Black, Barker Unite with Desire to Play Together Again

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

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 26, 2011) – For setter Brianne Barker and outside hitter Kelsey Black, this weekend’s U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Open Tryouts being held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs seem like a reunion of sorts for the childhood friends who grew up together on the volleyball courts of Amarillo, Texas.

The pair was nearly inseparable on the volleyball court as pre-teenagers before going their separate ways at college – Barker to University of Oklahoma and Black to Texas A&M. Black and Barker guided Amarillo High School to consecutive Texas Class 5A state championships in 2006 and 2007, becoming the first team in Texas Class 5A to repeat in over 20 years. During their three years together with the Amarillo High Sandies program, the duo scored an impressive 129 victories in 134 matches for a .963 winning percentage with Barker’s mother, Jan, as the head coach of the program.

“It was a definite blessing to be coached by my mom,” Barker said. “It had its hard times and brought on some drama, but I would not want it any other way. It was a special bond to have my mom as the coach.”

Yet, the bond between Black and Barker started well before high school. They had been on the same youth volleyball club starting in 2001 playing for High Plains 12s. Their last year competing together in club was with Amarillo Elite 17s.

“It was awesome,” Barker said of competing with her childhood friend. “We grew up together and have become great friends. On the court, we have developed great chemistry. I would not have asked for a better outside hitter than Kelsey.”

Photo: USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman Kelsey Black serving during the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts on Feb. 26. Now, the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts could re-unite the pair back onto the same side of the net for a brief time before heading into their senior seasons in college. In addition to auditioning for the U.S. Women’s National Team in front of head coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand), 36 athletes are projected to be selected for spots in the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program and compete in the 2011 USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Dallas at the end of May.

If Black and Barker are among the selections to the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program made in mid-March, both would welcome the opportunity in a heartbeat.

“If selected, I would definitely want to have the opportunity to play on the same A2 team as Brianne,” Black said. “All of Amarillo would be in Dallas to see us play if we were both selected to the A2 program, and it would be awesome to be on the same team.”

“It would definitely make everyone in Amarillo happy if we played together again,” Barker said in hopes of both being selected to the A2 program next month.

Black has already earned one experience with the U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Program. She helped USA A2 Red to the Open Division bronze medal at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships, considered the national championship for the sport volleyball, in May 2010.

Barker was invited to attend last year’s Open Tryouts, but the plan was altered after undergoing surgery to repair a torn meniscus in February 2010. Ironically, Black recently underwent the same surgery. Both are healthy and competing at 100 percent strength at the tryouts.

“I was asked to tryout last year, but had to decline due to the surgery” Barker said. “At this year’s tryout, I want to see where I am at against all the setters. I am not coming into the tryouts knowing I have to make this team, but rather just get better.”

Last Thursday, Black had one of her many telephone conversations with her long-time teammate. Except this time, it was what to expect out of the tryout being held in Colorado Springs.

“I really didn’t need to give her hints on what to do,” Black said. “She is already a great player. I just told her that we will play a lot during the tryouts, which are super competitive, and that she didn’t need to be nervous over them.”

“Kelsey called on Thursday and helped me calm down heading into the tryouts,” Barker said.

So far, the pep talk has worked at this year’s tryouts. Both Black and Barker are competing among the record 205 tryout participants and not showing any sign of nervousness.

“The tryout has been a good experience,” Black said. “You get to compete with the top players across the country and gauge where you are in the overall spectrum.”

As youth players learning the sport back in Amarillo, Barker and Black would talk about continuing on to the same college to play volleyball together. That plan did not quite materialize.

“When we were younger, we wanted to play together in college,” Barker said. “When we play together, we make each other better with our chemistry. It was just natural for us to be together. However, Kelsey found a different college than I did.”

As a Texas A&M junior in 2010, Black started every match and played in all 113. She posted double figures in kills in 25 of 30 matches, including seven matches in which she posted 20 or more kills. Black led or tied for the team lead in kills in all but one match and also led the team with 17 double-doubles.

Prior to Texas A&M, Black was a two-time PrepVolleyball.com high school All-American and a big part of the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline. Following her sophomore year in high school, she was selected to the USA Youth Red Team that won the silver medal in the Women’s Junior International Division of the USA Volleyball High Performance Championships. In 2008, she was named to the 19-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team. Black moved up to the 12-player U.S. Women’s Junior National Team in 2009 and competed at the FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship in Mexico.

“Being a part of the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline has been really challenging,” Black said. “I have played different positions, and that has challenged me in every part of the game. However, it has developed me in every part of the game and thankful for that.”

As for Barker’s junior season at Oklahoma, she was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Third-Team after leading the Sooners to the third round of the 2010 NCAA Division I Volleyball Tournament. She averaged 10.39 assists per set on the year, 2.67 digs per set and produced a .288 hitting percentage. Her 1,340 assists set an Oklahoma 25-point rally scoring record and ranks as the fifth highest single season total in program history. She recorded the first triple-double in Oklahoma program history – 10 kills, 57 assists and 14 digs against Tulsa on Dec. 4 in the NCAA Tournament second round - and had 19 double-doubles this season.

“I think Brianne has worked hard on becoming a better leader and improving the location on her sets over her three years at Oklahoma,” said University of Oklahoma Head Women’s Volleyball Coach Santiago Restrepo, who is serving as a court evaluator at the Open Tryouts. “She is learning the philosophies on defense and blocking. Brianne knows how to manage and lead the team, firing up the team when needed. I am excited to have her on the team for another full year.”

While Barker and Black are not on the same college teams, they have the opportunity to face each other twice a season in Big 12 competition.

“It is fun when we play against each other,” Barker said. “It is so emotional, so competitive. One of the best things is playing against those you know.”

However, some do not quite understand the bond the two have on opposite sides of the court. Before the matches, the officials routinely warn both teams regarding no talking across the net. However, that has not always stopped Black and Barker from communicating during the Oklahoma-Texas A&M matches.

Now, long-time volleyball friends hope to have the opportunity to play once again on the same side of the net with possible selections to the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program and possibly the U.S. Women’s National Team down the road.

Tags: Kelsey Black, U.S. Women's National A2 Team, U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team