U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Roster Selected

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 22, 2010) – The 12-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Team roster was selected Saturday evening upon the conclusion of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team tryouts held May 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

The 2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will compete at the NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship held July 5-10 at Tijuana, Mexico.

Selected players include setters Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn., University of Missouri) and Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill., Southwest Illinois Juniors). Middle blockers selected include Samantha Cash (San Diego, Calif., Coast) and Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif., Santa Barbara VBC).

Outside/Opposite hitters include Jane Croson (Lakewood, Calif., Sport Shack), Kelly Reeves (San Diego, Encinitas WAVE), Rachel Williams (Los Gatos, Calif., Vision) and Samantha Wopat (Goleta, Calif., Santa Barbara VBC). Players who could fill either middle blocker or opposite roles are Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif., Cal Juniors) and Liz McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio, Team Z).

Jennifer Bonilla (Reseda, Calif., Sport Shack) is listed as a libero on the roster, while Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill., Fusion) is listed as either a libero or outside hitter (Eligin, Ill., Fusion).

“We had a difficult time choosing this team because we had 20 very good players in the gym this weekend,” U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Head Coach Rob Browning said. “We are confident that the 12 players chosen will represent USA very well in Tijuana this summer.”

The 21 athletes who took part in the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team were selected through tryouts held between February and April of this year.

Browning, who also is the head women’s volleyball coach at Saint Mary’s College (Calif.), will be assisted on the coach staff by Matt McShane and Jennifer Carey. McShane is the head women’s volleyball coach at the Air Force Academy, while Carey is the director of volleyball operations at University of California-Berkeley. Tom Pingel, USA Volleyball’s managing director for Indoor High Performance, will serve as the team leader for the team at the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship.

Kreklow is the only player currently in college as she enrolled early at the University of Missouri. Both Wopat sisters, Thomas and Bonilla competed last year for the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team at the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship. Bonilla, Kreklow, Reeves, 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.

Players who were part of the U.S. Women’s National Training Team not selected to compete in the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship this summer are Crystal Graff (OH, Madison, Wis.), Madison Kamp (S, Orland, Park, Ill.), Madison Mahaffey (MB, Vestavia, Ala.), Andrea McHugh (OH, Yorba Linda, Calif.), Megan Moenoa (S, Long Beach, Calif.), Olivia Okoro (MB, Carrollton, Texas), Elise Walch (OH, Palm City, Fla.), Taylor Simpson (OH, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Courtney Thomas (S, DeKalb, Ill.).

2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
Jennifer Bonilla (Lib, 5-9, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sport Shack, Southern California)
Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast, Southern California)
Jane Croson (OH, 6-0, Lakewood, Calif., 2011, Sport Shack, Southern California)
Haleigh Hampton (OPP/MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors, Southern California)
Stephanie Holthus (Lib/OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion, Great Lakes)
Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Delano, Minn., 2010, University of Missouri)
Liz McMahon (OPP/MB, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z, Ohio Valley)
Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE, Southern California)
Carly Thomas (S, 5-11, Swansea, Ill., 2010, Southwest Illinois Juniors., Gateway)
Rachel Williams (OH, 6-0, Los Gatos, Calif., 2010, Vision, Northern California)
Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)
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

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