COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 25, 2022) – Fourteen players have been chosen to represent the United States at the 2022 World ParaVolley Women’s Sitting Volleyball World Championship on Nov. 4-11 in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team is ranked No. 1 in the world and is the two-time reigning Paralympic Games gold medalist. One title that has eluded the team is the world championship. It has won the silver medal at the last three world championships.
Nine players on this year’s U.S. team were on the 12-athlete roster at the 2018 World Championship: Team Captain Monique Burkland, Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Heather Erickson, Kaleo Kanahele Maclay, Nicky Nieves, Lexi Shifflett-Patterson, Lora Webster and Bethany Zummo. All nine have also won at least one Paralympic gold medal.
Paralympic gold medalist Emma Schieck will make her world championship debut in Sarajevo. Others playing in their first world championship are Courtney Baker, Maddy Ball, Gia Cruz and Sydney Satchell.
Due to injuries and maternity leaves, the full world championship team has not had a lot of time to train all together. In July, a team of 12 players went 6-0 to win gold at the Dutch Tournament. Eleven of those players are on the world championship roster.
Head Coach Bill Hamiter said he is feeling positive about his team’s chances heading into the competition.
“The players are looking forward to the world champs,” he said. “They’re ready to play. We’re hoping that we can work out some of the kinks and execute at the level we need to win the thing.”
A total of 13 teams will compete at the 2022 World Championships. The field does not include the only three teams that have won previous world champions: Netherlands, China and Russia.
The U.S. Women will share their opening-round pool with Canada, Iran and Slovenia. Other countries competing are Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Rwanda and Ukraine.
In the past, the top two finishers at the World Championship have qualified for the Paralympic Games. This year, only the winner will qualify.
Matches are scheduled to be live streamed on the World ParaVolley Facebook Page and the World ParaVolley YouTube Channel.
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Roster for the World Championship
No. Name (Position, Ht., Hometown, Region)
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y., Garden Empire)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif., Northern California)
3 Lexi Shifflett-Patterson (S, 5-4, Waseca, Minn., North Country)
4 Maddy Ball (OH, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla., Florida)
6 Heather Erickson (Opp, 6-0, Fayetteville, N.C., Carolina)
7C Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla., Oklahoma)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz., Arizona)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla., Oklahoma)
10 Sydney Satchell (L, 5-2, Windsor, Conn., New England)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C., Carolina)
13 Gia Cruz (S, 5-5, San Antonio, Texas, Lone Star)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
18 Courtney Baker (OH, 5-9, Crofton, Ky., Pioneer)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jeffery Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kat King
Team Manager: Patrick Lawrence
Sport Psychologist: Adam O’Neil
U.S. Women’s Sitting Team Schedule for the World Championship
(Subject to change; All times CT)
Nov. 4 at 1 p.m. USA vs Iran
Nov. 6 at 2 a.m. USA vs Canada
Nov. 7 at 4:30 a.m. USA vs Slovenia
Nov. 8-9 Playoffs, classification matches and quarterfinals
Nov. 10 Semifinals and classification matches
Nov. 11 Playoffs and Medal matches