Twelve Players Selected for 2023 U19 Girls Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 5, 2023) – The USA Volleyball National Team Development Program (NTDP) has selected 12 athletes to compete at the 2023 Girls U19 NORCECA Pan American Cup on May 9-15 in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.

The 12 athletes were chosen from a roster of 20 U19 National Team athletes who trained April 30-May 6 at the Anaheim National Team Training Center.

“I’m really pleased with the growth of our group of talented athletes over the week,” head coach Keegan Cook said. “It’s a lot of ‘new’ coming their way, and by the end of the week I’m just amazed at the level of play.”

Two players on the roster return from the 2022 team that won the Girls U19 Pan American Cup in Tulsa, Okla., and qualified for the 2023 FIVB U19 Girls World Championship: outside hitter Julia Blyashov and setter Izzy Starck. Blyashov also played on the 2021 Girls U18 Team that won bronze at the 2021 FIVB U18 World Championship. In late April she was named MVP of the 18 Open division at the USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championship, where her club team captured the title.

In addition to Blyashov and Starck, players headed to Puerto Rico are outside hitters Blaire Bayless, Kaci Demaria, Teraya Sigler and Abby Vander Wal, and middle blockers Lizzy Andrew, Jaela Auguste and Calissa Minatee. Olivia Babcock plays at opposite and Logan Parks plays setter/opposite. Ava Falduto is the libero.

Alternates for the team are outside hitters Suli Davis, Brooklyn DeLeye and Kelly Kinney, middles Taylor Harvey and Alec Rothe, setters Reese Messer and Taylor Yu, and libero Ryan McAleer.

Other teams competing at the Pan Am Cup are Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“You never really know what you’re going to get when you go overseas, which is part of the fun, in terms of the challenges and the level of play” Cook said. “I expect things to be pretty competitive after experiencing most of these teams last year in Tulsa. I think they’ll be one year better, and it will be a nice challenge for USA.”

The 2023 Girls U19 Pan American Cup was a late addition to the NORCECA calendar and USA Volleyball looks forward to participating in both the Pan Am Cup and the 2023 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship.

The roster for the 2023 FIVB Girls U19 World Championship (Aug. 1-11 in Croatia and Hungary) will be determined later this year.

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No. Name (Position, Height, Birth Year, Hometown, School, Region)
1 Lizzy Andrew (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Wash., Ridgefield HS, Columbia Empire)
2 Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, Spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lonestar)
3 Olivia Babcock (OPP, 6-4, 2005, Los Angeles, Calif., Sierra Canyon HS, Southern California)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, Plano West Senior HS, North Texas)
5 Julia Blyashov (OH, 6-3, 2005, San Diego, Calif., Cathedral Catholic HS, Southern California)
8 Kaci Demaria (OH, 6-4, 2007, San Pedro, Calif., Palos Verdes HS, Southern California)
9 Ava Falduto (L, 5-7, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., IC Catholic Prep, Great Lakes)
14 Calissa Minatee (MB, 6-0, 2005, Kansas City, Mo., University of Minnesota, Heart of America)
15 Logan Parks (OPP/S, 5-11, 2006, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley North HS, Heart of America)
17 Teraya Sigler (OH, 6-2, 2006, Horizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz., Arizona)
18 Izzy Starck (S, 6-1, 2006, Colorado Springs, Colo., Rampart HS, Rocky Mountain)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., Timothy Christian HS, Great Lakes)

Head Coach: Keegan Cook
Assistant Coach: Krista Hendrickson
Assistant Coach: Cursty Le Roux
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham
Athletic Trainer: Cherryl Bueno
Team Lead: Courtney Smith

Alternates
Suli Davis (OH, 6-2, 2007, Euless, Texas, Colleyville Heritage HS, North Texas)
Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., Washburn Rural HS, Heart of America)
Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
Kelly Kinney (OH, 6-2, 2007, West Palm Beach, Fla., The King’s Academy, Florida)
Ryan McAleer (L, 5-5, 2005, Leawood, Kan., Blue Valley HS, Heart of America)
Reese Messer (S, 5-11, 2006, Olathe, Kan., Saint James Academy, Heart of America)
Alec Rothe (MB, 6-3, 2006, Dublin, Ohio, Dublin Scioto HS, Ohio Valley)
Taylor Yu (S, 6-0, 2006, Temple City, Calif., Temple City HS, Southern California)