Pools Drawn for FIVB Girls’ Youth Worlds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2011)- The U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team is slated to compete with Serbia, China and Puerto Rico in Pool C in the first round of the 2011 FIVB Girls’ Youth (U-18) World Championship, slated for Aug. 12-21.

Mr. Hartmut Giebels of Germany conducted the drawing of lots alongside Turkey Volleyball Federation (TVF) President, Mr. Erol Ünal Karabiyik and TVF BOA members in the tournament host city of Ankara, Turkey.

The U.S. is ranked second in the world in FIVB's combined youth and junior rankings. Serbia, the defending FIVB World Champion silver medalist, is ranked ninth, while China is No. 13 and Puerto Rico is No. 21.

Host team, Turkey, will compete with Egypt, Algeria and Poland while defending champion, Brazil, face Mexico, Argentina and Slovakia in Pool B. Thailand, Japan Germany and Italy round out the 16 teams, forming Pool D.

“The Turkish Volleyball Federation is once again proud to be the host country of the special event of FIVB,” Mr Karabiyik said in the FIVB release. “We will make sure that all participating countries feel like at home and return their countries with good memories.”

In 2009, the most recent edition of the World Championship, the U.S. placed 12th in Nakhonratchasima, Thailand.

The U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team (GYNT) qualified for the FIVB World Championship May 3, when it captured its fifth consecutive biennial NORCECA title and sixth overall, over Mexico at the 2010 NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Tags: FIVB, FIVB World Championship, Girls' Junior Nationals