2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Press Kit by USA Volleyball

U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Press Kit

2010 PAN AM CUP BRONZE

2010 FIVB World Grand Prix GOLD

2011 PAN AM CUP BRONZE

2011 FIVB World Grand Prix GOLD

2011 NORCECA CONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP GOLD

2011 PAN AM GAMES BRONZE

2011 FIVB World CUP SILVER

2012 FIVB World Grand Prix GOLD

2012 PAN AM CUP GOLD

2012 SUMMER OLYMPICS ???? 1

Table of Contents Cover Page............................................................................................................................ 1 Table of Contents................................................................................................................... 2 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team for Olympic Games.......................................... 3 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Quick Information and 2012 Storylines................. 4-5 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Preview for London Games........................... 6-7 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Photo Chart..................................................... 8 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Player Capsules................................................ 9 2012 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Season Stats (FIVB World Grand Prix)............ 10 2012 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Schedule....................................................... 11 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Review............................................................................... 12-13 2012 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Season in Review...................................... 14-53 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Player Bios................................................ 54-67 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Staff Bios.................................................. 68-73 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Rosters.......................................................... 74 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Season in Review........................................... 75 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Schedule/Results........................................... 76 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Data Project Stats.......................................... 77 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Match Recaps......................................... 78-157 2011 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Athlete of the Year...................................... 158 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 Montreux Volley Masters............. 159 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 Pan American Cup........................ 160 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix................. 161 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 NORCECA Championship.............. 162 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 Pan American Games................... 163 U.S. Women’s National Team DataVolley Stats for 2011 FIVB World Cup............................ 164 Glossary of Volleyball Terms.............................................................................................. 165 2010 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Competition Rosters.................................... 166 2010 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Data Project Statistics.................................. 167 2010 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Results........................................................ 168 U.S. All-Time Versus International Competition................................................................. 169 U.S. Olympic Volleyball History in Rewind.................................................................. 170-177 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Past Olympians.................................................... 178 All-Time U.S. Women’s Olympic Volleyball Team Members in Pictures............................... 179 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team All-Time Results............................................ 180-181 International Volleyball Fact Sheet............................................................................. 182-184 USA Volleyball Fact Sheet.................................................................................................. 185 Credits: This 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Prix Press Kit is a copyrighted publication produced by USA Volleyball. Design and Contents: Bill Kauffman, USA Volleyball Senior Manager of Communications USA Volleyball, 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Phone: (719) 228-6800 E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org Web Site: www.usavolleyball.org

2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Roster # Name

Pos Ht

College

WC OG Other Tot

Baton Rouge, La.

Long Beach State

29 30 354

413

Danielle Scott-Arruda MB

Tayyiba Haneef-Park OPP 6-7

Laguna Hills, Calif.

Long Beach State

22 14 230

266

Lindsey Berg

5-8

Honolulu, Hawaii

Minnesota

11 14 186

211

Tamari Miyashiro

5-7

Kaneohe, Hawaii

Washington

Nicole Davis

5-4

Stockton, Calif.

Southern California 11 8

193

212

10 Jordan Larson

6-2

Hooper, Neb.

Nebraska

11 -

110

121

11 Megan Hodge

6-3

Durham, N.C.

Penn State

11 -

101

13 Christa Harmotto

6-2

Hopewell Twp, Pa.

Penn State

15 Logan Tom

6-1

Salt Lake City, Utah

Stanford

22 16 186

224

16 Foluke Akinradewo

6-3

Plantation, Fla.

Stanford

11 -

119

130

5-8

Kent, Wash.

Washington

San Antonio, Texas

Texas

11 -

17 Courtney Thompson S 19 Destinee Hooker

6-2

Hometown

Opp 6-4

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Technical Coordinator: Giuseppe Vinci (Casteggio, Italy) Athletic Trainer/Physiotherapist: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Doctor: Dr. William Stetson (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) Team Leader: Kenneth Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy (Malibu, Calif.)

Quick Team Information Current FIVB World Ranking: 1st Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon 2012 Record: 23-1 2011: 39-10; 2010: 28-13; 2009: 18-14 Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly, Paula Weishoff; Asst Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison

U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Quick Information and Storylines

2012 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Schedule

FIVB World Grand Prix Pool B Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic June 8: def. Germany 3-1 June 9: def. Chinese Taipei 3-0 June 10: def. Dominican Republic 3-0 FIVB World Grand Prix Pool E Sao Paulo, Brazil June 15: def. Italy 3-0 June 16: def. Germany 3-0 June 17: def. Brazil 3-1 FIVB World Grand Prix Pool J Bangkok, Thailand June 22: def. Serbia 3-0 June 23: def. Argentina 3-0 June 24: def. Thailand 3-0 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Ningo, China June 27: def. Brazil 3-2 June 28: def. Thailand 3-1 June 29: def. Turkey 3-1 June 30: def. Cuba 3-0 July 1: def. China 3-0 Pre-Olympic Exhibition Series Los Angeles and Anaheim, Calif. July 14: def. Bulgaria 3-2 July 16: def. Bulgaria 3-1 July 18: def. Bulgaria 3-0 Pan American Cup Cuidad Juarez, Mexico July 12: def. Canada 3-0 July 13: def. Puerto Rico 3-0 July 14: lost to Cuba 1-3 July 15: def. Colombia 3-1 July 16: def. Dominican Republic 3-2 July 19: def. Dominican Republic 3-1 July 20: def. Brazil 3-2 Olympic Games London, England July 28: vs. Korea, 8 p.m. (noon PT) July 30: vs. Brazil, 4:45 p.m. (8:45 a.m. PT) Aug. 1: vs. China, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 3: vs. Serbia, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 5: vs. Turkey, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 7: Quarterfinals Aug. 9: Semifinals Aug. 11: Medal Round

2012 Olympic Games

Additional Team USA Facts USA Volleyball CEO: Doug Beal Training Site: Anaheim, Calif. Media Contact: Bill Kauffman Phone: 719-228-6800 E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org Web Site: www.usavolleyball.org Confederation: NORCECA

OLYMPIC GAMES COMPETITION: The 12-team women’s volleyball Olympic Games competition will take place on alternating days at Earls Court starting July 28. The preliminary round consists of two pools of six teams playing a roundrobin format with the top four teams in each pool advancing to the quarterfinal round. The top pool finisher crosses over to play the fourth place team in the quarterfinals, while a drawing of lot decides the crossover matches for secondand third-place finishers. Semifinals are on Aug. 9 with the medal-round matches on Aug. 11. OLYMPIC GAMES POOLS: The U.S. is part of Pool B with No. 2 Brazil, No. 5 China, No. 6 Serbia, No. 11 Turkey and No. 15 Korea. Pool A includes No. 4 Italy, No. 5 Japan, No. 9 Russia, No. 11 Dominican Republic, No. 16 Algeria and No. 69 Great Britain. OLYMPIC GAMES POOL SCHEDULE: The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team opens pool play on July 28 against Korea at 8 p.m. (noon PT), followed by a 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal rematch against Brazil on July 30 at 4:45 p.m. (8:45 a.m. PT). On the middle day of pool play, Team USA faces 2008 Olympic Games bronze medalist China on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. (noon PT). The U.S. challenges Serbia on Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. (noon PT) before concluding the preliminary round against Turkey on Aug. 5 at 8 p.m. (noon PT). U.S. OLYMPIC WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM ROSTER: U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon will use his Olympic Games roster for the three Challenge Series matches with Bulgaria. For the Olympics, he has selected setters Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.), middle blockers Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) and Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.), outside hitters Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) and Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah), opposites Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) and liberos Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii). PAST OLYMPIC GAMES RESULTS: The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team has medaled at the Olympic Games three times, earning the silver medal at the most recent edition at the Beijing Games. The U.S. Women also earned the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as well as the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The U.S. seeks its first gold medal in any of the major tournaments – Olympic Games, FIVB World Championships, FIVB World Cup – that happen every four years. FIVB WORLD RANKING: The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, 23-1 overall in 2012, moved into first place in the FIVB world ranking in November of 2011, ending Brazil’s four-year run on the top spot. As of the July 9 ranking, the Olympic Games Pool B has the top three teams in the world with No. 1 USA, No. 2 Brazil and No. 3 China. BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK TITLES AT FIVB WORLD GRAND PRIX: The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team concluded the FIVB World Grand Prix undefeated in 14 matches, including a 5-0 record in the Final Round, to claim its third straight title in the event. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) was selected as the most valuable player and Best Scorer in the Final Round. Hodge becomes the third different American player to earn the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award following Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) in 2010 and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) in 2011. Overall, the U.S. had 17 players compete at some point during 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix and all 17 had at least two starts. The balanced squad featured 11 players with at least five starts each and contributing to the gold-medal cause. The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual women’s international volleyball tournament with a field of 16 teams competing in three preliminary weekends of nine matches before qualification into the round-robin Final Round. The U.S. has now won all five of its FIVB World Grand Prix titles in China. Two years ago Team USA won the World Grand Prix title also in Ningbo, while bringing back the 2011 title from Macau, China. The Americans claimed their first FIVB World Grand Prix title in 1995 at Shanghai followed by the 2001 title at Macau. Team USA became just the second country to win the FIVB World Grand Prix for three consecutive years. Aside from the U.S., only Brazil has successfully defended its title having won the tournament three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 and back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. TUNE-UP BULGARIA CHALLENGE SERIES: In a final tune-up for the Olympic Games, the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team hosted Bulgaria in a three-match Challenge Series in Southern California and came away with three wins. Team USA won the opening match 22-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11 at Canyon High School in Anaheim on July 14 as Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored 26 points. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) contributed 21 points in pacing the Americans to a 25-14, 18-25, 25-17, 25-21 victory in the second match play on July 16 at the Galen Center on the campus of University of Southern California. The U.S. swept Bulgaria 25-18, 25-17, 25-19 in the series finale on July 18 at the Galen Center as Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) scored matching team highs of 13 points. “It was really great to play Bulgaria in these three matches,” U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). “They are a physical team and well-coached. I am happy that every time we played them we got a little better each time and peaking toward the Olympic Games.” PAN AMERICAN CUP TITLE GOES TO THE USA: The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team captured the Pan American Cup title with a five-set win over Brazil July 20 at Juarez, Mexico, as both teams used a roster of alternates and younger players. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) was named most valuable player and best scorer of the tournament, including a 35-point performance in leading the Americans to victory in the gold-medal match. The U.S. qualified for the 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix by reaching the Pan American Cup semifinal round. DRIVE FOR FIVE OLYMPICS: Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) has had staying power in the sport as one of the best middle blockers in the world. She played in her fourth Olympic Games in Beijing, winning her first medal as Team USA captured the silver medal. Only Tara Cross-Battle has been selected to four U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Teams, matched only once on the men’s side by Lloy Ball. Scott-Arruda will be 39 years old at the time of the London Games – just three months shy of turning 40. Further, Scott-Arruda is just the third female volleyball player worldwide to compete in five Olympic Games, matching the feat of Brazilian setter Hélia Rogério de Souza (Fofão) and Russia’s Yevgeniya Artamonova-Estes (who is attempting to compete in her sixth Olympics in London). Aside from age, ScottArruda has also taken time off from the team in parts of 2009 and 2010 as she gave birth to her first child in April 2010. After missing all competitions in 2010, Scott-Arruda returned to the lineup at the 2011 FIVB World Cup and helped the

FIVB World Ranking (as of July 9, 2012) U.S. to the silver medal and Olympic Games qualification. She averaged 1.62 points per set during the World Cup with a

1. USA.......................................245 2. Brazil..................................217.5 3. China..................................187.0 4. Italy..................................183.75 5. Japan................................177.25 6. Germany............................119.25 7. Serbia.................................112.0 8. Turkey...............................104.25 9. Russia.................................96.25 10. Cuba.......................................87.0 11. Dominican Republic............72.75 12. Thailand.................................72.0 13. Poland..................................59.75 14. Kenya....................................50.75 15. Korea..................................49.25 16. Algeria................................47.25 17. Peru......................................41.50 18. Argentina...............................39.0 19. Puerto Rico.............................37.5 69T. Great Britain.......................... 5.5 Blue = 2012 Olympic Games Pool B Red = 2012 Olympic Games Pool A USA National Team Center and City of Anaheim USA Volleyball and the City of Anaheim are pleased to announce the agreement to bring the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to Anaheim from Colorado Springs was finalized in April 2009. The agreement also designates Anaheim as the Exclusive Official Host City for the USA Men’s and Women’s National Volleyball Teams through 2016. The team trains at the USA National Team Center within the American Sports Centers in Anaheim. The City of Anaheim and USA Volleyball are grateful for the support of these local sponsors who have contributed to the success of the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams in Anaheim: American Sports Centers; Anaheim White House; JT Schmid’s Restaurant & Brewery; PepZ Pizza & Eatery; OC Sports Grill; Ruth’s Chris Steak House; CIM/Anaheim; Anaheim Marriott Suites; Anaheim Marriott Hotel; B.W. Stovals Hotels; Crowne Plaza Hotel; Disneyland Resort Hotels; Doubletree Guest Suites; Embassy Suites Anaheim South; Hilton Anaheim Hotel; Red Lion Hotel Anaheim; Sheraton Anaheim; and numerous Anaheim/OC Visitor and Convention Bureau member hotels.

.500 hitting efficiency, highlighted by a nine-point performance in the tournament-opening win over then-No. 1 Brazil. During the recent 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, Scott-Arruda started eight of 14 matches and averaged 2.50 points per set with a 50.7 kill percent. Only six other U.S. Olympians at the London Games competing in their fifth Olympics (Amy Acuff in track and field, Phillip Dutton and Karen O’Connor in equestrian, Khatuna Lorig in archery, Emil Milev and Kim Rhode in shooting). ANOTHER QUAD FOR FOUR: Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) will compete in her fourth Olympic Games. At the age of 31, she is still considered one of the top all-around players in the world providing both offense and defense for the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team. Tom, the leading scorer at the 2008 Olympic Games, has not been relied on to provide the bulk of the offense in this quad. Yet, she maintains steady production on offense (3.05 points average in 2011 and 2.50 points average to start 2012), serving (0.40 aces average in 2012) and defense (2.95 digs and 0.45 blocks per average in 2012). Tom plays a vital role in the serve-receive pattern and is still consider among the best receivers in the world. STARTING FAMILIES: Two key members of the 2008 Olympic Games roster have taken time off from the team during the current quadrennial to start families. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) gave birth to their first offspring a month apart in March and April of 2010. Both returned to the USA gym in 2011 and saw action in at least one tournament. Haneef-Park scored a team-high 75 points during the 2011 Montreux Volley Masters event held June 7-12 at Montreux, Switzerland, then was part of the 2011 FIVB World Cup roster in which she contributed 40 points in a reserve role. Scott-Arruda also competed in the World Cup, notching 34 points with a .500 hitting efficiency (27-1-52) in mainly a reserve role with two match starts. She tallied nine points in a reserve role to spark the U.S. to a win over No. 1 Brazil in the World Cup opener. BURSTING ON THE SCENE: Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) finished her collegiate career at the University of Texas in 2009 and became an instant sensation on the international scene in 2010 at the age of 22. With just one month of training with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, Hooker stepped into the starting opposite role three matches into the FIVB World Grand Prix and went on to average 4.76 points and 2.46 digs in helping Team USA win the tournament title. She ranked fourth in scoring during the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round and led the team in eight of the 14 matches. Hooker started all 11 matches during the 2010 FIVB World Championship and ranked fifth in scoring. She followed up her 2010 breakout season by being named most valuable player for the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix helping the U.S. win its second straight title. During the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix event, Hooker was acclaimed as one of 13 FIVB Heroes in women’s indoor volleyball joining mostly veteran athletes from around the world. She was named the Best Spiker and third leading scorer at the 2011 FIVB World Cup in which the U.S. finished with the silver and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games. Hooker averaged 5.15 points and 0.85 blocks per set over the first six matches of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix before returning to California to continue training. Hooker, who possesses a 320cm spike touch, was a dual sport star at Texas as she won the 2009 NCAA Indoor High Jump championship and the 2009 NCAA outdoor high jump championship, becoming just the second female in NCAA history to win three NCAA outdoor high jump titles and the first female high jumper to sweep the indoor and outdoor crowns since 2004. YOUNG GUNS: The 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team includes five Olympic Games veterans and seven players making their Olympic Games debuts. Throughout the quadrennial, over 70 players have trained at the USA National Team Center in Anaheim including nine of the 12-member 2008 Olympic Games silver-medal team and a 2004 Olympian. “We’ve developed a lot of depth in this program over the course of the Olympic quadrennial and, as you would expect, it was very difficult to determine the final composition of this team,” McCutcheon said. “However, after a lot of time and deliberation, we all believe that the group we’ve selected gives our program the best possible chance of being successful in London.” While the team’s average age is 28.7, six of the players will not have reached their 26th birthday by the time of the Olympics. First-time Olympians include middle blockers Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) and Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.), outside hitters Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), opposite Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), setter Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) and libero/defensive specialist Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii). Out of the group, only Thompson is older than 26. Akinradewo, Hooker and Hodge have earned the last three most valuable player awards of the FIVB World Grand Prix - the premier annual women’s international volleyball tournament. Hooker, named an FIVB Hero in summer of 2011, ranked among the top scorers in both the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and the 2010 FIVB World Championships in just her first year of international competition and followed that up with an impressive 2011 season during the World Grand Prix and FIVB World Cup tournaments. Larson and Akinradewo have been regular starters since joining the team in 2009. IT’S ACADEMIC: A third of the 12-player U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team received College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America recognition while playing in college. Penn State University graduate Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) earned Academic All-America Player of the Year for volleyball after the 2008 season, while Penn State and now Olympic Games teammate Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) followed the next year as the CoSIDA Academic All-America Player of the Year for volleyball to become a two-time Academic All-America selection. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) was selected CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team in 2008 while playing at the University of Nebraska. University of Washington alum Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America selection. Further, U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team Assistant Coach Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) was inducted into the CoSIDA Academic All-America Hall of Fame in 2009 in recognition of his academic and athletic ability playing men’s volleyball at UCLA. COACHING STAFF FULL OF GOLD AND OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) has made the transition from being the U.S. Men’s National Team Coach to the U.S. Women’s National Team Coach. He led the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal in Beijing under extraordinary circumstances. Now McCutcheon has taken the helm of the U.S. Women’s National Team Program with the hopes of building a lasting legacy for the program being gold-medal contenders in each Olympic Games. He holds an 85-37 record in the first three years of the current quadrennial and an overall 192-70 record counting his 107-33 record with the U.S. Men. McCutcheon is attempting to become the second coach to lead both genders to an Olympic Games gold medal (previously accomplished by Brazil’s Jose Roberto Guimaraes, who led Brazil men to Olympic gold in 1992 Olympics and Brazil women to Olympic gold in 2008 Olympics). In addition, McCutcheon hired three-time Olympic Games gold-medalist Karch Kiraly to be his assistant. Kiraly was named the International Volleyball Federation’s (FIVB) greatest men’s volleyball player of the sport’s first century after he earned two indoor volleyball gold medals (1984 and 1988) and a beach volleyball gold medal (1996). He is the only volleyball player –male or female – to win Olympic Games gold medals in both the indoor and beach volleyball disciplines. Further, Kiraly is the first volleyball player – and one of only two ever – to win three gold medals in the sport. Joining the coaching staff in 2011 as an assistant coach, Paula Weishoff brings added Olympic Games experience. She is a 1998 Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee and is regarded as one of the greatest middle blockers during her generation. Weishoff is the only two-time U.S. Olympic medalist in women’s indoor volleyball, having won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games, and the bronze in the 1992 Olympic Games. She also played in the 1996 Olympic Games.

2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Preview The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), has one goal in mind at the 2012 Olympic Games in London: its first-ever gold medal in the Olympic Games. The U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team has medaled at the Olympic Games three times, earning the silver medal at the most recent edition at the Beijing Games. The U.S. women also earned the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, as well as the bronze medal at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. The U.S. seeks its first gold medal in any of the major tournaments – Olympic Games, FIVB World Championships, FIVB World Cup – that happen every four years.

McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) has selected setters Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) for the Olympic Games Team Middle blockers chosen for the squad are Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) and Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.). Outside hitters earning a spot on the Olympic Games Team are Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) and Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah). Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) are opposites selected to the U.S. Olympic Games Team. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) are liberos to compete in the 2012 Olympic Games. “We’ve developed a lot of depth in this program over the course of the Olympic quadrennial and, as you would expect, it was very difficult to determine the final composition of this team,” McCutcheon said. “However, after a lot of time and deliberation, we all believe that the group we’ve selected gives our program the best possible chance of being successful in London.” The 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team includes five Olympic Games veterans and seven players making their Olympic Games debuts. Scott-Arruda, 39, becomes the first U.S. volleyball player – male or female – to compete in five Olympic Games. She becomes just the third female volleyball player worldwide to compete in five Olympic Games, matching the feat of Brazilian setter Hélia Rogério de Souza (Fofão) and Russia’s Yevgeniya Artamonova-Estes.

The team is hungry for more, Logan Tom attacks against Dominican and the gold medal is within Republic in the 2011 NORCECA reach to fulfill a lifelong dream Women’s Continental Championship for the players. Team USA opens the Olympic Games gold-medal quest against No. 15 Korea on July 28 at 8 p.m. London Time (noon PT). Team USA meets Brazil, ranked second in the world, on July 30 at 4:45 p.m. London Time (8:45 a.m. PT) in a rematch of the 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal match. On the middle day of competition, the Americans meet 2011 FIVB World Cup bronze medalist and third-ranked China on Aug. 1 at 8 p.m. London Time (noon PT). Team USA challenges No. 7 Serbia on Aug. 3 at 8 p.m. London Time (noon PT) before concluding pool play on Aug. 5 against No. 8 Turkey at 8 p.m. London Courtesy FIVB Time (noon PT). The top four teams in each six-team pool advance to the quarterfinal round on Aug. 7. The top finishing country in each pool will face the fourth-place team from the opposite pool. A drawing of lots will determine crossover quarterfinal matchups for teams finishing second and third. The semifinal round is scheduled for Aug. 9, followed by the medalround matches on Aug. 11. Foluke Akinradewo spikes versus Italy in 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix.

Courtesy FIVB Nicole Davis (kneeling) and Courtney Thompson celebrate a point in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix.

Tom, who earned Best Scorer at the 2008 Olympic Games and helped the squad to the silver medal, becomes just the third four-time Olympian for the U.S. in women’s volleyball. Haneef-Park and Berg will be appearing in their third Olympic Games. Davis returns as the libero from the 2008 Olympic Games.

The U.S., which gained the No. 1 world ranking in November 2011 after a four-year run at the top by Brazil, qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in the first qualification tournament by claiming silver at the 2011 FIVB World Cup held in November complete the season with a 39-10 record.

U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Hugh

Continued on next page

2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Preview Courtesy FIVB

2012 Olympic Games Schedule Pool A (World Ranking): Italy (4), Japan (5), Russia (9), Dominican Republic (11), Algeria (16), Great Britain (69) Pool B (World Ranking): USA (1), Brazil (2), China (3), Serbia (7), Turkey (8), Korea (15) July 28: Algeria vs. Japan, 9:30 a.m. July 28: China vs. Serbia, 11:30 a.m. July 28: Great Britain vs. Russia, 2:45 p.m. July 28: Italy vs. Dominican Republic, 4:45 p.m. July 28: USA vs. Korea, 8 p.m. (noon PT) July 28: Brazil vs. Turkey, 10 p.m.

Hugh McCutcheon (left) discusses strategy during a 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix timeout with setter Lindsey Berg. Continued from previous page Team USA has continued its winning momentum into the 2012 season after capturing the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual international volleyball tournament for women, for the third consecutive year. During the World Grand Prix, the U.S. produced victories over Olympic Games Pool B opponents Brazil twice (No. 2 in the world), Italy (No. 4), China (No. 3), Serbia (No. 6), Dominican Republic (No. 11) and Turkey (No. 8). The U.S. has now defeated reigning Olympic champion Brazil and Italy in each of the last four meetings, along with three straight wins over China.

July 30: China vs. Turkey, 9:30 a.m. July 30: Serbia vs. Korea, 11:30 a.m. July 30: Dominican Republic vs. Russia, 2:45 p.m. July 30: USA vs. Brazil, 4:45 p.m. (8:45 a.m. PT) July 30: Italy vs. Japan, 8 p.m. July 30: Great Britain vs. Algeria, 10 p.m. Aug. 1: Dominican Republic vs. Japan, 9:30 a.m. Aug. 1: Algeria vs. Russia, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 1: Serbia vs. Turkey, 2:45 p.m. Aug. 1: Great Britain vs. Italy, 4:45 p.m. Aug. 1: USA vs. China, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 1: Brazil vs. Korea, 10 p.m.

Counting three Challenge Series victories over Bulgaria right before leaving for London and the Pan American Cup title won on July 20 by Olympic Games alternates and younger athletes, the U.S. enters the Olympic Games with a 23-1 record.

Aug. 3: Brazil vs. China, 9:30 a.m. Aug. 3: Japan vs. Russia, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 3: Turkey vs. Korea, 2:45 p.m. Aug. 3: Great Britain vs. Dominican Republic, 4:45 p.m. Aug. 3: USA vs. Serbia, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 3: Algeria vs. Italy, 10 p.m.

McCutcheon has mentored the U.S. program to a 99-37 record in his four years with the U.S. Women after leading the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team program to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal. The U.S. holds a 71-23 record in the past three years with podium finishes in nine of 11 tournaments. During the quadrennial McCutcheon has brought in over 70 players to train at the U.S. National Team Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Aug. 5: Algeria vs. Dominican Republic, 9:30 a.m. Aug. 5: China vs. Korea, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 5: Great Britain vs. Japan, 2:45 p.m. Aug. 5: Italy vs. Russia, 4:45 p.m. Aug. 5: USA vs. Turkey, 8 p.m. (noon PT) Aug. 5: Brazil vs. Serbia, 10 p.m.

Courtesy FIVB

Aug. 7: Quarterfinal Matches at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. Aug. 9: Semifinal Matches at 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11: Women’s Bronze Medal Match, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 11: Women’s Gold Medal Match, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 11: Women’s Gold Medal Ceremony, 8:20 p.m.

The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team during the National Anthem representing the Red, White and Blue.

2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team

Danielle Scott Arruda MB * 6-2 * Baton Rouge, La.

Tayyiba Haneef-Park OPP * 6-7 * Laguna Hills, Calif.

Jordan Larson OH * 6-2 * Hooper, Neb.

Megan Hodge OH * 6-3 * Durham, N.C.

Lindsey Berg S * 5-8 * Honolulu, Hawaii

Tamari Miyashiro L * 5-7 * Kaneohe, Hawaii

Nicole Davis L * 5-4 * Stockton, Calif.

Christa Harmotto MB * 6-2 * Hopewell Township, Pa.

Logan Tom OH * 6-1 * Salt Lake City, Utah

Foluke Akinradewo MB * 6-3 * Plantation, Fla.

Courtney Thompson S * 5-8 * Kent, Wash.

Destinee Hooker OPP * 6-4 * San Antonio, Texas

Hugh McCutcheon Head Coach

Karch Kiraly Assistant Coach

Paula Weishoff Assistant Coach

Jamie Morrison Assistant Coach/Tech. Coord.

Giuseppe Vinci Technical Coordinator

Kenny Sullivan Team Manager

Marv Dunphy Consultant Coach

Jill Wosmek Physiotherapist

Dr. William Stetson Team Doctor

2012 U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team Player Notes NOTE: Full bios are available in a separate section of this press kit. Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla.) Making her first appearance in the Olympic Games… Made first appearance with the U.S. senior team at 2005 Pan American Cup and now has 127 international matches…Joined the U.S. National Team full-time in 2009 after spending summers with the team in 2007 and 2008 while still competing at Stanford University…Helped U.S. to bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games…Named MVP and Best Block at the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. captured the first of three straight titles…Starter 2011 FIVB World Cup silver medal team…Named either American Volleyball Coaches Association or Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008 while at Stanford where she concluded her career as a four-time AVCA All-American…Finished Stanford career with then-NCAA record .446 hitting efficiency…Starting middle blocker for the 2005 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that competed in FIVB Women’s Junior World Championship…Did not play club volleyball…Holds tri-citizenship with USA, Canada and Nigeria. Lindsey Berg (S, 5-8, Honolulu, Hawaii) Three-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012) and was part of 2008 Olympic Games silver-medal team… Shared the setting duties at the 2008 Olympic Games and sparked the team in wins over Italy in the quarterfinals…Named USA Volleyball Female Indoor Volleyball Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011… Selected Best Setter at the 2005 and 2011 NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, along with the 2003, 2004 and 2005 Pan American Cup …Missed much of the 2009 season after post-2008 Olympic Games surgery…Made U.S. international debut in 2003 at the Montreux Volley Masters and now has 208 international matches…Berg was never selected as an American Volleyball Coaches Association AllAmerican. Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, Stockton, Calif.) Two-time Olympian (2008 and 2012) after holding the starting libero role at the 2008 Olympic Games in which the U.S. finished with the silver medal… Joined the U.S. National Team in 2004 and made international debut in 2005 against Brazil in the Front Range Tour…Now has 209 international matches…as starting libero at 2008 Olympic Games helped the U.S. to a .302 hitting efficiency and finished sixth in Best Digger…Named Best Digger at 2009 Pan American Cup and Best Libero at 2010 Montreux Volley Masters…Helped University of Southern California to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2002 and 2003 Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Opp, 6-7, Laguna Hills, Calif.) Three-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012) and was part of 2008 Olympic Games silver-medal team… Made U.S. international debut in 2001 at Montreux Volley Masters with 263 international matches to date…Earned Best Scorer at the NORCECA Continental Championship in 2005…Was second leading scorer for the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games…Selected as Best Server at the 2007 Pan American Games… Earned silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup and 2002 FIVB World Championship…Played as an outside hitter early in her career with the U.S…Gave birth to son Ajani in 2010...Competed in 2000 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials finishing 10th…Tallest player on the team at 200cm.

Christa Harmotto (MB, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pa.) Making first appearance in Olympic Games…Made first U.S. senior team international debut in 2009 on tour of Egypt…Has made 90 appearances in U.S. international matches…Helped the U.S. to the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix title…Led all blockers through the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round phase and finished the tournament with averages of 3.23 points, 1.31 blocks and 1.74 kills per set with a 55.5 kill percent and .482 hitting efficiency…Threetime AVCAAll-American as she led Penn State to backto-back NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008…Named 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year…Selected for the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Women’s Junior National Teams. Megan Hodge (OH, 6-3, Durham, N.C.) Making first appearance in Olympic Games…Made U.S. senior team international debut in 2010 on a tour of China followed by 2010 Montreux Volley Masters… Selected MVP and Best Scorer of 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. the event for the third straight time…Helped U.S. to the silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup…Will be making the switch to jersey No. 11 for the Olympic Games, which was her college number at Penn State University…Selected co-Honda Broderick Cup Award winner for the best female collegiate athlete in all NCAA sports for 20092010…Led Penn State to three consecutive NCAA Division I volleyball titles from 2007 to 2009 …Named American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year in 2009 as well as ESPN The Magazine/CoSID Academic All-American of the Year…Four-time AVCA All-American…Member of the 2006 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team and the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team…Born in U.S. Virgin Islands Destinee Hooker (Opp, 6-4, San Antonio, Texas) Making her first appearance in the Olympic Games… Made first appearance with the U.S. senior team on a tour of Chinese club teams in 2008 followed by the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and now has 65 international matches…In her first official tournament with the U.S., averaged 4.76 points and 2.46 digs in helping the U.S. win the first of three consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix titles…Ranked fourth in Best Scorer in 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round…Started all 11 matches of 2010 FIVB World Championships and finished as fifth in scoring…Named MVP of the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix and ranked second in scoring in the Final Round with 101 points…In 2011 selected as one of 13 FIVB Heroes for women’s volleyball…Helped the U.S. to the gold medal at the 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship and the silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup…Selected Best Spiker at the FIVB World Cup with a 49.5 kill percent to go with a 5.91 points scored average…Scored U.S. career-high 39 points against China on Nov. 16, 2011…Three-time AVCA AllAmerican while at University of Texas…Won the 2009 NCAA Indoor High Jump championship and the 2009 NCAA Outdoor High Jump championship, becoming just the second female in NCAA history to win three NCAA Outdoor High Jump titles and the first female high jumper to sweep the indoor and outdoor crowns since 2004. Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska) Making first appearance in Olympic Games…Made U.S. senior team international debut in 2009 at the Pan American Cup after being a member of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team in 2004 and the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team in 2003…Since joining the U.S. team has primarily been a starter…Has been starting outside hitter on three straight FIVB World Grand Prix gold-medal teams, along with silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup…Has played in 118 international matches for the U.S…Will be making the switch to jersey No. 10 for the Olympic Games, which was her college number at University of Nebraska where she was a three-time AVCA All-American.

Tamari Miyashiro (L, 5-7, Kaneohe, Hawaii) Making first appearance in Olympic Games…Made U.S. international debut in 2010 on a tour of China and now has been on U.S. roster for 61 international matches…Starting libero at the 2011 Pan American Games in which the U.S. captured the bronze medal with a young lineup… Played in 43 of a possible 48 sets in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix…As a serving sub in 35 sets at 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, served 60 times with two aces averaging 1.71 serves per substitution… Reserve libero on the 2011 FIVB World Cup silver-medal team…Three-time AVCA AllAmerican at University of Washington. Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Baton Rouge, La.) Five-time Olympian (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) having played making Olympic Games debut in 1996… Will turn 40 on Oct. 1…U.S. Women’s National Team career has spanned 18 years with first international appearances in 1994 at the Goodwill Games, FIVB World Grand Prix and FIVB World Championship…Has been on U.S. roster for 410 international matches… Will become just the third women’s volleyball player to compete in five Olympic Games…Named MVP, Best Scorer and Best Blocker at the 2001 FIVB World Grand Prix…Earned silver medal at the 2002 FIVB World Championship, 2008 Olympic Games and 2011 FIVB World Cup…Selected to USA Volleyball’s 75th Anniversary Women’s 1978-2003 All-Era Team in 2003…Served as the U.S. delegation flag bearer at the 2007 Pan American Games…Gave birth to daughter Julianne Arruda in April 2010…Speaks fluent Portuguese and some Italian. Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Wash.) Making her first appearance in the Olympic Games… Made first appearance with the U.S. senior team at 2007 Pan American Cup and now has 74 international appearances…Helped the U.S. win the bronze medal at the 2007 and 2011 Pan American Games… Named Best Setter and Best Server at the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G in 2009…Three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American while at University of Washington…Helped lead Washington to the 2005 NCAA Division I title…Set the NCAA Division I record for career assist average (14.56). Logan Tom (OH, 6-1, Salt Lake City, Utah) Four-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) with first Olympics coming at the age of 19…Becomes just the third U.S. women’s volleyball player to compete in four Olympic Games…Made U.S. senior national team international debut in 1998 at age 16 as part of the NORCECA World Champions Qualification Tournament…Has now made 221 international appearances with the U..S…Earned Best Scorer at the 2008 Olympic Games with 124 points and a 3.76 scoring average per set...Chosen MVP, Best Scorer and Best Server of the 2004 FIVB World Grand Prix… Earned Best Receiver at the 2003 Montreux Volley Masters…Selected Best Server at 2003 Yeltsin Cup and the 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship… Sat out all of the 2005 and 2006 seasons before rejoining the team late in 2007 to help the team win the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games…Sat out the 2009 season and returned in July 2010 to help the U.S. win the first of three consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix titles… Helped the U.S. to the silver medal at the 2011 FIVB World Cup…Became just the third player to earn four consecutive American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American First-Team honors (1999-2002) while playing at Stanford University, which won the 2001 NCAA title…Named AVCA Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002…Father Melvin Tom played in the National Football League with the Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears.

2012 U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Stats Name Sets Kills Foluke Akinradewo 29 52 Kayla Banwarth 28 0 Cynthia Barboza 12 26 Lindsey Berg 29 5 Heather Bown 22 29 Keao Burdine 6 3 Nicole Davis 54 0 Nicole Fawcett 20 33 Lauren Gibbemeyer 24 48 Alisha Glass 51 9 Tayyiba Haneef-Park 47 59 Christa Harmotto 47 72 Megan Hodge 33 146 Destinee Hooker 32 120 Jordan Larson 31 105 Cassidy Lichtman 28 33 Carli Lloyd 9 3 Nancy Metcalf 50 128 Tamari Miyashiro 52 0 Lauren Paolini 16 20 Kristin Richards 50 181 Danielle Scott-Arruda 28 35 Stacy Sykora 6 0 Jennifer Tamas 23 35 Courtney Thompson 38 0 Logan Tom 32 63 TEAM 48 655 Opponent 48 560

Kills/ Set 1.79 0.00 2.17 0.17 1.32 0.50 0.00 1.65 2.00 0.18 1.26 1.53 4.42 3.75 3.39 1.18 0.33 2.56 0.00 1.25 3.62 1.25 0.00 1.52 0.00 1.97 13.65 11.67

Kill PCT 48.6 0.0 40.6 27.8 49.2 37.5 0.0 45.2 46.2 32.1 44.4 52.9 49.2 40.7 41.5 28.0 42.9 47.1 0.0 50.0 46.4 49.3 0.0 47.3 0.00 28.4 42.6 32.6

Attack Errors 10 0 12 4 7 2 0 13 11 4 19 12 37 30 31 19 0 25 0 3 69 11 0 6 0 33 195 333

Total Attack 107 0 64 18 59 8 0 73 104 28 133 136 297 295 253 118 7 272 0 40 390 71 0 74 3 222 1,536 1,719

Attack Eff. Aces .393 7 .000 0 .219 1 .056 2 .373 2 .125 0 .000 0 .274 1 .356 7 .179 4 .301 2 .441 9 .367 5 .305 5 .292 4 .119 1 .429 0 .379 3 .000 3 .425 1 .287 11 .338 2 .000 0 .392 2 .000 4 .135 14 .299 58 .132 50

Aces/ Set Blocks 0.24 25 0.00 0 0.08 2 0.07 3 0.09 17 0.00 1 0.00 0 0.05 4 0.29 26 0.08 16 0.04 9 0.19 55 0.15 17 0.16 26 0.13 16 0.04 4 0.00 4 0.06 21 0.06 0 0.06 5 0.22 20 0.07 28 0.00 0 0.09 18 0.11 1 0.44 13 1.21 189 1.04 96

Blocks/ Sets Digs 0.86 16 0.00 88 0.17 17 0.10 65 0.77 8 0.17 1 0.00 174 0.20 17 1.08 13 0.31 90 0.19 22 1.17 25 0.52 80 0.81 46 0.52 84 0.14 46 0.44 13 0.42 76 0.00 44 0.31 1 0.40 112 1.00 23 0.00 2 0.78 16 0.03 47 0.41 81 3.94 686 2.00 666

Digs/ Set Points 0.55 84 3.14 0 1.42 29 2.24 10 0.36 48 0.17 4 3.22 0 0.85 38 0.54 81 1.76 29 0.47 70 0.53 136 2.42 168 1.44 151 2.71 125 1.64 38 1.44 7 1.52 152 0.85 3 0.06 26 2.24 212 0.82 65 0.33 0 0.70 55 1.24 5 2.53 90 14.29 902 13.88 706

Points/ Set 2.90 0.00 2.42 0.34 2.18 0.67 0.00 1.90 3.38 0.57 1.49 2.89 5.09 4.72 4.03 1.36 0.78 3.04 0.06 1.63 4.24 2.32 0.00 2.39 0.13 2.81 18.79 14.71

FIVB World Grand Prix Pool B Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic June 8: def. Germany 3-1 June 9: def. Chinese Taipei 3-0 June 10: def. Dominican Republic 3-0 FIVB World Grand Prix Pool E Sao Paulo, Brazil June 15: def. Italy 3-0 June 16: def. Germany 3-0 June 17: def. Brazil 3-1 FIVB World Grand Prix Pool J Bangkok, Thailand June 22: def. Serbia 3-0 June 23: def. Argentina 3-0 June 24: def. Thailand 3-0 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Ningo, China June 27: def. Brazil 3-2 June 28: def. Thailand 3-1 June 29: def. Turkey 3-1 June 30: def. Cuba 3-0 July 1: def. China 3-0 Pre-Olympic Challenge Series Los Angeles and Anaheim, Calif. July 14: vs. Bulgaria, at Anaheim, 7 p.m. PT July 16: vs. Bulgaria, at USC, 7 p.m. PT July 18: vs. Bulgaria, at USC, 7 p.m. PT Pan American Cup Cuidad Juarez, Mexico July 12: def. Canada 3-0 July 13: def. Puerto Rico 3-0 July 14: lost to Cuba 1-3 July 15: def. Colombia 3-1 July 16: def. Dominican Republic 3-2 July 19: def. Dominican Republic 3-1 July 20: def. Brazil 3-2 Olympic Games London, England July 28: vs. Korea July 30: vs. Brazil Aug. 1: vs. China Aug. 3: vs. Serbia Aug. 5: vs. Turkey Aug. 7: Quarterfinals Aug. 9: Semifinals Aug. 11: Medal Round

All stats are unofficial team stats provided through DataProjectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DataVolley software DataPoject is Official & Exclusive Provider of Statistical Software Systems of USA Volleyball

2012 U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Schedule (23-1) Date Opponent (Record)

Result

City

Pts Leader (*DataVolley)

Attend

FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds 6/8 Germany W, 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 25-11 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Destinee Hooker - 21 4,990 6/9 Chinese Taipei W, 25-10, 25-22, 25-12 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Destinee Hooker - 13 3,150 6/10 Dominican Republic W, 25-18, 25-19, 25-15 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Destinee Hooker - 18 6,100 6/15 Italy W, 27-25, 25-20, 25-17 Sao Paulo, Brazil Destinee Hooker - 16 2,291 6/16 Germany W, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 Sao Paulo, Brazil Destinee Hooker - 15 5,138 6/17 Brazil W, 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 Sao Paulo, Brazi Jordan Larson - 21 5,700 6/22 Serbia W, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 Bangkok, Thailand Megan Hodge/Kristin Richards - 15 5,000 6/23 Argentina W, 25-23, 25-17, 25-12 Bangkok, Thailand Megan Hodge - 18 6,000 6/24 Thailand W, 25-16, 25-17, 25-7 Bangkok, Thailand Kristin Richards - 19 6,500 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Standings: 1. USA (9-0, 27 points), 2. China (8-1, 23), 3. Turkey (7-2, 21), 4. Thailand (7-2, 20), 5. Brazil (8-1, 19), 6. Cuba (63, 19), 7. Germany (6-3, 18), 8. Poland (5-4, 16), 9. Japan (4-5, 13), 10. Italy (4-5, 13), 11. Serbia (3-6, 11), 12. Dominican Republic (1-8, 7), 13. Puerto Rico (2-7, 5), 14. Korda (1-8, 4), 15. Argentina (0-9, 0), 16. Chinese Taipei (0-9, 0). FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round 6/27 Brazil W, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 13-25, 15-13 Ningbo, China Megan Hodge - 20 3,000 6/28 Thailand W, 25-18, 27-25, 18-25, 25-18 Ningbo, China Megan Hodge - 26 2,200 6/29 Turkey W, 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20 Ningbo, China Megan Hodge - 27 2,970 6/30 Cuba W, 25-14, 26-24, 25-14 Ningbo, China Megan Hodge/Kristin Richards - 17 2,220 7/1 China W, 26-24, 25-21, 27-25 Ningbo, China Megan Hodge - 16 7,800 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Standings: Gold - USA (5-0, 14 points); Silver - Brazil (4-1, 13 points); Bronze - Turkey (3-2, 9 points); 4th - Thailand (2-3, 5 points); 5th - China (1-4, 4 points); 6th - Cuba (0-5, 0 points) Pre-Olympic Exhibition Series with Bulgaria 7/14 Bulgaria W, 22-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11 7/16 Bulgaria W, 25-14, 18-25, 25-17, 25-21 7/18 Bulgaria W, 25-18, 25-17, 25-19

Anaheim, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles, Calif.

