New Games, Same Goals for U.S. Women in Paris

PARIS, France (July 26, 2024) – There are some differences in the volleyball format between the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and the Games in Paris this year, but the goal for the U.S. Women’s National Team remains the same: play hard and win.

They accomplished their goal in Tokyo, and it resulted in the program’s first Olympic gold medal.

“People ask us about defending a gold medal and I don’t think there’s anything to defend,” U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. ‘But it certainly was amazing and an incredible experience for this program to win its first gold medal ever. It was so fun that we’re back at it, trying again.”

Eight players from Tokyo returned to the roster for Paris: setter Jordyn Poulter, libero Justine Wong-Orantes, outside hitters Jordan Larson and Kelsey Robinson Cook, middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington and opposites Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson.

The four first-time Olympians on the roster are setter Lauren Carlini, outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Avery Skinner and middle Dana Rettke.

Setter Micha Hancock, also a gold medalist in Tokyo, is the team’s official alternate who can take the place of an ill or injured player during the tournament. The position is new for Tokyo.

Something else that is new for Tokyo are the pools, which are now broken into three groups of four rather than two groups of six.

It makes for less wear and tear on the athletes, but there are also fewer chances to make mistakes. The top two teams in each pool, plus the two best third-place teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.

The U.S. Women go into the Olympic Games ranked No. 5 in the world after finishing tied for fifth in the Volleyball Nations League this summer. They will share their pool with No. 6 China, No. 9 Serbia and No. 19 France, the host country.

The path to Paris was not entirely smooth for the U.S. Women, who saw Olympians Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson, Michelle Bartsch-Hackley and Kim Hill retire after Tokyo.

Poulter, named Best Setter in Tokyo, suffered a multi-ligament knee injury while playing with her Italian club team at the end of 2022 and had to spend the 2023 season rehabbing.

Larson, the Tokyo MVP and Best Outside Hitter, retired after 2021, but caught a second wind and returned in time to help the team qualify for Paris.

She and the other returning Olympians are making sure the newcomers are ready to play hard and win.

“We’ve talked a lot about their experience in Tokyo and just how different it was,” first-time Olympian Carlini said. “So now being able to experience um this Olympics with them in just a different setting a different atmosphere, it’s really exciting and I know we’re all really looking forward to getting started.”

U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)

Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)

Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue,  Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill

U.S. Women’s Schedule for Paris 2024
(All times PT)
July 29 at 8 a.m. USA vs China
July 31 at 8 a.m. USA vs Serbia
Aug. 4 at 4 a.m. USA vs France
Aug. 6 Quarterfinals
Aug. 8 Semifinals
Aug. 10: Bronze medal
Aug. 12 Gold medal