Girls U19 National Team Ready for Pan Am Cup Showdown

TULSA, Okla. (July 16, 2022) – Twelve athletes have been selected for the U.S. Girls Under-19 National Team that will compete July 18-23 at the Pan American Cup at the Cox Business Convention Center in Tulsa.

The 12 were selected from a training team of 20 that has been practicing together in Tulsa since July 5.

Five players on the team return from the 2021 team that won the bronze medal at the FIVB Girls U18 World Championship in Mexico. This year, the FIVB changed its age group classifications to align with those of male teams.

Libero Laney Choboy, outside hitters Julia Blyashov and Harper Murray, middle blocker Maggie Mendelson and setter Bergen Reilly all return from the 2021 team.

Players competing on their first age-group national team are middle blockers Nya Bunton and Andi Jackson, outside hitters Kira Hutson, Cari Spears and Torrey Stafford, opposite Abigail Mullen and setter Izzy Starck.

Also returning from the 2021 U19 Girls Team are Head Coach Jamie Morrison and Assistant Coach Michelle Chatman.

“This has been an amazing training block by all 20 athletes invited,” Morrison said. “It has been a lot of learning and competing crammed into a short period of time. I can’t wait to see what the 12 athletes selected to represent the group do in competition.”

They will be joined on the bench by Assistant Coach Keegan Cook, who is the women’s head coach at the University of Washington.

Noel Carpio, an assistant coach at Oral Roberts University, is the team manager. Maggie Eppright, assistant coach at Northwestern University, is the performance analyst.

Chris Cornell will serve as the athletic trainer.

The team will begin competition on Monday against Mexico at 6 p.m. CDT. The Pan American Cup is a qualifier for the 2023 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship.

U.S. Girls U19 National Team Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, Region)
*An athlete’s region is where they played club volleyball, not necessarily their hometown

1 Laney Choboy (L, 5-3, Raleigh, N.C., Carolina)
3 Charlie Fuerbringer (S, 5-11, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Southern California)
4 Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, Sioux Falls, S.D., North Country)
5 Torrey Stafford (OH, 6-1, Harbor City, Calif., Southern California)
6 Izzy Starck (S, 6-1, Colorado Springs, Colo., Rocky Mountain)
7 Harper Murray (OH, 6-2, Ann Arbor, Mich., Lakeshore)
11 Julia Blyashov (OH, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., Southern California)
12 Nya Bunton (MB, 6-3, Louisville, Ky., Pioneer)
13 Kira Hutson (OPP, 6-3, Aurora, Ill., Great Lakes)
14 Andi Jackson (MB, 6-3, Brighton, Colo., Rocky Mountain)
15 Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, Kansas City, Mo., Heart of America)
16 Cari Spears (OH, 6-3, Dallas, Texas, Chesapeake)
19 C Maggie Mendelson (MB, 6-5, Ogden, Utah, Intermountain)
*Setter Charlie Fuerbringer of Southern California was originally selected to the team but due to health concerns was precluded from joining the roster.

Head Coach: Jamie Morrison
Assistant Coach: Michelle Chatman
Assistant Coach: Keegan Cook
Performance Analyst: Maggie Eppright
Team Lead: Noel Carpio

Girls U19 Pan American Cup

Teams

Group A
Brazil
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Puerto Rico

Group B
Canada
Mexico
Peru
USA

Schedule

(All times CDT)
July 18
Noon: Dominican Republic vs Costa Rica
2 pm: Peru vs Canada
4 pm: Puerto Rico vs Brazil
6 pm: USA vs Mexico

July 19
Noon: Puerto Rico vs Costa Rica
2 pm: Peru vs Mexico
4 pm: Dominican Republic vs Brazil
6 pm: USA vs Canada

July 20
Noon: Brazil vs Costa Rica
2 pm: Canada vs Mexico
4 pm: Dominican Republic vs Puerto Rico
6 pm: USA vs Peru

July 21
Quarterfinals
4 pm 2^nd B vs 3^rd A
6 pm 3^rd B vs 2^nd A

July 22
Classification 5/8
Noon and 2 pm
Semifinals
4 and 6 pm

July 23
Noon: Classification 7/8
2 pm: Classification 5/6
4 pm: Third-place match
6 pm: First-place match