Jordan Larson - 26 1,200 Destinee Hooker - 21 2,503 Logan Tom/Foluke Akinradewo - 13 2,558

Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pan American Cup 7/12 Canada W, 25-15, 25-22, 25-15 Juarez, Mexico Lauren Gibbemeyer - 15 400 7/13 Puerto Rico W, 25-15, 25-12, 25-14 Juarez, Mexico Lauren Gibbemeyer - 12 600 7/14 Cuba L, 25-18, 25-23, 23, 18-25, 25-19 Juarez, Mexico Kristin Richards - 21 4,000 7/15 Colombia W, 25-27, 25-21, 25-13, 25-17 Juarez, Mexico Lauren Gibbemeyer - 20 850 7/16 Dominican Republic W, 24-26, 24-26, 25-15, 25-22, 15-12 Juarez, Mexico Nancy Metcalf - 30 2,800 7/19 Dominican Republic W, 25-20, 26-24, 24-26, 25-16 Juarez, Mexico Nancy Metcalf - 25 4,500 7/20 Brazil W, 28-30, 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-11 Juarez, Mexico Kristin Richards - 36 4,502 Final Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pan American Cup Standings: Gold - USA; Silver - Brazil; Bronze - Cuba; 4th - Dominican Republic; 5th - Argentina; 6th - Puerto Rico; 7th - Peru; 8th Canada; 9th - Costa Rica; 10th - Trinidad & Tobago; 11th - Colombia; 12th - Mexico Olympic Games 7/28 Korea 7/30 Brazil 8/1 China 8/3 Serbia 8/5 Turkey 8/7 Quarterfinal Round 8/9 Semifinal Round 8/11 Final Round Olympic Games Standings:

London, England London, England London, England London, England London, England London, England London, England London, England

* Match leaders are based on DataVolley Statistics and not official P-2 stats.

2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Review The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team captured its third consecutive and fifth overall FIVB World Grand Prix title after defeating host China 26-24, 25-21, 27-25 on July 1 to cap the Final Round at Ningbo, China. The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament featuring 16 teams.

Courtesy FIVB

The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, concluded the FIVB World Grand Prix undefeated in 14 matches, including a 5-0 record in the Final Round. The Americans needed to win the final match of the six-team round-robin Final Round to claim the gold medal as Brazil (4-1, 13 points) topped Turkey (3-2, 9 points) 2521, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 to force the issue. Brazil ended up with the silver medal and Turkey with the bronze medal. “We’re extremely happy with tonight’s win,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Our team played some wonderful volleyball over the course of these four weeks and to be able to win this event for the third time in a row is certainly special. Our team works hard and they play together - it’s a special group. As our focus now shifts towards London, we will continue with our plan and we hope to play our best volleyball of 2012 at the Games.” With the victory, Team USA became just the second country to win the FIVB World Grand Prix for three consecutive years. Aside from the U.S., only Brazil has successfully defended its title having won the tournament three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 and back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), an outside hitter with the No. 1 ranked U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, was selected most valuable player and Best Scorer of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix that concluded July 1 at Ningbo, China. She was credited with a Final Round-leading 103 points (89 kills, 13 blocks, 1 ace). She finished second in the Best Spiker category with a 43.8 kill percent (89-of-203). Further, Hodge ranked seventh in Best Blocker with 0.68 blocks per set and third in Best Digger with 1.84 digs per set. “I am so proud of this group,” Hodge said. “We battled hard and came out on top. It was a long four weeks, but we found a way to Courtesy FIVB

Danielle Scott-Arruda poses with the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix trophy after the U.S. won the tournament with a 14-0 record. keep it together and push to get the gold. I wouldn’t have been able to get the MVP award without the rest of the team. We all contributed to it. We were a cohesive unit and had each other’s backs through and through. It was a great tournament.” The FIVB World Grand Prix awards were based on statistics from the six-team, round robin Final Round held June 27 to July 1 in Ningbo. Hodge becomes the third different American player to earn the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award. Foluke Akinradewo Courtesy FIVB (Plantation, Fla.) won the award in 2010, while Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) earned the award in 2011. According to unofficial DataVolley statistics, Hodge averaged 5.26 points over the course of the 14-match World Grand Prix in which the U.S. did not lose a match. She converted 49.5 percent of her attacks for points with a .376 hitting efficiency. Hodge added averages of 4.58 kills, 2.55 digs and 0.52 blocks per set.

Megan Hodge (right) earned both the most valuable player and the Best Scorer awards at the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix.

Overall, the U.S. had 17 players compete at some point during 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix and all 17 had at least two starts. The balanced squad featured 11 players with at least five starts each and contributing to the gold-medal cause. (Front Row L-R) Tamari Miyashiro, Courtney Thompson, Nicole Davis, Kristin Richards and Christa Harmotto. (Middle Row L-R) Alisha Glass, Tayyiba Haneef-Park, Heather Bown and Danielle Scott-Arruda. (Back Row L-R) Cynthia Barboza and Nancy Metcalf.

2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Review 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Results 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Results June 27: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 13-25, 15-13 June 27: Turkey def. Thailand 25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 26-24 June 27: China def. Cuba 25-22, 25-22, 25-17 June 28: USA def. Thailand 25-18, 27-25, 18-25, 25-18 June 28: Turkey def. Cuba 25-23, 25-9, 25-20 June 28: Brazil def. China 25-21, 21-25, 25-19, 25-18 June 29: Brazil def. Cuba 25-17, 25-12, 25-14 June 29: USA def. Turkey 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20 June 29: Thailand def. China 21-25, 25-22, 34-32, 21-25, 15-13 June 30: Brazil def. Thailand 25-20, 25-23, 25-14 June 30: USA def. Cuba 25-14, 26-24, 25-14 June 30: Turkey def. China 24-26, 25-22, 25-23, 25-21 July 1: Brazil def. Turkey 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-15 July 1: Thailand def. Cuba 25-22, 30-28, 25-23 July 1: USA def. China 26-24, 25-21, 27-25 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Standings Gold - USA (5-0, 14 points); Silver - Brazil (4-1, 13 points); Bronze Turkey (3-2, 9 points); 4th - Thailand (2-3, 5 points); 5th - China (1-4, 4 points); 6th - Cuba (0-5, 0 points) FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary RoundStandings 1. USA (27, 9-0); 2. China (23, 8-1); 3. Turkey (21, 7-2); 4. Thailand (20, 7-2); 5. Brazil (19, 8-1); 6. Cuba (19, 6-3); 7. Germany (18, 6-3); 8. Poland (16, 5-4); 9. Japan (13, 4-5); 10. Italy (13, 4-5); 11. Serbia (11, 3-6); 12. Dominican Republic (7, 1-8); 13. Puerto Rico (5, 2-7); 14. Korea (4, 1-8); 15. Argentina (0, 0-9); 16. Chinese Taipei (0, 0-9) POINTS NOTE: 3 points for 3-0 or 3-1 win, 2 points for 3-2 win; 1 point for 3-2 loss; 0 points for 3-0 or 3-1 loss Pool A – Macau, China June 8: Thailand def. Argentina 25-18, 25-9, 25-22 June 8: China def. Puerto Rico 25-15, 25-19, 25-16 June 9: Thailand def. Puerto Rico 25-21, 25-20, 25-22 June 9: China def. Argentina 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 June 10: Puerto Rico def. Argentina 25-20, 25-16, 16-25, 25-17 June 10: China def. Thailand 18-25, 25-20, 25-18, 25-19

Pool C – Busan, Korea June 8: Turkey def. Japan 25-19, 25-21, 25-21 June 8: Cuba def. Korea 23-25, 27-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11 June 9: Turkey def. Korea 25-18, 22-25, 25-21, 25-14 June 9: Cuba def. Japan 25-20, 20-25, 25-18, 25-20 June 10: Japan def. Korea 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-22 June 10: Cuba def. Turkey 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-20

Pool H – Belgrade, Serbia June 15: Serbia def. Argentina 25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 25-17 June 15: Turkey def. Cuba 25-16, 20-25, 25-20, 25-20 June 16: Cuba def. Serbia 25-14, 25-15, 25-17 June 16: Turkey def. Argentina 25-15, 25-20, 21-25, 25-15 June 17: Turkey def. Serbia 25-21, 16-25, 25-22, 25-21 June 17: Cuba def. Argentina 25-16, 25-19, 25-19

Pool D – Lodz, Poland June 8: Brazil def. Italy 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 20-25, 15-6 June 8: Poland def. Serbia 24-26, 25-22, 20-25, 25-16, 15-10 June 9: Brazil def. Serbia 21-25, 25-18, 25-23, 23-25, 15-5 June 9: Italy def. Poland 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 31-29 June 10: Serbia def. Italy 25-18, 25-14, 25-23 June 10: Brazil def. Poland 25-15, 25-13, 23-25, 22-25, 15-10

Pool I – Osaka, Japan June 22: Turkey def. Korea 25-18, 28-26, 20-25, 25-13 June 22: Germany def. Japan 25-22, 25-12, 17-25, 25-16 June 23: Germany def. Korea 25-10, 25-14, 25-20 June 23: Turkey def. Japan 23-25, 25-14, 25-21, 25-17 June 24: Germany def. Turkey 24-26, 25-17, 25-18, 25-15 June 24: Japan def. Korea 25-22, 25-20, 27-25

Pool E – Sao Paulo, Brazil June 15: USA def. Italy 27-25, 25-20, 25-17 June 15: Brazil def. Germany 18-25, 25-14, 25-18, 26-24 June 16: USA def. Germany 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 June 16: Brazil def. Italy 26-24, 14-25, 25-15, 24-26, 16-14 June 17: USA def. Brazil 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 June 17: Germany def. Italy 30-28, 25-13, 26-24

Pool J – Bangkok, Thailand June 22: USA def. Serbia 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 June 22: Thailand def. Argentina 25-15, 25-16, 25-13 June 23: USA def. Argentina 25-23, 25-17, 25-12 June 23: Thailand def. Serbia 12-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-21 June 24: Serbia def. Argentina 25-16, 25-22, 26-24 June 24: USA def. Thailand 25-16, 25-17, 25-7

Pool F – Komaki, Japan June 15: Thailand def. Puerto Rico 25-18, 19-25, 25-11, 25-19 June 15: Japan def. Dominican Republic 25-17, 25-13, 25-18 June 16: Thailand def. Dominican Republic 25-14, 25-22, 25-19 June 16: Japan def. Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-18, 25-16 June 17: Puerto Rico def. Dominican 25-19, 21-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-12 June 17: Thailand def. Japan 25-15, 16-25, 22-25, 25-19, 18-16

Pool K – Luohe, China June 22: China def. Puerto Rico 25-16, 25-27, 25-11, 25-13 June 22: Brazil def. Cuba 29-31, 25-18, 25-19, 24-26, 15-8 June 23: China def. Cuba 22-25, 25-16, 25-22, 23-25, 15-9 June 23: Brazil def. Puerto Rico 25-17, 25-12, 25-19 June 24: Cuba def. Puerto Rico 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 June 24: Brazil def. China 25-20, 25-22, 25-19

Pool G – Foshan, China June 15: Poland def. Korea 25-17, 25-16, 25-22 June 15: China def. Chinese Taipei 25-13, 25-17, 25-19 June 16: Poland def. Chinese Taipei 25-10, 26-24, 25-19 June 16: China def. Korea 25-22, 25-16, 25-18 June 17: Korea def. Chinese Taipei 25-21, 27-29, 25-20, 25-20 June 17: China def. Poland 25-19, 25-17, 29-27

Pool L – Taipei, Chinese Taipei June 22: Italy def. Dominican Republic 25-20, 25-17, 25-27, 25-21 June 22: Poland def. Chinese Taipei 25-16, 22-25, 25-20, 25-21 June 23: Italy def. Chinese Taipei 25-10, 25-13, 25-17 June 23: Poland def. Dominican Republic 25-16, 25-19, 25-14 June 24: Dominican def. Chinese Taipei 25-18, 21-25, 25-18, 25-22 June 24: Italy def. Poland 23-25, 20-25, 26-24, 25-23, 15-13

Pool B – Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic June 8: USA def. Germany 25-17, 25-15, 23-25, 25-11 June 8: Dominican Republic def. Chinese Taipei 25-23, 25-19, 25-18 June 9: USA def. Chinese Taipei 25-10, 25-22, 25-12 June 9: Germany def. Dominican Republic 25-16, 25-18, 25-19 June 10: Germany def. Chinese Taipei 25-11, 25-15, 25-15 June 10: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-18, 25-19, 25-15

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 23 25 GER 17 15 25 11 U.S. Women Hold Back Serbia in World Grand Prix Opener SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (June 8, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team opened its 2012 season with a 25-17, 25-15, 2325, 25-11 victory over Germany on June 8 in a FIVB World Grand Prix Pool B match at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Team USA before the start of the opening match of the FIVB World Grand Prix. (FIVB photo)

After trailing 10-8 early in the opening set that included three Germany aces, the U.S. caught fire with a 12-3 scoring run to establish a 20-13 advantage en route to a 25-17 set victory that included seven blocks. Team USA scorched to a 7-1 lead in the second set and widened the lead to 11-3 before cruising to a 25-15 victory. Germany rolled to a 9-0 lead in the third set, but the U.S. made it very interesting down the stretch by closing to within one at 24-23 with a 13-4 scoring run before falling 25-23. Team USA broke a 6-all tie in the fourth set with a 16-3 scoring run in closing out the match with a 25-11 victory. “We played very consistent and I am really happy the way we reacted in the third set when we almost leveled the score,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We executed well and we not playing our best volleyball. I think we will reach our peak in July and August.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. and all scorers with 20 points via 14 kills, five blocks and an ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in 16 points with nine kills on 18 errorless attacks, four blocks and three aces. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) charted seven kills on 12 attacks, five blocks and two aces for 14 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) recorded 13 points on 10 kills, two blocks and an ace. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) chipped in four kills and four blocks for eight points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) and Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) rounded out the scoring with a kill and ace, respectively.

Foluke Akinradewo passes against Germany. (FIVB photo)

Logan Tom attacks around Germany’s block.

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed team highs of 12 digs and 15 excellent service receptions on 25 attempts. Tom added seven digs, while Larson contributed eight excellent service receptions. Berg provided 12 running sets on a total of 98 set attempts. “It is good to play after one month only training,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “After taking the first two sets we were able to come back strong in the third set and finished with a victory.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Miyashiro was a serving in the first three sets, while Hodge was a sub in the third set. The U.S. produced a 20-11 advantage in blocks and 32-24 margin in digs as both teams served eight aces. Team USA held a 45-35 advantage in kills and benefited from 25 Germany errors. Meanwhile, the Americans limited their errors to 14 in the match. Overall, the U.S. converted 33.6 percent of its attacks into points with a .231 hitting efficiency (45-14-134). Germany converted 23.8 percent of its attacks with a .014 hitting efficiency (35-33-147). Maren Brinker paced Germany with 14 points, while Margareta Kozuch added 13 points.

Nicole Davis passes with Jordan Larson (middle) and Logan Tom eying the ball’s direction. (FIVB photo)

Jordan Larson attacks versus Germany with Nicole Davis ready to cover. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 TPE 10 22 12 U.S. Women Dominate Chinese Taipei SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (June 9, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team dominated Chinese Taipei 25-10, 25-22, 25-12 on June 9 in a FIVB World Grand Prix Pool B match at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The U.S. used a 22-6 run to end the opening set with a 25-10 victory that included advantages of 5-0 in blocks and 4-0 in aces. Team USA scored the first four points of the second set and led 8-4 before Chinese Taipei powered to a 10-8 lead and the Americans battled back late with a 5-1 scoring run to win 25-22. The U.S. used a 6-0 run to break away to a 16-8 advantage in the third set and finished the match with a 7-2 run for a 25-12 final set.

U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon discusses strategy with assistant Paula Weishoff (FIVB photo)

“Chinese Taipei was a strong opponent and I am glad they gave us a good fight because it was a test for us,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “They are improving with time and are progressing. We are preparing for the Olympics and the match against Dominican Republic is another important test. They are a strong team and always play hard.” Team USA had 10 of its 12 players score points in the match highlighted by Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), who paced the U.S. with a matchhigh 15 points with 14 kills on 23 attacks and a block. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added six kills on 11 attacks, two blocks and two aces for 10 points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) came off the bench in the second set to contribute seven kills and a block for eight points, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) had eight points on six kills and two blocks in the first two sets. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted a U.S.-high eight digs and nine excellent service receptions on 17 attempts. Berg ran the U.S. offense with 13 running sets on 64 set attempts. Tom added five digs, while both Hodge and Larson chipped in four excellent service receptions. “We try to improve with every match we play and this one should help in our preparation for the match against Dominican Republic,” said Berg, who is the U.S. captain. “They will be playing in front of their fans so it will be an exciting and tough match.”

Logan Tom (15) blocks Chinese Taipei with Foluke Akinradewo (16) providing blocking help to her side. (FIVB photo)

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Hodge started the second and third sets, alternating replacing Tom and Larson. Miyashiro was a sub in the first two sets, while Haneef-Park was a sub in the second and third sets. Scott-Arruda came off the bench late in the third set. Team USA converted 49.4 percent of its attacks into points with a .404 hitting efficiency (44-8-89). Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei managed just a 26.0 kill percent and a .106 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held a 9-3 margin in blocks and a 7-3 advantage in aces. The Americans scored 44 kills to Chinese Taipei’s 27. Team USA held its errors to 11 in the match, while Chinese Taipei committed 15 errors. Chinese Taipei held a slim 21-19 advantage in digs and had a 43.9 excellent service reception percent to the Americans’ 39.0. Ting Chen Wan paced Chinese Taipei with eight points, while Feng Tsai Yin added seven points.

Lindsey Berg sets with Foluke Akinradewo running a slide. (FIVB photo)

Destinee Hooker attacks against Chinese Taipei (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 DOM 18 19 15 U.S. Women Too Much for NORCECA Rival Dominican Republic SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (June 10, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team (3-0, 9 points) is atop the standings of the tournament it has won the past two years following a 25-18, 25-19, 25-15 victory over NORCECA rival Dominican Republic in Pool B action on June 10 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Nicole Davis dives to keep the ball in play against Dominican Republic. (FIVB photo)

Team USA built an early 7-2 lead in the opening set and used balanced scoring to cruise to a 25-18 set victory in which the Americans committed just two errors. The U.S. scored six straight points to take a 6-2 lead in the second set, but needed a 6-2 run to regain control at 20-14 en route to a 25-19 victory. The Americans rushed to a 10-1 lead in the third set, but needed to weather an 8-2 run by Dominican Republic closing the gap to 14-10 by scoring nine of the 13 points for a 25-15 victory. “I am happy with our performance,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Congratulations to Dominican Republic for the excellent organization and for the fan support. We had a good service line today and we were able to attack with effectiveness. USA is satisfied with the job done by this group.”

Team USA celebrates a point versus Dominican Republic(FIVB photo)

Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a U.S. and match-high 17 points with 15 kills on 26 attacks, one block and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed nine kills, two blocks and an ace for 12 points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) notched five kills on eight errorless swings, three blocks and an ace for nine points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) produced four kills and four aces for eight points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) charted four kills and a block for five points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) scored two kills as a reserve in all three sets, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block as a late sub in the third set. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed six digs and seven excellent receptions on 14 errorless chances. Tom provided a team-high eight digs, while Larson picked up a team-high nine excellent service receptions on 16 chances. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) charted 10 running sets on 62 set attempts.

Jordan Larson blocks a Dominican Republic attack while Nicole Davis awaits a possible cover and Danielle Scott-Arruda providing block support. (FIVB photo)

“I am very happy with the way we played. It is great to start with a 3-0 in this stage of the Grand Prix,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “Dominican Republic is a strong team, but we played well. The fans here know a lot about volleyball and even though they always are against us, it is also a source of motivation.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Scott-Arruda and Harmotto at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Team USA limited its errors to 12 for the match and benefited from 21 Dominican Republic errors. The U.S. converted 39.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .286 hitting efficiency, while Dominican Republic converted just 28.9 percent of its attacks with a .144 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held a slim 8-7 margin in blocks, along with a 7-3 advantage in aces. Dominican Republic held a small 28-25 margin in digs and a 27-20 advantage in excellent service receptions. Bethania De La Cruz de Pena paced Dominican Republic with 15 points, while no other player scored more than five points.

Destinee Hooker hitting off the Dominican Republic block. (FIVB photo)

Logan Tom attacks against Dominican Republic (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 27 25 25 ITA 25 20 17 U.S. Women Sweep Olympic Games-Bound Italy SAO BERNARDO, Brazil (June 15, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team received balanced scoring to defeat Italy 27-25, 25-20, 2517 on June 15 during the FIVB World Grand Prix Pool E second preliminary round weekend in Sao Bernardo, Brazil.

U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Assistant Coach Karch Kiraly and Logan Tom discuss strategy in a timeout against Italy. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. rallied from a 22-18 deficit in the opening set to win 27-25, which included saving a set point at 25-24. While the Americans rushed to an early 6-2 lead in the second set, it was a 5-0 run that built a 20-13 advantage that proved to be the back-breaker for the Italians in a 25-20 victory. The U.S. controlled the entire third set after bolting to a 7-2 advantage and cruised to the 25-17 victory. “Playing this week with such great teams is very important opportunity for us,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Italy made some changes on their strategy during the match and we were able to adjust ourselves to it. I hope we can improve in each match until Sunday.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. for the fourth straight FIVB World Grand Prix match with 15 points via 11 kills on 34 attacks, three blocks and one ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) followed with 13 points for the Americans, all on kills from 30 attacks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) contributed eight kills, two blocks and two aces for 12 points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) charted six blocks, three kills and an ace for 10 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added seven kills on 12 errorless attacks and two blocks for nine points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) provided the U.S. offense with 27 running sets on 96 set attempts as the U.S. converted 35.5 percent of its attacks for points with a .264 hitting efficiency (43-11-121). Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) and Tom provided 17 digs in the match, while Larson contributed 15. Tom also produced a team-high 15 excellent receptions on 32 errorless chances, while Davis added nine excellent receptions on 18 attempts. “It was not our best match in the World Grand Prix so far, but we showed good things,” said Berg, who is the U.S. captain. “Winning a match 3-0 is very important for the team’s confidence as we are preparing for the Olympics.”

Destinee Hooker reaches for the block as Foluke Akinradewo forces the Italian attack down the line and Lindsey Berg is prepared to cover the line. (FIVB photo)

McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Haneef-Park and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) subbed into all three sets. Team USA out-blocked Italy 13-5 in the match and held a 4-2 margin in aces. The U.S. limited its errors to 13 for the match, while taking advantage of 17 Italian errors. Italy forged to a 73-65 advantage in digs. The U.S. charted a 48.3 excellent reception percent, while Italy maintained a 47.1 excellent reception percent. Italy was held to a 31.1 kill percent and .148 hitting efficiency (42-22-135). Italy was paced by Francesca Piccinini’s 15 points, followed by Lucia Bosetti’s 13 points. Team USA came together to sweep Italy. (FIVB photo)

Foluke Akinradewo hammers an attack against Italy (FIVB photo) 21

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 GER 23 23 17 U.S. Women Down Germany a Second Time in Eight Days SAO BERNARDO, Brazil (June 16, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team remains undefeated in the FIVB World Grand Prix following a 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 victory over Germany on June 16 during the Pool E second preliminary round weekend in Sao Bernardo, Brazil.

Jordan Larson passes against Germany. (FIVB photo)

In a set featuring 12 ties and five lead changes, the U.S. recovered from a 19-15 deficit in the opening set by scoring 10 of the 14 six points for a 2523 victory. The Americans tallied seven blocks in the set with five different players picking up at least one block. Team USA used a 6-0 scoring run to overcome a 20-18 deficit in the second set and held on for a 25-23 victory. In the third set, the U.S. used another 6-0 run to forge to a 19-14 advantage en route to closing out the set 25-17. “It was an important win for us,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We have to find solutions for the situations the German put us in. Going through these experiences is very important as we are on the way to London.” The U.S. benefited from balanced scoring as Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 15 points with 10 kills and matchhigh five blocks. Both starting middle blockers reached 13 points as Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) tallied nine kills on 13 swings, three blocks and an ace. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) contributed 10 kills on 16 attacks and three blocks for 13 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) totaled six kills and a block for seven points, while Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) tacked on three kills and two blocks for five points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with two kills on four attacks.

Hugh McCutcheon (middle) talks with setters Lindsey Berg (right) and Courtney Thompson (left) during a timeout against Germany. (FIVB photo)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) handed out 13 running sets on 82 set attempts. Larson collected team-highs 15 digs and 12 excellent service receptions on 27 attempts. Tom added 12 digs and nine excellent receptions on 17 attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted eight excellent receptions on 17 errorless chances and 11 digs. “It was a battle, as always is against Germany,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “We were not as precise as we can be, especially myself. We are 5-0 so far and we want to keep playing in the same way until the Finals.” McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Haneef-Park was a sub in all three sets, while Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) proved valuable as a serving sub in the first two sets. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) was a late sub in the third set as the U.S. closed out the match. Team USA held a 14-9 advantage in blocks as both teams scored one point on aces. The Americans held their errors to 18 in the match while benefiting from 20 Germany errors. Germany managed a 75-64 advantage in digs and produced a 55.2 excellent reception percent to the Americans’ 45.9 percent. The U.S. converted 32.5 percent of its attacks into points with a .171 hitting efficiency (40-19-123), while Germany was limited to a 25.2 kill percent and .050 hitting efficiency. Maren Brinker led Germany with 11 points, while Anne Matthes came off the bench to contribute nine points.

Foluke Akinradewo rejects a German attack. (FIVB photo)

Lindsey Berg sets in front of a sea of yellow-shirted Brazilian fans during Team USAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s match with Germany. (FIVB photo) 23

1 2 3 4 5 USA 20 25 25 25 BRA 25 18 18 23 U.S. Women Defeat Host Brazil in Battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2 SAO BERNARDO, Brazil (June 17, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team rallied from a first set loss to defeat Brazil 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 in a battle of FIVB World Grand Prix undefeated teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the world on June 17 during the Pool E second preliminary round weekend in Sao Bernardo, Brazil. Brazil broke a 16-all tie in the opening set with a 7-1 scoring run in moving on to a 25-20 victory. The U.S. evened the match with a 25-18 second set victory as it pushed to an early 9-3 advantage, then scored the final four points as Brazil attempted to mount a comeback. After three early ties and two lead changes in the third set, the U.S. broke a 3-all tie with seven unanswered points and cruised to the 25-18 victory that included six blocks. Like the second and third sets, Team USA bolted to an early 9-3 lead on an 8-1 scoring run. But unlike the two previous sets, Brazil came back to tie the set at 13-all. However, USA would never let Brazil into the lead and capped the set at 25-23 after breaking the last tie at 18-all.

Christa Harmotto (left) and Lindsey Berg (4) form a blocking wall against Brazil. Harmotto finished with eight blocks in the match. (FIVB photo)

“It was a really tough match,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We played in an amazing atmosphere and Brazil was great in defense, which is what made the match really difficult for us. I am glad as my team played focused and did what we had agreed even in this unique atmosphere.” Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored a match-high 20 points with 16 kills on 37 attacks and four blocks. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), who was the U.S. leading scorer in the first five matches of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, added 19 points via 16 kills on 50 swings, two blocks and an ace. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) contributed eight blocks and four kills on nine errorless attacks for 12 points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) charted eight kills and a block for nine points. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) and Tom each provided 25 digs in the victory, while Berg chipped in 16 digs from her setter spot. Berg also added 20 running sets on 116 set attempts. Davis handled 15 excellent service receptions on 43 chances, while Tom had nine excellent receptions on 18 errorless attempts.

Team USA celebrates a point against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

“It was very important for our team to play a match here in Brazil, with the fans strongly supporting Brazil,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “We are not used to playing with such an amazing crowd. Our game was really steady, including our energy and our level. I am happy we are 6-0 now.” McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a serving sub in all four sets, while Haneef-Park and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) were subs in the final two sets. The U.S. converted 30.7 percent of its attacks into points with a .169 hitting efficiency (51-23-166). Meanwhile, Brazil converted 29.00 percent of its attacks into points with a .112 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held advantages of 18-15 in blocks and 51-49 in kills while limiting its errors to 18 in the match to Brazil’s 25. Team USA managed a 93-85 margin in digs to go with a 41.0 excellent reception percent Thaisa Menezes scored a Brazil team-high 20 points while Paula Pequeno added 12 points. Brazil played all 12 of its players during the match.

Hugh McCutcheon during the post-match press conference following the Brazil match. (FIVB photo)

Destinee Hooker (foreground) and Lindsey Berg are pumped after a key point versus Brazil (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 SRB 19 23 18 U.S. Women Stop Serbia to Improve to 7-0 BANKGKOK, Thailand (June 22, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team continued to roll in the FIVB World Grand Prix with a 25-19, 25-23, 25-18 victory over Serbia in a Pool J match on June 22 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Team USA during the National Anthem prior to its match with Serbia. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. used a 4-0 scoring run in the opening set to take a 14-11 advantage en route to a 25-19 victory in which the Americans put up eight blocks. Team USA rallied from a 10-3 deficit in the second set by countering with its own 10-3 scoring run in moving on to a 25-23 victory. The U.S. rushed out to a 6-2 lead in the third set and never allowed Serbia closer than two points the rest of the way in closing out the match with a 25-18 set victory. “It’s great to win this match,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Serbia is also strong despite the fact that they are playing without key players. I think both sides performed well. I have yet thought about the Ningbo Finals, although (the win tonight) has assured us a ticket to the Finals. We still have to play the remaining two matches against Argentina and Serbia (here in Bangkok).”

Nancy Metcalf (12) and Christa Harmotto (13) put up a block. (FIVB photo)

Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) paced the U.S. with a match-high 17 points with 16 kills and an ace. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah), who did not travel the first two preliminary round weekends, contributed 10 kills and six blocks for 16 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) charted seven kills and two blocks for nine points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) totaled five blocks and three kills for eight points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted three blocks, two kills and an ace for six points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) each tacked on two points. Glass handed out 28 running sets on 81 set attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted a U.S.-high 10 digs. Hodge contributed eight excellent receptions on a team-high 33 attempts. “I’m glad that we won the match ,” said Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.), the U.S. captain for the current preliminary round pool. “We played without any pressure. We trained hard. I hope we can perform well in the remaining matches.” McCutcheon started Glass at setter, Hodge and Richards at outside hitter, Bown and Harmotto at middle blocker and Metcalf at opposite. Davis is the designated U.S. libero for Pool J. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) came in all three sets as a serving sub, while Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) and Haneef-Park were a part of a double-switch in the first two sets. Team USA out-blocked Serbia 16-9 in the match as both teams served three aces. The U.S. held a 41-24 margin in kills to help offset 24 errors to Serbia’s 15. The Americans converted 36.3 percent of their attacks into points with a .239 hitting efficiency (41-14-113), compared to Serbia’s 21.2 kill percent and .088 hitting efficiency (24-14-113). Team USA held a 22-6 dig advantage, while Serbia managed a slim edge in excellent reception percent – 17.6 to 17.5. Sanja Starovic led Serbia with nine points, while Brankica Mihajlovic added eight points.

Alisha Glass provides a set to her teammates. (FIVB photo)

Megan Hodge serves against Serbia. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 ARG 23 17 12 U.S. Women Surge Past Argentina BANKGKOK, Thailand (June 23, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team staged a 25-23, 25-17, 25-12 victory over Argentina as Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) notched 19 points in a Pool J match on June 23 in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S. came back from a 13-9 deficit in the opening set to win 25-23, thanks in part to a 4-0 scoring run to break a 20-all tie. Team USA rushed to an 8-4 lead in the second set and used a 7-1 scoring run to take a commanding 16-8 margin en route to a 25-17 victory. Hodge scored 11 points in the third set alone, including four straight points with three aces to give the U.S. an early 5-1 lead in the third set that escalated to a 19-6 advantage before settling in on a 25-12 victory.

Cynthia Barboza flying to the ball for a kill. (FIVB photo)

“We were happy to win versus a good Argentina team and I’m glad we got to try a different line-up tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We are excited to play Thailand tomorrow.” Hodge scored her 19 points via 15 kills on 28 attacks with just one error for a .500 hitting efficiency, three aces and a block. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) contributed 12 points with 10 kills, one block and one ace. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) charted six kills and three blocks for nine points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) pocketed six kills, one block and an ace for eight points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tacked on six points all on kills via 10 swings. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) notched two kills on two attacks off the bench. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) served an ace, while Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out the scoring with a block.

Team USA is all smiles after defeating Argentina (FIVB photo)

Thompson set the U.S. with 39 running sets on 72 set attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) turned in a U.S.-leading six digs while Hodge added five digs and a team-high nine excellent reception attempts. “I’m glad that we could win the match,” said Scott-Arruda, who is serving as captain for the Pool J preliminary round. “I’m satisfied with the way my team played. Everyone did her good job. Now, we look forward to playing the last match against the host side.” McCutcheon started Thompson at setter, Hodge and Barboza at outside hitter, Bown and Scott-Arruda at middle blocker and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis is the designated U.S. libero for Pool J. Miyashiro was a sub in all three sets, while Metcalf and Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) were subs in the second set. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) came off the bench in the third set. Thompson’s setting led the U.S. to a 46.9 kill percent and .365 hitting efficiency (45-10-96), while the Team USA defense limited Argentina to a 26.2 kill percent and .112 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held a 7-4 margin in blocks and limited its errors to 14 in the match. Team USA managed a 24-16 margin in digs. Both teams served six aces. Leticia Boscacci led Argentina with eight points, followed by Josefina Fernandez’s seven points. Nicole Davis passes as the Tayyiba Haneef-Park (3) and Cynthia Barboza (8) look on. (FIVB photo)

Nicole Davis (6) and Courtney Thompson (22) react to a point won by Team USA. (FIVB photo) 29

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 THA 16 17 7 U.S. Women Handle Thailand to Finish Preliminary Round 9-0 BANKGKOK, Thailand (June 24, 2012) - The U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Volleyball Team ended the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary rounds undefeated following a convincing 25-16, 25-17, 25-7 victory over Pool J host Thailand on Sunday in Bangkok, Thailand. The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games, finished the preliminary round with a 9-0 record with 27 standings points. The Americans lost just two sets during the nine matches and will finish atop the 16-team FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round standings. Thailand ended the preliminary phase in fourth place with a 7-2 record and 20 points.

Christa Harmottoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attack beats the Thailand block. (FIVB photo)

Both the U.S. and Thailand had already clinched berths into the sixth-team FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round set for June 27 to July 1 in Ningbo, China. The top five teams following the nine-match preliminary round, along with host China, will compete in the Final Round. Team USA raced to a 7-1 advantage in the opening set and was never threatened in a 25-16 victory in which the Americans held a 4-0 block advantage. The U.S. used a 6-0 scoring run to take an 18-11 lead in the second set en route to a 25-17 victory. The Americans rushed to a 4-0 lead in the third set and led 17-5 before ending the contest with a 25-7 victory. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) led the U.S. with a match-high 18 points via 13 kills, three kills and two blocks. She compiled a 56.5 kill percent and .522 hitting efficiency (13-1-23). Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) tallied 13 points with seven kills on eight errorless attacks and five blocks. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) contributed 10 kills on 18 errorless swings attacks for a .556 hitting efficiency and a block for 11 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) chipped in seven kills on 14 attacks and three blocks for 10 points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) tacked on two kills and four blocks for six points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with two kills.

Megan Hodge hits a cross-court winner against Thailand. (FIVB photo)

Glass set the U.S. to a 54.0 kill percent with a .513 hitting efficiency and just two attack errors (41-2-76). She totaled 35 running sets on 55 set attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high six digs, while Hodge contributed eight excellent receptions on 19 errorless attempts. McCutcheon started Glass at setter, Hodge and Richards at outside hitter, Harmotto and Scott-Arruda at middle blocker and Metcalf at opposite. Davis is the designated U.S. libero for Pool J. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) came off the bench in both the first and second sets to serve. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) were part of a double-sub in the third set. Team USA out-blocked Thailand 15-1 and held a 4-1 margin in aces. The Americans limited their errors to 10 for the match and benefited from 15 errors by Thailand, which held a slim 20-17 margin in digs. Onuma Sittirak and Malika Kanthong scored eight points each to lead Thailand. Kristin Richards passes with Nicole Davis behind her and Megan Hodge to the left reading the play. (FIVB photo)

Nancy Metcalf slides in for the dig against Thailand. (FIVB photo) 31

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 20 13 15 BRA 19 20 25 25 13 U.S. Women Open Final Round with Another Win Over Brazil NINGBO, China (June 27, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team opened the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with a 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 13-25, 15-13 victory over No. 2 ranked Brazil on June 27 at Ningbo, China.

