McMahon Takes One for the Team

Candice Kasischke
Intern, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: candice.kasischke@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2010) – Liz McMahon truly knows the meaning of being a “team player” and is showing maturity and selflessness now more than ever.

McMahon (Liberty Township, Ohio) began playing volleyball when she was in third grade at her church. Since then, McMahon has decided to get serious about the game.

For the past seven years, McMahon has served as a towering 6-6 middle blocker. In this position, she helped the 2009 U.S. Girls’ Youth A2 Red Team place second in the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships. In 2008, McMahon participated in both the U.S. Girls’ Youth A2 Camp with the White Team and the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team. In 2007, McMahon contributed to her team in winning silver at the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior Nationals in the 14 Open Division. She was also individually honored as a PrepVolleyball.com Frosh 29 and selected onto the PrepVolleyball.com Top 50 Junior Recruits List.

This summer marks the first time that McMahon will play outside the country. Finally, the 17-year-old is getting a well-deserved opportunity to play internationally as a member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team in the anticipated NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship held in Tijuana, Mexico, from July 6-11.

However, McMahon will also be experiencing another “first” as she will not be playing her normal middle blocker position that she has played for her entire life. She decided to “take one for the team” by switching to the opposite hitter position on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team. Since the switch, McMahon has not missed a beat in adjusting and filling into the position with the help of her strong intuition and intimidating arm span.

Copyrighted by: USA Volleyball Liz McMahon, member of the 2010 Women's Junior National Team “I decided to play opposite hitter primarily because that is what the team needs from me,” McMahon said. “I haven’t had to change too much offensively, but I now play back row on defense. That is the biggest difference since I now play all six rotations.”

Aside from her leadership in sacrificing a change in position, McMahon also shows leadership in her passive-aggressive nature and fully understands what her role on the team entails.

“I lead by action, I am not very vocal,” McMahon said. “I keep it all inside and try to lead in my performance. My team looks for me to execute, finish plays and to be the go-to person they can count on to be consistent.”

Rob Browning, the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team head coach, attests to McMahon’s talent in both her new position and as the team’s optional middle blocker. Browning finds McMahon to be an outstanding contributor offensively and a wall at the net with her blocking on defense.

“Liz is a versatile point scorer who can hit and block at all three positions at the net," Browning said. "Her ability to play opposite or middle for us is important because it gives us some latitude in how we can use her. It is to her and our benefit that she has played middle and now plays at the opposite position. As an opposite she will have lots of opportunities to block the opponent's left-side attacker and with her size and skill that can be scary for the opponent."

McMahon will venture to Mexico primarily as an opposite hitter and is most looking forward to sharing her first international experience wearing a USA jersey along with a team that has acquired a great camaraderie.

“Anytime you get to represent USA is a big honor,” McMahon said. “I am so excited to play with my teammates. It’s a fun group of girls and I have gotten really close to them. Getting to play people from different countries will be a new and neat experience.”

McMahon has her heart set on making the Women’s National Team and to play in the Olympics in the future.

Tags: Liz McMahon, NORCECA, NORCECA Women's Junior Continental Championship, Rob Browning, U.S. Women's Junior National Team, U.S. Women's Junior National Training Team