sized pond in our backyard). They are pretty social and sometimes bring other ducks up to our house. They are the cutest things EVER!”

Interesting Note on Madison Kamp: “In my first year of setting, I took my high school team to the state championship and made the Women’s Junior National Training Team. I am an underdog that works the hardest and will go the farthest.” – Madison Kamp

Interesting Note on Madison Mahaffey: “I was introduced to Volleyball in 7th grade, I was very uncoordinated and not athletic. I did not see the court my 7th or 8th grade year, but I stuck with it and played club my 8th grade summer going into high school and made the JV team as a Freshman. Since then I have started on all of my high school teams and have been a part of the Varsity team since my sophomore year. Through this I have learned that hard work and dedication pay off. USA volleyball has allowed me to meet a lot of great people and make some new friends! There’s something about wearing USA on your jersey that is very special. GO USA!!” – Madison Mahaffey

Interesting Note on Andrea McHugh: “I am the shortest person in my family. My dad, grandpa and uncle are all 6-8. My brother, my other grandpa, my other uncle and cousins are 6-6. All of the girls in my family are at least 6-feet tall. My 12-year-old sister is already taller than me too. Everyone in my family tells me that I was either adopted or that I have the recessive gene. Even though 5-10 isn’t considered short, I definitely feel that way around my family.” – Andrea McHugh

Interesting Note on Elizabeth McMahon: “Was selected 2008 Gedney’s Pickle Lover of the Year: Won a year supply of pickles and a T-shirt!” – Liz McMahon

Interesting Note on Megan Moenoa: Has earned two silver medals at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.

Interesting Note on Olivia Okoro: “Watching college volleyball on tv inspired me to go out and play. I tried out for the volleyball team in 7th grade and was very disappointed when I got cut the 1st round of tryouts. That next summer I did some camps and tried out again in 8th grade and made B team. I fell in love with volleyball and did many camps to get better, My freshman year I tried out for the freshman team and ended up making JV. Then sophomore year became a starting varsity player. That spring tried out for the Youth National Team and made it.” – Olivia Okoro

Interesting Note on Kelly Reeves: Mother Jeanne Reeves helped the U.S. Women’s Olympic Volleyball Team to a silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games. Jeanne Reeves also is Kelly Reeves’ club coach at Encinitas WAVE.

Interesting Note on Taylor Simpson: Is participating in the U.S. Women’s National Training Team tryout in her hometown of Colorado Springs. She was selected Colorado High School Class 5A Player of the Year in 2009 after leading Doherty High School to bronze medal finish in the state tournament.

Interesting Note on Carly Thomas: “My friend John Sheehan had me going. He told me that when he used to play back in the 60s that the VB was Square!! YES, I did believe him… He even said he still had a square ball and would bring it to practice and show me. No wonder why my dad calls me BLONDIE…” – Carly Thomas, who was named Best Setter at 2008 NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship.

Interesting Note on Courtney Thomas: “My dad died the summer of me going into 8th grade. Life has had some interesting moments since then. He was a big part of my volleyball life and I am committed to be as successful in the sport as he and I had always talked about. He was always so proud of me and I know he continues to be proud as he looks down.” – Courtney Thomas

Interesting Note on Elise Walch: Helped Martin County High School to Florida State High School Association to state class 5A title.

Interesting Note on Rachel Williams: Happiest moment in life was “going houseboating every year, winning the CIF state championship my junior year, getting accepted and verbally committing to Stanford.” – Rachel Williams, who was named California Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year and Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year in 2009.

Interesting Note on Carly Wopat: “My Dad (Ron) has six older brothers and grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. His brother Tom Wopat is an actor (who does Broadway now) and played Luke Duke on the TV show Dukes of Hazzard. My Mom was raised in Hawaii. I am a member of the Dos Pueblos High School Engineering Academy and look forward to being on the robotics team next year. I recently (April 2009) broke the school record in discus for track and field! I have a twin and 2 little brothers.” – Carly Wopat, whose twin sister Samantha is also part of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team.

Interesting Note on Samantha Wopat: “I was born premature (two months early) and weighed 3 pounds, 12 ounces, while Carly weighed 4 pounds, 4 ounces.” – Samantha Wopat, who is the twin of Carly Wopat.