Team USA group photo before the start of the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. benefited from an 11-3 scoring run to take a 12-7 advantage in the opening set and went on to win 25-19. Team USA raced to an 8-2 lead in the second set, but Brazil rallied with an 11-3 scoring run to take a 16-14 advantage in the second set. However, the Americans scored seven unanswered points to grab a 21-16 lead and went on to win 25-20. Brazil bolted to a 5-1 lead in the third set and withstood several Team USA challenges before closing the set at 25-20. Brazil continued the momentum with a 5-1 lead early in the fourth set and closed out the set with a 12-3 run for a 25-13 victory. Team USA recovered from an 8-6 deficit in the tiebreaking set with a 5-1 scoring run and held on for a 15-13 victory. “In the first two sets we played well, we tried to play the plan,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “The third set was very different. Brazil is a strong team and responded very well in the third and fourth set. The fifth set was a battle. It is a good start for us in this tournament.” Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) led the U.S. with 16 points, including five points in the fifth set. She notched 15 kills and one block in the match. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) contributed 15 points via 12 kills, two blocks and an ace. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) chalked up seven kills and seven blocks for 14 points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) recorded seven kills and four blocks for 11 points. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) pocketed eight points all on kills. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) tallied four blocks and a kill for five points. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) totaled three kills, while Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) provided two kills. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out scoring with an ace. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 14 digs. Hodge added seven digs and a team-high 31 excellent receptions on 60 of the team’s 92 attempts. Glass provided 38 running sets on 116 total set attempts, while Thompson added 13 running sets on 30 attempts in a reserve role.

Megan Hodge attacking against the Brazil defense. (FIVB photo)

McCutcheon started Harmotto and Bown at middle blocker, Richards and Hodge at outside hitter, Metcalf at opposite and Davis at setter. Davis is the designated libero for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. Barboza subbed into the match midway through the third set and started the fourth set in place of Richards, who came back on to start the fifth set. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a serving sub in all five sets, while Thompson was a sub in the final four sets. Haneef-Park came off the bench in the second, fourth and fifth sets. Team USA converted 32.4 percent of its attacks with a .165 hitting efficiency (55-27-170), while Brazil converted 32.6 percent of its attacks into points with a .227 hitting efficiency (56-17-172). The U.S. held a slim advantage in blocks at 18-16 and digs at 31-27. Brazil’s Sheilla Castro led all scorers with 22 points and Paula Pequeno added 14 points. Christa Harmotto all smiles after the victory over Brazil. (FIVB photo)

Kristin Richards hits between the Brazil block. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 27 18 25 THA 18 25 25 18 U.S. Women Recovers Against Thailand NINGBO, China (June 28, 2012) - Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored 25 points to lead the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, to a 25-18, 27-25, 18-25, 25-18 victory over Thailand on June 28 during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round at Ningbo, China.

Nicole Davis moves laterally for the pass. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. broke a 7-all tie in the opening set with a 6-0 scoring run to cruise to a 25-18 set victory as Thailand scored on its served just twice. Team USA overcame a 19-16 deficit in the second set to win 27-25 on its third set-point opportunity. Thailand put together an 11-3 scoring run in the third set to come back from an 11-10 deficit to win 25-18. The U.S. created a 5-0 scoring run to break free from a slim 18-17 advantage in the fourth set and closed out the set on a 7-1 run with a 25-18 victory. “Thailand is a good team,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “They play hard and are well-coached. It was a difficult and tough match this afternoon. I am proud that the team found the win, especially they found solutions of many problems that Thailand caused us during the game.” Hodge tallied her 25 points with 22 kills on 37 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) charted eight kills, three blocks and an ace for 12 points. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) contributed 10 points with nine kills and a block. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) recorded her nine points on kills from 17 attacks. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) tacked on five kills on 10 errorless swings and three blocks for eight points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) came up with three kills and a block in a reserve role. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) scored three kills in the final set, while Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out the scoring with an ace.

Above: Danielle Scott-Arruda (2) and Megan Hodge (18) prevent a Thailand kill. Below Left: Cynthia Barboza serves. Below Right: Megan Hodge attacks (FIVB photos)

Courtney Thompson handed out 39 running sets on 86 set attempts for Team USA. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) provided a team-high 11 digs. Hodge added eight digs and a team-high 12 excellent receptions on 40 attempts. McCutcheon started Scott-Arruda and Bown at middle blocker, Barboza and Hodge at outside hitter, Haneef-Park at opposite and Thompson at setter. Davis is the designated libero for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Metcalf were subs in all four sets, while Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a reserve in the first three sets. Richards started the fourth set in place of Barboza. Team USA converted 43.1 percent of its attacks with a .314 hitting efficiency (59-16-137). Thailand was limited to a 38.2 kill percent and .243 hitting efficiency (58-21-152). The U.S. held slim margins of 10-8 in blocks and 59-58 in kills to offset a 4-3 Thailand advantage in aces. The Americans also benefited 10 Thailand service errors and an overall 23 errors, while holding their own mistakes to 16 for the match. Thailand managed a 3631 advantage in digs. “Each time we play against Thailand, we feel it gets more and more difficult,” said Scott-Arruda, who is serving as the U.S. captain during the Final Round. “They challenged us in blocking and defense. I am happy that we got through Thailand and get the win.” Thailand’s Onuma Sittarak scored 20 points and teammate Malika Kanthong added 19 points.

Hugh McCutcheon and Danielle Scott-Arruda at the press conference. (FIVB photo)

Tayyiba Haneef-Park during the National Anthem. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 21 25 TUR 18 23 25 20 U.S. Women Sparked by Hodge’s 28 Points Against Turkey NINGBO, China (June 29, 2012) - Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored 28 points to spark the undefeated U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 25-18, 25-23, 21-25, 25-20 victory over Turkey on June 29 during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round at Ningbo, China.

(L-R) Megan Hodge, Christa Harmotto, Heather Bown, Tayyiba HaneefPark during the National Anthem prior to Turkey match. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. scorched to a 7-1 lead in the opening set, but Turkey quickly rallied to within one at 10-9. The Americans answered with four unanswered points and controlled the rest of the set for a 25-18 victory as Hodge notched 11 of her points. Team USA used a 6-1 spurt to break free from a slim 6-5 advantage in the second set to take a 12-6 lead. However, Turkey rallied from a 21-14 deficit to close to within one at 24-23 before the U.S. closed the set at 25-23 on Hodge’s 18th point of the match. Turkey broke a 19-all tie in the third set with a key 4-0 run in grabbing a 25-21 victory to extend the match. Team USA rallied from a 15-13 deficit in the fourth set by taking a commanding 20-16 advantage on a 7-1 spurt and closed the match with a 25-20 victory. “I am very happy about our performance today,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Turkey played a strong match, it was tactically a good battle. I am most happy of the depth we have on our team, the substitutions we had come in have a positive effect. I am now looking forward for the match with Cuba tomorrow.”

Hugh McCutcheon shields his voice with tablet of stats in voicing his instructions (FIVB photo)

Hodge scored her 28 points on 23 kills via 50 attacks and five blocks. She converted 46 percent of her swings with a .400 hitting efficiency (23-3-50). Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) added 16 points on nine kills via 15 attacks and seven blocks. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah ) contributed 11 kills on 29 attacks and two aces for 13 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) charted five kills and a block for six points. Glass was credited with 15 running sets on 83 set attempts. Team USA converted 43.6 percent of its attacks with a .323 hitting efficiency (54-14124), while its defense held Turkey to a 40.0 kill percent and .207 hitting efficiency (58-28-145). Richards compiled a U.S. team-high eight digs, while Hodge totaled 16 excellent receptions on 40 attempts. McCutcheon started Scott-Arruda and Harmotto at middle blocker, Richards and Hodge at outside hitter, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) is the designated libero for the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a serving sub in the first three sets, but came on early in the fourth set taking over the libero position for Davis. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) and Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) were part of a double-switch in the first three sets. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) replaced Richards midway through the fourth set. Team USA held a convincing 16-6 block advantage over Turkey. The Americans benefited from 24 Turkish errors and limited their own miscues to 18 for the match. Turkey maintained margins of 58-54 in kills, 4-2 in aces and 37-29 in digs. The U.S. held only a 32.9 excellent reception percent on 76 changes, while Turkey compiled a 50.6 excellent reception percent. Neriman Ozsoy led Turkey with 20 points, while Neslihan Darnel chipped in 17 points in the losing effort.

Left: Nancy Metcalf going for a kill. Above: Team USA celebrates a point against Turkey. Below: Team USA breaks a timeout all in smiles during the match against Turkey. (FIVB photos)

Danielle Scott-Arruda hammers a spike without a blocker in front of her against Turkey. (FIVB photo) 37

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 26 25 CUB 14 24 14 U.S. Women Blank NORCECA Rival Cuba to Close in on Title NINGBO, China (June 30, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated NORCECA rival Cuba 25-14, 26-24, 25-14 on June 30 to move within one victory of three-peating in the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round at Ningbo, China. Team USA broke a 3-all tie in the opening set with a 6-0 run and built a commanding 22-9 margin before settling in for a 25-14 victory. The Americans racked up seven blocks in the first set. The U.S. rallied from a 21-18 deficit in the second set on the strength of a 4-0 scoring run and closed the set 26-24 on its second set point opportunity. Team USA broke a 5-all tie in the third set with a 5-0 run and cruised to a 25-14 victory. “Cuba is a strong team…they always play wonderful volleyball and we expect a tough match every time,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “It is always dangerous to play with Cuba; we always expect a great battle. But now we focus on our match with China tomorrow.”

Kristin Richards attacking against Cuba’s block. (FIVB photo)

Outside hitters Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) and Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) had matching 17 points in the victory. Hodge collected 14 kills on 24 attacks with three blocks, while Richards turned in 13 kills on 23 swings, two blocks and two aces. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted three kills on four errorless attacks, a team-high four blocks and an ace for eight points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) contributed four kills on seven errorless swings and three blocks for seven points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) added five points on three kills via eight attacks, one block and one ace. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) served two aces with one block for three points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with two kills on attacks. (Above) Megan Hodge eyes another point. (Left) Danielle Scott-Arruda (2) celebrates a point against Cuba. (FIVB photos)

Glass set the team with 11 running sets on 44 set attempts leading to a 55.6 kill percent and .472 hitting efficiency (40-6-72). Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii), starting her first match in the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix, tallied a team-high seven digs and eight excellent reception attempts on 12 errorless chances. Hodge added five digs and five excellent receptions on 26 chances. McCutcheon started Scott-Arruda and Bown at middle blocker, Richards and Hodge at outside hitter, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Miyashiro was the designated libero for the match. Haneef-Park and Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) were part of a double-switch in all three sets and Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a serving sub in the second set. Team USA won the battle at the net with a 13-4 block advantage and 4032 margin in kills. The Americans limited their errors to 10 for the match while benefiting from 17 Cuba mistakes. Both teams served six aces in the match. Cuba earned a slim 21-19 advantage in digs. “I am happy,” said Scott-Arruda, who is serving as U.S. team captain during the Final Round. “Cuba is very strong at serving, which caused us some trouble in receiving. Anyway, this is a win against a great team.” Cuba’s Yoana Palacios Mendoza scored a team-high 11 points, while Gyselle De La Caridad Silva Franco turned in nine points in the loss.

Team USA celebrates its win over NORCECA rival Cuba . (FIVB photo)

Heather Bown finishing on a slide attack against Cuba. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 26 25 27 CHN 24 21 25 U.S. Women Sweep China to Complete World Grand Prix Undefeated NINGBO, China (July 1, 2012) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team captured its third consecutive and fifth overall FIVB World Grand Prix title after defeating host China 26-24, 25-21, 27-25 on July 1 to cap the Final Round at Ningbo, China. The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual international women’s volleyball tournament featuring 16 teams.

Megan Hodge passes during the victory over China. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. built a 14-8 advantage over China in the opening set, but China charged back to knot the score at 24-all by saving three set points before the Americans closed out the set 26-24. Team USA used an 11-2 run to establish a 19-9 lead in the second set and withheld a late China rally to win 25-21. The U.S. rallied from a 16-12 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 18-all, then continued to side out and saving two set points before closing on consecutive blocks by 39-year-old Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) at 27-25. “We’re extremely happy with tonight’s win,” U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Our Team played some wonderful volleyball over the course of these four weeks and to be able to win this event for the third time in a row is certainly special. Our team works hard and they play together - it’s a special group. As our focus now shifts towards London, we will continue with our plan and we hope to play our best volleyball of 2012 at the Games.” Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), who was named the most valuable player of the tournament and Best Scorer, led the U.S. with a match-high 17 points via 15 kills on 40 attacks and two blocks. Scott-Arruda totaled 14 points in the match with a match-high seven blocks and seven kills on 14 attacks. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) totaled eight points with four kills on eight attacks and four blocks. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) contributed five kills on 30 swings, a block and an ace. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) charted five kills on 10 attacks, four of which came late in the third set rally. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) added four points all on kills. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) served two aces, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with an ace.

Nancy Metcalf (12), Danielle Scott-Arruda (2) and Kristin Richards (24) form a blocking wall against the China attack. (FIVB photo)

Glass tallied 13 running sets on 68 attempts in running the offense for most of the match, while Thompson had 21 set attempts. Hodge turned in a team-high nine digs, while Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) added eight digs. Richards charted a team-high seven excellent receptions on 20 attempts. McCutcheon started Scott-Arruda and Bown at middle blocker, Richards and Hodge at outside hitter, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Miyashiro was the designated libero for the match. Haneef-Park and Thompson each subbed into all three sets, while Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a serving sub in the first and third sets. Team USA dominated the net with a 14-3 block advantage to offset China’s 51-40 margin in kills. The U.S. converted 33.3 percent of its attacks with a .217 hitting efficiency (40-14-120). Meanwhile, China was held to a .190 hitting efficiency with a 37.2 kill percent (51-25-137). The Americans also held a 4-1 margin in aces and benefited from 20 China errors in the match. China produced a 41-37 edge in digs. China was led by Hui Ruoqi’s 16 points, while Zeng Chunlei chipped in 14 points.

Hugh McCutcheon celebrates a key point over China . (FIVB photo)

Kristin Richards (right) inspects the FIVB World Grand Prix trophy with Nancy Metcalf looking on. (FIVB photo) 41

The U.S. has now won all five of its FIVB World Grand Prix titles in China. Two years ago Team USA won the World Grand Prix title also in Ningbo, while bringing back the 2011 title from Macau, China. The Americans claimed their first FIVB World Grand Prix title in 1995 at Shanghai followed by the 2001 title at Macau. With Hodge leading the way in a full team effort, the U.S. Women captured its third consecutive and fifth overall World Grand Prix title. She was credited with a Final Round-leading 103 points (89 kills, 13 blocks, 1 ace). She finished second in the Best Spiker category with a 43.8 kill percent (89-of-203). Further, Hodge ranked seventh in Best Blocker with 0.68 blocks per set and third in Best Digger with 1.84 digs per set.

U.S. Womne’s National Volleyball Team Wins Third Straight World Grand Prix Hodge Named Most Valuable Player U.S. Women Sweep China to Complete World Grand Prix Undefeated NINGBO, China (July 1, 2012) - Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), an outside hitter with the No. 1 ranked U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, was selected most valuable player and Best Scorer of the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix that concluded July 1 at Ningbo, China. The U.S., ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, concluded the FIVB World Grand Prix undefeated in 14 matches, including a 5-0 record in the Final Round. The Americans needed to win the final match of the six-team round-robin Final Round to claim the gold medal as Brazil (4-1, 13 points) topped Turkey (3-2, 9 points) 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 to force the issue. Brazil ended up with the silver medal and Turkey with the bronze medal. With the victory, Team USA became just the second country to win the FIVB World Grand Prix for three consecutive years. Aside from the U.S., only Brazil has successfully defended its title having won the tournament three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 and back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009.

“I am so proud of this group,” Hodge said. “We battled hard and came out on top. It was a long four weeks, but we found a way to keep it together and push to get the gold. I wouldn’t have been able to get the MVP award without the rest of the team. We all contributed to it. We were a cohesive unit and had each other’s backs through and through. It was a great tournament.” The FIVB World Grand Prix awards were based on statistics from the sixteam, round robin Final Round held June 27 to July 1 in Ningbo. Hodge becomes the third different American player to earn the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) won the award in 2010, while Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) earned the award in 2011. According to unofficial DataVolley statistics, Hodge averaged 5.26 points over the course of the 14-match World Grand Prix in which the U.S. did not lose a match. She converted 49.5 percent of her attacks for points with a .376 hitting efficiency. Hodge added averages of 4.58 kills, 2.55 digs and 0.52 blocks per set. Team USA became just the second country to win the FIVB World Grand Prix for three consecutive years. Aside from the U.S., only Brazil has successfully defended its title having won the tournament three consecutive years from 2004 to 2006 and back-to-back years in 2008 and 2009. Overall, the U.S. had 17 players compete at some point during 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix and all 17 had at least two starts. The balanced squad featured 11 players with at least five starts each and contributing to the gold-medal cause. The U.S. has now won all five of its FIVB World Grand Prix titles in China. Two years ago Team USA won the World Grand Prix title also in Ningbo, while bringing back the 2011 title from Macau, China. The Americans claimed their first FIVB World Grand Prix title in 1995 at Shanghai followed by the 2001 title at Macau.

The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team celebrates its third consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix championship. (FIVB photos)

Danielle Scott-Arruda shows off the FIVB World Grand Prix trophy. (FIVB photo)

Megan Hodge presented with the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 22 25 16 25 15 BUL 25 18 25 22 11 U.S. Women Take the 5th Over Bulgaria to Start Challenge Series ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 14, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team started its three-match Bulgaria Challenge Series with a hard-fought 22-25, 25-18, 16-25, 25-22, 15-11 victory over the visitors in front of an over-flowing crowd of 1,200 at Canyon High School Saturday evening in Anaheim, Calif. The U.S. Women, which head to London next Friday for the Olympic Games that start July 28, were playing their first home match since the Pan American Cup in Miami and FIVB World Championship NORCECA Qualification Tournament in Orlando in the summer of 2009. The USABulgaria Challenge Series, co-hosted by the City of Anaheim where the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams train, continues on July 16 and July 18 with matches at the Galen Center on the University of Southern California campus. Both matches start at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by going to usctrojans.com/usa.

Team USA during the national anthem in front of a packed crowd in Anaheim. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) led the U.S. with a match-high 26 points with 24 kills on 40 attacks. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) chipped in 19 points with 14 kills and four blocks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided 12 points including eight kills and three aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) reached 10 points with a matchhigh five blocks. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) added seven points, while Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) tacked on six points in coming off the bench all five sets. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) rounded out the scoring with two points each.

Left: Jordan Larson attacks against the Bulgaria defense en route to a 26-point performance. Below: Fans showed their support for the team in a packed house at Canyon High School in Anaheim. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

“It was nice to play in front of a home crowd for once,” Larson said. “I have not played in front of a home crowd in the United States since college. And the fans were great tonight – they definitely helped us in key moments of the match.” Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) led the Americans with 15 digs, while Larson and Berg each added 10 digs. U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) started the final three sets after being a double-sub with HaneefPark in the first two sets. Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a serving sub in three of the five sets, while Hodge was a sub in the fourth set. “It is amazing tonight,” Akinradewo said. “We typically play in front of foreign fans rooting against us. So it was a great blessing to have people come out to support us.” Team USA out-blocked Bulgaria 13-8 and held a slim 8-7 ace advantage. The Americans converted 42 percent of its 150 attacks, while the Bulgarians converted 40 percent. The U.S. hit 53 percent (10-0-19) in the fifth set. In the three sets it won, the U.S. converted 52 percent of its attacks into points. As a first-time Olympian, Akinradewo is taking hype of the Olympics in stride. “I am taking it all in one day at a time,” Akinradewo said. “As Hugh has told us many times, it is just another tournament with a lot of extra fluff. We have a great core group of players over the last four years, and if we focus on what we have learned during that time, we should do well.” Bulgaria was led by Elitsa Vasileva’s 21 points from her opposite position, while captain Strashmira Filipova added 19 points from her middle blocker spot.

Danielle Scott-Arruda signs autographs after the match. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Courtney Thompson back-sets with Foluke Akinradewo running a slide. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 18 25 25 BUL 14 25 17 21 U.S. Women Down Bulgaria in Second Challenge Series Match ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 16, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team improved to 2-0 in its three-match Bulgaria Challenge Series with a 25-14, 18-25, 25-17, 25-21 victory over Bulgaria on Monday at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California. The U.S. Women, ranked No. 1 in the world, dominated Bulgaria in blocks (19-6) and also led in kills (58-51) and aces (4-2). “This building is amazing,” said U.S. libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) who played college volleyball at USC. “I dreamed of playing in it, but it was not built when I was here. Right now we are trying to improve by millimeters. It could be the difference in a close match.” Opposite Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 17 kills and four blocks. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) added 16 points on 12 attacks, three blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) totaled 15 points on 13 attacks, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) finished with 10 points on four kills, a matchhigh five blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) tallied nine points on five attacks and four stuff blocks. Opposite Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) totaled eight points on six attacks and two blocks. Setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) added two points on one attack and one ace.

Nicole Davis, a University of Southern California alum, returned to her alma mater and helped the U.S. dig a four-set win over Bulgaria. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

U.S. libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) finished with 17 digs. Berg set the U.S. Women to a 42.2 kill percent and a .358 hitting efficiency. Bulgaria’s kill percent was 36.6 and its hitting efficiency was .367. U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Harmotto at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite, Berg at setter and Davis at libero. Haneef-Park, defensive specialist Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and setter Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) played as substitutes. Left: Foluke Akinradewo hits over the Bulgaria block. Below: Christa Harmotto blocks down a Bulgaria attack. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Fans of all ages cheered on the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to victory against Bulgaria on July 16. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Danielle Scott-Arruda signs autographs after the match. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Logan Tom puts up a block against Bulgaria. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 BUL 18 17 19 U.S. Women Conclude Bulgaria Challenge Series with Sweep ANAHEIM, Calif. (July 18, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team concluded its three-match USA-Bulgaria Challenge Series with a 25-18, 25-17, 25-19 sweep of the European side on Wednesday before a crowd of 2,558 at the Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California. The U.S. Women will head to London next Friday for the 2012 Olympic Games that start July 28. The U.S. Women, ranked No. 1 in the world, led Bulgaria in kills (39-36) and dominated in blocks (12-3). The teams tied in aces (4-4). “It was really great to play Bulgaria in these three matches,” U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). “They are a physical team and well-coached. I am happy that every time we played them we got a little better each time and peaking toward the Olympic Games.” U.S. middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) and outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) led all scorers with 13 points each. Akinradewo scored nine attacks and a match-high four blocks. Tom added nine attacks, two blocks and a team-high two aces. Opposite Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) finished with eight points on seven attacks and one block. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored seven points on seven attacks. Middle blocker Christa Harmotto (Hopewell Township, Pa.) totaled six points on three kills and three blocks.

Tayyiba Haneef-Park takes a swing against Bulgaria as USA Volleyball fans line up behind her. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Matt Brown)

Opposite Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) added five points on four attacks and one block. Outside hitter Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) tallied three points on two kills and one block. Serving specialist Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) scored one point with an ace, as did setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu). Berg set the U.S. Women to a 40.6 kill percent and a .354 hitting efficiency. Bulgaria had a 31.6 kill percent and a .246 hitting efficiency. Outside hitter Eva Yaneva led Bulgaria with 12 points on 10 attacks and two aces. Outside hitter Mariya Karakasheva added 11 points on nine attacks, one block and one ace. McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Harmotto and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite, Berg at setter and Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) at libero.

Foluke Akinradewo hits around the Bulgaria block. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Matt Brown)

Setter Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.), middle blocker Danielle ScottArruda (Baton Rouge, La.), Hodge, Miyashiro and Haneef-Park played as substitutes.

Left: Megan Hodge attacks against Bulgaria. Above: Jordan Larson reaches for a dig. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Matt Brown) Tamari Miyashiro provides a pass against Bulgaria. (Copyright USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

Christa Harmotto spikes past Bulgaria. (Photo Copryight USA Volleyball/Matt Brown) 49

2012 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN DEFEAT CANADA TO OPEN PAN AMERICAN CUP

TEAM USA BLOCKS PUERTO RICO IN PAN AM CUP POOL PLAY

USA..................................25 25 25 Canada.............................15 22 15

USA..................................25 25 25 Puerto Rico.......................15 12 14

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 12, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated Canada 25-15, 25-22, 25-15 on July 12 to open the Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico.

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 13, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team used 20 blocks to defeat Puerto Rico 25-15, 25-12, 25-14 on July 13 during the Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico.

The U.S. continues Pool A action on July 13 versus Puerto Rico at 8 p.m. MT, followed by Cuba on July 14 at 6 p.m. MT. Team USA faces Colombia on July 15 at 4 p.m. MT before concluding pool play on July 16 versus host Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. MT.

The U.S., now 2-0 in the Pan American Cup, continues Pool A action on July 14 at 6 p.m. MT. Team USA faces Colombia on July 15 at 4 p.m. MT before concluding pool play on July 16 versus host Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. MT.

The U.S. opened a 6-3 lead in the first set and cruised to a 25-15 victory in benefiting from 12 Canada errors. The Americans used a 15-4 scoring run to overcome a 9-5 deficit in winning the second set 25-22. Team USA used six unanswered points in the third set to gain a 14-6 advantage and went on to win 25-15. The U.S. was led in scoring by Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.), who each tallied 14 points. Metcalf was credited with 13 kills on 28 attacks and an ace. Gibbemeyer boasted eight kills on 16 swings, a match-high five blocks and an ace. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) charted nine kills on 17 attacks for her total points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) contributed five kills on 11 errorless attacks and an ace for six points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) tacked on three kills and a block for four points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) rounded out the scoring with a kill each. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque) provided a team-high five digs and five excellent receptions on 11 attempts. Glass set the U.S. offense to a 45.5 kill percent and .239 hitting efficiency (40-9-88) with 17 running sets on 66 set attempts.

Courtesy of NORCECA

Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio), who is serving as the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team competing at the Pan American Cup, started Richards and Lichtman at outside hitter, Tamas and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Banwarth is the designated libero for the tournament. Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) subbed in the match in the first set, while Fawcett was a sub in the second set. Keao Burdine (Pico Rivera, Calif.) and Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) were subs in the third set. For Sykora, it was her first match wearing the U.S. uniform in an international competition since an April 2011 bus accident left. “Victory is always great,” said Sykora, who is serving as captain for the U.S. team. “Canada is a very strong team and I am very happy for playing again. Actually this is my first Team USA match after that accident and I really wanted to get back and play volleyball again.” “I decided to use her just in the right time and she did a good job,” Sunahara said. “For me as coach and for USA Volleyball it is unbelievable to see her recovering and we are very happy she is back again.” Team USA benefited from 26 Canada errors in the match while limited its own miscues to 12. The Americans held a 6-5 margin in blocks and 3-2 edge in aces. Offensively, the U.S. managed a 40-33 advantage in kills and 9-7 margin in digs. Team USA’s defense held Canada to a 36.7 kill percent and .222 hitting efficiency (33-13-90). “USA found our weaknesses, especially in the pass and the other difference was in the unforced errors,” Canada coach Arnd Ludwig said.

The U.S. put together a 9-2 scoring run in the opening set to break free from an 11-10 advantage in winning 25-15. Team USA raced out to a 7-1 advantage in the second set and never looked back in tallying a 25-12 victory. The Americans unleashed a 9-1 scoring run to establish a 16-7 lead in the third set and finished off the set 25-14 with eight team blocks.

Courtesy of NORCECA Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) tallied a U.S. and match-high 11 points with seven kills on 12 attacks and four blocks. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) contributed five blocks and five kills on eight swings for 10 points. Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) charted six kills on 10 errorless attacks and three blocks in the victory. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) totaled six kills on nine errorless attacks and a block for seven points, which was matched by Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) and her seven kills on nine errorless attacks. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) came off the bench to score three kills and two blocks for five points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) recorded three blocks, while Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) and Keao Burdine each placed a kill and block on the stat sheet for two points. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) totaled a team-high six excellent receptions on 12 attempts. Banwarth, Fawcett and Metcalf all tallied two digs each. Glass notched eight running sets on 26 set attempts, while Lloyd added three running sets on 23 attempts. “Puerto Rico started off well,” said Reed Sunahara, who is serving as the U.S. Women’s National Team head coach for the tournament. “For us we were worried about it. It is a good team, with good passing and they did a nice job. Tonight our bench did a nice job. Once they got in they did what we expected.” Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio), who is serving as the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team competing at the Pan American Cup, started Richards and Lichtman at outside hitter, Paolini and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Banwarth is the designated libero for the tournament. Lloyd and Fawcett each subbed into the match in the second set and started the third set. Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) subbed in the second and third sets, while Burdine came off the bench in the third set. Team USA held a commanding 20-3 block advantage and limited its errors to 12 in the match. The Americans converted 59.0 percent of their attacks with a .508 hitting efficiency (36-5-61). Puerto Rico committed 19 errors with a negative .033 hitting efficiency (24-27-90) to offset its 2-0 margin in aces. The U.S. produced a 36-24 advantage in kills. “Puerto Rico is a very good team,” said Sykora, who is serving as the captain of the team. “It is always good for us to play against them. Despite the 3-0 score, they are a great team. This was a positive victory for us and we expect to play better.” Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Enright scored a team-high 10 points all coming on kills, while Yarimar Rosa added five points. No other Puerto Rican tallied more than three points in the loss.

2012 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN FALL TO CUBA FOR FIRST LOSS OF 2012

U.S. WOMEN BLOCK COLOMBIA UPSET BID

USA..................................25 25 25 25 Colombia..........................27 21 13 17

USA..................................18 23 25 19 Cuba.................................25 25 23 25

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 14, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team fell to Cuba 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 25-19 on July 14 during the Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico. Team USA, now 2-1 in the tournament and in second place in Pool A, continues Pan American Cup play on Sunday against Colombia at 4 p.m. MT before concluding Pool A with Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. MT. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) led the team with 20 points off of a match-high 18 kills and two blocks. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) followed suit posting 15 points off of 13 kills and two blocks. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) charted six points with a team-high 23 excellent receptions on 39 chances. Lauren Paolini ( A n n A r b o r, M i c h . ) added five points, while Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), Nancy Metcalf and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) tallied four points each. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with three points. Team USA converted 45. 9 p ercent of i ts attacks with a .294 hitting efficiency (50-18-109). Cuba converted 52.3 percent of its attacks with a .371 hitting efficiency (55-16105). Both teams put up 11 blocks, but Cuba’s 4-0 ace advantage kept the Americans off from the first touch. Reed Sunahara, the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team head Courtesy of NORCECA coach for the Pan American Cup, started Gibbemeyer and Tamas at middle blocker, Lichtman and Richards at outside hitter, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) is the designated libero for the tournament. Paolini started the last three sets after subbing in the first set. Fawcett started the final two sets after coming off the bench in the first two sets.

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 15, 2012) – Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) scored 22 points with 11 blocks to lead the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team past Colombia 25-27, 25-21, 25-13, 25-17 on July 15 during the Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico. The U.S., now 3-1 in the Pan American Cup, concludes pool play on July 16 versus host Dominican Republic at 6 p.m. MT. Colombia overcame a 12-6 deficit in the opening set to win 27-25 thanks to 11 Team USA errors. The U.S. let a 17-12 lead in the second set slip away to a tie at 19-all, but then scored five of the final six points for a 25-21 win. Colombia tallied five aces in the set, but committed eight errors to the Americans’ two. Team USA went on a 9-0 scoring run with seven blocks, including six by Gibbemeyer, to comfortably earn a 25-13 victory in the third set. After falling behind 6-3 in the fourth set, the U.S. came back to take a 9-7 lead and used a key 6-0 run late to take a 23-15 advantage in route to a 25-17 victory. Gibbemeyer tallied her 22 points with 11 blocks, nine kills on 12 errorless Courtesy of NORCECA attacks and two aces. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) picked up 10 kills on 15 attacks and two blocks for 12 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) contributed nine points off the bench with eight kills on 14 swings, while Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) had a matching nine points with eight kills on 14 attacks from her opposite position. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) chipped in four blocks as part of an eight-point performance. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) scored five points off the bench with four kills on five attacks, while Keao Burdine (Pico Rivera, Calif.) and Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) added two points each. Lloyd provided 17 running sets on 73 assist attempts in the victory. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied a team-high five digs and added seven excellent receptions. Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio), who is serving as the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team competing at the Pan American Cup, started Burdine and Lichtman at outside hitter, Paolini and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Fawcett at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Banwarth is the designated libero for the tournament. Richards and Tamas started the last three sets in place of Burdine and Paolini. Metcalf was a sub in the first two sets, then started in place of Fawcett in the third and fourth sets. Stacy Sykora, the captain for the team at the Pan American Cup, was a sub in the third set. “It is always good to win,” Sykora said. “This was a positive thing. We faced a great team that showed good service and went so far. They are a great team now and I am sure they will be great in the future.” The U.S. out-blocked Colombia 20-4 and held a 52-46 margin in kills. Team USA converted 55.3 percent of its attacks as part of a .426 hitting efficiency. Colombia produced a 40.7 kill percent, but only a .239 hitting efficiency with 19 attack faults. The Americans limited their errors to 11 after the first set for a total of 22 for the match as Colombia had 25 errors. Colombia led 6-3 in aces. “When we watched them playing better I thought we had to stop them,” Sunahara said. “We couldn’t in the first set. They showed good execution and had momentum. Our players woke up and started doing things correctly.” Diana Arrechea tallied 20 points for Colombia, while its captain Lorena Zuleta added 14 points.

2012 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN RALLY PAST DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO WIN PAN AM POOL

TEAM USA TOPS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO REACH PAN AM CUP FINALS

USA..................................24 24 25 25 15 Dominican Republic..........26 26 15 22 12

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 16, 2012) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team rallied past Dominican Republic 24-26, 24-26, 25-15, 25-22, 15-12 to win Pool A of the Pan American Cup on July 16at Juarez, Mexico. The U.S. concluded Pool A with a 4-1 record and 18 points, the same as Cuba. However, Team USA won the tiebreaker of point quotient with a 1.227 mark compared to Cuba’s 1.118. By winning Pool A, the Americans advance directly into the semifinals and qualify for the 2013 FIVB World Grand Prix. To view video live stream, visit norceca.net. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) led the U.S. with a match-high 28 points with 23 kills, four blocks and an ace. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) added 21 points via 18 kills and three blocks. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) contributed nine kills, five blocks and an ace for 15 points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) tacked on five kills and four blocks for nine points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) collected six points all on kills, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied 12 digs and 33 excellent receptions on 48 attempts.

Courtesy of NORCECA

USA..................................25 26 24 25 Dominican Republic..........20 24 26 16

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 19, 2012) – Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) collected 25 points as U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated Dominican Republic 25-20, 2624, 24-26, 25-16 on July 19 during the Pan American Cup semifinal round played at Juarez, Mexico. The U.S. Women will now face defending Pan American Cup champion Brazil in the gold-medal match on Friday evening. The Americans were facing Dominican Republic for the third straight time in the Pan American Cup semifinals, having lost in 2010 and 2011. Team USA rallied to defeat Dominican Republic 3-2 in the final pool match on July 16 after losing the first two sets to claim the group’s top place and advance directly to the semifinal round. Both teams are qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games that begin on July 28, but the U.S. is competing at the Pan American Cup without any Courtesy of NORCECA of its expected 2012 Olympic Games roster. In contrast, Dominican Republic brought nearly its entire Olympic Games roster to the Pan American Cup.

“Dominican Republic is one of the strongest teams in the world and we are happy to get the victory,” said Sykora, who is serving as the captain of the U.S. squad. “But we had to put this one in the past because the tournament is still going and we need to see the future.” Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio), who is serving as the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Te a m co m p et i n g at t h e Pan American Cup, started Richards and Lichtman at outside hitter, Tamas and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) is the designated libero for the tournament. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) was a sub in all but the third set, while Keao Burdine (Pico Rivera, Calif.) was a sub in the second and third sets. Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) was a sub in the fifth set. “The result could have gone either way,” Sunahara stated. “It was a very intense match and I am proud of my team for not giving up and coming back from 0-2.” The U.S. out-blocked Bulgaria 17-14 and took advantage of 33 Dominican Republic errors while holding its miscues to 17 for the match. Dominican Republic held a slim 4-2 lead in aces and 66-61 edge in kills. Dominican Republic was led by Bethania De La Cruz’s 22 points and Gina Altagracia Mambru added 21 points.

The U.S. has not won the Pan American Cup gold medal since 2003, which was followed in 2004 by the silver. Team USA has defeated Cuba in the last two Pan American Cup bronze-medal matches in 2010 and 2011. The U.S. built an 18-12 lead in the opening set and withstood a late Dominican Republic charge to win 25-20 by scoring five of the final six points. Dominican Republic rallied from a 20-17 deficit to tie the second set 22-all, but the Americans never relinquished the lead with a 26-24 victory. Dominican Republic used a 4-0 run to take a 20-17 lead in the third set, but had to score the final two points of the set for a 26-24 victory after the U.S. saved three set points. The third set witnessed 15 ties and five lead changes. Team USA put together a 13-4 run to take a commanding 22-12 advantage in the fourth set en route to winning 25-16. Metcalf tallied her 25 points on 21 kills and four blocks. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) contributed 18 kills, one block and one ace for 20 points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) charted a match-high five blocks with five aces for 10 points, while Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) also reached 10 points with six kills, two blocks and two aces. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) tacked on four blocks and a kill for five points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with two kills. Kayla Banwarth tallied nine digs and 19 excellent receptions on 28 attempts to lead the back-row defense. Glass chipped in 36 running sets on 113 set attempts leading the U.S. to a 38.7 kill percent and .255 hitting efficiency (53-18-137). Reed Sunahara, the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team at the Pan American Cup, started Richards and Lichtman at outside hitter, Tamas and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Banwarth is designated libero for the tournament. Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) were subs in the second and third sets, while Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) came off the bench in the third set. “It was another tough battle with Dominican Republic,” Sunahara said. “We are happy with the victory for this team that I am sure has some future Olympians in four years. I wish Dominican Republic the best in the Olympics.” Team USA out-blocked Dominican Republic 16-10 and took advantage of 28 errors from the losing team. The Americans held a slight 53-50 edge in kills while Dominican Republic managed a 4-3 margin in aces. The U.S. defense limited Dominican Republic to a 34.0 kill percent and .184 hitting efficiency (50-23-147). “USA and Dominican Republic always play tough matches and today was not different,” USA’s captain Stacy Sykora said. “They are one of the strongest teams in the world. We are happy with the victory, but have to put it in the past and focus on the future.”

