U.S. WJNT Roster Ready for FIVB Worlds in Peru

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

2011 U.S. Women's Junior National Team Press Kit

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 19, 2011) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12-player roster for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team (WJNT), which will travel to Peru and represent the United States at the FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship (U-20) held July 22-31.

In preparation for leaving for Peru, the team underwent training from July 10-19 at Saint Mary’s College (Calif.) in Moraga, Calif., under the direction of U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Head Coach Rob Browning. He also serves as the head women’s volleyball coach at Saint Mary’s.

“While the competition will be fierce in Peru this summer, we have a group of players and coaches who can win it all,” Browning said. “We want to return with the World Championship trophy.”

Four players named to the 2011 squad competed with the 2010 WJNT that captured the gold medal at the NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship held in Tijuana, Mexico. Returning players include outside hitters Kelly Reeves (San Diego, UCLA) and Stephanie Holthus (Elgin, Ill., Northwestern University). Returning middle blockers include Haleigh Hampton (Huntington Beach, Calif., Long Beach State) and Carly Wopat (Santa Barbara, Calif., Stanford University).

Outside hitter Andrea McHugh (Yorba Linda, Calif., Notre Dame University), an alternate to last year’s team, will travel this year to Peru to compete with the 2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team.

New to the team are outside hitters Moneshia Simmons (Buford, Ga., Clemson University) and Haley Eckerman (Waterloo, Iowa, Iowa Rockets). Middle blockers Madelyn Hutson (Brentwood, Tenn., University of Texas) and Sallie McLaurin (Midwest City, Okla., University of Oklahoma), setters Lauren Plum (Poway, Calif., University of Oregon) and Hannah Allison (Siloam Springs, Ark., University of Texas) and libero/defensive specialist Natalie Hagglund (Encinitas, Calif., University of Southern California) all join the team for the first time.

Browning, who also coached the 2010 WJNT, will be assisted by Erik Sullivan and Jill Kramer. Sullivan is the assistant women’s volleyball coach at the University of Texas, while Kramer is the head women’s volleyball coach at West Virginia University. Denise Corlett, associate head coach at Stanford University, will serve as the team leader.

"Our goal is to win the World Championship and we have selected a team that can do it,” Browning said. “The selection process was very competitive and there are some outstanding players who were left off the roster. We have a number of veterans from last year's NORCECA Championship team as well as some new addition and I am excited to see them come together and form a cohesive team. The coaches we have selected to join me are also exceptionally good and I feel fortunate to be able to work with them."

Allison, Plum, Wopat, Hampton, McLaurin, McHugh, Reeves, Simmons, Holthus and Hagglund all competed at the collegiate level last year, representing 9 different universities. Eckerman and played prep volleyball last fall.

Hagglund and Plum will also be training and competing with the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships in Dallas at the end of May.

To be eligible for the 2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team, athletes needed to be born in either 1992 or 1993.

2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
# - Name (Position, Height, Hometown, H.S. Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
1 - Hannah Allison (S, 5-11, Siloam Springs, Ark., 2010, Ozark Juniors/University of Texas, Delta)
2 - Stephanie Holthus (OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion/Northwestern University, Great Lakes)
3 - Natalie Hagglund (L, 5-9, Encinitas, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE/University of Southern California, SCVA)
4 - Lauren Plum (S, 5-9, Poway, Calif., 2010, Coast VBC/University of Oregon, SCVA)
6 - Haleigh Hampton (MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors/Long Beach State University, SCVA)
7 - Haley Eckerman (OH, 6-3, Waterloo, Iowa, 2011, Iowa Rockets/University of Texas, Iowa)
9 - Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE/UCLA, SCVA)
10 - Sallie McLaurin (MB, 6-2, Midwest City, Okla., 2010, Oklahoma Charge/University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma)
11 - Moneshia Simmons (OH, 6-0, Buford, Ga., 2010, NFC Volleyball /Clemson University, Southern)
15 - Madelyn Hutson (MB, 6-6, Brentwood, Tenn., 2011, Impact/University of Texas, Southern)
16 - Andrea McHugh (OH, 5-10, Yorba Linda, Calif., 2010, Laguna Beach/Notre Dame, SCVA)
17 - Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC/Stanford University, SCVA)

