COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 19, 2017) – The U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team – Thailand Tour (CNT-Thailand) will have a five-match competition schedule, including three matches of the Thai National Team and two contests against professional teams in the Thai league, as part of its training tour in Bangkok, Thailand from May 19-30.
The CNT-Thailand team will open its schedule on May 22 against Thailand’s Supreme Professional Team, followed by a contest against the Thai National Team on May 23. The U.S. squad will face Bangkok Glass Professional Team on May 24 before wrapping up the tour challenging the Thai National Team on May 25 and May 29. All matches are scheduled for 4 p.m. Thai Time and held at the FIVB Development Center in Bangkok.
Middles selected to the elite CNT-Thailand squad are Kaz Brown (University of Kentucky, Waterloo, Iowa), Morgan Johnson (University of Texas, DeSoto, Texas) and Chiaka Ogbogu (University of Texas, Coppell, Texas). The outside hitters named to the roster are Lily Johnson (Missouri State University, Wildwood, Missouri), Madison Ridgon (University of Kansas, Plugerville, Texas), Micaya White (University of Texas, Frisco, Texas) and McKenna Woodford (Washington State University, Chandler, Arizona).
The two opposites selected to the CNT-Thailand Tour are Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (University of Texas, Los Angeles) and Jordan Thompson (University of Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota). The setters are Taylor Hughes (Ohio State University, Carroll, Ohio) and Taylor Nelson (Cal Poly, Granite Bay, California). The libero will be Brittany Witt (Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska).
Texas Head Coach Jerritt Elliott will serve as the CNT-Thailand head coach. He will be assisted by Concordia University Irvine Head Coach Paula Weishoff, a three-time U.S. Olympian who earned silver in 1984 Olympics and bronze in 1992 Olympics, and University of Dayton assistant coach Alyssa D’Errico.
The CNT-Thailand roster includes four players from the 2016 NCAA runner-up University of Texas Longhorns. The squad has seven players with experience within USA Volleyball’s Collegiate National Team Program. Brown, Rigdon and Thompson were members of last year’s CNT-China Tour roster, while Hughes, Lily Johnson and Woodford were part of the CNT-Europe Tour roster. Nelson was part of the CNT-Indianapolis program last summer.
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Two other CNT programs are being held this summer, including one on a tour of Europe and the other training and competing in Minneapolis.
U.S. Collegiate National Team-Thailand Tour Roster
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (OPP, University of Texas, 6-4, 2, Los Angeles, California)
Kaz Brown (M, University of Kentucky, 6-4, 1, Waterloo, Iowa)
Taylor Hughes (S, Ohio State University, 2, 6-1, Carroll, Ohio)
Lily Johnson (OH, Missouri State University, 5-11, 1, Wildwood, Missouri)
Morgan Johnson (M, University of Texas, 6-3, 2, DeSoto, Texas)
Taylor Nelson (S, Cal Poly, 1, 6-0, Granite Bay, California)
Chiaka Ogbogu (M, University of Texas, 6-2, 1, Coppell, Texas)
Madison Ridgon (OH, University of Kansas, 6-0, 1, Pflugerville, Texas)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 2, 6-4, Edina, Minnesota)
Micaya White (OH, University of Texas, 6-1, 3, Frisco, Texas)
Brittany Witt (L, Creighton Universiyt, 5-8, 3, Omaha, Nebraska)
McKenna Woodford (OH, Washington State University, 6-4, 2, Chandler, Arizona)
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (head coach at University of Texas)
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (head coach at University of Concordia Irvine)
Assistant Coach: Alyssa D’Errico (assistant coach at University of Dayton)