2012 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN RALLY PAST BRAZIL TO WIN PAN AMERICAN CUP

USA..................................28 18 25 25 15 Brazil................................30 25 22 21 11

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 20, 2012) –The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team rallied from two sets down and 9-7 in the fifth set to defeat Brazil 28-30, 18-25, 25-22, 2521, 15-11 on July 20 in the Pan American Cup gold-medal match in Juarez, Mexico. Team USA won its first Pan American Cup gold medal since 2003, which was followed in 2004 by the silver. Brazil was going for its fourth Pan Am Cup title, but settled for its third silver medal. Overall, the U.S. is now 23-1 during the 2012 season. Brazil saved four set points in the opening set and took a 30-28 victory after rallying from an early 8-4 deficit. Brazil used a 12-4 scoring spurt to take an 18-11 lead in the second set and benefited from nine American errors in taking the 25-18 victory. Team USA built an 11-6 lead Courtesy of NORCECA in the third set and fended off the late Brazil charges to win 25-22. The Americans knotted the match at two sets each by scoring five unanswered points to come back from a 19-18 deficit in the fourth set to win 25-21. Team USA rallied from a 9-7 deficit in the fifth set and scored the final five points to secure the 15-11 victory. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah), the most valuable player of the tournament, scored a Team USA season-high 35 points with 32 kills, two aces and a block. Richards also pulled in the Best Scorer award with 128 points in seven matches for an 18.28 per match average. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) tacked on nine kills and five blocks for 14 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) contributed 10 kills and a block for 11 points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) came off the bench to notch eight kills, while while Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Mich.) charted seven kills and an ace for eight points in a reserve role. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) added three kills and two blocks for five points, while Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) totaled two kills, one block and one ace for four points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block. Glass produced 15 running sets on 140 set attempts as the Americans converted 38.6 percent of its attacks with a .266 hitting efficiency (71-22-184). Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) tallied a team-high six digs. Lichtman charted 11 excellent receptions on 43 attempts, while Richards added nine excellent receptions on 36 attempts and five digs. Reed Sunahara, the head coach for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team at the Pan American Cup, started Richards and Lichtman at outside hitter, Tamas and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Glass at setter. Banwarth is designated libero for the tournament. Fawcett was a sub in the first two sets before starting the final three sets, while Paolini subbed into the match in the second set and started the final three sets. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) was a sub in the first two sets, while Keao Burdine (Pico Rivera, Calif.) was a reserve in the fourth set. Stacy Sykora (Burleson, Texas) made an appearance on the service line in the fifth set. “A victory is always great, and actually this is the first time in 12 years we have a victory against Brazil (to end my season),” Sykora said. “Every four years when I finished my season, I lost against a Brazilian team. This was a very young team, but with great talent and a great future.” “I feel happy,” Sunahara said. “It is a fun team. They showed it all tournament and never gave up. We lost against Cuba and came back against Dominican Republic two times. They kept playing and kept playing. The ball was moving on our side.” Brazil out-blocked Team USA 17-11 and managed a 36-17 advantage in digs, but the Americans held a 71-65 margin in kills and took advantage of 25 Brazilian errors. Brazil converted 35.1 percent of its attacks into points with a .227 hitting efficiency (65-23-185). Both teams had four aces in the five-set match. Brazil had a pair of players reach 20-plus points with Joyce Silva leading the way with 25 points and Priscila Daroit with 23 points. Gabriela Braga Guimaraes chipped in 18 points in the loss.

2001 – World Championships Qualifying (first place)…World Grand Prix (first place)…NORCECA (first place)…World Grand Champions Cup. 2000 – BCV Volley Masters...Brazil Trip...Grand Prix...NIKE Americas’ Volleyball Challenge...Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 1999 – Brazil Tour…Pan American Games…NORCECA Championship ... World Cup. 1996 – Grand Prix…Olympics. 1995 – Canada Cup…Grand Prix…Pan American Games… World Cup. 1994 – Goodwill Games…Grand Prix…World Championships. 1991 – Pan American Games.

Danielle Scott-Arruda

Middle Blocker * 6-2 Baton Rouge, Louisiana College: Long Beach State Joined Team: May 1994 Last Club: Sao Bernardo MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 - FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2009 – Pan American Cup (Fourth)… FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G (Gold)…NORCECA Continental Championship (4th). 2008 – U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – Pan American Games (Bronze Medal)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Eighth Place)…NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – World Grand Prix (Seventh Place)…World Championships (Ninth Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Montreux Volley Masters…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)…NORCECA Championships (Gold Medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters… Russia Tournament…Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)… NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…Texas Tour…World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2002 – Utah Tour vs. Italy…World Grand Prix (sixth place)…Italy Tour…World Championships (Silver Medal). Courtesy of FIVB

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started eight of 14 FIVB World Grand Prix matches in helping the team win its third straight gold medal in the event…Averaged 2.50 points, 1.08 blocks and 1.35 kills per set at the World Grand Prix while producing a 50.7 kill percent and .362 hitting efficiency…Tallied seven five blocks as part of 13-point effort against China to clinch the World Grand Prix gold medal. 2011 – After missing all of 2010 season to give birth to her first child, played 21 sets with two matches starts at the FIVB World Cup helping the U.S. to a silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Scored nine points off the bench against No. 1 Brazil in the World Cup opener, including seven kills on 15 errorless attacks with two blocks…Converted 51.9 percent of attacks at World Cup with a .500 hitting efficiency (27-1-52)…Averaged 1.62 points at World Cup. 2009 – Played in 48 sets in limited action, compiling 2.23 points per set with 0.73 blocks per set and a 44.9 kill percent…Scored 59 points in seven matches (started six matches) at the Pan American Cup, including 22 blocks as part of a 1.00 average to earn the Best Blocker of the Tournament…Hit at a .342 efficiency at the Pan American Cup and converted 46.6 percent of attacks into kills…Started all three matches of the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G third-round competition in Orlando, averaging 2.29 points in seven sets played…Helped U.S. qualify for the 2010 FIVB World Championship in the NORCECA Pool G event by converting eight of 11 attacks into kills… Averaged 1.68 points per set during NORCECA Continental Championship in five starts and 19 sets played…Totaled 11 points with a .444 hitting efficiency against Dominican Republic on Sept. 26. 2008 – Played and started 12 of 15 possible sets in three-match series versus Brazil June 1114…Averaged 2.58 points per set, including 0.83 blocks and 0.25 aces per set…Attacked at a .400 efficiency (kills minus errors divided by attacks) with 18 kills on 35 swings versus Brazil…Over 46 sets at the FIVB World Grand Prix, averaged 3.13 points, 2.30 kills, 0.76 blocks and 0.07 aces per set…Converted 60.2 percent of her attacks into kills at World Grand Prix, including a .545 hitting efficiency, but did not qualify for the Best Spiker award in the Final Round due to minimum attempts…Scored 58 points in the World Grand Prix Final round, including 22 points versus Japan on July 10…Ranked ninth in blocking during the Final Round…Compiled 85 points in eight Olympic Games matches helping Team USA to silver medal, its first medal since 1992…Averaged 2.83 points, 2.17 kills, 0.57 blocks and 0.10 aces per set while compiling a kill percent of 0.54 and kill efficiency of .438…Totaled 22 points in Olympic Games opener against Japan on Aug. 9…Added 19 points versus host China on Aug. 15, followed by a 17-point performance with 15 kills on 20 attacks against Italy in the quarterfinal round on Aug. 19. 2007 – Flag bearer for the U.S. delegation at the Pan American Games…Averaged 3.38 points and 1.00 digs per set at Pan American Games while attacking at a .342 clip…Started all 36 sets for Team USA at FIVB World Grand Prix, averaging 2.89 points, 2.11 kills and 0.69 blocks…Attacked at a .381 mark during the World Grand Prix on 155 swings…Averaged 3.31 points per set at the NORCECA Championship while attacking at a .453 percentage…Turned in 2.25 kills, 0.88 blocks and 0.19 aces per set at NORCECA Championship…Moved to outside hitter for the NORCECA gold medal match and provided 14 kills on 32 swings, three blocks and an ace…Started 35 of 41 possible sets at FIVB World Cup while averaging 3.14 points, 2.11 kills, 0.89 blocks and 0.14 aces per set…At the World Cup, ranked third in Best Blocker and 25th in Best Scorer…Provided a USA team-high .464 attack percentage during the World Cup on 140 attacks…Reached double-figure scoring in eight of 11 matches at the World Cup, including 17 points in a sweep of Korea…Credited with four or more blocks in 11 of the World Cup matches, including six versus Thailand

on Nov. 10. 2006 – Averaged 2.64 points per set in nine World Grand Prix matches, despite starting just four matches…Turned in five double-digit point performances in the Grand Prix, including 16 points in a three-set victory over Thailand on Sept. 1…Tallied 11 kills and four blocks for 15 points against China on Aug. 25…Compiled a .579 attack percentage for the World Grand Prix…Produced a .764 hitting percentage with 13 kills against Thailand on Sept. 1, followed by a .714 attack percentage with 10 kills on 14 swings against Russia on Sept. 3…Averaged 2.91 points, 2.31 kills, 0.51 blocks and 0.09 aces per set during 35 sets of action at the World Championships…Attacked at a .417 percentage during the World Championships. Produced 17 points against Netherlands on Nov. 1 and 16 points versus Turkey on Nov. 16 in the ninth-place match. 2005 – Danielle played a key role as the USA Women captured the silver medal at the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November…The United States finished the tournament with a record of 4-1 as it earned wins over Korea, 2004 Olympic gold medalist China, Poland and Japan along the way…She finished second among all players in total blocks (17) and blocks per set (1.06)…Danielle scored a matchhigh-tying 21 points as Team USA upset Cuba in five sets to win its thirdstraight NORCECA Championship gold medal on Sept. 11…Blasted 15 kills with four blocks and two aces as the Americans finished the tournament with a record of 5-1…Played professionally for Pallavolo Chieri in Italy. 2004 – Made her third-straight Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, as the USA Women finished tied for fifth overall after losing to Brazil in the tournament quarterfinals…Finished tied for first on the team in total blocks in Athens with 15 and tied for seventh among all players. 2003 – Helped the United States earn a bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup and a berth in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece…Finished first on the team and eighth among all players with 152 total points in 11 matches (110 kills, 40 blocks, 2 aces) as the United States went 8-3…On the season Scott played in 128 of a possible 163 sets and finished first on

Courtesy of Newsport

the team in blocks (89) and hitting percentage (.486)…Ranked second on the squad in total points (433) and points per set (3.38), third in total kills (326) and tied for fifth in service aces (18)…Named to the USA Volleyball 75th Anniversary Women’s 1978-2003 All-Era Team in May…Played professionally for Pallavolo Chieri in Italy. 2002 – Won a silver medal at the 2002 Women’s Volleyball World Championships…Started all 11 matches at the World Championships and averaged 10.6 points per match…Captured Best Blocker honors at the World Championships after leading all players with 38 total stuffs…Played professionally for the Pioneer Red Wings in Japan’s V-League…Earned the league’s Best Blocker honor for the past season. 2001 – Named Most Valuable Player of the World Grand Prix after earning Best Scorer and Best Blocker awards… Played professionally for A.D.C. BCN in Brazil. 2000 – Finished the season as the team leader in kills (423), blocks (140) and hitting percentage (.347)…Earned the MVP honor at the NIKE Americas’ Volleyball Challenge after posting 36 kills, 17 digs, 15 blocks and a .359 hitting percentage in 12 games played...Sparked the team to an Olympic berth with nine stuff blocks in the championship match against Canada...Led the team in kills (60) and blocks (15) at the BCV Volley Masters...Posted a career-high 10 blocks versus Brazil...Led the team with 18 kills and eight blocks in a fourset upset of Brazil...Led the team in kills (133), blocks (37) and hitting percentage (.332) at the Grand Prix…Led the team and the Olympic Games in blocking with 33 stuffs…Added 101 kills, 32 digs, five aces and a .343 hitting percentage. 1999 – Led the team in total kills (92) and blocks (17) en route to a bronze medal at the Pan American Games… Posted a season high 24 kills on the Brazil Tour…Helped the team qualify for the World Cup with 46 kills and 13 blocks at the NORCECA Championship ... Her 39 blocks ranked among the top five at the World Cup ... Also posted 97 kills and seven aces. 1996 – Earned the starting middle blocker position in the final two Olympic Games matches, leading the team in kills versus Germany for seventh place. 1995 – Helped Team USA claim the World Grand Prix title with victories over Cuba, Brazil and China. Saw extensive playing time off the bench. 1994 – Joined the team on a full-time basis in the summer of 1994, earning a spot on the roster for the Goodwill Games, Grand Prix and World Championships…Paced the team with 22 kills in a victory over Germany. 1991 – Member of Pan American Games. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: A three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association First-Team All-American…Finished career as all-time NCAA career hitting percentage leader (.421)…Posted 1,778 kills, 693 digs and 604 blocks in her career at Long Beach State…Earned All-Big West honors in basketball, becoming the first Big West student-athlete to earn allconference accolades in two sports in one season. 1993 – Led the 49ers to the NCAA Championships…AVCA and Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year…Honda Award recipient as nation’s best female volleyball player… Big West Conference Player of the Year…Led the country in hitting percentage. 1992 – AVCA and Volleyball Monthly FirstTeam All-American…AVCA All-Northwest Region…Big West Conference Player of the Year ... Helped the 49ers reach the national semifinals ... Led the country in hitting percentage. 1991 – AVCA First-Team All-American. Asics/Volleyball Monthly Second-Team All-American… Helped the 49ers reach the NCAA Championship match. PERSONAL: Danielle Scott was born Oct. 1, 1972 to Charles Young and Vera Scott…Married to Eduardo Arruda (pronounced Ah-who-da)...Gave birth to daughter Julianne Arruda on April 17, 2010...She has one brother (Charles) and one sister (Stefanie)…Lists her mother and father as the people she admires most because they are “awesome role models”… Earned All-Big West honors in basketball at Long Beach State…Graduated with a bachelor’s degree in libero studies/sociology from Long Beach State University in 1994…Lists “The Color Purple” as her favorite movie and the Los Angeles Lakers as her favorite sports teams... Began playing youth volleyball for Louisiana Juniors (Baton Rouge, La.) in 1988…Speaks fluent Portuguese and knows some Italian...Teammates call her Dani, D or Dan.

Logan Tom

Outside Hitter * 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah College: Stanford Joined Team: January 2000 Last Club: Fenerbahce Universal MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round. 2011 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2008 – U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth)…Olympic Games (Silver). 2007 – FIVB World Cup (Bronze). 2004 – World Grand Prix (Bronze)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters… Russia Tournament…Pan American Cup (Gold)…World Grand Prix (Bronze)… NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold)…Texas Tour… World Cup (Bronze). 2002 – Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tour…Utah Tour vs. Italy…World Grand Prix (sixth place)…World Championships (Silver). 2001 – Montreux Volley Masters…World Championships Qualifying (Gold)…World Grand Prix (Gold). 2000 – BCV Volley Masters...Brazil Trip...Grand Prix...Japan Tour...Olympic Games...Russia Trip. 1999 – Junior World Championships. 1998 – Dominican Republic Trip…Junior NORCECA World Championship Qualifier…NORCECA World Championship Qualifier. 1997 – Junior Brazil Trip…Junior Canada Tour. INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix and did not travel to third leg or Final Round…Averaged 2.50 points, 2.95 digs and 1.65 points in first six World Grand Prix matches to help Team USA qualify for the Final Round and eventually win its third straight title. 2011 – Helped the U.S. win its second straight FIVB World Grand Prix by averaging 3.21 points, 2.47 digs, 2.35 kills, 0.50 aces and 0.35 blocks per set…Tallied 17 points and 19 digs versus Brazil in Final Round pool play, then followed with 12 points versus Serbia in semifinals and 13 points and 12 digs against Brazil in gold-medal match…Ranked ninth in World Grand Prix Final Round in scoring (58 points), second in Best Server (0.39 aces per set), 10th in Best Spiker (34.1 percent) and 10th in Best Digger (0.83 digs per set)…Averaged 3.14 points, 1.43 digs, 0.86 aces, 2.07 kills and 0.21 blocks in helping the U.S. capture the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship… Named the Best Server at the NORCECA Championship while also ranking eighth in Best Scorer and fifth in Best Receiver…Converted seven of 11 attacks for kills in NORCECA gold-medal match against Dominican Republic…Started 10 of 11 matches during FIVB World Cup helping the U.S. to the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Averaged 2.85 points, 0.39 blocks, 0.24 aces and 1.70 digs per set during World Cup…Tallied 14 kills and 10 digs in World Cup-opening victory over No. 1 Brazil…Tallied 14 points in win over Italy to clinch Olympic spot in 2012…Ranked ninth in Best Receiver at World Cup. 2010 – Averaged 3.38 points, 2.59 digs, 2.77 kills, 0.36 blocks and 0.26 aces in helping the U.S. to the FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal…Tallied 20 points versus Italy on Aug. 13 in first match with the U.S. Women’s National Team since the 2008 Olympic Games…Averaged 3.42 points and 2.89 digs during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round…Reached 20 points versus Poland on Aug. 25 in five-set win…Reached 15 points and 13 digs in five-set win over Brazil on Aug. 27…Tied for ninth in scoring during FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round, in addition to fifth in receiving (43.26 efficiency percent), seventh in digging and 15th in Blocking…Started all 11 matches and 40 sets for the U.S. at the FIVB World Championship…Provided eight double-doubles (kills and digs) as she averaged 3.28 kills and 3.30 digs, in addition to a 3.85 point averaged…Named Best Receiver of the FIVB World Championship compiling 178 excellent service

receptions on 287 attempts for a 57.49 efficiency percent…Scored 20 points against both Cuba (Nov. 3) and Germany (Oct. 31) at the World Championship…Ranked 17th in scoring at the World Championship, along with 13th in Best Digger. 2008 – Started and played all five sets in June 11 exhibition versus Brazil, compiling a match-high 23 points on 20 kills, two aces and a block…Totaled two kills versus Brazil in limited action on June 13…Averaged 3.45 points, 2.78 kills, 0.43 blocks, 0.25 aces and 1.38 digs per set at the FIVB World Grand Prix…Finished the World Grand Prix Final Round as the second leading scorer in the tournament with 78 points and converted 35.1 percent of her attacks for 14th place…Averaged 0.23 aces per set in the Final Round for seventh place and held a 50.00 efficiency rating for seventh place in Best Receiver category…Recorded 20 points versus China on July 13 and 19 points versus Japan on July 10 in the World Grand Prix Final Round…Named Best Scorer at the 2008 Olympic Games with a total of 124 points scored as part of a 3.76 scoring average per set…One of two Americans to start all 33 sets during the Olympic Games, the most of any competitor at the event…Averaged 2.91 kills, 0.24 aces, 0.58 blocks and 2.09 digs per set while compiling a 51.0 excellent service reception percent…Ranked eighth in the Olympic Games in Best Blocker…Scored 25 points in the pool finale against Poland on Aug. 17 with 18 kills on 39 swings, six blocks and an ace to go with 13 digs…Contributed 19 points versus Italy in the Olympic Games quarterfinals on Aug. 19, including 14 kills, three blocks and two aces…Charted 14 kills, two blocks and two aces as part of an 18-point performance versus China on Aug. 15… Added 11 points, 10 digs and 15 excellent service receptions on 19 errorless attempts in a three-set win over Cuba in the semifinals. 2007 – Named one of three FIVB World Cup MVP nominees… Averaged 4.10 points per set at World Cup in her first international tournament with Team USA in nearly three years… Averaged 3.35 kills, 0.65 blocks, 1.95 digs and 0.10 aces per set at the World Cup while starting 40 of 41 sets...Provided a .306 attack percentage on 317 swings during the World Cup…Tied for third best scorer at World Cup, 13th in Best Spiker, sixth in Best Blocker and 13th in Best Digger…Led Team USA in scoring in seven of 11 matches with a personal high of 23 points versus Serbia on Nov. 14…Added 18 points versus Cuba on Nov. 3. 2004 – Made her second-straight Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, helping Team USA to a fifth-place finish…Named MVP and Best Server of the World Grand Prix after leading all players in scoring with 224 points in 13 matches (179 kills, 24 blocks and 21 service aces). 2003 – Helped U.S. earn the bronze at the FIVB World Cup and a berth in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games…Finished second on the team and 14th overall with 138 total points in 11 matches (109 kills, 17 blocks, 12 aces) as the United States went 8-3…On the year she led Team USA in points (571), points per set (3.71), kills (432), and service aces (67)… Ranked second in blocks (73) and digs (281)…Named Best Receiver at the Montreux Volley Masters and the Pan American Cup…Captured Best Server honors at the Yeltsin Cup in Russia… 2002 – Won silver medal at the 2002 FIVB World Championship, starting all 11 matches and averaging a team-leading 14 points per match…Finished sixth among all players in the world with 154 total points. 2001 – Played a big key as the women won the World Grand Prix for the first time since 1995…Posted 14 kills and two blocks in the championship match as the Copyrighted USA Volleyball

Courtesy of FIVB

U.S. beat China…Had a team-high nine blocks as the women beat Russia 3-2 to advance to the championship match…Led the U.S. with 17 kills as it defeated Brazil in four games to advance to the semifinal round…Led U.S. in scoring in each of its three wins as it qualified for the 2002 World Championship by sweeping the qualification tournament with wins over Mexico, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. 2000 – Finished her first full year on the national team leading the team in aces (30) and finishing second in kills (396) and blocks (58)...Played like a veteran at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, posting 96 kills, 64 digs, 17 blocks and eight aces...Put down three of the last five points in the USA’s five-set victory over Korea in the quarterfinals...Second on the squad with 105 kills and 70 digs at the World Grand Prix...Posted a team-leading 35 kills on the Australia Tour...Led the team with 66 kills, 47 digs, eight blocks and five aces on the Russia Trip...In 16 sets on the Japan Tour had 47 kills, 33 digs, 13 blocks and four aces... Second on the squad with 38 kills on the Brazil Trip. 1999 – Led the team and ranked second in the tournament in scoring at the Women’s Junior World Championships. 1998 – Played with the national team at the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier and the Dominican Republic Tour…Also led the junior team to the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier title. 1997 – Played in her first international competition with the junior national team on the Brazil Trip. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Attended Stanford University 1999-2002 and is one of only three players ever to earn American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America First-Team all four years. 2002 – Named AVCA National Player of the Year for the second straight year and earned first-team AVCA All-America honors

en route to guiding Stanford to the NCAA Division I national championship match, where the Cardinal lost to USC…Captured Pac-10 Player of the Year honors for the second straight year and first-team All-Pac-10 honors for the fourth straight season…Won the Honda Award as the top female collegiate athlete in volleyball. 2001 – Named AVCA National Player of the Year and earned firstteam AVCA All-America honors en route to guiding Stanford to the NCAA Division I title with a sweep of Long Beach State…Led the Cardinal in kills (621, a school record), kills per game (5.09), digs (426) and service aces (66) and finished third in total blocks (112)…Captured the Honda Award as the top female collegiate athlete in volleyball. 2000 – Returned to Stanford on Oct. 10 after competing for the U.S. at the Sydney Olympic Games… Despite playing in only 16 out of 31 matches, still led the team in kills (328), kills per game (5.86), digs per game (3.20 and service aces (23)…Earned AVCA first-team All-America honors. 1999 – Only the fourth freshman to earn AVCA First-Team All-America honors...Asics/Volleyball Freshman of the Year…First-Team AllPac-10…Pac-10 Freshman of the Year…Helped the Cardinal reach the NCAA championship match with 438 kills, 254 digs, 86 blocks, 43 aces and a .324 attack percentage. PERSONAL: Born Logan Maile Lei Tom on May 25, 1981 in Napa, Calif…Parents are Melvyn and Kristine Tom…Also has a brother named Landon…Majored in international relations at Stanford… Logan’s father Melvyn played in the National Football League as defensive end with the Philadelphia Eagles and the Chicago Bears…Selected as one of eight finalists for the 2003 Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year Award in the team category.

Lindsey Berg

Setter * 5-8 Honolulu, Hawaii College: Minnesota Joined Team: January 2003 Last Club: MC Carnaghi Villa Cortese MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds. 2011 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2009 – Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)… NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth). 2008 – U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – World Grand Prix (Seventh Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Pan American Cup… World Grand Prix…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (gold medal)…NORCECA Continental Championships (gold medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – Yeltsin Cup…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)…Pan American Cup (Silver Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tournament…Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…Texas Tour…World Cup (Bronze Medal). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 - Started the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round, including victories over Olympic qualified teams Brazil, Italy and Dominican Republic…Averaged 4.75 running sets. 2011 – Selected USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year for the second time in her career...Started 12 of 14 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix and helped the Americans win their second straight title…Aided the U.S. to a .293 team hitting efficiency with 7.57 sets per set…Added 78 digs (1.86 per set), eight blocks (0.19 per set) and seven aces (0.17 per set)…Scored three blocks and a kill versus Italy on Aug. 20..Helped Team USA hit .302 in gold-medal match versus Brazil on Aug. 28…Named Best Setter of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship after averaging 7.07 assists per set and helping the squad to a .364 hitting efficiency on the way to winning the gold medal…Added a 1.13 dig average during the NORCECA Championship…Turned in 29 assists leading the U.S. to a .342 hitting efficiency in a three-set victory over Dominican Republic in the NORCECA gold-medal match…Started 10 of 11 matches in FIVB World Cup leading to the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Averaged 10.27 assists per set at World Cup, helping the squad to a .368 hitting efficiency and 46.5 kill percent…Ranked third in Best Setter at World Cup...Scored 53 assists, two kills and an ace in four-set win over Brazil…Totaled 51 assists in four-set win over Italy as U.S. hit .314. 2010 – Played in 17 sets during the FIVB World Championship…Started the bronze-medal match versus Japan on Nov. 14, recording 26 assists, nine digs and a kill in a five-set loss…Came off the bench to provided 40 assists, 11 digs and a block in the semifinal match versus Russia on Nov. 13. 2009 – Tallied 115 assists in 39 sets after taking much of the year off to recover from surgery after 2008 Olympic Games…Averaged 2.63 assists per set at Final Four Intercontinental Cup to rank second among all players…Added four kills, six blocks and two aces during the Final Four Cup, her first tournament competition of 2009…Totaled five points (2 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace) and 10 digs versus Brazil on Sept. 9… Provided 3.17 assists per set during NORCECA Continental Championship in starting all six matches and playing in 23 sets…Contributed 34 assists, two blocks, an ace and five digs versus Dominican Republic on Sept. 26. 2008 – Named USA Volleyball Female Indoor Athlete of the Year…Started four of six sets played during three-match exhibition series with Brazil, including three set starts on June 11…Started 43 sets of 51 sets played at World Grand Prix…Ranked seventh in setting based on assists per set (6.58) during the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round…Scored three

blocks in match versus Italy on July 12…Despite only nine set starts and 25 overall sets entered during the Olympics Games, played a key role at setter in leading USA to a silver medal at the Olympic Games…Started the fourth and fifth sets against Italy in the Olympic Games quarterfinals, which led to scoring runs of 8-0 and 5-0 to begin each set to help USA advance to the medal round…Tallied three aces and a block in the victory over Italy, along with 21 assists…Served as co-captain for the team at the Olympic Games. 2007 – Provided 37 assists in mainly a reserve role at the NORCECA Championship…Started the final three sets of the NORCECA Championship gold medal match against Cuba…Contributed four points, all aces, against Mexico on Sept. 18…Started 17 of 27 sets played at the FIVB World Cup with an average of 5.74 assists and 0.70 digs per set… Started first six matches of the World Cup resulting in a 6-0 record, in addition to the final match against Italy. 2006 – Named Best Setter during two of the three legs of the World Grand Prix (Macau and Bangkok)… Ranked as the second-best setter through the World Grand Prix Preliminary rounds…Averaged 9.59 assists per set (355 total assists) in the World Grand Prix…Helped U.S. to an overall .303 team attack percentage for the entire World Grand Prix. 2005 – Starting setter for the USA Women’s National Team that captured the silver medal at the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November…The United States finished the tournament with a record of 4-1 as it earned wins over Korea, 2004 Olympic gold medalist China, Poland and Japan along the way… Captured “Best Setter” honors and earned a gold medal as Team USA won its third-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a five-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 11…The USA Women qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the win…Also named “Best Setter” as she earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Women qualified for the 2006 World Championships…Named “Best Setter” at the Pan American Cup tournament in the Dominican Republic in June as the USA Women finished fourth and clinched a berth in the 2006 World Grand Prix. 2004 – Lindsey made her first Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, as Team USA finished fifth overall… Earned “Best Setter” honors at the Pan American Cup in Mexico as Team USA earned a silver medal and a berth in the 2005 World Grand Prix. 2003 – Earned “Best Setter” honors at the Pan American Cup in Mexico after guiding the United States to a perfect 5-0 record and a berth in the 2004 World Grand Prix…Finished third in assists per set at the World Grand Prix in Italy with 11.42 assists per set…Helped the United States earn a bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup and a berth in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece…Played in a teamhigh 156 sets during the year as she saw action in all 44 matches…Led the team in total assists (1,093) and finished third on the team in digs (177). COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Berg was a three-time All-Big Ten selection at the University of Minnesota (1999, 2000, and 2001)…She finished her collegiate career in 2001 ranked third in the Big Ten in all-time assists (5,913).

PERSONAL: Born Lindsey Napela Berg on July 16, 1980 in Honolulu, Hawaii… Parents are Dennis and Tina Berg…Also has a sister, Erin…Enjoys surfing and fashion design in her spare time… Her happiest moment in sports was winning the first-ever USPV championship in 2002…Graduated in December 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business/marketing. Copyrighted USA Volleyball

Tayyiba Haneef-Park

Opposite * 6-7 Laguna Hills, California College: Long Beach State Joined Team: May 2001 Last Club: Igtisadchi Baku MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth Place)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2009 – Pan American Cup (Fourth); FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G (Gold). 2008 – FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – Pan American Games (Bronze Medal)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Eighth Place)…NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – Pan American Cup (Fourth Place)… World Grand Prix (Seventh Place)…World Championships (Ninth Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Montreux Volley Masters…World Grand Prix…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)…NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – Yeltsin Cup…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…Olympic Games. 2003 – Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tournament…World Grand Prix (Bronze Medal)…NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)…Texas Tour…World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2002 – Japan Tour…Montreux Volley Masters…Russia Tour…Utah Tour vs. Italy…World Grand Prix (sixth place)… Italy Tour…World Championships (Silver Medal). 2001 – Montreux Volley Masters…World Championship Qualifying Tournament. INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Played in 35 sets during the FIVB World Grand Prix, primarily as a double-sub with two match starts as the U.S. won the gold medal for the third straight time…Scored 13 points against Thailand during the Final Round…Scored 51 points during the tournament with 42.2 kill percent. 2011 – Started all five matches and played in 21 of 22 sets at the Montreux Volley Masters, compiling 3.57 points per set with a 40 kill percent…Averaged 2.71 kills, 0.62 blocks and 2.33 digs per set at Montreux…Averaged 2.86 points with a 52.7 kill percent in 14 sets played at FIVB World Cup, which helped the U.S. earn the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Scored 13 points in three-set victory over Kenya, while adding 12 points on in three-set victory over Algeria in which she converted nine of 10 attacks into points. 2009 – Averaged 0.79 points per set during the Pan American Cup, playing 19 sets with one start in seven tournament matches…Turned in a hitting efficiency of .434 for the Pan American Cup…Started all three matches of the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G and helped the U.S. win gold and entry into the 2010 FIVB World Championship…Averaged 3.43 points per set at the World Championship qualification event, including 2.43 kills, 0.57 blocks and 0.43 aces per set. 2008 – Led USA in scoring in seven of 14 matches at the FIVB World Grand Prix, including a tournament-high 23 points versus China on July 13…Averaged 3.87 points, 3.40 kills, 0.33 blocks and 0.13 aces per set over the course of the entire World Grand Prix…Ranked fourth in the preliminary round and seventh in the Final Round in Best Spiker…Ranked sixth in preliminary round and eighth in Final Round in Best Scorer…Second-leading USA scorer at the Olympic Games with 102 points, an average of 3.40 points per set and sixth among all Olympic Games participants…Added set averages of 2.73 kills, 0.40 blocks and 0.27 aces in leading the U.S. to a silver medal at the Olympic Games…Scored 12 or more points in six of the eight Olympic Games matches, including a high of 19 points versus Japan in the pool opener on Aug. 9…Charted 17 points versus Italy in the quarterfinal round, along with 12 points in a semifinal sweep of Cuba. 2007 – Averaged a team-leading 4.06 points per set during the Pan American Games while accumulating 51 kills and 42 digs…Selected Best Server of the Pan American Games with a 0.56 ace average…Tallied four double-digit point matches at Pan American Games including 18 against Puerto Rico on July 15, 15 points versus Peru on July 19 in bronze medal match…Played all 36 sets at the opposite position during the FIVB World Grand Prix, finishing the preliminary rounds as the tournament’s second leading scorer with 146 points…Averaged 4.06 points and 3.67 kills per set while hitting .320 for the tournament…Led the U.S. in scoring in five of nine matches during the World Grand Prix, including a season-high 22 points in a three-set upset of top-ranked Russia on Aug. 4…Contributed 2.00 points per set during the NORCECA Championship despite being injured…Hit .370 with 22 kills in 12 sets at

the NORCECA Championship…Started 38 of 41 possible sets World Cup providing averages of 3.76 points, 3.32 kills and 0.26 blocks per set…Led team in scoring in six of 11 World Cup matches and reached double-figure scoring in all 10 matches played (did not play final match versus Italy)… Sparked Team USA comeback versus Brazil on Nov. 7 with 26 points via 24 kills on 47 swings, one block and an ace…Added 18 points versus Cuba on Nov. 3, with 18 kills on 33 swings. 2006 - Played in every game of the Pan American Cup, scoring 75 points in the tournament…Averaged 3.76 points per set during the World Grand Prix…Led the U.S. in scoring in three of the first four matches of the World Grand Prix. Tallied 24 points versus Dominican Republic on Aug. 16, 22 points versus China on Aug. 25 and 19 points against Italy on Aug. 18…Scored 155 points in 43 sets, including 143 kills, three aces and nine blocks…Averaged 3.60 points, 3.33 kills and 1.33 digs per set…Scored 20 points versus Netherlands on Nov. 1…Led U.S. in scoring during the World Championshipsin four matches. 2005 – Emerged as a force on the left side after she made the switch from opposite to outside hitter early in the year…Played a key role as the U.S. captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November…U.S. finished the tournament with a record of 4-1 as it earned wins over Korea, 2004 Olympic gold medalist China, Poland and Japan along the way…She scored a match-high 21 points in a fourset win over Poland on Nov. 18 and finished seventh among all players in total points with 70 points on 62 kills, four blocks and four aces…Named the Best Scorer at the NORCECA Continental Championships following the Americans’ stunning five-set win over Cuba in the gold medal match on Sept. 11…Leading scorer in eight of the 26 matches she played…Also earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the U.S. qualified for the 2006 World Championship. 2004 – Made her first Olympic appearance in Athens…She was a starter on a team that finished tied for fifth overall after losing to Brazil in the quarters…She finished 11th overall among all players in scoring with 96 points on 84 kills, six blocks and six aces…Pounded Cuba for a nationalteam record 41 points on 38 kills, two service aces and one block in a five-set loss at the Yeltsin Cup on April 23. Her 38 kills and 87 swings were also records. 2003 – Helped the U.S. earn the bronze medal at the 2003 World Cup and a berth in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens…Finished fifth on the team in scoring at the World Cup with 101 total points on 93 kills, six blocks and two service aces…For the season she finished fourth on the team in total kills (277) and sixth in total points (312)…She also added 108 digs, 25 blocks and 11 aces. 2002 – Won silver medal at the 2002 FIVB World Championship…Started all 11 matches at the World Championship…Saw extensive action on the Japan Tour with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Training Team…Led the Training Team with 86 kills. 2001 – Saw limited action in six matches early in the 2001 summer season, competing in the BCV Volley Masters in Montreux, Switzerland, and in the World Championship Qualification Tournament in San Juan, Puerto Rico...Recorded 13 kills in 19 sets and posted a hitting percentage of .269…Also trained with the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball A2 team in 1998, 1999 and 2001. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Named to the AVCA All-America first team in 2001 after leading Long Beach State in kills per game (5.03) as a senior… Guided Long Beach State to a 33-1 record and a runner-up finish at the 2001 NCAA championships…Three-time All-Big West Conference firstteam selection…Posted a hitting percentage of .406 and also averaged 2.31 digs and 0.73 blocks per game as a senior…Was also a three-time All-American high jumper at Long Beach State…Competed at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, finishing 10th with a jump of 5-10 ¾. PERSONAL: Born Tayyiba Mumtaz Haneef on March 23, 1979 in Upland, Calif….Parents are Mobarik and Patricia Haneef… Husband is Anthony Park…Brother Arshad (1977)…Graduated in May 2001 with a degree in communication studies...Cousin Tari Phillips formerly played center for the New York Liberty of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Courtesy of Newsport

Nicole Davis

Libero * 5-4 Stockton, California College: Southern California Joined Team: January 2004 Last Club: Rebecchi Nordmeccanica Piacenza MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)...Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – Montreux Volley Masters (Silver Medal)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold Medal). 2009 – Tour of Egypt… Pan American Cup (Fourth)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Ninth)…Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)…NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth). 2008 – Tour of China…U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil…FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place)…Olympic Games (Silver Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Grand Prix (Eighth Place)… NORCECA Championship (Silver Medal)…FIVB World Cup (Bronze Medal). 2006 – World Grand Prix (Seventh Place)…World Championships (Ninth Place). 2005 – Front Range Tour vs. Brazil…Pan American Cup…World Grand Prix…FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)…NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)…World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started the first 12 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix helping the U.S. claim a third straight gold… Averaged 3.07 digs per set and finished sixth in Best Digger in Final Round despite missing the final two matches. 2011 – Started all five matches at the Montreux Volley Masters compiling an unofficial 4.45 digs per set average, including 24 in a four-set match to China on June 12…Also provided 25 digs in a five-set win over Germany on June 9 and 21 digs versus Peru in a four-set win on June 7…Handled libero duties in all 27 sets for U.S. at Pan American Cup, averaging 2.41 digs per set…Passing helped the squad to a .325 hitting efficiency for the tournament…Tallied doubledigit digs in three of the eight matches, including 11 in three-set win over Argentina…Averaged 2.84 digs per set at the FIVB World Grand Prix with 13 of 14 match starts in helping Americans win second consecutive title… Ranked fifth in Best Digger and third in Best Libero at FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round…Tallied six double-digit dig matches, including 18 versus Italy on Aug. 25 in a five-set victory, followed by 15 digs against Brazil on Aug. 26 in four-set pool-play loss…Averaged 2.40 digs per set with a 76.4 positive reception percent on 55 attempts during the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship…Recorded an 83 excellent reception percent on 12 chances in NORCECA semifinal victory over Cuba, followed by a 71 excellent reception percent on 14 chances in the gold-medal medal match against Dominican Republic…Averaged 3.03 digs per set in 10 of 11 starts during the FIVB World Cup, which helped the U.S. to the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification...Totaled 16 digs versus Brazil in World Cup opener in four-set win, while tallying 18 digs in four-set win over Italy to clinch Olympic berth…Ranked sixth in World Cup Best Digger. 2010 – Named Best Libero at Montreux Volley Masters with 158 excellent passes on 250 attempts…Averaged tournament-leading 5.50 digs per set based on official stats, nearly 2.0 digs per set more than second-place finisher…Tallied a 52.34 passing efficiency on 107 attempts for fifth-best at Montreux Volley Masters…Recorded 20 digs versus China in the fourset gold-medal match on June 13, while producing 16 digs in a threeset victory over Cuba on June 12 in the Montreux semifinals…Played in 14 sets during the FIVB World Grand Prix with three starts at libero… Averaged 3.50 digs per set at the FIVB World Grand Prix, including 17 in a four-set victory over Dominican Republic on Aug. 6. 2009 – Entered 86 sets during 2009 with a 2.66 dig average, the highest on the team…Libero for U.S. Women’s National Team two-match tour of Egypt resulting in two victories…Averaged 4.86 digs per set in two-match series against Egypt… Played in 21 sets of the Pan American Cup, averaging a tournament-best 3.90 digs per set to earn Best Digger…Held a 54.18 libero efficiency rating at the Pan American Cup for third best among liberos…Contributed 20 digs in four-set match against Brazil…Starting USA libero for Pool A of the FIVB World Grand Prix…Played total of 31 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix…Tallied 25 digs in five-set victory over Puerto Rico on Aug. 1… Averaged 5.00 digs per set in three match starts of the World Grand Prix, including 18 digs in three-set loss to Germany on July 31…Split time as USA libero during the Final Four Intercontinental Cup…Averaged 3.21 digs per set during Final Four Cup, including 22 digs in a five-set loss to Brazil

on Sept. 9…Entered three sets as a back-row sub during the NORCECA Continental Championship. 2008 – Served as libero for eight-match tour of China…Tallied 112 digs and handled 213 serve receive chances with 54 percent positive receptions leading to a 5-3 record with a young team competing…Served as libero in June 11 match versus Brazil and subbed into contest on June 13 and June 14 as part of three-match series… Served as libero for the entire FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round in which USA won seven of nine matches and was a defensive specialist in the Final Round…Ranked fourth in the preliminary round in Best Digger with 2.33 digs per set, including four matches with at least double-digit digs…Served as USA libero at the Olympic Games, which resulted in a silver medal and the country’s first medal in women’s volleyball since 1992…Averaged 2.88 digs per set, sixth-best among all players in the Olympic Games…Tallied a 52 percent in excellent service receptions, which along with her dig average, helped the U.S. to a .302 team hitting efficiency. 2007 – Averaged 2.53 digs per set as the U.S. libero for all three preliminary rounds during the World Grand Prix…Turned in a teamhigh 21 digs versus China in three games on Aug. 4…Paced Team USA to a silver medal at the NORCECA Championship as the team’s libero… Averaged 3.00 digs per set for third best at the NORCECA Championship… Tallied 54 excellent service receptions on 84 attempts with only one error at the NORCECA Championship…Averaged 2.66 digs per set, fourth best at the FIVB World Cup, as the Team USA libero…Tallied 19 digs in four set win over Poland on Nov. 4. 2006 – Played in four matches during seven-match tour of Italy March 22 to April 2 with U.S. National Training Team … Played in two sets versus Poland on May 26…Libero for the final two weekends of the World Grand Prix…Ranked sixth in the Best Libero category in the World Grand Prix despite not playing the position the first three matches…Ranked 10th in World Grand Prix in digs with 1.30 per set…Turned in 15 digs in 31 sets as a back-row specialist coming off the bench during the World Championships, handling 46 service receptions with a 41 positive percentage. 2005 – Split time with fellow libero Sarah Drury for the USA Women’s National Team that captured the silver medal at the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan in November…The U.S. finished the tournament with a record of 4-1 as it earned wins over Korea, 2004 Olympic gold medalist China, Poland and Japan along the way…Earned a gold medal as Team USA won its thirdstraight NORCECA Continental Championship with a five-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 11…Earned gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the U.S. Women qualified for the 2006 World Championship. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2003 – Averaged 4.2 digs per set during the regular season and 5.2 digs per set during the postseason as University of Southern California won its second consecutive national championship and finished the year with a perfect 35-0 record. 2002 – Helped guide USC to the 2002 NCAA championship...Played in all 32 matches and made 27 starts at libero (2002 marked the first season the libero position was used in collegiate volleyball)...Averaged a team-leading 3.44 digs per game and finished sixth in the Pac-10. 2001 – Led the team and finished the season ranked ninth in the Pac-10 with 0.30 service aces per game. 2000 – In her first season, Davis played in 44 sets and appeared in 23 matches... She averaged 1.30 digs per game. PERSONAL: Born Nicole Marie Davis on April 24, 1982 in Stockton, Calif…. Parents are Randy and Barbara Davis…She also has a brother named Christopher…Her happiest moment(s) in sports were winning back-toback NCAA Division I volleyball championships with USC in 2002 and 2003…Graduated from University of Southern California with a bachelor of science degree in 2006…The person she admires most is her mother because of “the person she is, and has helped me become.”…Owns a black belt in karate…Favorite professional team is the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball…Favorite movie is “Dirty Dancing” and her favorite food is anything sweet…Enjoys watching football in her spare time…Favorite television show is Sex and the City… “My mom is my role model. She came from very little and had a very successful career. She is a strong, independent woman, and a wonderful friend and mother.”…Started club volleyball in 1996 with Club Nike Pacific in Stockton, Calif…Graduated from Lincoln High School (Stockton, Calif.) Copyrighted USA Volleyball in 2000.