2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team
Training # - Name (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
11 - Olivia Okoro (MB, 6-1, Carrollton, Texas, 2011, Dallas Premier, North Texas)
22 - Stephanie Holthus (Lib/OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion, Great Lakes)
23 - Madison Kamp (S, 6-1, Orland Park, Ill, 2011, Ultimate, Great Lakes)
24 - Megan Moenoa (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., 2011, Mizuno Long Beach, Southern California)
26 - Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast, Southern California)
27 - Elise Walch (OH, 6-4, Palm City, Fla., 2010, TCVB, Florida)
28 - Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Delano, Minn., 2010, University of Missouri)
63 - Haleigh Hampton (OPP/MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors, Southern California)
64 - Andrea McHugh (OH, 5-10, Yorba Linda, Calif., 2010, Laguna Beach, Southern California)
65 - Elizabeth McMahon (OPP/MB, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z, Ohio Valley)
80 - Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE, Southern California)
81 - Carly Thomas (S, 5-11, Swansea, Ill., 2010, Southwest Illinois Juniors., Gateway)
82 - Crystal Graff (OH, 6-4, Madison, Wis., 2011, Capital Volleyball Acad., Badger)
84 - Jennifer Bonilla (Lib, 5-9, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sport Shack, Southern California)
86 - Taylor Simpson (OH, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2011, Colorado Juniors, Rocky Mountain)
87 - Madison Mahaffey (MB, 6-4, Vestavia Hills, Ala., 2011, Team Sting, Southern)
88 - Jane Croson (OH, 6-0, Lakewood, Calif., 2011, Sport Shack, Southern California)
90 - Courtney Thomas (S, 6-0, DeKalb, Ill., 2011, Sports Performance , Great Lakes)
91 - Rachel Williams (OH, 6-0, Los Gatos, Calif., 2010, Vision, Northern California)
92 - Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)
93 - Samantha Wopat (OH, 6-1, Goleta, Calif., 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)

Head Coach: Rob Browning
Assistant Coach: Matt McShane
Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jennifer Carey
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Tom Pingel

U.S. Girls' Youth National Training Team Roster for Youth Olympic Games
Training # - Player (Pos., Ht, Hometown, Grad Year, Club, Region)
12 - Shelby Sullivan (MB, 6-2, Richardson, Texas, 2012, TAV, North Texas)
40 - Brooke Honeycutt (MB, 6-2, Phoenix, Ariz., 2013, Spiral, Arizona)
41 - Jordan Burgess (OH, 6-0, Tampa, Fla., 2012, Tampa Bay Juniors, Florida)
42 - Chloe Collins (S, 5-7, Cypress, Texas, 2013, Texas Tornados, Lone Star)
43 - Nicole Dalton (OH, 6-2, Parker, Colo., 2012, Front Range, Rocky Mountain)
44 - Mylan “Mimi” Eugene (OH, 5-11, Houston, Texas, 2014, Texas Tornados, Lone Star)
45 - Angela Lowak (OH, 6-0, New Braunfels, Texas, 2012, Austin Juniors, Lone Star)
46 - Allison Palmer (S, 5-9, Laguna Beach, Calif., 2012, Laguna Beach Volleyball Club, Southern California)
48 - Madison Bugg (S, 6-0, Apex, N.C., 2012, Triangle, Carolina)
47 - Haley Pouliezos (L, 5-7, Imperial, Mo., 2012, High Performance, Gateway)
49 - Lauren Carlini (S, 6-1, Aurora, Ill., 2013, Sports Performance, Great Lakes)
62 - Samantha Hill (MB, 6-3, Spokane, Wash., 2012, Splash, Evergreen)
63 - Nicole Edelman (OH, 6-0, Boulder, Colo., 2012, Front Range, Rocky Mountain)
64 - Regan Peltier (MB, 6-2, Nixa, Mo., 2012, Midwest Xplosion, Heart of America)
70 - Michelle Strizak (OH, 6-1, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2013, Team Z, Ohio Valley)
71 - Melanie Wade (MB, 6-5, Palo Alto, Calif., 2012, City Beach, Northern California)
80 - Andie Malloy (S/OH, 6-2, Allen, Texas, 2012, Skyline Juniors, North Texas)
81 - Ebony Nwanebu (MB, 6-4, Irving, Texas, 2013, TAV, North Texas)
82 - Anna Panagiotakopoulus (L, 5-5, Phoenix, Ariz., 2012, Spiral, Arizona)
83 - Amber Rolfzen (OH, 6-2, Papillion, Neb., 2013, Nebraska Juniors, Great Plains)
84 - Kadie Rolfzen (OH, 6-3, Papillion, Neb., 2013, Nebraska Juniors, Great Plains)
^ Brittany Howard (OH, 6-3, Los Altos, Calif., 2012, Vision, Northern California)
^ Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, 2012, Texas Team, Lone Star)
NOTE ^: Brittany Howard and Molly McCage have already earned spots on the Youth Olympic Games roster.

Head Coach: Rod Wilde
Assistant Coach: Charlene Tagaloa-Johnson

Tags: 2010 U.S. Women's Junior National Team, 2010 U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team, U.S. Women's Junior National Team, U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team