COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 8, 2016) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 36 players who will train and compete as part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team-Indianapolis program.
The squad, which is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline and is considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will train and compete from June 21-30 in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the program is divided into three 12-player rosters from the training portion, the competition phase involving a round-robin tournament of the three squads will take place June 26-29 under the same roof as the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.
Selected CNT-Indianapolis setters are Aubrey Edie (University of Mississippi, Fayetteville, Arkansas), Kristen Gengenbacher (University of San Diego, Quincy, Illinois), Erica Handley (University of Minnesota, Lakeville, Minnesota), Brittany Jessen (University of South Dakota, Mendota Heights, Minnesota), Taylor Nelson (Cal Poly, Granite Bay, California) and Kayla Ostrom (Lipscomb University, Lafayette, Indiana). Abby Detering (University of Florida, Mentor, Ohio) was originally selected, but removed herself from consideration due to personal reasons.
Middle blockers chosen to the team are Kayla Buford (University of Minnesota, Canton, Michigan), Tess Clark (University of Louisville, Phoenix, Arizona), Janelle Giordano (Southern Methodist University, Keller, Texas), Kayla Haneline (University of Northern Iowa, Plattsmouth, Nebraska), Jaelyn Keene (Illinois State University, Jacksonville, Illinois), Kelsey O’Neill (University of Pittsburgh, Skokie, Illinois), Jenna Potts (University of Pittsburgh, Bernville, Pennsylvania), Lauren Schad (University of San Diego, Rapid City, South Dakota) and Lynsey Wright (Missouri State University, Glen Carbon, Illinois).
Outside hitters named to the team are Amanda Carroll (Florida Gulf Coast University, Albuquerque, New Mexico), Danielle Cuttino (Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana), Katie Horton (Florida State University, Westland, Michigan), Taylor Louis (Marquette University, Skokie, Illinois), Giovanna Milana (University of Maryland, Romeo, Michigan), Olivia Rusek (Miami University [Ohio], Skokie, Illinois), Brooke Sassin (Kansas State University, San Antonio, Texas), Azariah Stahl (Purdue University, Elkhart, Indiana), Teegan Van Gunst (Georgia Tech, Fayetteville, Georgia) and Jaali Winters (Creighton University, Ankeny, Iowa). Melanie Crow (University of of Mississippi, Wildwood, Missouri) was originally selected to the program, but needed to remove herself due to health reasons.
Opposites tabbed for the CNT-Indianapolis team are Shelly Fanning (Baylor University, Houston, Texas), Amanda Green (Marquette University, Skokie, Illinois), Katherine Hegarty (Southern Methodist University, Aztec, New Mexico), Janelle Jenkins (University of Louisville, Southlake, Texas), Taylor Joachim (University of Colorado, Baroda, Michigan), and Bryna Vogel (Kansas State University, Clearwater, Kansas).
Serving as libero for the team are Emily Butters (Missouri State University, Richmond, Texas), Ashley Dusek (University of Kentucky, East Bernard, Texas), Amelia Held (University of Northern Iowa, Festus, Missouri), Laura Larson (University of Arizona, Lakeville, Minnesota) and Cierra Simpson (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado). Molly Sauer (University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky) was originally named to the team, but had to remove herself for personal reasons.
University of Louisville has three players participating in the CNT-Indianapolis program. Interestingly, the Chicago suburb of Skokie, Illinois has three players on the CNT-Indianapolis 36-player roster.
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 19-21 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
2016 U.S. Collegiate National Team – Indianapolis
Name (Position, School, 2016 College Year, Height, Hometown)
Kayla Buford (MB, University of Minnesota, 3, 6-2, Canton, Michigan)
Emily Butters (L, Missouri State University, 3, 5-8, Richmond, Texas)
Amanda Carroll (OH, Florida Gulf Coast University, 3, 5-10, Albuquerque, New Mexico)
Tess Clark (MB, University of Louisville, 2, 6-3, Phoenix, Arizona)
* Melanie Crow (OH, University of Mississippi, 1, 6-1, Wildwood, Missouri)
Danielle Cuttino (OH, Purdue University, 2, 6-4, Indianapolis, Indiana)
* Abby Detering (S, University of Florida, 2, 6-0, Mentor, Ohio)
Ashley Dusek (L, University of Kentucky, 2, 5-7, East Bernard, Texas)
Aubrey Edie (S, University of Mississippi, 1, 6-0, Fayetteville, Arkansas)
Shelly Fanning (OPP, Baylor University, 3, 6-2, Houston, Texas)
Kristen Gengenbacher (S, University of San Diego, 2, 5-9, Quincy, Illinois)
Janelle Giordano (MB, Southern Methodist University, 1, 6-2, Keller, Texas)
Amanda Green (OPP, Marquette University, 4, 6-1, Skokie, Illinois)
Erica Handley (S, University of Minnesota, 1, 6-1, Lakeville, Minnesota)
Kayla Haneline (MB, University of Northern Iowa, 1, 6-2, Plattsmouth, Nebraska)
Katherine Hegarty (OPP, Southern Methodist University, 2, 6-2, Aztec, New Mexico)
Amelia Held (L, University of Northern Iowa, 1, 5-9, Festus, Missouri)
Katie Horton (OH, Florida State University, 1, 6-1, Westland, Michigan)
Janelle Jenkins (OPP, University of Louisville, 1, 5-11, Southlake, Texas)
# Brittany Jessen (S, University of South Dakota, 2, 5-9, Mendota Heights, Minnesota)
Taylor Joachim (OPP, University of Colorado, 4, 6-4, Baroda, Michigan)
Jaelyn Keene (MB, Illinois State University, 2, 6-2, Jacksonville, Illinois)
>Laura Larson (L, University of Arizona, 1, 5-6, Lakeville, Minnesota)
Taylor Louis (OH, Marquette University, 3, 6-2, Skokie, Illinois)
>Giovanna Milana (OH, University of Maryland, 4, 6-2, Romeo, Michigan)
Taylor Nelson (S, Cal Poly, 2, 6-0, Granite Bay, California)
Kelsey O’Neill (MB, University of Pittsburgh, 2, 6-1, Skokie, Illinois)
Kayla Ostrom (S, Lipscomb University, 1, 5-9, Lafayette, Indiana)
Olivia Rusek (OH, Miami University [Ohio], 2, 5-11, Skokie, Illinois)
Brooke Sassin (OH, Kansas State University, 1, 6-0, San Antonio, Texas)
* Molly Sauer (L, University of Louisville, 3, 5-11, Louisville, Kentucky)
Lauren Schad (MB, University of San Diego, 2, 6-2, Rapid City, South Dakota)
# Cierra Simpson (L, University of Colorado, 1, 6-0, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Azariah Stahl (OH, Purdue University, 2, 6-0, Elkhart, Indiana)
# Teegen Van Gunst (OH, Georgia Tech, 1, 6-0, Fayetteville, Georgia)
Lynsey Wright (MB, Missouri State University, 2, 6-0, Glen Carbon, Illinois)
Bryna Vogel (OPP, Kansas State University, 2, 6-0, Clearwater, Kansas)
Jaali Winters (OH, Creighton University, 3, 6-2, Ankeny, Iowa)
NOTES: # denotes players added to roster after initial announcement; * denotes players who have dropped from program for personal reasons