Foluke Akinradewo

Middle Blocker * 6-3 Plantation, Florida College: Stanford Joined Team: May 2003 Last Club: Dinamo Krasnodar MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round. 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)... Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – Pan American Cup (Bronze)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…Tour of Brazil…FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2009 – FIVB World Grand Prix (9th). 2008 – USA Tour of China…U.S. Olympic Team Exhibition for Volleyball versus Brazil… FIVB World Grand Prix (Fourth Place). 2007 – Pan American Games (Bronze Medal). 2005 – Pan American Cup (Fourth). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started five matches in the first two legs of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round before not traveling to third round or Final Round…Averaged 3.06 points and 0.71 blocks per set during World Grand Prix as Team USA went on to win the title. 2011 – Reserve at Montreux Volley Masters and did not register a set played…Tallied three kills on four attacks with a block in an exhibition match versus Switzerland on June 8…Started seven of eight matches at Pan American Cup with five matches of at least 11 points scored…Tallied 16 points versus Brazil on July 5…Converted 11 of 12 errorless attacks into kills in Pan Am Cup bronze-medal victory over Cuba…Converted nine of 11 errorless attempts versus Argentina in Pan Am Cup quarterfinal to go with five blocks…Held a .500 hitting efficiency during Pan Am Cup along with averages of 3.45 points and 0.77 blocks per set…Started 13 of 14 FIVB World Grand Prix matches, helping the U.S. win the tournament for the second straight year…Averaged 3.34 points, 2.14 kills, 0.91 blocks and 0.30 aces per set while hitting at a .400 efficiency…Scored 22 points versus Serbia on Aug. 5 with a .545 hitting efficiency, which including eight blocks…Reached 10 or more points in nine of the 13 matches played at the World Grand Prix…Ranked 12th in scoring in Final Round with 46 points, including an average of 0.72 blocks per set for third in Best Blocker…Helped U.S. to the gold medal at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship by averaging 2.73 points, 1.80 kills and 0.80 blocks with a 51.9 kill percent…Scored 12 points, including six blocks, in the three-set win over Dominican Republic in the gold-medal match… Ranked eighth in scoring at NORCECA Championship, along with fourth in Best Blocker…Helped the U.S. qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games by finishing second at the FIVB World Cup in which she averaged 3.61 points, 0.81 blocks and 2.65 kills per set…Converted 59.0 percent of attacks at World Cup with a .511 hitting efficiency…Scored in doublefigures in all nine matches in which she played at World Cup, including 16 points in opening win over No. 1 Brazil…Ranked third in World Cup Best Blocker. 2010 – Started all seven matches of the Pan American Cup averaging 3.35 points, 0.80 blocks, 2.35 kills, 0.20 aces and 0.50 digs per set…Converted 47 of 81 attacks into kills at Pan American Cup with just four errors for a .531 hitting efficiency…During five Pan American Cup preliminary pool matches, provided USA a .692 hitting efficiency with just one error…Scored 13 points versus Puerto Rico on June 19 with 11 kills on 15 errorless attacks, to go with an ace and block…Contributed five blocks versus Costa Rica as part of a 14-point match on June 21…Named most valuable player of the FIVB World Grand Prix after leading the U.S. to the gold medal and 11 consecutive victories to end the tournament… Averaged 3.50 points, 1.02 blocks and 2.35 kills per set while ranking second overall in total points during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round…Named Best Blocker of the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with a 1.47 block average…Converted 55.5 percent of attacks into kills at FIVB World Grand Prix as part of .477 hitting efficiency…Reached doublefigure points in 11 of 14 matches during World Grand Prix, including a 20-point performance against Brazil on Aug. 27 in the Final Round…Tallied 18 points with 11 kills on 16 attempts and four blocks against China on Aug. 22…Blocked seven Italian attacks on Aug. 26 as part of 14-point match…Averaged 2.75 points while starting three of four matches on Tour of Brazil…Started all 11 matches of the FIVB World Championship, averaging 2.61 points, 0.64 blocks and 1.94 kills per set…Converted 46.7 percent of attacks into points with a .313 hitting efficiency…Reached double-figure scoring in five of 11 matches at World Championship,

including 13 points versus Italy on Nov. 7. 2009 – Started all nine matches during the preliminary weekends of the FIVB World Grand Prix…Averaged 2.75 points per set during World Grand Prix, including 0.86 blocks per set for fifth place among all players…Converted 49 percent of attacks into points and held a .404 hitting efficiency during World Grand Prix with just 11 attack errors…Scored 22 points, including nine blocks, versus Thailand on Aug. 16…Contributed 18 points versus Russia on Aug. 14…Converted 10 of 13 attacks into kills versus Germany on Aug. 9. 2008 – Scored 117 points to lead all players during an eight-match tour of China in MarchApril…Tallied 82 kills with a 59 kill percent and .479 attack efficiency to go with team-leading 23 blocks and 12 aces on Tour of China…Played three sets versus Brazil during three-match exhibition series versus Brazil. Started final two sets versus Brazil on June 11 and totaled three kills and two blocks…Played in 14 of 21 FIVB World Grand Prix sets in the Final Round…Averaged 2.86 points, 2.19 kills, 0.52 blocks and 0.14 aces over the course of the entire tournament with a .387 attack efficiency…During the Final Round, compiled 42 points with averages of 2.29 kills, 0.64 blocks and 0.07 aces per set…Scored a team-high 18 points versus Italy on July 12 with 14 kills on 29 swings and four blocks. 2007 – Averaged 3.44 points per set at Pan American Games while hitting .513 on 76 swings and just six errors.Hit 90 percent (9 kills, 10 attempts and no errors) versus Cuba on July 16. 2005 – Played on U.S. team that placed fourth at Pan American Cup held in Dominican Republiic. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Earned AVCA All-America First-Team honors and co-Player of the Year by Volleyball Magazine…Finished third nationally in hitting percentage (.457) and fourth nationally in blocking (1.47 average per set)…Finished career with the best hitting percentage ever recorded by an NCAA Division I player (.446)…Posted the secondbest single-season hitting percentage in Pac-10 and school history… Helped Stanford to its third consecutive Pac-10 title and a third straight run to the national title match…Led the team with 4.17 points per set and was third on the team with 3.19 kills per set. 2007 – Named AVCA Division I National Player of the Year as she guided Stanford to a national runner-up finish...Posted the second-best hitting percentage in NCAA history (.499)…Averaged 4.11 kills, 1.21 blocks and 4.94 points per game… Tabbed as Honda Award finalist. 2006 – Selected AVCA All-America and was one of four finalist for the Honda Award in 2006…Led the Cardinal with a .431 hitting percentage for third-best in the nation. Paced Stanford with 3.90 kills and 1.44 blocks per set. 2005 – Named AVCA All-America Second Team and AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year…Selected Pac-10 Freshman of the Year and First-Team All-Pac-10…Finished third in the Pac-10 and 13th in the nation in hitting percentage at .397, the thirdbest mark in school history. PERSONAL: Born Foluke Atinuke Akinradewo on Oct. 5, 1987, in London, Ontario, Canada…Now calls Plantation, Fla., home…Parents are Ayoola and Comfort Akinradewo…Also has two brothers, Foluso (1982) and Fiyinfolu (1977)…Attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale from 2001 to 2005 before enrolling at Stanford University…Did not play youth club volleyball…Majoring in human biology at Stanford and is expected to graduate in 2009…Holds tri-citizenship with Canada, Nigeria and the United States…Began playing volleyball in 2002 and nearly quit the sport a couple months after starting…Favorite food is pizza…Favorite books are Harry Potter series and The Kite Runner…Favorite music is almost any type except country…Favorite musicians are John Mayer, The Fray and Damien Rice…Hobbies are online shopping, hanging out with friends and watching movies…Most admired people are her parents because they “have worked so hard to provide for our family and give us the best life possible. I think Copyrighted USA Volleyball that they have succeeded in doing so. If I can grow up to be half of what they are, I think I’ll be pretty successful.”

on Sept. 24…Recorded six kills on eight attacks with an ace in start versus Mexico on Sept. 22.

Christa Harmotto

Middle Blocker * 6-2 Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania College: Penn State Joined Team: April 2009 Last Club: LIU JO Modena MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)...Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2010 – Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)…Pan American Cup (Bronze). 2009 – Tour of Egypt…Pan American Cup (Fourth); FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G (Gold)…FIVB World Grand Prix (9th)…Final Four Intercontinental Cup (Silver)…NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started 10 matches in the FIVB World Grand Prix, including the first eight matches, compiling averages of 3.23 points, 1.31 blocks and 1.74 kills per set in helping Team USA win its third straight tournament title…Ranked first in Best Blocker through the preliminary phase, but shared time during the Final Round in a three blocker rotation in the starting lineup. Converted 55.5 percent of attacks in the World Grand Prix with a .482 hitting efficiency, including a 13-point performance with eight blocks against Brazil on June 15. 2011 – Played in 11 sets with three match starts at the Montreux Volley Masters…Tallied 12 points versus Germany on June 9, including eight kills and three blocks. Averaged 0.64 blocks as part of 2.09 points per set at Montreux… Played in six sets during Pan American Cup with one match start…Tallied six kills on nine attempts versus Trinidad & Tobago on July 3, in addition to two blocks for eight points…Converted 13 of 21 attacks into kills during Pan American Cup with .524 hitting efficiency…Reserve in 13 of 14 FIVB World Grand Prix matches, being active in just one match – a start against Peru on Aug. 21…Scored 10 kills on 13 errorless attacks versus Peru with an ace for 12 points. 2010 – Averaged 2.61 points per set while starting all five matches of the Montreux Volley Masters in which the U.S. earned the silver medal…Converted 56.3 percent of attacks into kills with a .479 hitting efficiency (40-6-71) for the tournament…Tallied 15 points in the gold-medal match against China, including 13 kills on 21 swings o go with two blocks…Averaged 2.14 points per set at Pan American Cup with one match start and seven sets played…Converted six of seven attacks into kills versus Trinidad & Tobago on June 20. 2009 – Charted a 2.26 scoring average with a .389 hitting efficiency in first international season with the U.S. Women’s National Team, playing in every single tournament with 18 starts and 69 sets played…Tallied match-high 18 points versus Egypt on April 10, producing 16 kills on 25 attempts with just two errors for a 64 percent on kill attempts…Started six of seven matches at the Pan American Cup, producing a 2.29 scoring average over 21 sets…Held a .381 hitting efficiency and 0.67 blocks per set average at the Pan American Cup… Started all three matches of the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G event and contributed 1.11 points per set while converting eight of 16 attacks into kills…Started first two matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix and played in a total of six sets during the opening weekend of the event…Contributed five points with three kills on five attacks and two blocks versus Germany on July 31…Named Best Blocker during Final Four Intercontinental Cup after averaging 0.95 blocks per set as part of a 2.40 scoring average…Converted 54 percent of her attacks into points during Final Four Cup, including a .396 hitting efficiency with two matches against top-ranked Brazil…Provided 16 points in Final Four Cup opener against Brazil in which she tallied 10 kills with a .600 hitting efficiency, five blocks and an ace…Tallied 10 points in a rematch with Brazil in the gold-medal match of the Final Four Cup on Sept. 13… Contributed seven blocks as part of 9-point match against Dominican Republic on Sept. 12 during Final Four Cup semifinals…Tallied 25 points in nine sets played during NORCECA Continental Championship…Scored five kills on six errorless attacks to go with five blocks against Costa Rica

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Led Penn State to second consecutive NCAA Division I title with an undefeated season…Named American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America First-Team after leading the nation with a .486 hitting efficiency…One of four finalists for the Honda Award for volleyball…Earned fourth consecutive All-Big Ten Conference award…Averaged 1.47 blocks per set for third-best in the nation… Added 2.43 kills per set…Assisted Penn State to sixth consecutive Big Ten Conference title…Selected as the ESPN The Magazine Academic AllAmerican of the Year as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)…Spending spring semester student-teaching elementary-aged students in England. 2007 – Selected AVCA All-America First-Team and one of four finalists for the Honda Award for volleyball… Led Penn State to the NCAA Division I Tournament championship title… Named ESPN The Magazine Third-Team Academic All-America…Started all 366 matches and played in 121 of 122 sets…Ranked second in the nation in attack efficiency with a .492 mark…Ranked sixth nationally with a 1.65 block average, providing a team-high 200 total blocks for seventhbest all-time at the school…Hit .548 during the NCAA Tournament with 3.00 kills per set in postseason action…Hit .917 (11-0-12) versus Michigan State on Sept. 21. 2006 – Selected AVCA All-America Second-Team as she ranked first on the team in blocks with 1.58 per game (14th in nation), second in hitting efficiency with a .405 percentage (10th in nation) and was third on the team in kills with 2.85 per game… 2005 – Selected AVCA All-America honorable mention as a freshman…One of only four freshmen to ever be named All-Big Ten First-Team…Selected to AVCA/ NACWAA Showcase All-Tournament team in first collegiate matches… Started the first 29 matches of the year before knee injury forced her to miss last Big Ten weekend and NCAA Tournament…Set Penn State single match record for blocks with 13 against Southern California on Aug. 31… Led team in blocking with 1.50 per set…Recorded 25 matches with three or more blocks, including 14 matches with five or more blocks…Ranked third in the Big Ten Conference with a .356 attack percentage…Ranked second on team with 2.96 kills per set. OTHER USA VOLLEYBALL EXPERIENCE: Member of the 2004 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that won the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship in Winnipeg, Canada ... Selected to the 2005 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that competed in Ankara, Turkey, at the FIVB Under-20 World Championships. PERSONAL: Born Christa Deanne Harmotto on Oct. 12, 1986, in Sewickley, Pa…Parents are Robert and Constance Harmotto…Father played basketball at Juniata College…Has younger brothers Nathan and Nolan …Majored in elementary education at Penn State… Nicknames are Motti and Chri…Hobbies include snowboarding, art and s c ra p b o o k i n g … Fav o r i t e musical group is Sugarland… Favorite subject in school is math…Favorite pro sports team is Pittsburgh Steelers… Favorite athlete is Hines Ward of Pittsburgh Steelers… Favorite food is gnocchi’s… Favorite book is “Mind Gym” by Gary Mack with David Casstevens…Favorite TV show is Desperate Housewives…Favorite actor is Jack Nicholson…Favorite actress is Sandra Bullock… Copyrighted by USA Volleyball Favorite place to visit is Hilton Head, S.C.

attacks versus Cuba in bronze-medal match of Pan American Cup on June 26…Contributed 3.31 points per set in 16 sets played at the FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. won the gold medal…Tallied 17 points and 15 digs versus Germany on Aug. 7, followed by a 15-point, 20-dig match against Poland on Aug. 8…Started FIVB World Grand Prix with 14 points and 13 digs in a win over Dominican Republic…Averaged 3.47 points per set while starting two of four matches on Tour of Brazil…Scored 22 points versus Brazil on Sept. 25, followed by a 20-point match on Sept. 26 in a reserve role.

Megan Hodge

Outside Hitter * 6-3 Durham, North Carolina College: Penn State Joined Team: February 2010 Last Club: Atom Trefl Sopot MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 - Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – China Tour…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)…Pan American Cup (Bronze)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…Tour of Brazil…FIVB World Championship (Fourth). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Selected most valuable player of the FIVB World Grand Prix after leading Team USA to 5-0 record in the Final Round and a 14-0 overall record…Added Best Scorer honors during the Final Round with 103 points (89 kills, 13 blocks, 1 ace)… Finished second in the Best Spiker category with a 43.8 kill percent (89-of-203), seventh in Best Blocker with 0.68 blocks per set and third in Best Digger with 1.84 digs per set…Over the course of the full tournament averaged 5.26 points over the course of the 14-match World Grand Prix in which the U.S. did not lose a match…Converted 49.5 percent of her attacks for points with a .376 hitting efficiency… added averages of 4.58 kills, 2.55 digs and 0.52 blocks per set. 2011 – Led U.S. in scoring at Pan American Cup with 85 points and 4.05 points per set…Recorded 17 kills, one block and eight digs versus Brazil on July 5…Tallied 18 points versus Dominican Republic in Pan Am Cup semifinal…Converted 45 percent of attacks at Pan Am Cup with .287 hitting efficiency…Started four matches during the FIVB World Grand Prix helping the U.S. win the gold medal…Averaged 3.73 points, 1.55 digs and 0.41 aces per set while hitting .298 in the tournament…Scored 15 points in each of the first three matches of the preliminary round, including a 10-kill, three-block, two-ace performance against China…Tallied 12 points in a reserve role versus Serbia…Tallied 15 points versus Peru with 12 kills on 20 errorless attacks and three blocks… Subbed into five-set rally over Italy and provided 11 digs… Scored 11 kills on 19 attacks in two sets as a reserve helping the U.S. win gold at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship…Hit at a .526 efficiency during the NORCECA Championship…In reserve role at FIVB World Cup, averaged 3.75 points with a 51.6 kill percent and .406 hitting efficiency while playing 12 sets helping U.S. earn the silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification…Tallied 20 points with 15 kills, five aces and 10 digs in start against Kenya. 2010 – Averaged team-leading 5.29 points per set in starting all three matches of USA’s tour of China…Scored 15 points in exhibition versus Evergrande on Feb. 2 with 15 kills and nine digs…In pro debut, notched 15 points versus Hong Kong on Jan. 30 with 12 kills on 18 swings and just one error to go with three blocks and five digs…Hit at a .382 efficiency on China Tour and converted 48.5 percent of attacks into kills…Averaged 3.00 digs per set on China Tour…Totaled a team-leading 5.00 points per set in starting all five matches at the Montreux Volley Masters in which the U.S. won the silver medal…Converted 42.6 percent of attacks into kills at Montreux while adding averages of 0.61 blocks and 1.67 digs per set…Finished Montreux as the fourth leading scorer among all players…Scored double-figures in all five Montreux matches, including a 26-point performance (23 kills, 3 blocks) in a four-set win over Germany on June 9…Tallied 19 points versus Russia on June 11 and 18 points versus China on June 13 in the Montreux gold-medal match…Averaged 3.60 points, 1.87 digs, 3.27 kills, 0.20 aces and 0.13 blocks during the Pan American Cup, despite missing two matches as she traveled to accept her Honda-Broderick Cup award for best female collegiate athlete in any sport for the 2009-2010 season…Converted 13 of 18 errorless attacks into points for a .722 hitting efficiency against Puerto Rico on June 19… Contributed match-high 16 points with a .414 hitting efficiency on 29

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2009 – Selected co-Honda Broderick Cup Award winner for the best female collegiate athlete in all sports…Named Honda Award winner for Volleyball, AVCA Division I National Player of the Year and ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year as Penn State won its third consecutive NCAA Division I title, second of which with an undefeated record… Selected for the fourth time as an AVCA All-America First-Team choice…Named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second time…Tallied 2,142-career kills leading to a 141-5 career record at Penn State…Finished season with 560 kills as part of a 4.67 kill average and .371 attack percentage…Ranked second on the squad in digs with 295 (2.46 per set). 2008 – Led Penn State to second consecutive NCAA Division I title with an undefeated record…Chosen AVCA First Team All-America, NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player ... Named ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-American ... Led the team with 470 kills and a 4.09 kills per set average ... Finished second on the squad with 242 digs and averaged 2.10 digs per game. 2007 – Selected Honda Award Finalist and AVCA First Team All-America as Penn State won the NCAA title … Recorded 561 total kills for the season ... 2006 – Selected AVCA First Team All-America and AVCA National Freshman of the Year ... Big Ten Player of the Year ... Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten ... First player in Big Ten history to earn First Team AVCA All-America honors as a freshman ... Became only player ever in Big Ten history to claim both Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year honors ... First-ever player to earn Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year honors and AVCA National Freshman of the Year honors in consecutive seasons ... Led the Big Ten and the team in points per game (5.57) and kills per game (4.83). OTHER USA VOLLEYBALL EXPERIENCE: Member of the 2006 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team…Member of 2004 and 2005 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team ... Voted the Most Valuable Player and “Best Attacker” at the 2004 NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship in Cataño, Puerto Rico ... Competed with the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team at the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship in Macau, China in 2005. PERSONAL: Born Megan Hodge on Oct. 15, 1988, in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands…Parents are Michael and Carmen Hodge…Both her parents played for the Virgin Islands National Volleyball Team… Courtesy of FIVB Mother played volleyball at George Washington University, while father played at University of Virgin Islands… Brother Michael… Majored in business management at Penn State University…From 1996-2002, was a member of the Bouncing Bulldogs Jump Rope Demonstration team and was a silver medalist in the 12-14 age division at the World Championship in Ghent, Belgium, as a member of the USA Jump Rope Team.

Totaled 27 points versus Thailand in the tournament opener (Oct. 29), 24 points versus Italy (Nov. 7), 23 points versus Russia (Nov. 13) and 21 points versus Cuba (Nov. 3), Netherlands (Nov. 9) and Brazil (Nov. 10)… Back-to-back double-doubles (kills and digs) versus Netherlands (21-14) and Brazil (21-10). 2008 – Helped the U.S. to a 5-3 record on a tour of China playing teams within the Chinese Volleyball Club system.

Destinee Hooker

Opposite * 6-4 San Antonio, Texas College: Texas Joined Team: May 2010 Last Club: Sollys/Nestle Osasco MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round. 2011 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…Tour of Brazil…FIVB World Championship (Fourth). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix, but did not travel to the third leg or Final Round as the U.S. went on to win the tournament gold medal…Averaged 5.15 points, 1.65 digs and 0.85 blocks per set at the World Grand Prix… Scored 20 points versus Brazil on June 15. 2011 - Named Most Valuable Player of the FIVB World Grand Prix as she helped the Americans win the event for the second year in a row…Ranked second during the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with 101 total points scored (90 kills, 8 blocks, 3 aces), while finishing fourth in Best Spiker with a 42.1 kill percent… During the entire tournament including preliminary rounds, totaled 228 points (234 based on unofficial DataVolley Stats) and held a .357 hitting efficiency…Averaged 5.20 points, 4.51 kills, 0.49 blocks and 1.58 digs per set based on unofficial DataVolley stats…Scored 15 or more points in 11 of the 13 matches she played in, including a personal international-high 30 points versus Italy (34 based on unofficial DataVolley stats) on Aug. 25…Converted 16 of 23 errorless attacks against China on Aug. 7 with three blocks for 19 points in a 3-0 win…Tallied 15 kills and five blocks in 20-point semifinal win over Serbia, followed by 16 points versus Brazil in the gold-medal match…Named an FIVB Hero as announced in August…Led U.S. to NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship title by ranking third in scoring and fourth in Best Spiker…Averaged 5.07 points at NORCECA Championship with 4.27 kills, 0.40 blocks, 0.40 aces and 1.53 digs per set…Converted 50.8 percent of attacks with a .389 hitting efficiency…Tallied 16 points in NORCECA gold-medal match against Dominican Republic following an 18-point performance against Cuba with a .519 hitting efficiency in the semifinals…Helped lead U.S. to FIVB World Cup silver medal and 2012 Olympic Games qualification by averaging 5.91 points, 5.13 kills, 0.44 blocks, 0.34 aces and 0.88 digs per set at World Cup…Named World Cup Best Spiker with 49.53 kill percent to go with .419 hitting efficiency…Scored personal-high 39 points in fiveset win over China with 36 kills on 67 swings, two blocks and an ace… Notched 27 points in four-set win over Italy to clinch 2012 Olympic berth…Scored 21 or more points in four of the 11 World Cup matches… Ranked third in Best Scorer (185 points) and ninth in Best Server. 2010 – Playing in her first official tournament with the U.S. Women’s National Team, averaged 4.76 points and 2.46 digs in helping the U.S. win the FIVB World Grand Prix…Ranked fourth in Best Scorer during FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with 76 points while ranking seventh in Best Spiker with a 38.69 kill percent…Led or tied for team-high point honors in eight of 14 matches at World Grand Prix…For the entire World Grand Prix, converted 41.8 percent of attacks into kills with a .330 hitting efficiency…Played in 50 of 52 sets, starting the final 13 matches of the tournament…Reached double-figure kills in 12 of 14 matches at World Grand Prix, including 25-point performances against Germany on Aug. 7 and versus China on Aug. 22…Named MVP of the Hong Kong World Grand Prix preliminary round weekend…Contributed 24 points versus China on Aug. 28…Held a .516 hitting efficiency 16-0-31) versus Italy on Aug. 26 as part of a 17-point performance…Averaged 3.29 points per set while playing two of four matches of Tour of Brazil…Totaled 17 points in a reserve role against Brazil on Sept. 29, including 13 kills and four blocks…Started all 11 matches and 40 sets of the FIVB World Championship…Finished fifth in scoring at the FIVB World Championship with 219 points (185 kills, 23 blocks, 11 aces) according to FIVB stats…Converted 45.3 percent of attacks into kills for 11th place at the World Championship, in addition to a .333 hitting efficiency on 418 attacks…Also ranked 16th in Best Blocker at the World Championship…Reached 20 or more points in eight of the 11 matches, including the final seven matches of the tournament… Scored 28 points in the bronze-medal match against Japan on Nov. 14…

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2009 – Selected American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America First-Team and Volleyball Magazine AllAmerica First Team and advancing University of Texas to the championship match of the NCAA Division I Tournament before losing to Penn State… Named Most Outstanding Player at the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship…Selected Big 12 Player of the Year…Finished season with 526 kills (5.26 per set), 47 aces (0.45 per set), 87 blocks (0.84 per set) and 633 points (6.09 per set)…Finished Texas career with 1,821 kills (third most) and a 4.27 kills average (third-best)…Won the 2009 NCAA Indoor High Jump championship and the 2009 NCAA Outdoor High Jump championship, becoming just the second female in NCAA history to win three NCAA Outdoor High Jump titles and the first female high jumper to sweep the indoor and outdoor crowns since 2004. 2008 – Named AVA All-America First-Team, Volleyball Magazine All-America First-Team and Honda Award finalist as one of the top four volleyball players in NCAA Division I…Helped team to the NCAA Division I Championship semifinals as she led the Big 12 in points per set (4.89), ranked second in kills per set (4.1) and seventh in hitting percentage (.322). 2007 – Selected AVCA All-America Second-Team and Volleyball Magazine All-America Second-Team…Started 15 of 29 matches and ranked first on the team in solo blocks (31) and kills per game (4.52)…Logged doubledigit kills in 27 of 29 matches… Placed third at the NCAA Indoor High Jump event…Won the NCAA Outdoor High Jump championship. 2006 – AVCA AllAmerica honorable mention as a freshman after tallying 373 kills for a 3.49 kill average…Tallied double-figure kill totals in 19 of 31 matches, including 15 of final 17 matches…Finished third in the USA Outdoor Championship in the high jump…Finished third in the NCAA Indoor High Jump event…Won the NCAA Outdoor High Jump championship. CLUB/PREP CAREER: A 2006 Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 recruit ... ranked No. 8 recruit nationally by PrepVolleyball.com Copyrighted USA Volleyball ... 2005 San Antonio ExpressNews High School Girls’ Athlete of the Year as a three-sport all-state standout in volleyball, basketball and track and field at Southwest High School ... 2005 San Antonio ExpressNews Co-Sportswoman of the Year (with her sister, former NCAA track champion Marshevet Hooker) ... all-state, all-region, all-district volleyball outside hitter standout as a junior and senior... averaged 22.8 points, 16.2 rebounds and 7.3 blocks during her final season of high school basketball at Southwest HS ... impressively, was named the team MVP for each squad during her high school career ... 2005 Track and Field News AllAmerican in the high jump ... two-time Texas state champion in the high jump with a then-personal best of 6-0.50 ... captured the high jump in the high school girls’ division at the 2004 and 2005 Texas Relays, as well as the 2004 and 2005 Texas state championships ... four-time Academic All-American. PERSONAL: Born Destinee Dante’ Hooker on Sept. 7, 1987, in Frankfurt, Germany…Parents are Ricky and Marvetta Hooker…Sister is Marshevet, who was an NCAA champion, All-American and Big 12 champion in the long jump, sprints and relays at University of Texas from 2004-2006 before turning professional and competing in the 2008 Olympics…Graduated high school early to compete one season with sister in track and field at University of Texas...Was a Darrell K. Royal Endowed Centennial Presidential Scholarship Recipient at University of Texas…majored in applied learning and development at University of Texas.

Jordan Larson

Outside Hitter * 6-2 Hooper, Nebraska College: Nebraska Joined Team: June 2009 Last Club: Dinamo Kazan MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round. 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth)...Pan American Cup (Bronze)...FIVB World Grand Prix...NORCECA Championship (Gold)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – Pan American Cup (Bronze)… FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)…Tour of Brazil…FIVB World Championship (Fourth). 2009 – Pan American Cup (Fourth)…FIVB World Grand Prix (Ninth)…NORCECA Continental Championship (Fourth). 2004 – NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship. (Gold). 2003 – FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship. INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Started the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary rounds to help the U.S. qualify for the Final Round and eventually win the title…Averaged 4.00 points, 0.63 blocks, 3.26 kills and 3.00 digs per set in World Grand Prix, including 21 points and 11 digs against Brazil on June 15. 2011 – Averaged 2.15 points per set at the Montreux Volley Masters with just one match start and 20 sets played in…Scored 21 points versus China in the bronze-medal match on June 12, which included 14 kills on 38 swings, five blocks, two aces and 15 digs…Started in seven of eight matches at the Pan American Cup with 23 sets played…Averaged 3.22 points and 1.83 digs per set at Pan American Cup…Totaled 15 points in semifinal match versus Dominican Republic, in addition to 14 kills and 10 digs versus Brazil in pool play… Started 13 of 14 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix and helping the U.S. win the tournament for the second straight year…Averaged 3.05 points, 1.93 digs, 2.14 kills, Courtesy of FIVB 0.48 aces and 0.43 blocks per set…During FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round, ranked 11th in Best Scorer, 11th in Best Spiker, third in Best Server, fifth in Best Receiver and 14th in Best Blocker for an all-around performance…Scored 12 points in three-set victory over Brazil in World Grand Prix gold-medal match… Scored 10 or more points in eight World Grand Prix matches while Serving at least four aces in three matches…Averaged 3.71 points, 2.79 kills, 0.36 aces, 0.57 blocks and 1.21 digs per set in helping U.S. win NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship… Finished second in Best Receiver and fifth in both Best Scorer and Best Spiker in NORCECA Championship…Converted 49.4 percent of attacks at NORCECA with .367 hitting efficiency…Tallied 11 kills on 17 attacks with 13 points against Cuba in NORCECA semifinal…Averaged 3.10 points and 1.70 digs per set with 10 of 11 starts in FIVB World Cup leading to the silver medal and 2012 Olympic qualification…Scored 17 points in three-set win over Serbia, in addition to 14 points and nine digs in win over Italy to clinch Olympic berth…Tallied 13 points and 11 digs in win over No. 1 Brazil to start World Cup…Ranked seventh in World Cup Best Receiver with 55.35 efficiency. 2010 – Started all seven matches and 21 of 22 sets at Pan American Cup, helping Team USA to the bronze medal… Averaged team-leading 3.62 points per set and scored in double-digits in six of the seven matches…Tallied double-double of 14 points and 10 digs versus Costa Rica on June 21…Started all 14 matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. won the gold medal…Averaged 2.75

points and 2.73 digs per set during the FIVB World Grand Prix, including 10 matches with double-figure scoring…Tallied 17 points versus Italy on Aug. 13 with 11 kills and five blocks…Ranked 18th in scoring during FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with 47 points, while also ranking 11th in Blocking, 16th in Serving and 10th in Digging…Averaged 1.65 points per set on Tour of Brazil, including two match starts…Started all 11 matches and 40 sets of the FIVB World Championship while averaging 3.2 points, 2.48 digs, 2.70 kills and 0.43 blocks per set…Tallied 17 points against both Cuba on Nov. 3 and Japan on Nov. 14…Scored 15 points against Brazil on Nov. 10…Tallied double-doubles (kills and digs) in four matches, including the final three against Brazil, Russia (semifinals) and Japan (bronze-medal match). 2009 – Averaged 2.73 points and 1.06 digs per set in first season with U.S. Women’s National Team, which included 19 match starts and 79 sets played…Started six of seven matches at the Pan American Cup with 21 sets played…Contributed 77 points at the Pan American Cup as part of a 3.67 scoring average with a 3.29 kill average…Added 0.81 digs and 0.29 ace average…Scored in double-figures in five Pan American Cup matches, including individual high 18 points versus Puerto Rico on June 30…Produced hitting efficiency of .688 (12 kills, 1 error, 16 attacks) in first match with the senior national team against Costa Rica on June 26… Started eight of nine matches during the preliminary rounds of the FIVB World Grand Prix, competing in a total of 35 of 36 sets…Averaged 2.20 points and 0.63 digs per set during World Grand Prix…Reached doublefigure scoring in four matches, including 12 points against Dominican Republic on Aug. 7 and Netherlands on Aug. 8…Contributed 10 points in three-set loss to Brazil on Aug. 2…Started five of six matches at NORCECA Continental Championship, compiling 2.70 points and 1.96 digs per set… Tallied 15 points and 12 digs versus Canada on Sept. 25…Contributed 14 points and 14 digs in five-set loss to Cuba on Sept. 23. OTHER USA VOLLEYBALL HIGHLIGHTS: 2004 - Led the U.S. Junior National Team to a gold medal at the 2004 NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship, earning MVP and Best Receiver Awards. 2003 – Member of the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team that participated in the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship, earning the tournament’s Top Server honor. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Three-time AVCA All-American…Compiled 1,600-career kills and 1,410-career digs at University of Nebraska. 2008 – Named AVCA All-America First-Team after averaging 3.95 kills, 3.17 digs and 0.34 service aces per set as a senior leading the Huskers to the NCAA national semifinals...Chosen Big 12 Player of the Year, as well as the league’s defensive player of the year, marking the first time any player has earned both honors in one year…Held team-high 16 double-doubles this season, including 10 in NU’s last 12 contests. 2007 – Named AVCA All-America Third-Team after averaging 3.45 kills, 3.18 digs, 0.51 aces and 0.63 blocks per set. 2006 – Chosen AVCA All-America First-Team as a sophomore in leading the Huskers to the NCAA National title…Averaged 4.13 kills and 3.50 digs per set. 2005 – Named AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Freshman of the Year and AVCA All-Central Region honorable mention…Started 34 matches helping the Huskers to the NCAA runner-up finish…Averaged 2.82 kills, 2.79 digs and 0.71 blocks per set. CLUB/HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS: Earned first team Super-State honors in each of her final three prep seasons at Logan View High School (Nebraska)…Named Volleyball Magazine Fab 50 pick and was ranked the No. 2 player in the country by Prepvolleyball.com. 2005 - Selected AllAmerican while playing for Nebraska Juniors at the USA Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Championship. 2004 - Selected All-American while playing for Nebraska Juniors at the USA Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Championship…Led Logan View to a 25-2 record and a berth in the Class C-1 state semifinals…Established a C-1 record with 501 kills, hitting .490 with 49 blocks as a senior…Selected Nebraska Gatorade High School Player of the Year honors…Earned Lincoln Journal Star’s Female High School Athlete of the Year for 2003-2004…Selected All-State Second Team in high school girls’ basketball after leading team to a 21-2 record with averages of 14.8 points and nine rebounds per game. 2003 – Selected AllAmerican while playing for Nebraska Juniors at the USA Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Championship…Paced LVHS to a 25-3 record and a state final appearance, totaling 357 kills on .424 hitting while serving 158 aces and setting a C-1 state record with 15.08 kills per game. PERSONAL: Born Jordan Quinn Larson on Oct. 16, 1986, in Fremont, Neb…Parents are Pat and Kae Clough and Kevin Larson…Married Luke Burbach in May 2009…Majored in communication studies at University of Nebraska…Teammates call her Jor or Govnah.

Tamari Miyashiro

Libero * 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii College: Washington Joined Team: January 2010 Last Club: Aluprof Bielsko-Biala MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 – Montreux Volley Masters (Fourth Place)...FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold)...Pan American Games (Bronze)...FIVB World Cup (Silver). 2010 – Tour of China…Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)…Pan American Cup (Bronze). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Played in 43 of a possible 48 sets in the FIVB World Grand Prix, including stepping into the starting libero the final two matches…As a serving sub in 35 sets, served 60 times with two aces averaging 1.71 serves per substitution…Averaged 1.02 digs per set in her limited action on the court, including 18 digs in the goldmedal clinching match against China on July 1. 2011 – Reserve libero at Montreux Volley Masters…Played one set during exhibition match versus Switzerland on June 8, compiling five digs…Played in 13 sets with one start during the FIVB World Grand Prix…Compiled eight digs in starting role against Peru on Aug. 21…Averaged 1.08 assists per set during World Grand Prix…Averaged 2.35 digs per set in helping the U.S. to the Pan American Games bronze medal…Started all five matches of Pan American Games at libero…Played libero in one match during FIVB World Cup, leading to two digs in a victory over Algeria. 2010 - Played in seven sets over three-match Tour of China…Averaged team-leading 4.00 digs per set on Tour of China, including 13 digs versus Evergrande on Feb. 2… Provided a total of 12 digs in 15 sets as a back-row substitution during the Montreux Volley Masters…Tallied five digs each against Russia (June 11) and China (June 13) in the gold-medal match…Designated libero in one of seven matches at Pan American Cup, compiling seven digs versus Costa Rica on June 21... Made professional club debut with SVS Post Schwechat Vienna, Austria.

