Women's U21 Storms to 2024 NORCECA Gold Medal

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2024) – Continuing the dominant play that it displayed throughout the tournament, the U.S. Women’s U21 National Team captured the 2024 NORCECA Women’s U21 Continental Championship gold medal with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16) win over Puerto Rico on Sunday in Toronto, Canada.

With the title, the U.S. automatically qualified for the 2025 Women’s U21 World Championship.

“I think our team did a great job. Everyone was ready to play at any time. I thought our offense has been great all tournament and it was exciting to see us play well,” remarked U.S. Women’s U21 head coach Heather Olmstead. “Congratulations to Puerto Rico. They played a great tournament, and they have a great coaching staff. It was a fun match for us to do our best and I’m happy for the U.S. U21 team to win the gold and get the bid to the world championships next summer. All our players are eligible for next year’s U21 and I think they just set a great tone for the U21 age group. They worked hard and did everything we asked them to. I couldn’t be happier with their performance and how they were all in for the team all the time.”

Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Spiker. Libero Ramsey Gary was chosen as Best Receiver.

The U.S., which did not lose a set in five wins in the championship, finished the gold medal match with significant margins in kills (46-24), blocks (9-2), and aces (7-3).

“What a great tournament. NORCECA has done a great job and Canada was a wonderful host. We couldn’t be happier about the event this whole week. Everything was unbelievably professional and we had a great time. It was very classy,” Omstead said of the championship.”

Middle blocker Andi Jackson led all scorers with 14 points on 10 kills, a match-high three blocks, and one ace. DeLeye and fellow outside Julia Blyashov each reached double digits and recorded seven kills. DeLeye led all players with four aces to finish with 11 points, while Blyashov contributed two blocks and an ace for 10 points.

Setters Bergen Reilly and Campbell Flynn led the U.S. to a sterling .474 hitting efficiency (46 kills, 9 errors, 76 total attacks). Reilly added two kills and a block. Gary totaled 14 digs, more than twice as many as the next highest total.

Opposite Kennedy Martin scored eight points on six kills and a pair of blocks. Outside Blaire Bayless scored five points in the third set with three kills to go with a block and an ace. Middle blockers Favor Anyanwu (five) and Taylor Harvey (four) combined for nine kills.

DeLeye served for eight consecutive points with two aces in the first set as the U.S. turned a 9-7 lead into a 17-7 advantage. Martin led all scorers with six points on five kills and a block, followed by Blyashov, who scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

After losing the first three points of the second set, Puerto Rico scored 10 of the next 16 points to take a 10-9. The U.S. led by just two points, 16-14, before finishing the set on a 9-2 run. Jackson scored three points in the run and DeLeye added two. DeLeye led the team with six points (four kills, two aces), Blyashov (four kills, one ace) and Jackson (three kills, one block, one ace) each scored five points.

The U.S. took control of the third set with a 13-3 spurt to take an 18-7 lead, ending on a Bayless ace. Play went back and forth for the remainder of the set with Jackson scoring the penultimate U.S. point and outside Abby Vander Wal scoring the gold medal-clinching point on a kill.

With Puerto Rico taking the silver medal and the Dominican Republic defeating host Canada for the bronze medal, all three medalists came from the same preliminary pool.

2024 U.S. Women’s U21 National Team
for the NORCECA Women’s U21 Continental Championship

Name (Pos., Ht., Birth year, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
3 Julia Blyashov (OH, 6-3, 2005, San Diego, Calif., Stanford University, Southern California)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Favor Anyanwu (MB, 6-2, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Sachse HS, North Texas)
6 Campbell Flynn (S, 6-3, 2006, Rochester Hills, Mich., Mercy HS, Lakeshore)
7 Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8C Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, 2005, Sioux Falls, S.D., University of Nebraska, North Country)
10 Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., Indiana University, Hoosier)
14 Andi Jackson (MB, 6-3, 2005, Brighton, Colo., University of Nebraska, Rocky Mountain)
17 Teraya Sigler (OH, 6-2, 2006,  Scottsdale, Ariz., Horizon HS, Arizona)
18 Kennedy Martin (OPP, 6-6, 2005, Fort Mill, S.C., University of Florida, Badger)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Ill., Timothy Christian HS, Great Lakes)

Head Coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant Coach: Jaylen Reyes (Nebraska)
Assistant Coach: Alex Dunphy (Stanford)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham (USC)
Athletic Trainer: Rachel Menze (CSUN)
Team Lead: Courtney Smith (USAV NTDP)

Alternates
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)
9 Taylor Anderson (S, 6-1, 2005, San Antonio Texas, Purdue University, Lone Star)
12 Olivia Mauch (L, 5-6, 2005, Bennington, Neb., University of Nebraska, Great Plains)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Ariz., University of Utah, Arizona)
15 Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty HS, Heart of America)
16 Logan Parks (OPP,5-11,2006, Overland Park, Kan., Blue Valley North HS, Heart of America)
20 Laney Choboy (L, 5-3, 2005, Raleigh, N.C., University of Nebraska, Carolina)

U.S. Schedule
for the NORCECA Women’s U21 Continental Championship
(all times PDT)

All matches will be livestreamed on Volleyball Canada’s YouTube.

June 25 USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-11)
June 26 USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-5, 25-9)
June 27 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-15)
June 28 Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
June 29 Semifinals, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-12)
June 30 Gold Medal match, USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16)