COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 24, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s and Men’s Sitting Teams will both be in Dallas this week to play their Canadian counterparts in exhibition matches on May 25-27 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The teams will be playing in conjunction with the USAV Open National Championships on May 25-30.
Most of the players will stay on in Dallas to compete in the sitting division.
The focus for both teams is on the 2018 Sitting Volleyball World Championships on July 15-22 in Netherlands.
The U.S. Women, ranked No. 1 in the world, are the defending Paralympic champions, but have never won a world title and have finished second to China the last two cycles (2014 and 2010).
The U.S. Men would like to improve on their 10th-place finish at the last two World Championships (2014 and 2010) and perhaps improve on their No. 8 world ranking.
The U.S. Women scrimmaged Canada earlier this year at the Colorado Crossroads Qualifier and won both matches. The U.S. also won three matches against Russia.
The U.S. Men are coming off five exhibition matches against Canada in Ottawa, where they went 4-1. The U.S. Men also competed at the World ParaVolley World Super 6 with a small team and finished sixth.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
For the women, 10 out of the 12 players return from the team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games: Lora Webster, Bethany Zummo, Lexi Shifflett, Katie Holloway, Heather Erickson, Monique Burkland, Nichole Millage, Kaleao (Kanahele) Maclay, Nicky Nieves and Tia Edwards.
Webster is a four-time Paralympian while Holloway, Erickson and Millage have all competed in three. Maclay and Burkland have played in two.
Whitney Dosty has been the leading newcomer to the team since 2016. The 6-foot-3 outside hitter played college volleyball at the University of Arizona and professionally overseas before an ankle injury ended her standing career.
Eight players on the Men’s Sitting Team return from the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Team that finished eighth: Dan Regan, Eric Duda, James Stuck, Roderick Green, Charles Swearingen, John Kremer, Chris Seilkop and J Dee Marinko.
Among the newcomers to watch are 18-year-old Zach Upp, a high school and club volleyball player who was born without his right arm and wears a prosthetic. Military veterans Nick Dadgostar and Patrick Young have also seen significant playing time with the team.
IMPORTANT DATES
June 14-17: Women’s Sitting Team at The Dutch Tournament in Assen
July 15-22: Both teams at Sitting World Championships in Netherlands
DALLAS SCHEDULE (All times CT)
May 25
8 a.m. U.S. Men vs Canada
10 a.m. U.S. Women vs Canada
2 p.m. U.S. Men vs Canada
4 p.m. U.S. Women vs Canada
Saturday, May 26
8 a.m. U.S. Women vs Canada
10 a.m. U.S. Men vs Canada
2 p.m. U.S. Women vs Canada
4 p.m. U.S. Men vs Canada
Sunday, May 27
8 a.m. U.S. Men vs Canada
10 a.m. U.S. Women vs Canada