CLUB/PREP CAREER: Played club volleyball for the Asics Rainbows under Aven Lee and Luis Ramirez ...Club team placed eighth at the 2002 Davis Festival and ninth at the 2001 USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships earning all-tournament team 15’s club…A four-year letterwinner and team captain at Kalani High School ... Four-time first team all-league selection and three-time Player of the Year ...2004 Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year ...Four-time All-State selection, earning first team honors as a junior and senior ...MVP of the state tournament as a senior ...Led team to three league titles and a third place state finish as a junior ...Team placed fifth in the state tournament as a freshman and senior ...also earned three letters in basketball...Started playing youth club volleyball in 1997 with Asics Rainbows Volleyball Club in Honolulu. PERSONAL: Born Tamari Miyashiro on July 8, 1987, in Honolulu, Hawaii… Parents are Joey and Gordon Miyashiro…Brothers Imai, Ainoa and Kaulana…Sister is Tehani…Mother played volleyball at University of Hawaii, while father played football at Northern Michigan.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2009 – Selected AVCA All-American Second Team…Totaled 517 digs as a senior with a 4.92 dig average while playing in 30 matches and 105 sets…Holds University of Washington school record for career digs with 2,382 and 5.36 digs per set. 2008 – Named National Defensive Player of the Year by UnderArmour/Volleyball Magazine ... Second team AVCA All-America ... First-team All-Pac-10 ... Led the Pac-10 and finished 16th in the nation in digs (5.14 dps) ... Played in all 114 sets and all 32 matches. 2007 – Named National Defensive Player of the Year by Asics/Volleyball Magazine ... Selected third team AVCA All-American and honorable mention Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American ... FirstTeam All-Pac-10 ... one of three Huskies to see action in every game ... second in the conference and 32nd nationally in digs at 5.65 digs per set ... her 622 digs is the third-best single-season mark in UW history. 2006 – Seattle Regional All-Tournament Team ... All-Pac-10 honorable mention ... Pac-10 All-Freshman team ... played in all 34 matches as Washington’s libero averaging 5.57 digs per game. 2005 – Redshirted

Courtesy of FIVB

ican Cup, including one set start against Brazil on June 28…Played in all five match of the Pan American Games, including starts in the final three contests…Tallied 81 assists in 13 sets during the Pan American Games, in addition to four aces and four blocks… Averaged 2.69 digs per set on defense at Pan American Games… Recorded 29 assists, three aces and two blocks in bronze medal match against Peru on July 19…Played in 10 sets of the World Grand Prix, mostly as a situational substitution late in sets…Provided eight assists for the U.S. at the World Grand Prix.

Courtney Thompson Setter * 5-8 Kent, Wash. College: Washington Joined Team: June 2007 Last Club: Catano

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 - FIVB World Grand Prix (Gold). 2011 – Pan American Games (Bronze). 2010 – Montreux Volley Masters (Silver)…Pan American Cup (Bronze). 2009 – Pan American Cup (Fourth); FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G (Gold)…FIVB World Grand Prix (9th). 2007 – Pan American Cup (Fourth Place), Pan American Games (Bronze Medal), World Grand Prix (Eighth Place). INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Averaged 3.85 running sets with 26 sets played and two starts in the FIVB World Grand Prix in which the U.S. won its third straight title…Earned wins in a starting role against Argentina in the preliminary round and Thailand in the Final Round…Sparked Team USA in final match against China in World Grand Prix, rallying the team from a 17-13 deficit. 2011 – Helped U.S. Women to the bronze medal at the Pan American Games, including a four-set victory over Dominican Republic in the bronze medal match in which she set 41 assists…Scored three aces in victory over Mexico. 2010 – Played in 14 sets during the Montreux Volley Masters event helping the U.S. secure the silver medal…Used primarily as a double-sub during the Montreux event, but also sparked the U.S. off the bench in rallying the team to a four-set win over Germany on June 9 with two aces and a block…Provided 96 running sets on a total of 214 set attempts at Montreux producing a 45 kill percent on set attempts…Averaged 1.14 digs per set during Montreux…Played in 13 sets of the Pan American Cup as the setter in the double-switch…Contributed 26 running sets in limited action at the Pan American Cup… Served USA to a 14-0 lead in the third set against Costa Rica on June 21, which included two aces. 2009 – Split time at setter at the Pan American Cup, coming off the bench in 17 sets to contribute 2.47 assists per set…Added five points (2 aces, 3 blocks) in the Pan American Cup…Started two of three matches at the FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament – NORCECA Pool G and led the U.S. to the gold and qualification into the 2010 FIVB World Championship…Named Best Setter and Best Server at the qualifying event, averaging 5.17 assists and 1.33 aces per set…Averaged 1.50 points per set at the qualifying tournament… Turned in four aces in key match against Costa Rica on July 8 to clinch World Championship berth…Started final seven matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary weekends, competing in 34 of 36 sets…Averaged 5.82 assists, 1.26 digs and 0.41 points during the World Grand Prix…Came off the bench to lead USA to five-set comeback against Puerto Rico on Aug. 1 with 18 assists, 15 digs and five points (3 aces, 2 blocks)…Tallied at least 30 assists in three matches, including 35 assists in a three-set victory over Puerto Rico on Aug. 15. 2007 – Played in 15 sets during Pan Amer-

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Thompson, a three-time AVCA All-America First-Team selection playing for the University of Washington, set the Pacific-10 Conference record with 6,552 assists for third best in NCAA Division I history…Set the NCAA record for career assists per game with 14.56…Concluded her career with a school-best 450 starts leading to three appearances in the NCAA Division I Tournament national semifinals and one regional final…Added 1,059-career digs for sixth-best in school history…As a junior, she earned the Honda Sports Award for best volleyball player after leading the Huskies to their first national championship… Received a ESPY Top Female College Athlete nomination in 2005…As a senior, she again was a finalist for the Honda Sports Award as she set the Huskies to a .281 Copyrighted USA Volleyball team attack percentage on 14.50 assists per game…Thompson is a three-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. PERSONAL: Born Courtney Lynn Thompson on Nov. 4, 1984, in Bellevue, Wash.…Parents are Steve and Linda Thompson… Has two older brothers Craig and Trevor…Brother Trevor played baseball at the United States Naval Academy for four years and was captain of the squad in 2005…Hobbies include hiking, board games, reading and playing the guitar…Attended University of Washington from 2003 to 2006 majoring in business administration...Lists her brothers as most admired persons because they are the most amazing people…Favorite professional team is Seattle Mariners…Favorite musical group is U2 and favorite book is “Tuesdays with Morrie”…Favorite movies are Braveheart, Notting Hill, The Little Mermaid…Favorite moment in sports was winning the NCAA Division I national title in 2005 while playing for University of Washington…Earned valedictorian honors at Kentlake High School in Kent, Wash.…She led her high school to three state championships, earning 2002 Washington State Player of the Year honors as well as all-state in basketball as a senior.

to the 2010 FIVB World Championship. It also placed fourth at the Pan American Cup held June 26-July 4 at Miami with several newcomers gaining their first international experience. Later in the year, the Americans placed ninth at the FIVB World Grand Prix utilizing a roster of only three Olympians. The U.S. earned the silver medal at the Final Four Intercontinental Cup, losing to Brazil in the title match. Team USA ended the year with a fourth-place finish at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship with all three losses coming in five-set heartbreakers.

Hugh McCutcheon

Head Coach * (2009-present) Home: Christchurch, New Zealand Resides: Irvine, Calif.

Hugh McCutcheon has mentored the No. 1 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 99-37 record in his four years after leading the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team program to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal. Counting his 107-33 record leading the U.S. Men’s program from 2005 to 2008, McCutcheon holds a combined record of 206-70 with USA Volleyball. In the past three seasons with the women’s program, McCutcheon has guided the U.S. to an 81-23 record with podium finishes in nine of 11 tournaments. In 2012, the U.S. captured FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal for the third consecutive year. Team USA was 14-0 in the 2012 edition, including victories over Olympic Games bound Brazil twice (No. 2 in the world), Italy (No. 4), China (No. 5), Serbia (No. 6), Dominican Republic (No. 9) and Turkey (No. 11.). The U.S. finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record, highlighted by picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, winning its second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and earning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Team USA knocked off Brazil twice in 2011, along with three wins over World Cup champion Italy and two wins over China. The U.S., currently ranked No. 1 in the world after over-taking Brazil in November of 2011, finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record. Among the team’s highlights were picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, their second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and winning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Destinee Hooker captured the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award, marking the second different American player to take the honor in consecutive seasons. Team USA knocked off Brazil twice in 2011, along with three wins over World Cup champion Italy and two wins over China (seven wins over 2012 Olympic Games qualified teams). Overall, the U.S. scored an 11-match victory improvement over 2010 and a 21-victory improvement from two years ago. Team USA finished the 2010 season with a 28-13 record – a 10-match improvement in the victory column from last season. The U.S. claimed the silver medal at the Montreux Volley Masters and the bronze at the Pan American Cup in June 2010. Using a starting lineup of two rookies and four players with less than two years experience, the Americans earned the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal. Foluke Akinradewo was named the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player. The 2010 season was capped by a fourth-place finish at the FIVB World Championship. Through his first four years, McCutcheon has developed a unit built around both established veterans and young players capable of competing on the international scene. He has brought in over 70 players into the gym for evaluation and over half have been part of an international trip representing the USA. In his first year leading the squad, McCutcheon was able to evaluate 30 players in international competitions along with training several other players who were new or returning to the program after an absence. With the mix of youth and veterans, Team USA finished 2009 with an 18-14 record and provided vast experience for a young roster. During the year, McCutcheon also took on the role of spokesperson for Human Options, which aims to create awareness of domestic violence. The squad qualified for the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and 2010 FIVB World Championship based on results in 2009. The U.S. won the FIVB World Championship – NORCECA Group G third-round pool to advance

After the 2012 Olympic Games, McCutcheon will assume the role as head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Minnesota, a position he accepted in February 2011. Less than four months after leading the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing en route to being named the 2008 USOC National Coach of the Year, McCutcheon accepted the head coach position of the U.S. Women’s National Team for the 2009-2012 Olympic quadrennial, USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal announced on Dec. 15, 2008. “This is a great opportunity for me to further develop professionally. I’m excited by the challenges this change presents, and I’m optimistic that some of the knowledge we’ve acquired with the men’s program can translate to the women,” McCutcheon said in regards to changing roles to the U.S. Women’s National Team. “There will be differences in systems and aspects of developing team culture but, at the end of the day, the fundamental principles of volleyball are not gender-specific.” “Hugh proved throughout the past quadrennial his abilities as a great coach, motivator and program manager,” Beal said. “The direction he provided allowed our men to steadily climb into position to be champions. Rarely has a team been so good so often under such intense pressure as they were in Beijing. I look forward to him bringing his talents, abilities, personality and philosophy to our women’s program! USA Volleyball is indeed fortunate and pleased to be able to retain Hugh within our national team structure.” Beal notes this is not an uncommon situation in international or professional volleyball. There are many examples of coaches moving from one gender to the other, most notably Jose Roberto Guimaraes (Ze Roberto), who led the Brazilian men’s team to the gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games, and matched that success by leading the Brazilian women to the gold medal in Beijing. “Successful coaches are successful coaches,” Beal said. “I have every confidence that Hugh can learn the differences that surely exist between genders and apply his philosophy to our women’s team in a positive way.” As the head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2008 Olympic Games, McCutcheon, 39, and Team USA went undefeated in Beijing to claim its third Olympic Games gold medal and its first podium finish since 1992. He compiled a 107-33 record in four years with the U.S. Men’s National Team program, which ended 2008 ranked second in the FIVB World Ranking. The U.S. enjoyed one of its best seasons ever in 2008 under McCutcheon’s guidance as the team won all three of its major tournaments of the year. Team USA secured its firstever FIVB World League championship in July 2008 after a bronze medal finish in the same event in 2007, the first time the Americans earned back-to-back medals in the annual event. The U.S. started the 2008 campaign in dominating fashion by sweeping all five matches at the NORCECA Men’s

Copyrighted by USA Volleyball

Elisabeth “Wiz” Bachman on Dec. 9 in Minneapolis. The U.S. Men’s Team flourished in McCutcheon’s first year as head coach in 2005 by going 27-6 and winning five medals in five tournaments. The team earned a silver medal at the USOC International Sports Invitational in San Diego, Calif., gold medals at the Americas’ Cup in Brazil, the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico and the NORCECA Continental Championship in Canada and another silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. McCutcheon, a former Brigham Young University assistant coach, joined USA Volleyball as a full-time assistant coach for the men’s national team program in April 2003. McCutcheon was no stranger to the organization. In the summers of 2001 and 2002, respectively, he served as a volunteer assistant coach for the men’s national team, helping out during the 2001 World League, the 2002 World Championships and on five international tours. He has also served as the head coach of the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team in 2000 and 2001. McCutcheon was the top assistant coach and recruiter for BYU from 1995- 2001 under head coach Carl McGown. During that time, the Cougars posted a record of 138- 44 and captured two NCAA men’s volleyball championships (1999 and 2001). After leaving BYU, McCutcheon was the head coach of the Vienna Hotvolleys in Austria for two seasons. In his first season there, the Hotvolleys won the 2001-02 Inter-Liga, Austrian Cup and Austrian League championships. He also coached the first Austrian team to ever beat an Italian A1 opponent. McCutcheon’s love for volleyball developed in New Zealand where he played on the junior and senior national teams from 1986-90 before coming to the United States. He was also a member of New Zealand’s national team in 1996 and represented his country on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 1997.

Copyrighted by USA Volleyball Continental Olympic Qualifier to earn its berth in the 2008 Olympics. The U.S. Men opened the 2007 season with a third-place finish at World League. McCutcheon handed the team over to assistant coach Ron Larsen for the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The United States finished 4-1 in the event, with its only loss coming to hometown favorite Brazil in the gold-medal match.

He played for BYU from 1991-1993 after transferring from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. In 1993 he earned honorable mention All-America honors. In 1992 he earned Academic All-Conference honors from the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. After receiving his bachelor’s degree in physical education from BYU in 1993, McCutcheon played professionally for two years in Finland and Japan before returning to BYU to complete his master’s degree in exercise science in 1998.

McCutcheon and his men won the gold medal in the 2007 Americas’ Cup, defeating a young Brazilian team in the final. Then the United States hosted and won the 2007 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship In 1999, McCutcheon received an MBA from BYU’s Marriott School of in Anaheim, Calif. McCutcheon was presented with the inaugural Jim Management. Coleman Award as the tournament’s most outstanding coach. Copyrighted by USA Volleyball In 2006, the U.S. Men encountered some bumps in the road to Beijing. Nevertheless, the team finished the season with a winning record at 18-14. In April 2006, McCutcheon and the team moved their center of operations from Colorado Springs, Colo. The move had many benefits as it put the team in the center of the men’s volleyball universe in Southern California and also removed the effects of Colorado’s high altitude on the team’s serves. But injuries and the disruption caused by moving the team caught up with Team USA at FIVB World League, where it did not advance from pool play and finished tied for 10th. That was followed by another 10th-place finish at the 2006 FIVB World Championships in Japan. The U.S. Men’s world ranking slipped from fifth to eighth. However, 2006 ended on a high note for McCutcheon, who married U.S. Women’s National Team player and 2004 Olympian

players to pursue a crowning achievement on a national stage for beach volleyball. In partnership with the Elevation Group, Kiraly has backed the creation of the Corona Wide Open, a new festival and grassroots-based beach volleyball series that will have eight tour stops throughout the United States in 2009, and qualify teams for the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball.

Karch Kiraly Assistant Coach (2009-present)

USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal, who served as the head coach of the Kiraly-led 1984 U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal, views the pairing of McCutcheon with Kiraly as an exciting synergy of volleyball individuals for the U.S. Women’s National Team and the sport.

Home: San Clemente, Calif.

Karch Kiraly, the most decorated player in the history of volleyball and an international legend – both indoor and on the beach – was named an assistant coach of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team in April of 2009. Since his hire, the Americans have a 99-37 record and are currently ranked No. 1 in the world. U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) hired Kiraly as an assistant coach for the program which won the 2008 Olympic Games silver medal in Beijing. “We all know how great Karch was as a player, and I strongly believe that he will have similar success in this game as a coach,” McCutcheon said. “His addition to our staff is a huge boon for this program. His knowledge, experience and drive will be invaluable.” In his four years on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, the Americans have an 85-37 record despite transitioning to new techniques employed by the coaching staff. In 2012, the U.S. captured FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal for the third consecutive year. Team USA was 14-0 in the 2012 edition, including victories over Olympic Games bound Brazil twice (No. 2 in the world), Italy (No. 4), China (No. 5), Serbia (No. 6), Dominican Republic (No. 9) and Turkey (No. 11.). The U.S., currently ranked No. 1 in the world after over-taking Brazil in November of 2011, finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record. Among the team’s highlights were picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, their second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and winning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Team USA knocked off Brazil twice in 2011, along with three wins over World Cup champion Italy and two wins over China (seven wins over 2012 Olympic Games qualified teams). Overall, the U.S. scored an 11-match victory improvement over 2010 and a 21-victory improvement from two years ago. Team USA finished the 2010 season with a 28-13 record – a 10-match improvement in the victory column from last season. The U.S. claimed the silver medal at the Montreux Volley Masters and the bronze at the Pan American Cup in June 2010. Using a starting lineup of two rookies and four players with less than two years experience, the Americans earned the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal. The 2010 season was capped by a fourth-place finish at the FIVB World Championship. During his first year with the U.S. Women’s National Team, Kiraly assisted the squad to an 18-14 overall record. The team had 30 players compete in at least one international competition, as well as several other newcomers and veterans returning to the team that only trained at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim. The 2009 squad qualified for the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and 2010 FIVB World Championship based on results in 2009. The U.S. won the FIVB World Championship – NORCECA Group G third-round pool to advance to the FIVB World Championship to be end at the end of 2010. It also placed fourth at the Pan American Cup held June 26-July 4 at Miami with several newcomers gaining their first international experience. Later in the year, the Americans placed ninth at the FIVB World Grand Prix utilizing a roster of only three Olympians. The U.S. earned the silver medal at the Final Four Intercontinental Cup, losing to Brazil in the title match. Team USA ended the year with a fourth-place finish at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship with all three losses coming in five-set heartbreakers. Kiraly, 48, has been recognized by many as the greatest volleyball player ever. He is the only volleyball player –male or female – to win Olympic Games gold medals in both the indoor and beach volleyball disciplines. Further, Kiraly is the first volleyball player – and one of only two ever – to win three gold medals in the sport. “Two things intrigue me most about this position; the first is the opportunity to work under Coach McCutcheon, one of – if not THE – best coaching minds on the planet,” Kiraly said. “The second is the phenomenal potential that exists on the women’s side of American volleyball. High school and club volleyball for women are so advanced in popularity and skill level here in the United States. College volleyball has an NCAA Tournament of 64 teams for its own version of March Madness, along with hundreds of outstanding players.” Kiraly still maintains influence on the beach and has been instrumental in its further growth across the United States. He has been active in spearheading the development of the U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball, which was created in partnership with USA Volleyball for the specific purpose of providing an opportunity for adult

“By having Karch join Hugh’s staff brings about an exciting time for the U.S. Women’s National Team and USA Volleyball,” Beal said. “Both have long-term potential of being not only great coaches, but being wonderful volleyball ambassadors with ancillary benefits to all areas of our sport on this very expanded platform as U.S. Women’s National Team coaches. I’m positive that Karch will bring to this position the same qualities that made him so great on the court and on the sand – a unique focus, a total commitment to excellence and an unswerving drive to be the best and make everyone around him the best.” Kiraly has been active in the coaching field and other volleyball endeavors since he finished his playing career in 2007. He founded the Karch Kiraly Volleyball Academy in 2007, which delivers fundamental training principles, physical and mental preparation, and game-like challenges for female volleyball players ages 13-17. Kiraly said his desire to learn and acquire new skills led him into his current career path. And despite a short coaching resume, he will utilize his own knowledge coupled with a vast coaching cadre to bounce ideas off. “I have a hunger to grow and to learn, so coaching is a natural extension of a life-long love of the game of volleyball,” Kiraly said. “I have immersed myself in coaching the same way I did with playing and with television commentary – by trying to over-prepare and by asking lots of questions. I have also been blessed to have had great coaching as a player and to be able to pick up the phone and bounce coaching ideas off mentors like Bill Neville and Marv Dunphy among many others. The United States has a superb cadre of coaches, some of the best minds of volleyball ever, and I aspire to join that group.” As a player, the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) named Kiraly as the greatest men’s volleyball player of the sport’s first century, citing his performance and courage in leading the U.S. Men’s Team to an unprecedented string of championships including the famed “Triple Crown of Volleyball” consisting of gold medals at the 1984 Olympic Games, the 1985 FIVB World Cup and the 1986 FIVB World Championship. Kiraly also captained the U.S. Men’s Team to their second consecutive gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. The FIVB also named him “Best Player in the World in 1986 and 1988. After his two Olympic Games gold-medal performances, Kiraly went on to play professional volleyball in the Italian League from 1990 to 1992. He won the World Club Championship with his team Il Messaggero in 1991 and was named the most valuable player. His team also won the Italian League championship in the 199091 season. After years of dominating the game on the hard court indoors, Kiraly returned to the sand and became equally dominant in beach volleyball. He and partner Kent Steffes captured the 1996 Olympic Games gold medal in beach volleyball as the sport made its Olympic debut in Atlanta. Before retiring at the end of 2007, Kiraly had won 148 beach volleyball tournaments (144 domestic, 3 FIVB international events), more than any other player in history. He won at least one tournament in 24 of his 27 seasons of playing beach volleyball, claiming titles with 13 different partners during his four-decade long career. Kiraly was named the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) Most Valuable Player six times. Kiraly was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2001. Domestically, Kiraly has been bestowed many honors for his volleyball skills. The United States Olympic Committee recognized him in 2008 with induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame on June 19 in Chicago. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) inducted Kiraly into its 2005 Hall of Fame Class. In 1992, UCLA retired the All-American’s jersey and inducted him into the UCLA Hall of Fame. Kiraly led the Bruins to a 124-5 record from 1979-82, including three NCAA titles and a runner-up finish. In 2009, Kiraly was inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® Hall of Fame. Kiraly’s introduction to the sport occurred at the age of six. He earned his A and AA rating on the beach at the age of 15 and his AAA rating at 17. After leading Santa Barbara (Calif.) High School to the Southern California Championship title in 1978, Kiraly participated on the U.S. Junior National Team in 1978 and 1979 leading into his collegiate career at UCLA. Kiraly now lives in San Clemente, Calif., with his wife, Janna, and sons Kristian and Kory.

helped the squad to a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Paula Weishoff

“We are delighted to welcome Paula to our National Team staff as she will be a tremendous asset to the team, not only because of her remarkable playing career, but also her experience and success as a coach at all levels,” USA Volleyball Chief Executive Officer Doug Beal said. “She has already spent a significant amount of time with Hugh, (assistant coach) Karch Kiraly and the team during the first two years of the quadrennial.”

Assistant Coach * 1st Full Year Home: Irvine, Calif.

Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) was added to the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team as an assistant coach, which was announced by U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) on Dec. 14, 2010. The U.S., currently ranked No. 1 in the world after over-taking Brazil in November of 2011, finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record and has started 2012 with a 14-0 record after winning the FIVB World Grand Prix held June 8 to July 1. The U.S., currently ranked No. 1 in the world after over-taking Brazil in November of 2011, finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record. Among the team’s highlights were picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, their second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and winning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Destinee Hooker captured the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award, marking the second different American player to take the honor in consecutive seasons. Team USA knocked off Brazil twice in 2011, along with three wins over World Cup champion Italy and two wins over China (seven wins over 2012 Olympic Games qualified teams). Overall, the U.S. scored an 11-match victory improvement over 2010 and a 21-victory improvement from two years ago. Weishoff (Huntington Beach, Calif.), a three-time Olympian for the U.S. Women’s National Team, will continue to serve as head women’s volleyball coach at the University of California, Irvine while holding her National Team position. Weishoff recently completed her second year as head coach at UC Irvine this fall. “The chance to be able to work with Hugh, Karch (Kiraly), Jamie (Morrison), the rest of the USA Volleyball staff and players is an incredible opportunity,” Weishoff said. “When Hugh came to me and asked if I wanted to come help coach the U.S. Women’s National Team, I thought ‘Wow, what a privilege.’ It is a chance to maybe go and coach at an Olympics. I have played at the Olympics, but I have not coached at an Olympics.”

Weishoff states that she is fortunate that everyone involved is willing to work with the dual role, one that keeps her a part of the UC Irvine staff while assisting with the U.S. Women’s National Team. “I think it is important that people know that I am still part of the UCI staff, and I am not leaving the team to go on just a volleyball trip,” Weishoff said. “This is something that has been planned. We have talked with the players, Doug Beal, Mike Izzi and the rest of my administration. Everyone is willing to make this happen. In that sense, I am lucky everyone is on board.” Despite doubling up the workload, Weishoff is prepared for the extra hours to handle both roles. Weishoff is no stranger to the U.S. Women’s National Team and High Performance pipeline. She served as an assistant coach with Team USA this past fall while the squad finished fourth at the FIVB World Championship. Last year Weishoff served as an assistant coach for the 2009 Pan American Cup team. As a respected coach within the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline, Weishoff led the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team to the gold medal at the 2008 NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship, which qualified Team USA into the 2009 FIVB World Championship. She also led U.S. squad at the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team at the 2009 FIVB Women’s Junior Continental Championship held in Mexico. Weishoff has served as the U.S. Women’s A2 Team head coach in 2003 and 2007. “Whether it’s coaching at a camp or with the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team at the FIVB World Championship, Paula has been a driving force behind the success of our National High Performance program over the past 10 years,” said Tom Pingel, managing director of USA Volleyball’s Indoor High Performance Department. “As her influence and input continues at the High Performance level, it’s only fitting that she will also add the USA Women’s National Team to her already impressive coaching resume.”

Weishoff put much thought into the decision before taking on the extra coaching role outside of the UC Irvine athletic department. Before accepting her larger role with the U.S. Women’s National Team, she first wanted the blessing of her supervisors at UC Irvine.

At UC Irvine, Weishoff helped guide the Anteaters to a 22-8 overall record in her first season in 2009, along with an 11-5 record in the Big West Conference. UC Irvine narrowly missed receiving a berth in to the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship tournament as an at-large team. UC Irvine garnered two American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America honorable mention selections in Weishoff’s first year, marking the first time in school history the Anteaters had multiple All-Americans in the same season.

“The fact my athletic director was so supportive of this whole decision and being 100 percent on board helped make the decision easier,” Weishoff said. “The athletic administration here thinks it can only one, help the sport of volleyball and two, the sport of volleyball here at UCI. Many other athletic directors may have hesitated because of the effect it would have on our team. So the ability to coach both is kind of a unique situation.”

Prior to accepting the UC Irvine position, Weishoff posted 146 victories in five seasons as the head coach at Concordia University, Irvine. She was tabbed as the 2008 AVCA NAIA National Coach of the Year after the Eagles reached the championship match before falling to Fresno Pacific University to conclude the year with a 31-6 record. Weishoff guided Concordia to the NAIA national finals twice and the semifinals on two other occasions.

“We are excited that Paula has this opportunity,” UC Irvine Athletic Director Mike Izzi said. “We have several head coaches working with U.S. National teams and I think the knowledge that they gain working with these elite athletes and coaches not only make them better coaches, but benefits our program as well.”

Weishoff, a 1998 Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee, was named to USA Volleyball’s 1978-2002 All-Era Team. To many, Weishoff is regarded as one of the greatest female athletes in the history of the sport and certainly one of her generation’s most dominant middle blockers and servers. Weishoff is the only two-time U.S. Olympic medalist in women’s indoor volleyball, having won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympic Games, and the bronze in the 1992 Olympic Games. She played on the 1996 U.S. Olympic Games Team in Atlanta.

John Speraw, the head men’s volleyball coach at UC Irvine, held a similar dual role as an assistant coach with the U.S. Men’s National Team and

“Jamie’s hire is huge for our program,” said McCutcheon, who accepted the U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach position in December 2008. “He will allow us to hit the ground running from an organizational perspective, and we also retain one of the best young coaches in the country. Jamie has wonderful quantitative and analytical abilities, and he sees the game very well. I could not be happier.”

Jamie Morrison

Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator * 3rd Year Home: Dana Point, Calif.

Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) was named the U.S. Women’s National Team assistant coach/technical coordinator on March 7, 2009, a similar role he held with the 2008 Olympic Games gold-medal winning U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team. In his three years on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, the Americans have a 99-37 record despite transitioning to new techniques employed by the coaching staff. The U.S., currently ranked No. 1 in the world after over-taking Brazil in November of 2011, finished the 2011 season with a 39-10 record. Among the team’s highlights were picking up the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, their second consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix title, capturing the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship and winning the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup. Destinee Hooker captured the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award, marking the second different American player to take the honor in consecutive seasons. Team USA knocked off Brazil twice in 2011, along with three wins over World Cup champion Italy and two wins over China (seven wins over 2012 Olympic Games qualified teams). Overall, the U.S. scored an 11-match victory improvement over 2010 and a 21-victory improvement from two years ago. Team USA finished the 2010 season with a 28-13 record – a 10-match improvement in the victory column from last season. The U.S. claimed the silver medal at the Montreux Volley Masters and the bronze at the Pan American Cup in June 2010. Using a starting lineup of two rookies and four players with less than two years experience, the Americans earned the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal. The 2010 season was capped by a fourth-place finish at the FIVB World Championship. During his first year with the U.S. Women’s National Team, Morrison assisted the squad to an 18-14 overall record. The team had 30 players compete in at least one international competition, as well as several other newcomers and veterans returning to the team that only trained at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim. The 2009 squad qualified for the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and 2010 FIVB World Championship based on results in 2009. The U.S. won the FIVB World Championship – NORCECA Group G third-round pool to advance to the FIVB World Championship to be end at the end of 2010. It also placed fourth at the Pan American Cup held June 26-July 4 at Miami with several newcomers gaining their first international experience. Later in the year, the Americans placed ninth at the FIVB World Grand Prix utilizing a roster of only three Olympians. The U.S. earned the silver medal at the Final Four Intercontinental Cup, losing to Brazil in the title match. Team USA ended the year with a fourth-place finish at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship with all three losses coming in five-set heartbreakers.

Morrison was responsible for match video analysis and statistics with the U.S. Men’s National Team and implementing the data into training session plans and match-time decisions. He was also charged with creating technological advances to aid in training, scouting and overall team functionality. In addition to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal, the U.S. Men’s National Team won its first-ever FIVB World League title in 2008. As a result, the United States Olympic Committee selected the squad as its Team of the Year for 2008. The U.S. Men’s National Team compiled a 107-33 record in major international competitions during Morrison’s tenure on staff. Among other major team accomplishments in the past four years have been gold medals at the 2008 NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament, 2006 and 2008 Pan American Cup, 2007 NORCECA Continental Championship and 2005 and 2007 America’s Cup. Team USA also won the silver at the 2007 Pan American Games and the bronze at the 2007 FIVB World League Finals. “The last four years were a learning process for both the players and coaching staff,” Morrison said. “The lessons learned in the process of qualifying and while at the Olympics are invaluable going forward into the next quadrennial.” “Jamie has been a tremendous asset providing technical support and coaching knowledge to our Men’s National Team over the past four years,” USA Volleyball Chief Executive Director Doug Beal said. “He will certainly provide Hugh with great staff continuity and level of comfort in his own transition to the women’s team.” Both McCutcheon and Morrison will be making the transition from the men’s international game. However, Morrison does not view this as a hindrance to the coaching of the U.S. Women’s National Team. “I believe some of the knowledge we have gained over the past four years will translate to the women’s game and aid in taking the Women’s National Team to the next level,” Morrison said. “At the same time, I fully understand that there are subtle differences in the game as well as culture, and I am excited to learn and grow.” Morrison is not totally unfamiliar with women’s volleyball. He spent one season as an assistant coach at the University of Southern California working with both the men’s and women’s volleyball programs immediately before his tenure with the U.S. Men’s National Team. He assisted the Women of Troy to the semifinal round of the NCAA Division I Volleyball Championship in 2004. Morrison also was an assistant coach at Concordia University Irvine, under the direction of then-head coach Paula Weishoff, for two seasons and assisted the Eagles to a NAIA National Tournament championship match appearance and runner-up finish in 2008.

For the 2005-2008 Olympic Games quadrennial, Morrison was part of Hugh McCutcheon’s U.S. Men’s National Team staff that guided the Americans to the 2008 Olympic Games gold medal in inspiring fashion. Team USA defeated Brazil in four sets in the championship match and progressed through the Olympic Games without losing a match.

Prior to working at USC, Morrison served three years as an assistant and volunteer assistant coach with both the men’s and women’s volleyball programs at UC Santa Barbara. As an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara, he competed on the school’s club volleyball team and worked various Gaucho volleyball camps.

“I am extremely excited, honored and thankful to be a part of the U.S. Women’s National Team and have the opportunity to coach some of the greatest athletes in the world,” Morrison said. “Hugh and I have worked closely over the past four years and I have the utmost respect for him as a coach, mentor and friend. I am thrilled to join him in this new venture and I would like to thank him for giving me this opportunity.”

Morrison, who also interned in the San Francisco 49ers public relations department, earned his bachelor’s degree in business economics from UC Santa Barbara in 2002 with an emphasis in accounting and a minor in sports management. He prepped at Dana Hills High School where he played volleyball and basketball.

was an Approved Clinical Instructor for the athletic training students at Penn State.

Jill Wosmek

Prior to Penn State, Wosmek served as an assistant athletic trainer at the University of South Carolina-Aiken where she worked with the school’s 13 athletic programs from August 2005 until June 2007. She was a graduate assistant at the University of Minnesota from 2003 to 2005 with primary athletic training coverage for the women’s rowing both tennis teams. Wosmek started in the athletic training field as an athletic training student while an undergraduate at Minnesota State University, Mankato between August 1999 to May 2003.

Athletic Trainer * Third Year Home: Silver Lake, Minn.

Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) is in her third year as the full-time certified athletic trainer for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team as part of USA Volleyball’s sports medicine program. She has six years experience in the athletic training field in four collegiate athletic departments. In her four years on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, the Americans have an 99-37 record and have qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games. With USA Volleyball, Wosmek is in charge of evaluating and assessing injuries, design and implementation of treatment and rehabilitation plans, and providing injury prevention methods to the U.S. Women’s National Team players. As a traveling member of the staff, her daily duties include pre-practice treatments, lengthy core and dynamic warm-up with the team, monitor practice, rehabilitation, post-practice treatments, designing and implementing the weight training program and providing recovery treatments. Wosmek worked two academic seasons (August 2007 to May 2009) as the athletic trainer for the Penn State University women’s and men’s volleyball teams. During her time, the Nittany Lion women’s volleyball team won two NCAA Division I titles and the men’s volleyball team won a NCAA National Collegiate Volleyball Championship title. Wosmek also

Wosmek was a three-sport athlete at Glencoe-Silver Lake High School participating in volleyball, basketball and softball. She continued her athletic experience by competing in four sports at the intramural level. Wosmek, a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) since 2001, completed the NATA Board of Certification in June of 2003. She graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a bachelor of science degree in athletic training, a CAAHEP accredited program, in 2003 with a minor in corporate and community fitness and wellness. Wosmek earned her master’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Minnesota in May of 2005. She successfully defended her master’s thesis Concepts Related to the Protonics Neuromuscular Repositioning System and Supporting Case Reports and had it published. Wosmek was a Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Book Reviewer. She edited approximately 15 chapters for kinesiology books for the company between 2007 and 2008. Wosmek has additional training in advanced manual therapy techniques, orthotic evaluation and design, biomechanical analysis, sport nutrition, sport psychology, and strength and conditioning.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Rosters 2011 U.S. Women’s National Training Team for Exhibitions vs. Japan Girls’ Youth Team # Name Pos Hometown College 1 Kayla Banwarth L Dubuque, Iowa Nebraska 2 Ashley Benson MB Bloomington, Ind. Indiana 3 Kindra Carlson Opp Eaton, Colo. Washington 4 Lauren Gibbemeyer MB St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota 5 Jenna Hagglund S West Chester, Ohio Washington 6 Naomi Johnson MB Bloomington, Minn. Northwestern 7 Carli Lloyd S Bonsall, Calif. California 8 Becky Perry OH Austin, Texas Washington 9 Kari Pestolesi OH Huntington Beach, Calif. UC Irvine 10 Julianne Piggott OH Newport Beach, Calif. UC Irvine 11 Kaitlin Sather OH Santa Rosa, Calif. UCLA 13 Dominique Olowolafe MB Lansing, Mich. Cal Poly 14 Cami Croteau L Orange, Calif. Cal State Fullerton 17 Ellie Blankenship L Cedar Rapids, Iowa Northern Iowa Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Technical Coordinator: Jenni Hirneisen (Parachute, Colo.) Athletic Trainer: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.)

2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for NORCECA Continental Championship # Name Pos Ht Hometown 4 Lindsey Berg S 5-8 Honolulu, Hawaii 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 10 Kim Glass OH 6-2 Lancaster, Pa. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 12 Nancy Metcalf Opp 6-1 Hull, Iowa 15 Logan Tom OH 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. 19 Destinee Hooker Opp 6-4 San Antonio, Texas

2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Montreux Volley Masters # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Alexis Crimes MB 6-3 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 3 Tayyiba Haneef-Park OPP 6-7 Laguna Hills, Calif. 4 Angie Forsett OH 5-8 Lake Mary, Fla. 5 Tamari Miyashiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 8 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 10 Kim Glass OH 6-2 Lancaster, Pa. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 13 Christa Harmotto MB 6-2 Hopewell, Pa. 14 Nicole Fawcett OPP 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 17 Nellie Spicer S 5-9 Barrington, Ill. 18 Kristin Richards OH 6-1 Orem, Utah Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Montreux Head Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Technical Coordinator: Jennifer Hirneisen Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Leader: Russ Rose (State College, Pa.)

2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan American Games # Name Pos Ht Hometown 2 Kayla Banwarth DS 5-10 Dubuque, Iowa 3 Keao Burdine OH 6-1 Pico Rivera, Calif. 4 Angie Forsett OH 5-8 Lake Worth, Fla. 6 Tamari Miysahiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 10 Lauren Gibbemeyer MB 6-2 St. Paul, Minn. 11 Regan Hood OPP 6-2 Carrollton, Texas 12 Alix Klineman OH 6-4 Manhattan Beach, Calif. 13 Cassidy Lichtman OH 6-1 Poway, Calif. 14 Carli Lloyd S 5-11 Bonsall, Calif. 15 Courtney Thompson S 5-8 Kent, Wash. 19 Jessy Jones MB 6-3 Naperville, Ill.

2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan American Cup # Name Pos Ht Hometown 2 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 4 Angie Forsett OH 5-8 Lake Mary, Fla. 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 10 Kim Glass OH 6-2 Lancaster, Pa. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 12 Nancy Metcalf Opp 6-1 Hull, Iowa 13 Christa Harmotto MB 6-2 Hopewell, Pa. 14 Nicole Fawcett Opp 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 17 Mary ‘Nellie’ Spicer S 5-9 Barrington, Ill. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Caoch: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Manager: John Cook (Lincoln, Neb.)