2011 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team Alternates
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, H.S. Grad Year, Club/School, Region)
Jennifer Bonilla (L, 5-10, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sports Shack/University of Illinois, SCVA)
Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast/Pepperdine, SCVA)
Mackenzie Dagostino (S, 5-10, Tampa Bay, Fla., 2012, Tampa Bay Juniors/University of Maryland, Florida)
Madison Kingdon (OH, 6-0, Phoenix, Ariz., 2011, Arizona Storm/University of Arizona, Arizona)
Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Delano, Minn., 2010, Mizuno Northern Lights/ University of Missouri, North Country)
Liz McMahon (OH, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z/University of Illinois, Ohio Valley)
Alyssa Warren (L, 5-9, Joliet, Ill., 2010, Sports Performance/Seton Hall University, Great Lakes)

2011 U.S. Women's Junior National Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Rob Browning, Saint Mary’s College (Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Erik Sullivan, University of Texas
Assistant Coach: Jill Kramer, West Virginia University
Team Leader/Assistant Coach: Denise Corlett, Stanford University

2011 FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship

First Round (July 22-24)
Pool A (at Trujillo, Peru)
July 22: Slovakia vs. Tunisia, 9:30
July 22: Peru vs. Egypt, 20:15
July 23: Egypt vs. Slovakia, 11:30
July 23: Peru vs. Tunisia, 19:15
July 24: Tunisia vs. Egypt, 11:30
July 24: Peru vs. Slovakia, 18:15

Pool B (at Lima, Peru)
July 22: Brazil vs. Italy, 16:15
July 22: Serbia vs. Cuba, 18:15
July 23: Italy vs. Cuba, 11:30
July 23: Brazil vs. Serbia, 19:15
July 24: Serbia vs. Italy, 9:30
July 24: Cuba vs. Brazil, 11:30

Pool C (at Trujillo, Peru)
July 22: Poland vs. Korea, 11:30
July 22: USA vs. Belgium, 17:00
July 23: Belgium vs. Korea, 9:30
July 23: USA vs. Poland, 16:30
July 24: Poland vs. Belgium, 9:30
July 24: USA vs. Korea, 15:30

Pool D (at Lima, Peru)
July 22: Japan vs. Dominican Republic, 9:30
July 22: Russia vs. China, 11:30
July 23: Dominican Republic vs. Russia, 9:30
July 23: Japan vs. China, 17:15
July 24: China vs. Dominican Republic, 16:15
July 24: Russia vs. Japan, 18:15

Second Round (July 26-28)
Pool E: A1, B2, C1, D2 (at Lima or Trujillo)
Pool F: B1, A2, D1, C2 (at Lima or Trujillo)
Pool G: A3, B4, c3, D4 (at Lima or Trujillo)
Pool H: B3, A4, D3, C4 (at Lima or Trujillo)

Semifinals and Playoffs (July 30)
E1 vs. F2 (gold semifinals)
F1 vs. E2 (gold semifinals)
E3 vs. F4
F3 vs. E4
G1 vs. H2
H1 vs. G2
G3 vs. H4
H3 vs. G4

Medal Rounds and Playoffs (July 31)
- the winners of the semifinals will play the final for the 1st and 2nd position.
- the losers of the semifinals will play for the 3rd and 4th position.
- the winners of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 5th-6th position.
- the losers of the play-off 5-8 will play for the 7th-8th position.
- the winners of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 9th-10th position.
- the losers of the play-off 9-12 will play for the 11th-12th position.
- the winners of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 13th-14th position.
- the losers of the play-off 13-16 will play for the 15th-16th position.

Tags: 2011 U.S. Women's Junior National Team, Alyssa Warren, Andrea McHugh, Carly Wopat, FIVB World Championship, Haleigh Hampton, Haley Eckerman, Hannah Allison, Jennifer Bonilla, Kelly Reeves, Lauren Plum, Madelyn Hutson, Madison Kingdon, mobile, Molly Kreklow, Moneshia Simmons, Moneshia Simmons, Natalie Hagglund, Sallie McLaurin, Samantha Cash, Stephanie Holthus, U.S. Women's Junior National Team