College Long Beach State Long Beach State California Washington Southern California Penn State Pacific Arizona Nebraska Penn State Penn State Stanford UCLA Stanford)

College Penn State California Southern California Pacific Arizona Nebraska Nebraska Penn State Penn State Stanford UCLA Penn State

2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix # Name Pos Ht Hometown College 1 Kristin Richards # OH 6-1 Orem, Utah Stanford # 4 Lindsey Berg #$^* S 5-8 Honolulu, Hawaii Minnesota 5 Tamari Miyashiro #$^* L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii Washington 6 Nicole Davis #$^* L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. Southern California 7 Heather Bown #$^* MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. Hawaii 8 Alisha Glass #$^* S 6-0 Leland, Mich. Penn State 9 Jennifer Tamas #$^* MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. Pacific 10 Kim Glass #$^* OH 6-2 Lancaster, Pa. Arizona 11 Jordan Larson #$^* OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. Nebraska 12 Nancy Metcalf #$^* Opp 6-1 Hull, Iowa Nebraska 13 Christa Harmotto #$^* MB 6-2 Hopewell, Pa. Penn State 15 Logan Tom $^* OH 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah Stanford 16 Foluke Akinradewo #$^* MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. Stanford 18 Megan Hodge #$^* OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. Penn State 19 Destinee Hooker #$^* Opp 6-4 San Antonio, Texas Texas KEY: # - Weekend 1 Roster; $ - Weekend 2 Roster; ^ - Weekend 3 Roster; * - Final Round Roster

College Minnesota Southern California Hawaii Penn State Pacific Arizona Nebraska Nebraska Stanford Stanford Penn State Texas

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Manager: Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) College Nebraska Southern California California Washington Stanford Minnesota LSU Stanford Stanford California Washington Minnesota

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Pan American Games Head Coach: Andy Banachowski Assistant Coach: Mike Hebert Assistant Coach: Jay Hosack Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jenni Hirneisen Team Manager: Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) 2011 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Cup # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 2 Danielle Scott-Arruda MB 6-2 Baton Rouge, La. 3 Tayyiba Haneef-Park OPP 6-7 Laguna Hills, Calif. 4 Lindsey Berg S 5-8 Honolulu, Hawaii 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 14 Tamari Miyashiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii 15 Logan Tom OH 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. 19 Destinee Hooker Opp 6-4 San Antonio, Texas Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Doctors: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill and Dr. William Briner, Jr. Scouts: Guiseppe Vinci, Jenni Hirneisen Nutritionist: Shawn Dolan Chiropractor: Dustin Glass Team Manager: Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.)

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Manager: Ken Sullivan

College Penn State Long Beach State Long Beach State Minnesota Southern California Hawaii Stanford Pacific Nebraska Washington Stanford Stanford Penn State Texas

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Season in Review The U.S. Women’s National Team placed fourth at the Montreux Volley Masters held June 7-12 at Montreux, Switzerland. The Americans opened with a four-set victory over Peru on June 7. After a Montreux off -day exhibition match victory over host nation Switzerland on June 8, the U.S. topped Germany in five sets on June 9. China won a five-set battle over Team USA to win Pool A on June 10. The U.S. dropped a four-set match to NORCECA rival Cuba on June 11 in the semifinal round, then lost a second time to China in a four-set bronze-medal match on June 12.

The U.S. Women’s National Team placed third in the Pan American Games held Oct. 15-20 using a roster with seven players debuting for the U.S. at the senior level. Team USA swept through pool play with victories over Puerto Rico, Peru and Mexico. Cuba, with a team composed of its top players, defeated the young U.S. squad in four sets during the semifinal round. The Americans rebounded to defeat an experienced Dominican Republic squad n the bronze-medal match. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) was tabbed as the tournament’s Best Blocker.

The U.S. Women claimed the bronze medal at the X Women’s Pan American Cup held July 1-9 at Juarez, Mexico. The Americans topped Cuba 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 in the bronze-medal match after suffering a four-set loss to Dominican Republic in the semifinal round. The U.S. defeated Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad & Tobago and Costa Rica in straight sets to open Pool B before losing a heart-breaking 28-30, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11 match to then-top-ranked Brazil in the final pool match. The U.S. went on to defeat Argentina 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 in the quarterfinal, which secured a berth into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix as one of the top four NORCECA teams in the tournament.

The U.S. Women fulfilled their number-one goal of the 2011 season by earning qualification into the 2012 Olympic Games through the 2011 FIVB World Cup – the first qualification tournament. Team USA finished with the silver medal at the FIVB World Cup, thus guaranteeing a spot in London as the tournament granted three coveted spots to its podium finishers.

Team USA captured the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual international volleyball tournament for women, for the second time in as many years after defeating Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 in the gold-medal match on Aug. 28, 2011. The Americans finished the preliminary round with an 8-1 record with only a loss to Serbia. In the Final Round pool play, the U.S. defeated Japan and Italy for the second time in the tournament before falling to Brazil as both teams had already guaranteed spots in the semifinal round. The Americans rebounded by defeating Serbia in three sets, setting up the rematch with Brazil in the gold-medal match. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) was named the most valuable player of the tournament. The U.S. Women steam-rolled through the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship without losing a single set, claiming the gold medal. But more importantly, Team USA qualified for the FIVB World Cup, which served as the first qualification event for the 2012 Olympic Games. During the NORCECA preliminary round, the U.S. defeated Canada and Trinidad & Tobago in straight sets. Even though the Americans swept their opponents, they finished as the lowest rated pool winner and were forced to play Mexico in the quarterfinals. After a win over Mexico, the U.S. dominated Cuba in the semifinals to reach the title match. Team USA defeated Dominican Republic to earn their sixth NORCECA title. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was named the Best Setter and Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) earned Best Server.

The U.S. started the tournament with tough opening round, including a meeting with then-No. 1 Brazil on the opening day. Team USA followedup its FIVB World Grand Prix victory over the South Americans with a four-set victory to start the World Cup on a positive note on Nov. 4. On the following day, Team USA topped Serbia, the World Grand Prix bronze medalist, in straight sets to improve to 2-0. The U.S. ended the first round with a dominating performance over Korea, then continued the momentum to start the second round with an easy 3-0 win over Kenya. However, Germany ended the U.S. win streak with a stunning 3-0 win that included set victories of 32-30 and 26-24 in the first and third sets. Team USA rebounded in the third round with straight-set wins over Argentina, Algeria and NORCECA rival Dominican Republic. The U.S. ended the third round with a 7-1 record and 21 points, trailing tournament leader Italy by just two points in the standings. The U.S. opened the fourth round in Tokyo with two sets – 25-21 and 31-29 – over China, which recovered to force a deciding fifth set. During the tiebreaker, Hooker scored three points in a 4-0 run to break a 7-all tie to forge the U.S. to a 15-10 victory. In the process, Hooker scored a personal-high 37 points (unofficial DataVolley stats credited her with 39 points). On the second to last day of the World Cup, second-place U.S. met tournament-leader Italy. A Team USA victory would guarantee it a 2012 Olympic Games spot, along with a chance to win the World Cup gold medal. The U.S. opened the match with a hard-fought 25-23 victory after scoring five of the final seven points, followed by an easy 25-15 victory to go up 2-0 in sets. Italy battled back in the third set with a 25-22 victory. In the fourth set, the U.S. recovered from a 13-11 deficit by securing a 6-0 scoring run with three blocks and two aces to take a 17-13 lead. After Italy closed to 20-19, Team USA scored five of the final seven points of the match to take a 25-21 victory and one of the three Olympic Games tickets awarded through the World Cup. Needing a 3-0 or 3-1 victory over Japan to secure its first-ever World Cup gold medal, the U.S. could not quite come away with the needed victories over the host country on the final day. Japan edged the U.S. 29-27 in the first set in which the Americans led 23-21 and had four set points. The U.S. saved three set points in the second set before Japan earned a hard-fought 25-23 victory. With the title out of reach for Team USA, Japan claimed the third set 25-18.

Courtesy FIVB

Hooker was awarded the Best Spiker award during the FIVB World Cup with a 49.53 kill percent.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Schedule/Results (39-10) Date Opponent (Record)

Result

City

Pts Leader (*DataVolley)

3/1 Japan Youth National Team * W, 25-11, 25-20, 25-19 San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Kindra Carlson/Becky Perry - 16 3/2 Japan Youth National Team * W, 25-10, 25-12, 25-17 Irvine, Calif. Carlson, Perry, Sather – 11 NOTE: * U.S. Women’s National Training Team competed in unofficial scrimmages against Japan Girls’ Youth National Team

Attend NA NA

27th Montreux Volley Masters 6/7 Peru W, 25-7, 24-26, 25-11, 25-19 Montreux, Switzerland Tayyiba Haneef-Park - 20 6/9 Germany W, 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 15-25, 16-14 Montreux, Switzerland Kim Glass - 20 6/10 China L, 27-25, 14-25, 25-19, 21-25, 11-15 Montreux, Switzerland Tayyiba Haneef-Park - 18 6/11 Cuba (Semifinal Round) L, 18-25, 22-25, 25-17, 24-26 Montreux, Switzerland Tayyiba Haneef-Park - 18 6/12 China (Bronze-Medal Match) L, 25-16, 13-25, 27-29, 23-25 Montreux, Switzerland Jordan Larson - 21 Montreux Final Standings: Gold - Japan; Silver - Cuba; Bronze - China; 4. USA; 5. Netherlands; 6. Germany; 7T. Italy and Peru

NA NA NA NA NA

6/8

Switzerland (Exhibition)

W, 25-10, 25-14, 25-18

Montreux, Switzerland

Kim Glass/Nicole Fawcett - 11

X Women’s Pan American Cup 7/1 Peru W, 25-19, 25-14, 25-14 Juárez, Mexico Nicole Fawcett - 12 520 7/2 Puerto Rico W, 25-17, 25-17, 25-17 Juárez, Mexico Nicole Fawcett - 13 2,500 7/3 Trinidad & Tobago W, 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 Juárez, Mexico K. Glass, Metcalf, Tamas - 9 1,000 7/4 Costa Rica W, 25-20, 25-10, 25-8 Juárez, Mexico Megan Hodge - 14 1,000 7/5 Brazil L, 30-28, 18-25, 19-25, 25-17, 11-15 Juárez, Mexico Megan Hodge - 18 4,076 7/7 Argentina (Quarterfinal) W, 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 Juárez, Mexico Foluke Akinradewo - 14 3,880 7/8 Dominican Republic (Semifinal) L, 25-21, 19-25, 21-25, 21-25 Juárez, Mexico Megan Hodge - 18 5,000 7/9 Cuba (Bronze-Medal) W, 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 Juárez, Mexico Nancy Metcalf - 19 5,112 Pan American Cup Final Standings: Gold - Brazil; Silver - Dominican Republic; Bronze - USA: 4. Cuba; 5. Puerto Rico; 6. Argentina; 7. Canada; 8. Peru; 9. Mexico; 10. Trinidad & Tobago; 11. Costa Rica; 12. Chile FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds 8/5 Serbia W, 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 20-25, 15-10 Luohe, China Foluke Akinradewo - 22 3,580 8/6 Kazakhstan W, 25-15, 25-21, 25-12 Luohe, China Megan Hodge - 15 3,860 8/7 China W, 25-20, 25-17, 25-16 Luohe, China Destinee Hooker - 19 4,580 8/12 Dominican Republic W, 25-22, 25-22, 25-10 Komaki, Japan Destinee Hooker - 15 4,250 8/13 Japan W, 25-22, 25-14, 25-18 Komaki, Japan Destinee Hooker - 19 5,160 8/14 Serbia L, 12-25, 25-17, 23-25, 15-25 Komaki, Japan Foluke Akirnadewo - 13 2,900 8/19 Germany W, 25-10, 25-18, 25-23 Hong Kong Destinee Hooker - 17 5,253 8/20 Italy W, 25-23, 25-19, 25-18 Hong Kong Destinee Hooker - 18 6,591 8/21 Peru W, 25-13, 25-18, 25-15 Hong Kong Megan Hodge - 15 4,413 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Standings: 1. Brazil (27, 9-0); 2. USA (23, 8-1); 3. Russia (21, 7-2); 4. Serbia (20, 6-3); 5. Italy (19, 7-2); 6. Japan (18, 6-3); 7. China (17, 6-3); 8. Thailand (15, 5-4); 9. Korea (13, 5-4); 10. Poland (13, 4-5); 11. Cuba (9, 2-7); 12. Dominican Republic (8, 3-6); 13. Germany (7, 2-7); 14. Argentina (4, 2-7); 15. Kazakhstan (2, 0-9); 16. Peru (0, 0-9) FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round 8/24 Japan W, 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 Macau, China Destinee Hooker - 19 900 8/25 Italy W, 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-10 Macau, China Destinee Hooker - 34 910 8/26 Brazil L, 25-22, 24-26, 21-25, 20-25 Macau, China Tom - 17 1,900 8/27 Serbia (Semifinals) W, 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 Macau, China Hooker - 20 3,400 8/28 Brazil (Gold-Medal) W, 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 Macau, China Hooker - 16 4,580 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Standings: Gold - USA; Silver - Brazi; Bronze - Serbia; 4. Russia; 5. Japan; 6. Thailand; 7. Italy; 8. China; 9. Korea; 10. Poland; 11. Cuba; 12. Dominican Republic; 13. Germany; 14. Argentina; 15. Kazakhstan; 16. Peru NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship 9/13 Canada W, 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 Caguas, Puerto Rico Destinee Hooker - 19 500 9/14 Trinidad & Tobago W, 25-14, 25-16, 25-11 Caguas, Puerto Rico Destinee Hooker - 10 200 9/15 Mexico (Quarterfinal) W, 25-11, 25-8, 25-19 Caguas, Puerto Rico Destinee Hooker - 13 350 9/16 Cuba (Semifinal) W, 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 Caguas, Puerto Rico Destinee Hooker - 18 1,500 9/17 Dominican Republic (Gold) W, 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 Caguas, Puerto Rico Destinee Hooker - 16 1,550 Final NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship Standings: Gold - USA; Silver - Dominican Republic; Bronze - Cuba; 4. Puerto Rico; 5. Mexico; 6. Canada; 7. Trinidad & Tobago; 8. Costa Rica; 9. Panama Pan American Games 10/15 Puerto Rico W, 25-17, 25-18, 25-14 Guadalajara, Mexico Lauren Gibbemeyer - 14 10/16 Peru W, 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 Guadalajara, Mexico Angie Forsett - 14 10/17 Mexico W, 25-14, 25-16, 31-29 Guadalajara, Mexico Alix Klineman - 17 10/19 Cuba (Semifinals) L, 17-25, 16-25, 27-25, 21-25 Guadalajara, Mexico Cynthia Barboza - 15 10/20 Dominican Republic (Bronze) W, 23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 Guadalajara, Mexico Cynthia Barboza - 23 Final Pan American Games Standings: Gold - Brazil; Silver - Cuba; Bronze - USA; 4. Dominican Republic; 5. Puerto Rico; 6. Peru; 7. Canada; 8. Mexico

3,600 3,000 4,000 3,300 4,000

FIVB World Cup (Nov. 4-18 in Japan) 11/4 Brazil W, 25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19 Nagano, Japan Destinee Hooker - 18 1,857 11/5 Serbia W, 25-16, 27-25, 25-20 Nagano, Japan Destinee Hooker - 21 1,670 11/6 Korea W, 25-10, 25-12, 25-13 Nagano, Japan Foluke Akinradewo - 13 2,083 11/8 Kenya W, 25-16, 25-13, 25-21 Toyama, Japan Megan Hodge - 20 1,200 11/9 Germany L, 30-32, 19-25, 24-26 Toyama, Japan Destinee Hooker - 18 2,500 11/11 Argentina W, 25-12, 25-15, 25-19 Okayama, Japan Logan Tom - 14 2,600 11/12 Algeria W, 25-12, 25-12, 25-9 Okayama, Japan Tayyiba Haneef-Park - 12 1,100 11/13 Dominican Republic W, 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 Okayama, Japan Destinee Hooker - 25 1,100 11/16 China W, 25-21, 31-29, 18-25, 19-25, 15-10 Tokyo, Japan Destinee Hooker - 39 1,500 11/17 Italy W, 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21 Tokyo, Japan Destinee Hooker - 27 4,500 11/18 Japan L, 27-29, 23-25, 18-25 Tokyo, Japan Foluke Akinradewo - 11 12,000 Final FIVB World Cup Standings: Gold - Italy; Silver - USA; Bronze - China; 4. Japan; 5. Brazil; 6. Germany; 7. Serbia; 8. Dominican Republic; 9. Korea; 10. Argentina; 11. Algeria; 12. Kenya * Match leaders are based on DataVolley Statistics and not official P-2 stats.

2011 U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Stats Name Sets Kills Foluke Akinradewo 115 262 Kayla Banwarth 12 0 Cynthia Barboza 32 69 Lindsey Berg 90 12 Heather Bown 85 146 Keao Burdine 1 3 Alexis Crimes 15 16 Nicole Davis 145 1 Nicole Fawcett 36 89 Angie Forsett 28 67 Lauren Gibbemeyer 17 36 Alisha Glass 90 8 Kim Glass 59 89 Tayyiba Haneef-Park 35 86 Christa Harmotto 20 38 Megan Hodge 59 184 Regan Hood 4 8 Destinee Hooker 92 431 Jessy Jones 17 24 Alix Klineman 6 24 Jordan Larson 131 298 Cassidy Lichtman 16 29 Carli Lloyd 12 6 Nancy Metcalf 26 48 Tamari Miyashiro 34 0 Kristin Richards 18 25 Danielle Scott-Arruda 21 27 Nellie Spicer 38 7 Jennifer Tamas 61 95 Courtney Thompson 10 2 Logan Tom 81 182 TEAM 169 2,315 Opponent 169 2,083

Kills/ Set 2.28 0.00 2.16 0.13 1.72 3.00 1.07 0.01 2.47 2.39 2.12 0.09 1.51 2.46 1.90 3.12 2.00 4.68 1.41 4.00 2.27 1.81 0.50 1.85 0.00 1.39 1.29 0.18 1.56 0.20 2.25 13.70 12.33

2011 U.S. Women’s Results (39-10) Montreux VolleyMasters (Switzerland) June 7: def. Peru 3-1 June 8: def. Switzerland 3-0 (Exhibition) June 9: def. Germany 3-2 June 10: lost China 3-2 June 11: lost to Cuba 3-1 (semifinals) June 12: lost to China 3-1 (bronze-medal) Pan American Cup (Mexico) July 1: def. Peru 3-0 July 2: def. Puerto Rico 3-0 July 3: def. Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 July 4: def. Costa Rica 3-0 July 5: lost to Brazil 3-2 July 7: def. Argentina 3-0 (quarterfinal) July 8: lost to Dominican Republic 3-1 (semifinal) July 9: def. Cuba (bronze-medal) FIVB World Grand Prix Aug. 5: def. Serbia 3-2 (at Luohe, China) Aug. 6: def. Kazakhstan 3-0 (at Luohe, China) Aug. 7: def. China 3-0 (at Luohe, China) Aug. 12: def. Dominican Republic 3-0 (at Komaki, Japan) Aug. 13: def. Japan 3-0 (at Komaki, Japan) Aug. 14: lost to Serbia 3-1 (at Komaki, Japan) Aug. 19: def. Germany 3-0 (at Hong Kong) Aug. 20: def. Italy 3-0 (at Hong Kong) Aug. 21: def. Peru 3-0 (at Hong Kong) FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round (at Macau) Aug. 24: def. Japan 3-0 Aug. 25: def. Italy 3-2 Aug. 26: lost to Brazil 1-3 Aug. 27: def. Serbia 3-0 (semifinals) Aug. 28: def. Brazil 3-0 (gold-medal) NORCECA Continental Championship (Puerto Rico) Sept. 13: def. Canada 3-0 Sept. 14: def. Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 Sept. 15: def. Mexico 3-0 (Quarterfinals) Sept. 16: def. Cuba 3-0 (Semifinals) Sept. 17: def. Dominican Republic 3-0 (Gold) Pan American Games (Mexico) Oct. 15: vs. Puerto Rico, 1 p.m. Oct. 16: vs. Peru, 1 p.m. Oct. 17: vs. Mexico, 7 p.m. Oct. 18: vs. TBA (Quarterfinal) Oct. 19: vs. TBA (Semifinal) Oct. 20: vs. TBA (Final) FIVB World Cup (Japan) Nov. 4: def. Brazil 3-1 Nov. 5: def. Serbia 3-0 Nov. 6: def. Korea 3-0 Nov. 8: def. Kenya 3-0 Nov. 9: lost to Germany 1-3 Nov. 11: def. Argentina 3-0 Nov. 12: def. Algeria 3-0 Nov. 13: def. Dominican Republic 3-0 Nov. 16: def. China 3-2 Nov. 17: def. Italy 3-1 Nov. 18: lost to Japan 0-3

Kill PCT 53.3 0.0 37.3 33.3 51.4 37.5 48.5 100.0 38.4 38.7 54.5 34.8 41.8 43.9 57.6 46.6 44.4 47.2 47.1 37.5 35.3 34.9 66.7 57.1 0.0 28.1 51.9 63.6 51.6 100.0 38.8 43.5 36.6

Attack Errors 40 0 19 8 38 2 4 0 34 21 8 5 27 36 10 57 4 80 5 13 99 12 0 8 0 16 1 2 19 0 67 644 1,006

Total Attack 492 0 185 36 284 8 33 1 232 173 66 23 213 196 66 395 18 914 51 64 844 83 9 84 0 89 52 11 184 2 469 5,327 5,696

Attack Eff. Aces .451 23 .000 1 .270 1 .111 11 .380 17 .125 0 .364 5 1.000 0 .237 4 .266 1 .424 0 .130 2 .291 10 .255 11 .424 2 .322 17 .222 0 .384 26 .373 1 .172 2 .236 41 .205 4 .667 2 .476 3 .000 0 .101 3 .500 1 .455 7 .413 9 1.000 5 .245 37 .314 248 .189 102

Aces/ Set Blocks 0.20 95 0.08 0 0.03 6 0.12 12 0.20 48 0.00 1 0.33 10 0.00 0 0.11 20 0.04 23 0.00 24 0.02 16 0.17 13 0.31 18 0.10 11 0.29 22 0.00 1 0.28 42 0.06 20 0.33 3 0.31 54 0.25 7 0.17 6 0.12 8 0.00 0 0.17 1 0.05 6 0.18 3 0.15 22 0.50 3 0.46 28 1.47 525 0.60 288

Blocks/ Sets Digs 0.83 40 0.00 1 0.19 18 0.13 124 0.56 29 1.00 0 0.67 13 0.00 434 0.56 38 0.82 39 1.41 5 0.18 97 0.22 66 0.51 53 0.55 9 0.37 85 0.25 0 0.46 124 1.18 1 0.50 5 0.41 226 0.44 26 0.50 4 0.31 23 0.00 61 0.06 46 0.29 0 0.08 36 0.36 32 0.30 9 0.35 158 3.11 1,782 1.70 1,443

Digs/ Set Points 0.35 380 0.08 0 0.56 76 1.38 35 0.34 211 0.00 4 0.87 31 2.99 1 1.06 113 1.39 91 0.29 60 1.08 26 1.12 112 1.51 115 0.45 51 1.44 223 0.00 9 1.35 499 0.06 45 0.83 29 1.73 393 1.63 40 0.33 14 0.88 59 1.79 0 2.56 29 0.00 34 0.95 17 0.52 126 0.90 10 1.95 247 10.54 3,088 8.54 2,473

Points/ Set 3.30 0.00 2.38 0.39 2.48 4.00 2.07 0.01 3.14 3.25 3.53 0.29 1.90 3.29 2.55 3.78 2.25 5.42 2.65 4.83 3.00 2.50 1.17 2.27 0.00 1.61 1.62 0.45 2.07 1.00 3.05 18.27 14.63

All stats are unofficial team stats provided through DataProject’s DataVolley software DataPoject is Official & Exclusive Provider of Statistical Software Systems of USA Volleyball

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN’S TRAINING TEAM BLANKS JAPAN GIRLS’ YOUTH TEAM

U.S. WOMEN’S TRAINING TEAM SWEEPS JAPAN GIRLS’ YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM

USA..................................25 25 25 Japan Girls’ Youth.............11 20 19

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Calif. (March 1, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Training Team defeated the Japan Girls’ Youth National Team 25-11, 25-20, 25-19 on March 1 in a friendly exhibition match held at St. Margaret’s Episcopal High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. Kindra Carlson (Eaton, Colo.) and Becky Perry (Austin, Texas) paced the U.S. with 16 points apiece. Carlson charted 10 kills on 17 attacks as part of a .412 hitting efficiency while adding five aces and a blocks. Perry tacked on six kills, six aces and four blocks in the victory. Jenna Hagglund (West Chester, Ohio) led the Americans to a .274 hitting efficiency and 45 kill percent from her setter position. Carlson, Perry and Hagglund were all part of the University of Washington program last fall. Kaitlin Sather (Santa Rosa, Calif.) contributed five kills on nine attacks to go with a block for six points. U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach started Hagglund at setter, Carlson at opposite, Perry and Sather at outside hitter, and Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) and Ashley Benson (Bloomington, Ind.) at middle blocker. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was the libero for the match. Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) and Julianne Piggott (Newport Beach, Calif.) entered as subs in the third set. Rounding out the U.S. scoring was Gibbemeyer with five points, Piggott with three points, Benson with two points and Johnson with one point. Banwarth turned in a 54 percent excellent service reception on 13 attempts. Perry was credited with 13 reception attempts. Japan was by Kasumi Nakaya’s 12 points on eight kills, three aces and one block. Yui Asahi and Aya Horie each added seven points. Team USA held an 11-9 advantage in aces and limited the visiting Japan Girls’ Youth National Team to a negative .034 hitting efficiency. The Americans forged a 10-3 block advantage as Japan committed 27 hitting errors to the USA’s eight. The Japan Girls’ Youth National Team did have a 46 percent positive service reception to the USA’s 38 percent. In the first set, the U.S. broke free from a 7-6 advantage by scoring 14 of the next 15 points establishing a 21-7 lead. The Americans went on to win the set 25-11. After holding a 16-11 lead at the second technical timeout of the second set, Japan fought to within one point at 20-19 before the U.S. scored five of the final six points. Team USA inched to leads of 8-7 and 16-12 at the third set technical timeouts and held on for a 25-19 victory.

USA..................................25 25 25 Japan Girls’ Youth.............10 12 17

IRVINE, Calif. (March 2, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Training Team defeated the Japan Girls’ Youth National Team 25-10, 25-12, 25-17 on March 2 in a friendly exhibition match held at Concordia University in Irvine, Calif. The U.S. also won yesterday’s exhibition match versus the Japan Girls’ Youth National Team by scores of 25-11, 25-20, 25-19. A total of nine different U.S. players scored at least one point during Wednesday night’s exhibition. Kindra Carlson (Eaton, Colo.), Becky Perry (Austin, Texas) and Kaitlin Sather (Santa Rosa, Calif.) all scored 11 points in the victory. Sather tallied a team-high 10 kills on 20 errorless attacks to go with a block, while Perry totaled eight kills on 16 errorless attacks to go with three aces. Carlson produced six kills on 13 errorless swings, along with three aces and two blocks. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) notched seven points with six kills on 11 attacks and a block. Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) charted three aces, two kills and two blocks for six points. Ashley Benson (Bloomington, Ind.) pocketed two kills and two aces for four points, while Naomi Johnson (Bloomington, Minn.) collected three points. Rounding out the scoring were Dominique Olowolafe (Lansing, Mich.) and Kari Pestolesi (Huntington Beach, Calif.) with two and one point, respectively. U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Lloyd at setter, Carlson at opposite, Benson and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker and Perry and Sather at outside hitter. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was the designated libero for the first two sets, while Ellie Blankenship (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) was the U.S. libero in the third set. Olowolafe subbed into the match during the second set and started the third set along with Johnson, replacing Benson and Gibbemeyer. Cami Croteau (Orange, Calif.) was a back-row sub in all three sets. Perry produced a 62 percent positive reception on a team-high eight attempts, while Sather had a 50 percent positive reception on eight attempts. Banwarth totaled five reception attempts with an 80 percent excellent reception mark. Japan had 10 of its 12 Girls’ Youth National Team roster members score at least one point in the match. Yui Asahi, Nozomi Ito and Sakura Doi all scored five points apiece in the match. Team USA produced a 46 percent kill percent with only four hitting errors on 78 attacks for a .410 hitting efficiency. The Americans held a 7-2 margin in aces, along with a 13-4 advantage in service aces. The Japan Girls’ Youth National Team was limited to a 26 kill percent for the match. The U.S. jumped out to early leads in all three sets, starting with an 8-2 advantage in the first set. The Americans reached the second technical timeout leading 16-9 before closing out the set with nine of the final 10 points. The U.S. scored five of its seven blocks in the opening set. In the second set, Team USA inched its leads to 8-4 and 16-8 at the technical timeouts and rolled to the 25-12 victory as it scored seven of its 13 aces in the frame. Japan fell behind 8-3 in the third set, but hung close at 20-14. The U.S. finished the set at 25-17.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN START MONTREUX WITH WIN OVER PERU

U.S. WOMEN USE MONTREUX OFF-DAY TO DEFEAT SWITZERLAND

USA..................................25 24 25 25 Peru..................................7 26 11 19

USA..................................25 25 25 Switzerland.......................10 14 18

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 7, 2011) – Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) and Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) scored 20 and 18 points, respectively, in leading the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 25-7, 24-26, 25-11, 25-19 victory over Peru to open the 2011 Montreux Volley Masters on June 7 in Montreux, Switzerland.

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 8, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team used its off-day during the Montreux Volley Masters to defeat host-country Switzerland 25-10, 25-14, 25-18 in a friendly exhibition match played Wednesday at Montreux, Switzerland.

Haneef-Park was making her first National Team tournament appearance since the 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualification Tournament held in July 2009 as she gave birth to her son in March 2010. Glass made a brief appearance during the 2010 exhibition tour of Brazil and had not played in a tournament for the U.S. National Team since winning the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Outside hitter Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) and opposite Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) led the U.S. with 11 points apiece in the U.S.-Switzerland exhibition match. Glass tallied nine kills on 32 attempts with only one error to go with two blocks. She also handled 17 of the team’s 35 service receptions with a 76 positive percent and 65 excellent percent. Fawcett contributed 10 kills on 18 errorless attacks and added an ace in the victory.

The U.S., ranked second in the world by the FIVB, will have an off-day on June 8 before continuing Pool A action versus Germany on June 9. Team USA concludes pool play versus China on June 10. Crossover semifinals take place on June 11, followed by the final classification matches on June 12. The U.S. jumped to a 9-3 lead in the opening set and closed it on a 9-0 run for a 25-7 victory in which it out-blocked Peru 5-0 and held a 15-6 advantage in kills. Peru rallied from a 22-18 deficit in the second set to win 26-24. The Americans jumped to a 6-1 lead in the third set and used a 9-0 run to take a commanding 18-6 lead en route to a commanding 25-11 victory. The U.S. scored nine blocks in the third set. Team USA broke a 13-all tie in the fourth set with a 10-2 scoring run to power to a 25-19 victory. Haneef-Park scored her match-high 20 points with 14 kills, five blocks and an ace. Glass chipped in 13 kills, four blocks and an ace for her 18 points. Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) totaled 15 points with nine kills and a match-high six blocks despite her 173cm stature. Christa Harmotto added nine points via five kills and four blocks, and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) contributed six kills and a block in a reserve role in three of the four sets. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) pocketed two kills and a block for three points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) each tacked on one kill. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) recorded a match-high 21 digs in unofficial stats, while Kim Glass added 10 digs. Forsett chipped in nine digs, while Haneef-Park and Alisha Glass contributed seven digs each. The U.S. held a 30-19 advantage in digs. The U.S. passed at a 66 positive percent as a team and its excellent passing rate was 53 percent leading to a 46 kill percent and .342 hitting efficiency. Meanwhile, Peru committed 34 attack errors, converting just 31 percent of its swings into kills with a .046 hitting efficiency.

Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland

Starting for the U.S. was HaneefPark at opposite, Forsett and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Tamas and Harmotto at middle blocker and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the designated libero to start the match. Fawcett and Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) were part of a double-switch in all but the third set. Larson came in to serve and play the back row as a reserve in all but the first set.

The U.S. dominated the net defense with a 21-6 advantage in blocks while producing a 51-40 margin in kills. The Americans benefited from 25 Peru errors and made just 14 mistakes of its own, six of which came in the final set. Patricia Soto, Yulissa Zamudio and Carla Rueda all tallied 11 points to lead the Peru offense.

Outside hitter Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) charted seven kills and an ace for eight points, while providing a 75 positive reception percent on eight attempts. Middle blocker Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) tallied a match-high five blocks to go with two kills on four errorless swings. Outside hitter Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) scored four kills on eight attacks while putting up a block for five points in a reserve role. Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) scored three kills on four errorless attacks and added a block for four points. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) turned in one kill on as many attempts and two aces for three points in a reserve role. Setter Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) set the U.S. squad to a 43 kill percent and .381 hitting efficiency. She added a block to round out the individual scoring. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) charted a 78 positive reception percent on nine attempts, along with five digs. The U.S. held Switzerland to a 30 kill percent as the host country Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland committed 26 hitting errors for a .057 hitting efficiency. The Americans out-blocked Switzerland 10-2 and held the service ace advantage, 4-1. For the match, Team USA committed just nine errors (four hitting, four service errors and one reception error). As a team, the U.S. received serve at a 77 positive percent and 63 excellent percent. Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.), who is serving as head coach the U.S. squad during the current trip to Switzerland, started Crimes and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Richards and Glass at outside hitter, Fawcett at opposite and Spicer at setter. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) started the match at libero and shared the duties with Miyashiro. Forsett, Larson and Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) were subs in the second and third sets. The U.S. opened the first set against Switzerland with a 9-1 scoring run as Crimes scored three consecutive points and Richards scored an ace and block to highlight the early stages. Team USA stretched its advantage to 14-3 with a 4-0 run that started with an Akinradewo kill and Kim Glass block. The Americans closed out the set with a kill and block from Akinradewo. Switzerland led the U.S. 6-5 in the second set before Crimes scored a kill and block after a Richards kill to push the U.S. in front 8-6 at the first technical timeout. After Switzerland quickly tied the set at 8-all, the Americans rolled off seven unanswered points, highlighted by two Fawcett kills and a Kim Glass block and kill leading to a 15-8 advantage. Kim Glass and Forsett scored consecutive kills to yield an 18-9 lead. After Switzerland chipped off two points of the deficit, Forsett scored a kill and block, followed by consecutive Larson aces to give the Americans a 23-11 lead on a 5-0 run. Forsett ended the set at 25-14 with a kill. The U.S. led the third set 10-9 before pushing out to a 16-10 advantage at the second technical timeout as Richards connected for two kills in a 6-1 scoring run. After Switzerland cut the deficit down to 18-14, Fawcett and Kim Glass hammered kills followed by a Switzerland error to extend the U.S. lead to seven at 21-14. The Americans closed the set and match with a Richards kill at 25-18.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules AMERICANS HOLD OFF GERMANY IN FIVE-SET THRILLER

U.S. WOMEN FALL TO CHINA IN FIVE-SET MATCH

USA..................................25 22 25 15 16 Germany...........................19 25 23 25 14

USA..................................27 14 25 21 11 China................................25 25 19 25 15

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 9, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team edged Germany 25-19, 22-25, 25-23, 15-25, 16-14 on June 9 as six Americans scored double-figure points during the Montreux Volley Masters being held June 7-12 in Montreux, Switzerland.

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 10, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to China 25-27, 25-14, 19-25, 25-21, 15-11 on June 10 to conclude the Montreux Volley Masters Pool A in Montreux, Switzerland.

The U.S. (2-0), ranked second in the world by the FIVB, concludes Pool A play versus China (2-0) in a battle of unbeaten teams on June 10. Earlier in the day China defeated Peru 25-17, 23-25, 25-16, 25-15 in Pool A to improve to 2-0. Crossover semifinals take place on June 11, followed by the final classification matches on June 12. The opening set witnessed six lead changes and 11 ties before the U.S. scored five unanswered points to take a 19-15 lead in the opening set en route to the 25-19 victory. Germany led the entire second set and pushed ahead from an 11-10 advantage with a 7-1 scoring run, but needed six set point chances to put the set away 25-22. Team USA recovered from a 21-19 deficit in the third set to claim a 25-23 victory. Germany took an 8-2 lead in the fourth set, then weathered a Team USA run that closed it to 11-9 before winning 25-15 with seven of the final eight points. The Americans battled back from an 11-8 deficit in the deciding set to win 16-14 on its second match-point opportunity. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) scored a match-high 21 points with 17 kills, two blocks and two aces in leading the Americans. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio), who started the final three sets, scored 11 kills, two blocks and an ace for 14 points, seven of which came in the deciding fifth set. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) contributed 14 points via eight kills, a team-high five blocks and an ace for 14 points. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) provided 10 kills and two blocks for 12 points, despite not starting the final three sets. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) added 10 points all on kills, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) tacked on eight kills and two blocks for 10 points. Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) just missed double-figure scoring with eight kills and a block for nine points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with an ace. Kim Glass led the Team USA defense with 14 digs while providing a team-leading 40 reception attempts with a 65 positive percent. Davis provided a 67 positive reception percent on 24 attempts, while Larson held a 63 excellent reception percent (70 positive) on 27 attempts. The U.S. held a slim 14-12 advantage in blocks and both teams served five aces. The Americans held a substantial 72-55 advantage in kills to help offset their 34 errors in the match. Meanwhile, Germany Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland limited its miscues to a total of 12 for the match. The setting of combination of Spicer and Alisha Glass helped the Americans to a 46 kill percent and .296 hitting efficiency with 27 attack errors. The U.S. held Germany to a 38 kill percent and .244 hitting efficiency. Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.), who is serving as head coach the U.S. squad during the current trip to Switzerland, started Tamas and Harmotto at middle blocker, Forsett and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Alisha Glass at setter and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis was the team’s libero. Larson and Fawcett started the final three sets in place of Forsett and Haneef-Park, respectively. Spicer started the final three sets in place of Alisha Glass. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) and Haneef-Park were both subs in the final three sets, while Alisha Glass subbed in the third and fourth sets. Germany had four different players score 16 points in the loss. Christiane Furst total eight kills and a match-high eight blocks to match Regina Burchardt, Margareta Kozuch and Maren Brinker’s 16 points.

The U.S. (2-1), ranked second in the world by the FIVB, and China had already advanced to the semifinal round regardless of the head-to-head pool match. The Americans will now face Cuba in the semifinal on June 11, while the Chinese will take on Japan. Team USA won the silver medal at the 2010 Montreux Volley Masters event. The U.S. recovered from a 23-19 deficit in the opening set and saved two set points before claiming a 27-25 victory. The U.S. held an 8-1 block advantage and benefited from eight Chinese errors. China built an early 8-3 lead in the second set and built the advantage to 12 points at 2311 before settling in for a 25-14 victory. The Americans built an early 6-2 lead in the third set and separated from a 17-15 advantage with five unanswered points for a 22-15 lead and closed the set with an ace at 25-19. China scored the final five points of the fourth Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland set to rally from a 21-20 deficit to win 25-21 sending the match to deciding fifth set. The fourth set witnessed 14 ties and seven lead changes. China jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the tiebreaking set and never relinquished the advantage in a 15-11 victory. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) lead five U.S. players in double-digit scoring with 17 points, including 12 kills and a match-high five blocks. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) added 11 kills, two aces and a block for 14 points, which was matched by Kristin Richards’ (Orem, Utah) 12 kills, one ace and one block for 14 points. Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) contributed seven kills, three blocks and two aces for 12 points, while Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) recorded 10 kills and a block for 11 points. Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) added two kills and an ace for three points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) provided two blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) and Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) rounded out the scoring with a point each. Haneef-Park charted a team-high 15 digs in teh loss, while Richards recorded 12 digs with a team-high 41 reception attempts as part of a 51 positive reception percent. Kim Glass totaled 12 digs with 27 receptions. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied 11 digs and 21 receptions. China held a 67-55 advantage in kills and a slim 15-14 margin in blocks. The U.S. out-served China with a 6-5 ace advantage. The Americans committed 22 errors in the match to China’s 23. According to unofficial DataVolley statistics, both teams converted 40 percent of their attacks for kills. China held a .235 hitting efficiency to the Americans’ .204 hitting efficiency. China received serve at a 60 positive percent compared the U.S. 49 positive percent. Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.), who is serving as head coach the U.S. squad during the current trip to Switzerland, started Tamas and Crimes at middle blocker, Richards and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Alisha Glass at setter and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis was the team’s libero. Ruoqui Hui scored a match-high 19 points to lead China, which also had five double-figure scorers. Yunli Xu picked up 14 points in the victory, while Linlin Fan added 13 points.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules CUBA TOPS TEAM USA IN NORCECA BATTLE IN SWITZERLAND

U.S. WOMEN FINISH FOURTH AT MONTREUX WITH SECOND LOSS TO CHINA

USA..................................25 13 27 23 China................................16 25 29 25

USA..................................18 22 25 24 Cuba.................................25 25 17 26

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 11, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to NORCECA rival Cuba 25-18, 25-22, 17-25, 26-24 on June 11 during the semifinal round of the Montreux Volley Masters event held in Montreux, Switzerland.

MONTREUX, Switzerland (June 12, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to China 16-25, 25-13, 29-27, 25-23 in the Montreux Volley Masters bronze-medal match on June 12 in Montreux, Switzerland.

The U.S. will now face China in the bronze-medal match held on June 12. In the other semifinal match, Japan defeated China 25-22, 25-19, 25-23. Team USA won the silver medal at the 2010 Montreux Volley Masters event and will be shooting for a second consecutive year on the event’s medal podium.

China had defeated the U.S. in five sets to conclude Pool A before both teams lost their semifinal matches. At last year’s Montreux Volley Masters, China defeated the U.S. in the gold-medal match. Outside of the three losses to China in the last two Montreux Volley Masters events, the U.S. is 4-0 against China dating back to 2008.

Cuba gained an early 11-6 lead in the first set and held the lead through a 25-18 victory. Cuba broke a 9-all tie in the second set with five unanswered points and held off the Americans in a 25-22 victory. The Americans ran off six straight points in the third set to pull out in front 19-11 and finished with a 25-17 victory. The U.S. had five blocks and three aces in the third set. The Americans held a 19-16 lead in the fourth set, but Cuba saved two set points and scored the final four points for a 26-24 victory.

The U.S. used an 8-1 scoring run to overcome a 12-11 deficit in the opening set to win 25-16 as China committed seven errors and six different Americans scored between two and four points. The set contained 10 ties and three lead changes by the 25th point of the set. China bounced back to take an early 9-3 lead in the second set to even the match with a 25-13 win as the Americans committed seven errors and the Chinese put up five blocks in the set. The U.S. battled back from a 19-14 deficit in the third set to tie the set at 24-all, but China captured the set 29-27 on its sixth set-point opportunity. China bounced back from a 20-17 deficit in the fourth set with 7-1 scoring run en route to winning the set 25-23 and the match.

Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) led the Americans with 17 points with 14 kills, two blocks and an ace. U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) added nine kills, two aces and a block for 12 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) came off the bench to score nine kills and an ace for 10 points. Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) contributed seven points with six kills and a block all in the first Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland two sets. Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) tacked on five points with three kills, one block and an ace. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) and Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) each totaled four points, while Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) added two blocks and an ace for three points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) rounded out the scoring with a point apiece. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 17 digs with a 75 positive percent on a team-high 28 service receptions. Richards added 15 digs, followed by HaneefPark’s 14 digs. Larson was credited with a 71 positive reception percent on 14 attempts to go with eight digs. Cuba out-blocked the U.S. 14-9 and had a 57-50 margin in kills. The Americans held a slim 5-4 advantage in aces and Cuba had nine service errors to Team USA’s six. According to unofficial DataVolley statistics, Cuba converted 41 percent of its attacks into points for a .254 hitting efficiency with 21 errors, while the U.S. converted 40 percent of its attacks into kills as part of a .214 hitting efficiency with 24 errors. Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.), who is serving as head coach the U.S. squad during the current trip to Switzerland, started Tamas and Harmotto at middle blocker, Forsett and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Alisha Glass at setter and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis was the team’s libero. Spicer started the final three sets after subbing into the match in the first set. Larson, Crimes, Richards subbed into the match during the second set and started the final two sets. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) was a reserve in both the first and fourth sets. The USA-Cuba series has been intense over the years with the Cubans holding a 91-52 advantage since 1983. The Americans won all three meetings last year, including a sweep in the 2010 Montreux semifinals, a sweep in the 2010 Pan American Cup bronze-medal match and a four-set win to conclude the 2010 FIVB World Championship first round. However, Cuba won both 2009 meetings in five grueling sets, and both contests were played at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championships. At the 2008 Olympic Games, Cuba won the preliminary round match in three sets only to have the U.S. come back and defeat the Cubans in three convincing sets during the semifinals. From 2007 up until the 2008 Olympic Games, the two sides split six matches and four went the full five sets.

Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) led the U.S. with a match-high 18 points via 13 kills, three blocks and two aces. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) came off the bench and scores all 14 of her points on kills in the final two sets. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) contributed eight kills, three blocks and an ace for 12 points. Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) charted four kills, two aces and a block for seven points, while Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) posted six kills in the loss. Kristin Richards (Orem, Utah) tallied five kills coming off the bench, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) added four kills in the first two sets. Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) tallied two kills and a block for three points, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) provided a team-high 24 digs and an 83 positive percent on 12 receptions. Larson tallied 15 digs to go with a 73 positive reception percent on a team-high 37 chances. Richards added 12 digs and 25 reception attempts with a 60 positive percent. Fawcett charted 11 digs. The U.S. held advantages in kills Courtesy of Olivier Comment/Switzerland (57-52) and aces (5-4), but China controlled the net defense with a 13-8 block advantage. In addition, China limited its errors to 18, nine of which were service errors, to the Americans’ 26 errors. Both teams converted 37 percent of their attacks for kills, but China held a .288 hitting efficiency with 12 errors to Team USA’s .215 hitting efficiency with 24 attack errors. Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.), who is serving as head coach the U.S. squad during the current trip to Switzerland, started Tamas and Crimes at middle blocker, Larson and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Spicer at setter and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis was the team’s libero. Yunli Xu paced China with 15 points, including a match-high five blocks. Jie Yang and Ruoqi Hui contributed 14 points apiece in the victory, while Junjing Yang and Linlin Fan totaled 12 points as all five starting China hitters reached a dozen points in a balanced offense.

Yusidey Silie, the Cuban captain, scored a match-high 19 points with 13 kills and six blocks. Yanelis Santos added 14 kills and three blocks for 17 points in the win. Earlier today in the 5-8 classification matches, Germany defeated Italy 25-8, 25-20, 25-27, 25-17 and Netherlands topped Peru 25-23, 26-24, 24-26, 25-20. Germany and Netherlands will play on Sunday for fifth place, while Italy and Peru end in a tie for seventh place.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules TEAM USA STARTS PAN AMERICAN CUP WITH SWEEP OVER PERU

U.S. WOMEN TRIPLE UP PUERTO RIC AT PAN AMERICAN CUP

USA..................................25 25 25 Peru..................................20 14 14

USA..................................25 25 25 Puerto Rico.......................17 17 17

JUAREZ, Mexcio (July 1, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Peru 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 on July 1 to open the X Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico.

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 2, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team used a 13-4 block advantage to defeat Puerto Rico 25-17, 25-17, 25-17 on July 2 in a Pool B match during the X Women’s Pan American Cup being held July 1-9 at Juarez, Mexico.

The U.S. Women’s National Team continues Pool B competition on July 2 at 8 p.m. with a match against Puerto Rico on July 2 at 8 p.m. The Americans will face Trinidad & Tobago on July 3 at 6 p.m. and Costa Rica on July 4 at 8 p.m. The U.S. closes out pool play against Brazil, the top-ranked team in the world, on July 5 at 8 p.m. All Pool B matches will be played at the Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez or UACJ (www.uacj.mx).

The U.S. improves to 2-0 in the tournament, while Puerto Rico had its record evened at 1-1. Team USA continues Pool B competition on July 3 as it faces Trinidad & Tobago at 6 p.m. followed by Costa Rica on July 4 at 8 p.m. The Americans close out pool play against Brazil, the top-ranked team in the world, on July 5 at 8 p.m. All Pool B matches will be played at the Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez or UACJ (www.uacj.mx).

Team USA held a 16-8 margin during the opening set and held on to win 25-20. The Americans scored the final seven points of the second set to win 25-14 after Peru remained within striking distance for much of the set. The U.S. dominated the last part of the third set breaking an 11-all tie to go on to a 25-14 victory.

The U.S. jumped to a 7-2 lead in the opening set and cruised to the 25-17 victory as it put up seven early blocks. The second set traded the first 18 points before Team USA used a 5-1 scoring run to take a 19-13 advantage and closed out the set 25-17. Like the first two sets, the Americans won the third 25-17 after establishing an 18-11 lead on a 5-1 scoring spurt.

“It was no surprise that Peru gave us challenge, but we were more consistent,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. In unofficial DataVolley

Courtesy of NORCECA s t a t s , N i c o l e Fa w c e tt

(Zanesfield, Ohio) led the Americans with 12 points via 11 kills on 22 attacks and a block. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted eight kills on 13 errorless attempts to go along with a match-high three blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in seven kills and a block, while Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored all seven of her points in the first set via six kills on 10 attacks and a block.

Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) led the Americans with 13 points with eight kills, four blocks and an ace. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) tallied seven kills and an ace for eight points, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed six kills and two blocks for eight points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) was credited with four kills, two blocks and an ace for seven points. Jen Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) tacked on six kills and a block for seven points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) tallied four blocks and an ace for five points. “Puerto Rico is a great opponent,” said Tamas, who is serving as the U.S. team captain. “We had long rallies, but we fulfilled our game plan and I’m very proud of my team for the victory.”

Courtesy of NORCECA

Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) pocketed five kills on 10 errorless attacks with the Americans’ only ace for six points. Jen Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) added four kills on eight errorless attacks with a block. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) recorded two kills on two attempts and a block, while Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) rounded out the scoring with a kill.

Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Larson and Hodge at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a sub in the first set as the only other substitution McCutcheon made in the match.

“I’m proud of my team,” said Tamas, who is serving as the team captain. “It was difficult to adjust to the air in the gym, but we just had to stick to the basics: serve and pass, and it all went well.”

“I’m happy with my team,” McCutcheon said. “It was a real good match and we knew that Puerto Rico was going to battle, but maybe their errors in the service made the difference.”

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) and Larson each tallied eight digs each as the Americans held a 32-24 margin in the category. McCutcheon started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Larson and Hodge at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass replaced Hodge in the second and third sets. Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) and Metcalf were subs in the third set. The U.S. converted 50 percent of its attacks into kills with a .409 hitting efficiency (44-8-88). The Americans out-blocked Peru 8-6 as both teams served an ace. Peru converted just 29 percent of its attacks for points and managed a .081 hitting efficiency. Team USA passed at a 65 positive percent on 40 service receptions. Carla Ortiz led Peru with eight points, followed by seven points each from Patricia Soto and Yulissa Zamudio Ore.

Hodge totaled 16 reception attempts with a 75 positive percent to go with five digs. Larson tallied six digs and 13 reception attempts with a 69 positive percent. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a team-high 10 digs while Alisha Glass added nine.

In addition to out-blocking Puerto Rico, the U.S. held a 4-0 advantage in aces. Puerto Rico managed a 36-31 margin in kills, but committed 27 errors in the three sets to the Americans’ 11. While the U.S. converted just 36 percent of its attacks into points, it committed just five hitting errors for a.302 hitting efficiency. Puerto Rico converted 33 percent of its attacks for points, for committed 25 attack errors along the way for a .100 hitting efficiency. Both teams totaled 33 digs on the night. Sarai Alvarez tallied 10 points to pace Puerto Rico as eight different players scored at least three points.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules AMERICANS BLANK TRINIDAD & TOBAGO AT PAN AMERICAN CUP

U.S. WOMEN DOMINATE COSTA RICA SETTING UP SHOWDOWN WITH BRAZIL

USA..................................25 25 25 Trinidad & Tobago.............11 17 18

USA..................................25 25 25 Costa Rica.........................20 10 8

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 3, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 on July 3 in a Pool B match during the X Women’s Pan American Cup being held July 1-9 at Juarez, Mexico.

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 4, 2011) - After a slow start, the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Costa Rica 25-20, 25-10, 25-8 on July 4 to remain undefeated at the X Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico.

The U.S. improves to 3-0 in the tournament, while Trinidad & Tobago falls to 0-3. Team USA continues Pool B competition on July 4 versus Costa Rica at 8 p.m. Mountain Time. The Americans close out pool play against Brazil, the top-ranked team in the world, on July 5 at 8 p.m. MT. All Pool B matches will be played at the Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez or UACJ (www.uacj.mx).

The U.S. improves to 4-0 in the tournament, while Costa Rica falls to 0-4. Team USA concludes Pool B competition on July 5 against top-ranked and undefeated Brazil at 8 p.m. Mountain Time. All Pool B matches are being played at the Universidad Autonoma de Cuidad Juarez or UACJ (www.uacj.mx). The top team in Pool B will advance directly to the semifinals on July 8, while the second and third place teams will compete in the quarterfinal round on July 7. The tournament concludes with the medal and final classification matches on July 9.

The U.S. scored the first four points of the opening set and cruised to a 25-11 victory as Trinidad & Tobago had 14 errors in the set in addition to three aces by the Americans. Team USA jumped to a 7-0 lead in the second set and cruised to a 25-17 victory with five blocks in the set. Trinidad & Tobago stayed close in the third set, but the Americans managed to keep a safe distance in the 25-18 victory. With five different starters in the U.S. lineup from the first two matches of the Pan American Cup, the lone returning starter of Jen Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) led the Americans with 10 points versus Trinidad & Tobago. She tallied six kills on nine swings, two blocks and two aces. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) added seven kills on 18 attacks and two aces for nine points, while Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) notched six kills on 13 attacks, two blocks and an ace for nine points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) charted five kills and a match-high four blocks for nine points.

The U.S. led 16-12 in the opening set, but needed to score six of the final eight points to gather a 25-20 victory. The Americans opened up an 8-2 lead in the second set and cruised to a 25-10 victory. Team USA’s serve put pressure on Costa Rica in the third set as it opened to a quick 7-2 lead and finished out the match with a 25-8 victory. “The first set wasn’t as smooth as it should have been, but we executed well,” said U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.).

Courtesy of NORCECA

Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) tallied five kills, while Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) chipped in three aces and a kill for four points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) rounded out the scoring with a block. Forsett led the Americans in digs with six, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied five digs to go with 21 of the team’s 34 service receptions with a 71 positive percent. As a team, the U.S. turned in a 71 positive service reception percent helping it to a 46 kill percent and .338 hitting efficiency with only eight errors. Trinidad & Tobago converted just 39 percent of its attacks into points with a .130 hitting efficiency.

Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added two kills and two blocks for four points, which Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) matched with three kills and a block. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) tacked on three kills, while Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) and Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) each recorded two points.

Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) tallied five kills, while Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) chipped in three aces and a kill for four points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) rounded out the scoring with a block. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Fawcett were used as double-switches in the first two sets. The U.S. out-blocked Trinidad & Tobago 9-5 and held an 8-1 advantage in aces. The Americans held a slim 30-29 margin in kills, but Trinidad & Tobago committed 28 errors in the match to Team USA’s 11. The U.S. totaled 16 digs in the match to Trinidad & Tobago’s 14. Channon Thompson led Trinidad & Tobago with 12 points, while Krystle Esdelle and Kelly-Anne Billingy added seven points apiece.

Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) led the Americans with 14 points on 13 kills via 18 attempts and an ace in just two sets of action. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) added eight kills, three blocks and two aces for 13 points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) charted five kills and three blocks, while Tamas turned in three kills and two aces for five points.

“It was good that the athletes had to deal with adversities during the first set figuring out how to solve them and catch up with the rhythm of the game.” US. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon said. Hodge held a 79 positive service reception on a team-leading 14 chances, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) produced a 70 positive recepton percent on 10 attempts. Larson, Alisha Glass and Davis all had six digs to lead the team in the category. McCutcheon started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Harmotto, Metcalf and Kim Glass all came off the bench to start the third set. Forsett and Spicer were subs in the third set.

Courtesy of NORCECA

The U.S., which converted 52 percent of its 81 attack attempts into points with a .407 hitting efficiency, held a dominating 41-15 advantage in kills to offset its own 20 errors. The Americans also held a 10-2 margin in blocks and 7-1 advantage in aces. Costa Rica was limited to .052 hitting efficiency and 21 kill percent. The U.S. held a 74 percent positive service reception for the match. The Americans out-dug Costa Rica 28-20 in the match. “We must concentrate on the basics because the little things will make a difference,” Tamas said in regards to Team USA’s final pool match against Brazil. “Matches with Brazil are always good,” McCutcheon added in regards to the upcoming match with top-ranked Brazil. Mariela Quesada led Costa Rica with six points, while Karen Cope added five points in the loss.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN EDGED BY BRAZIL IN PAN AMERICAN CUP POOL FINALE

U.S. WOMEN SHUT OUT ARGENTINA, QUALIFY FOR 2012 WORLD GRAND PRIX

USA..................................30 18 19 25 11 Brazil................................28 25 25 17 15

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 5, 2011) - In a battle of the world’s top two ranked volleyball teams, the U.S. Women’s National Team lost to top-ranked Brazil 28-30, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11 in a marathon battle on July 5, the final day of Pool B at the X Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico. Both teams entered the match with 4-0 records through the first four days of roundrobin pool play. As the winner of Pool B, Brazil advances directly the semifinal round that takes place on July 8, as will Pool A winner Dominican Republic. After an off-day on Wednesday, the Americans will have a quarterfinal match on Thursday against Argentina, which finished third in Pool A. The tournament concludes on July 9 with the medal rounds and final classification matches. The U.S. battled back from an early 6-2 lead in the opening set, taking its first lead at 24-23. After saving a set point at 26-25, the Americans finished the set on its fifth opportunity at 30-28. After five lead changes and seven ties in the second set, Brazil broke a 14-all tie with an 11-4 run to end the set with a 25-18 victory. Despite four lead changes and 11 ties in the third set, Brazil’s 8-1 run after trailing 15-14 defined its 25-19 victory. Team USA used a 7-1 scoring run in the fourth set to take a 10-6 advantage and controlled the rest of the period for a 25-17 victory. In the tiebreaking set, Brazil jumped to a 5-1 lead and pushed to a 12-7 advantage only needing to score the final three points to hold a 15-11 victory. “I know that both teams will learn from today’s match,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We had a great effort. USA is improving and there´s still much ahead in the tournament.” All five U.S. starting hitters scored at least 11 points in the match, led by Megan Hodge’s (Durham, N.C.) 18 points all on kills. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in 11 kills, a team-high five blocks and an ace for 17 points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) contributed 10 kills and five blocks for 15 points, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted 12 kills and a block for 13 points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) recorded nine kills and two blocks for 11 points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) added three kills, while Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) was credited with a block and ace for two points.

USA..................................25 25 25 Argentina..........................13 14 19

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 7, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Argentina 25-13, 25-14, 25-19 with a 12-3 block advantage during the quarterfinal round of the X Women’s Pan American Cup on July 7 at Juarez, Mexico. The Americans, which finished second in Pool B with a 4-1 record, will meet with Pool A winner Dominican Republic in the second semifinal on Friday at 8 p.m. Mountain Time. Last year the U.S. and Dominican Republic met each in the Pan American Cup semifinals as well with the Dominican Republic winning in four sets. Team USA went on to win the bronze medal at the 2010 Pan American Cup. Pool B winner Brazil will face Cuba, which topped Puerto Rico 26-24, 25-19, 25-14 earlier Thursday in the other quarterfinal match, in the first semifinal contest at 6 p.m. MT on Friday. The tournament concludes on Saturday with the medal rounds and final classification matches. By reaching the semifinals, the U.S. assured itself of qualification into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. The top four NORCECA teams, Brazil and the top South American team other than Brazil in the final Pan American Cup standings earn berths into next year’s World Grand Prix. The U.S. raced out to a 10-2 lead in the opening set and allowed Argentina to score on its serve just twice for a 25-13 victory as the Americans put up seven blocks. After falling behind 7-4 in the second set, Team USA put together a 12-1 scoring run to take a 16-8 advantage en route to a 25-14 victory. The U.S. used an 8-2 scoring run in the third set to overcome an early 4-0 deficit in finishing off the match with a 25-19 victory. “I am very happy with the qualification to the Grand Prix because that was our main goal,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We made some changes after the match against Brazil and things were better for us. I agree with our captain that blocking and defense were the keys for us tonight.”

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) picked up 11 digs in the match and provided a 74 percent positive service reception on 19 attempts. Larson added 10 digs and 51 of the team’s 98 service receptions as part of a 78 positive service reception. “Another tough match against Brazil, my congratulations to them,” said Tamas, the U.S. captain. “We did well today and I´m proud of my team.” McCutcheon started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Brazil converted 40 percent of its attacks into points as part of a .219 hitting efficiency. The U.S. converted 36 percent of its attacks for a .206 hitting efficiency. The Americans passed at a 76 positive percent on 98 service attempts, while Brazil managed a 69 positive percent on 90 serve receive chances. Brazil held a 17-14 advantage in blocks and 48-44 margin in digs as both teams served two aces. The Americans committed 29 errors in the match to the Brazilians 24. The U.S. led in kills 63-62. Sheila Castro sparked Brazil with a match-high 31 points with 29 kills and two blocks. Thaisa Menezes added 16 points, including five blocks. Fabiana Claudino recorded nine kills and four blocks for 13 points.

Courtesy of NORCECA

Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) tallied nine kills on 11 errorless attacks and a match-high six blocks to lead the Americans with 15 points despite playing just the first two sets. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) charted 10 points with nine kills on 20 swings and a block. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) totaled five kills and two blocks for seven points, while captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) charted four kills, an ace and a block for six points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored all six of her points on kills in just the first two sets, while Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) added five points with four kills and a block. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) contributed three kills and Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) served two aces with an ace for three points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block.

“It was a nice match,” Tamas said. “Argentina has great servers and it made hard for us to receive. Fortunately our block and defense were there and that was the difference.” Hodge accepted 19 of the team’s 37 serve receive chances with a 58 positive percent. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) held a 100 positive percent on serve receive while add a team-high 11 digs according to unofficial team DataVolley stats. Team USA held a 36-25 margin in digs and limited Argentina to a 25 kill percent and .058 hitting efficiency. McCutcheon started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Harmotto started the third set in place of Akinradewo, while Kim Glass started the third set for Larson. Metcalf and Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) subbed into the match in all three sets. Angie Forsett (Lake Mary, Fla.) was a sub in the third set. Team USA converted 48 percent of its attacks into points with a .361 hitting efficiency. The Americans held a 41-25 kill advantage and a slim 3-2 margin in aces to go along its blocking difference. The U.S. benefited from 19 Argentina errors while committing just 16 of its own.

Courtesy of NORCECA

Lucia Fresco led Argentina with 10 kills, while Georgina Pinedo added six points in the loss.

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules AMERICANS FALL TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC IN PAN AM CUP SEMIFINAL

U.S. WOMEN CAPTURE PAN AMERICAN CUP BRONZE WITH SWEEP OF CUBA

USA..................................25 19 21 21 Dominican Republic..........21 25 25 25

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 8, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Dominican Republic 21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21 in the semifinal round of the X Women’s Pan American Cup on July 8 at Juarez, Mexico. The U.S. will face Cuba in the bronze-medal match on Saturday at 6 p.m. Mountain Time. Cuba lost to Brazil 25-19, 25-14, 26-28, 25-15 in Friday’s other semifinal match. Team USA has already met Cuba once in 2011, a four-set loss in the Montreux Volley Masters semifinal round held in June. Despite the loss, the U.S. has already reached one of its primary objectives of the tournament – berth into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. By reaching the semifinals, the U.S. assured itself of qualification into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. The top four NORCECA teams, Brazil and the top South American team other than Brazil in the final Pan American Cup standings earn berths into next year’s World Grand Prix. In last year’s Pan American Cup semifinal, Dominican Republic defeated the U.S. in four sets as well and went on to win the gold medal. The Americans finished the 2010 Pan American Cup with the bronze medal after sweeping Cuba in the third-place match.

JUAREZ, Mexico (July 9, 2011) - Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) scored a match-high 18 points in leading the U.S. Women’s National Team to a 25-21, 25-16, 25-13 victory over Cuba on July 9 in the bronze-medal match of the X Women’s Pan American Cup at Juarez, Mexico. Top-ranked Brazil will face Dominican Republic, which defeated the Americans Friday night in the semifinals, later tonight in the gold-medal match. In last year’s Pan American Cup semifinal, Dominican Republic defeated the U.S. in four sets as well and went on to win the gold medal. The Americans finished the 2010 Pan American Cup with the bronze medal after sweeping Cuba in the third-place match. The U.S. reached one of its primary objectives of the tournament – berth into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. By reaching the semifinals, the U.S. assured itself of qualification into the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. The top four NORCECA teams, Brazil and the top South American team other than Brazil in the final Pan American Cup standings earn berths into next year’s World Grand Prix. The U.S. used a 3-0 run to break an early 4-all tie in the opening set, but its second 3-0 run of the set after Cuba crawled back to within one led to a 20-16 advantage en route to a 25-21 victory. Team USA rallied from an 8-6 deficit in the second set with a 10-2 scoring run to take a 16-10 advantage, the pressed forward to a 25-16 victory. The Americans, with only six errors through the first two sets, served four aces in the second set alone to create pressure on the Cuba service reception. The U.S. picked up a 4-1 lead in the third set and gained a commanding advantage at 10-4 in pushing through to a 25-13 victory.

The U.S. grabbed an early 5-1 advantage in the opening set and never allowed Dominican Republic closer than two points in closing to a25-21 victory. The Americans held a 4-0 block advantage in the opening set to offset their seven errors. However, the U.S. was unable to control the late stages of the final three sets as the victors created lengthy scoring runs in the end. Dominican Republic broke an 18-all tie in the second set by scoring seven of the final eight points for a 25-19 victory. The U.S. rallied from a 10-5 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 10-all, then came back from a 17-14 deficit to knot the score at 17-all. However, Dominican Republic notched the final four points of the set for a 25-21 victory. After trailing 16-15 in the fourth set, Dominican Republic used an 8-1 run en route to a 25-21 victory. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) led the U.S. with 19 points with 17 kills and two blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted 13 kills, a block and an ace for 15 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) totaled nine kills, two blocks and two aces for 13 points. Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio) managed eight kills, two blocks and an ace for 11 points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) recorded six kills and three blocks for nine points. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) and Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a point each. The U.S. received serve at a 76 positive percent, including a 79 positive percent from Hodge Courtesy of NORCECA on a team-high 34 chances. Nicole Davis added 28 service receptions with a 71 positive percent to go with nine digs. Alisha Glass added a team-high 10 digs in the match. Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Fawcett opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Metcalf and Nellie Spicer (Barrington, Ill.) started the third set, but were replaced by the match starters Fawcett and Alisha Glass later in the set. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a sub in the last three sets. The U.S., which converted 40 percent of its attacks as part of a .240 hitting efficiency, held a 12-4 margin in blocks and both teams recorded four aces. Dominican Republic, with a 47 kill percent and .315 hitting efficiency, built a 60-53 advantage in kills and benefited from 22 American errors to its own 17. Dominican Republic also held a 42-36 advantage in digs. Prisilla Rivera led Dominican Republic with 25 points via 22 kills, two blocks and an ace, while Bethania De La Cruz chipped in 17 points.

USA..................................25 25 25 Cuba.................................21 16 13

“I am pretty glad of Nancy Metcalf’s performance,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “She had some offensive momentums during Courtesy of NORCECA the match. We have learned valuable lessons in this tournament and our main goal was our qualification to next year’s World Grand Prix.” Earlier in 2011, Cuba defeated Team USA in four sets during the Montreux Volley Masters semifinal round held in June. Metcalf, who had started just one other match during the Pan American Cup that started July 1, tallied 15 kills on 22 swings, two aces and a block for her 18 points. The American middle blockers combined for 24 points in the victory. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) totaled 11 kills on 14 errorless attacks and two blocks for 13 points, while captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) contributed seven kills on 10 attacks and a match-high four blocks for 11 points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) added nine points all on kills in the victory, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) provided five kills, two blocks and an ace for eight points. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) rounded out the scoring with an ace. Larson totaled a team-high eight digs with 17 of the team’s 43 service receptions without an error, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) added five digs. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) provided 13 assists in the victory. Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) started Tamas and Akinradewo at middle blocker, Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Metcalf opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass was a serving sub in all three sets. Team USA converted 59.5 percent of its attacks for kills as part of a .481 hitting efficiency. The U.S. limited its errors to eight for the entire match while holding a 47-35 advantage in kills and 9-6 margin in blocks. The Americans totaled four aces in the match to the Cubans’ one, while holding a commanding 22-8 margin in digs. Team USA benefited from 15 Cuba errors in the match. Cuba converted 38.4 percent of its attacks with a .253 hitting efficiency. Kenia Carcace lead Cuba with 16 points, while no other teammate scored more than seven points in the loss.

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 23 20 15 SRB 22 20 25 25 10 U.S. Women Hold Back Serbia in World Grand Prix Opener LUOHE, China (Aug. 5, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team held off No. 9 Serbia’s upset bid with a 25-22, 25-19, 23-25, 20-25, 15-10 victory on Aug. 5 to open the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix in the first preliminary weekend held at Luohe, China. The U.S. used a 9-3 scoring run to overcome a 17-14 deficit in the opening set to win 25-22. The Americans overcame 4-0 deficit in the second set to take a 14-10 lead, but needed to break a 17-all tie with an 8-2 scoring run to conclude the set with a 25-19 victory. Team USA battled back from a 6-2 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 23-all before Serbia cashed in on the final two points at 25-23, including the Americans’ 12th error of the set for the final point. The U.S. reached an 8-3 lead in the fourth set, but Serbia’s 10-0 run allowed it to take a 21-14 lead and went on to win 25-20. The Americans never trailed in the fifth set, taking an early 5-2 advantage en route to the 15-10 victory in which Serbia committed six errors in the tiebreaker.

Megan Hodge eyes the ball while passing against Serbia. (FIVB photo)

“First, congratulations for Serbia playing a great game,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). “I am glad we won this game. I hope we can go on in this season.” All five starting American hitters reached double-figure points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player, scored a United States team-high 23 points with 14 kills on 21 swings and a match-high eight blocks. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) tallied 14 kills on a team-high 49 attacks and three blocks as part of a 17-point match. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) charted 14 kills on 39 swings and an ace for 15 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) pocketed 13 points with eight kills, four blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed six kills, three aces and a block for 10 points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with two aces and a kill for three points.

(Left) Jordan Larson attacking against the Serbia block. (Right) Foluke Akinradewo going for one of her match-high eight blocks in the match. (FIVB photos)

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) registered three digs in the match, according to the official FIVB stats. Hodge tallied five excellent service receptions and Berg provided 34 assists on 107 set attempts. “Serbia is a good team,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “It was a tough match with Serbia. I hope this victory goes on.” Team USA held advantages in kills (57-51), blocks (16-11) and aces (8-5). However, Serbia was aided by 34 American errors, 22 of which came in the third and fourth sets. McCutcheon started Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a back-row sub in all four sets for Hodge. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) were used in a double switch in the fourth set.

(Above) Team USA celebrates a point against Serbia. (Below) The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team group photo for Pool D in Luohe, China. (FIVB photos)

Serbia’s Sanja Malagurski led all scorers with 22 points on 17 kills, three blocks and two aces. Milena Rasic added 15 points in the loss, while Jovana Brakocevic and Britzitka Molnar tallied 10 points each.

Destinee Hooker (19) hits over the Serbia block (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 KAZ 15 21 12 U.S. Women Serve Kazakhstan 3-0 Loss LUOHE, China (Aug. 6, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team served 15 aces in defeating Kazakhstan 25-15, 25-21, 25-12 on Aug. 6 during the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix first preliminary weekend held at Luohe, China. The U.S. bolted to a 17-4 advantage capped by an 8-0 run in the opening set and cruised to the 25-15 victory with four aces in the set. The second set was tight until the end before the Americans scored six of the final eight points for a 25-21 victory that included six aces and four blocks for the U.S. Team USA controlled the third set jumping to leads of 4-0 and 13-4 en route to a 25-12 victory, benefiting from five aces in the set.

Hugh McCutcheon provides Team USA feedback during a Kazakhstan timeout. (FIVB photo)

“I am happy to win,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We improved from last night. Kazakhstan made some adjustment in the second set, and gave a lot pressure on us. I am glad we were able to respond. Our serving helped us a lot.”

(left) Megan Hodge scored a team-high points for the U.S. versus Kazakhstan. (Below) Foluke Akinradewo hits around the Kazakhstan block. (FIVB photos)

Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with 15 points on 11 kills via 28 attacks, three aces and a block. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) added nine kills on 24 attacks, four aces and a block for 14 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in eight kills on 17 swings and five aces for 13 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) contributed six kills on nine attacks, four blocks and two aces for 12 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted four kills on eight errorless attacks and two blocks for six points. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) scored two points in a reserve role, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) rounded out the scoring with a kill each. “It was a really good match with Kazakhstan,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “We made improvements compared with yesterday, and I hope this improvement can be carried on in next matches.” The U.S. converted 41 of 95 attacks for a 43.2 kill percent and a .379 hitting efficiency with only five errors. Kazakhstan was limited to a 35.6 kill percent and .222 hitting efficiency. Team USA held a dominating 15-2 service ace advantage while producing an 8-3 margin in blocks. The Americans, who limited their errors to 11 in the match, held a 41-32 margin in attack points. McCutcheon started Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) was the libero for the match. Tamas started the third set in place of Akinradewo. Kim Glass was a sub in the first and third sets. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a sub in the second and third sets, while Metcalf was a sub in the third set. Kazakhstan was led in scoring by Radmila Beresneva and Olga Drobyshevskaya, who each totaled 10 points.

Foluke Akinradewo (left) and Jordan Larson create a blocking wall against Kazakhstan. (FIVB photo)

Heather Bown swings against against the late Kazakhstan block. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 CHN 20 17 16 U.S. Women Cruise Past Host China 3-0 LUOHE, China (Aug. 7, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team dominated China 25-20, 25-17, 25-16 on Aug. 7 during the FIVB World Grand Prix’s Pool D preliminary weekend held in Luohe, China. The Americans have now won 14 consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix matches counting the final 11 victories in last year’s event. The U.S. started the opening set with an 8-3 advantage, only to have China rally to tie the set at 9-all. However, the Americans answered with a 8-3 scoring run to establish a 17-12 advantage en route to a 25-20 victory in the first set. Team USA built a 9-1 lead in the second set with four kills and an ace in the first 10 points and stretched the lead to as much as 12 points at 19-7 before closing the set at 25-17. The U.S. started the third set with a 4-0 advantage and reached a double-digit lead at 17-7 and cruised to the 25-16 victory.

Megan Hodge (left) takes advantage of a poor China pass to the set and hammers back the overpass. (FIVB photo)

“I am happy with our performance today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We improved every match and this is our best game in this round. Now we focus on Japan. We will immediately prepare for the next round in Japan.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with 18 points with 15 kills on 24 errorless attacks and three blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted 13 points with seven kills on 13 swings, four blocks and two aces. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) totaled eight kills, two aces and two blocks for 12 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) contributed eight kills on 12 attacks and two blocks for 10 points. Jordan Larson scored four kills, three aces and a block for eight points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with an ace. Berg provided 17 assists on 54 total attempts leading to a 46.7 team kill percent and .378 hitting efficiency. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) handed 15 of the team’s 43 dig attempts and totaled 10 service reception attempts. Hodge took 22 of the team’s 48 service receptions with only one error.

(Left) Destinee Hooker (19) stuffs a China attack with Foluke Akinradewo to her left in the block formation. (Right) Hugh McCutcheon observes the action, approving what he is watching - three-set victory over host China. (FIVB photos) (Left) Heather Bown attacks through the open arms of the China defense. (FIVB photo)

“We have achieved our goal to get better and better each game,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas. “We did better than Friday and Saturday. We are hoping we can do it as well as here in Japan.” The U.S. held advantages in all three scoring categories with a 42-32 advantage in kills, 12-6 margin in blocks and 8-3 edge in aces. Meanwhile, China converted 33.0 percent of its attacks for points with a .186 hitting efficiency. McCutcheon started Hodge and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was a backrow sub in all three sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a serving sub in the first and third sets. China substituted liberally in the match with all 12 players starting at least one set. Junjing Yang totaled a team-high nine points, while Linlin Fan added eight points.

U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas and U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon in the post-match press conference. (FIVB photos)

Destinee Hooker (19), Foluke Akinradewo (16) and Megan Hodge block back a China attack (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 DOM 22 22 10 U.S. Women Stop Dominican Republic KOMAKI, Japan (Aug. 12, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated NORCECA rival Dominican Republic 25-22, 25-22, 25-10 on Aug. 12 during Pool H action of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Komaki, Japan. The Americans have now won 15 consecutive FIVB World Grand Prix matches counting the final 11 victories in last year’s event.

(Left-Right) Jennifer Tamas, Nicole Davis, Destinee Hooker and Foluke Akinradewo during the National Anthem. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. recovered from an early 6-1 deficit in the opening set to capture a 25-22 victory. The Americans battled back from a 20-15 deficit in the second set by scoring 10 of the final 12 points for a 25-22 victory, which included seven blocks in the set. Unlike the first two sets, Team USA never trailed in the third set after building a quick 6-1 advantage and cruised to the 25-10 victory. “I’m obviously happy with the win,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I thought our team struggled in the first two sets at different times, but to the athletes’ credit, they were able to find ways to win and make big plays at big moments.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 15 with 12 kills on 27 attacks and three blocks to lead the American offense. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored nine kills on 11 errorless attacks, two blocks and an ace for 12 points, while fellow middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) also scored 12 points on eight kills via 14 errorless swings, three blocks and an ace. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) totaled six kills on 17 attacks and two blocks for eight points.

(Left) Lindsey Berg sets with Heather Bown approaching as a possible attack option. (Right) Hugh McCutcheon watches the match as Paula Weishoff looks over the match data. (FIVB photos) Foluke Akinradewo, who played in Japan’s V-League in 2010-11, visits with the fans in Japan after the match. (FIVB photo)

Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) came off the bench to score four kills on eight errorless swings and two aces for six points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was credited with a block and Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Berg, with 27 assists on total set attempts, ran the American offense to a 44.9 kill percent and .360 hitting efficiency with only eight attack errors. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed 12 excellent service receptions on 23 total attempts without an error and six digs. Hooker totaled a teamhigh 10 digs, while Tom added eight digs and Berg charted seven digs. Team USA dominated the net with an 11-3 advantage in blocks to go with a 4-1 margin in aces. The Americans managed a 40-34 edge in kills while limiting their errors to 18 in the match. Dominican Republic committed 20 errors in the match as they converted just 33.3 percent of its attacks with a .067 hitting efficiency. The U.S. held a slim 36-34 advantage in digs. “In the first two sets, we concentrated and played well, but toward the end our attacks were blocked and our tosses weren’t good enough, so things didn’t go well,” Dominican Republic Head Coach Marcos Kwiek said. “In the third set we lost concentration and then the U.S. took the game. Of course, the Americans’ blocking was excellent.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Hodge came off the bench in the second set and started the third set in place of Larson. Dominican Republic’s Bethania De La Cruz scored a team-high 14 points and Prisilla Rivera added 10 points in the loss.

Logan Tom (15) powers up for an attack against Dominican Republic in her first match of the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix. (FIVB photo)

Nicole Davis passes against Dominican Republic as she held a 65 positive reception percent. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 JPN 22 14 18 U.S. Women Ease Past Japan to go 5-0 at Grand Prix KOMAKI, Japan (Aug. 13, 2011) - Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored 18 points to lead the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 25-22, 25-14, 25-18 victory over Japan on Aug. 13 during Pool H action of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Komaki, Japan. The U.S. used a 7-0 scoring run to overcome a 15-12 deficit in the first set to capture a 25-22 victory to start the match. The Americans took control of the second set with a 6-1 spurt to take a 7-3 advantage and jumped the lead to 18-11 after a 5-0 run to cruise to a 25-14 victory. Team USA used a 6-0 scoring run in the third set after holding a slim 18-17 advantage to take a 25-18 victory.

(Left) Destinee Hooker attacks against Japan as Foluke Akinradewo (16) and Lindsey Berg prepare to cover. (Right) Logan Tom swings against the Japan defense. (FIVB photos)

“I was very happy with the team’s performance tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I thought we played better than yesterday and that’s always our goal, to keep improving. I hope to continue that trend tomorrow against Serbia and focus on their team that presents a different style and rhythm. Today, I thought we did a very good job and in so many phases of the game I thought we were really, really clean. So I was very happy with our team. Hooker scored her 18 points on 16 kills via 31 errorless attacks, one block and one ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) totaled 11 kills on 28 swings and a team-high three blocks for 14 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed six kills on eight attacks and a block for seven points, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted five kills on 10 attacks and two blocks for seven points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) record three kills and three aces as part of a six-point night. She also provided the U.S. serving runs of seven and six points in the first and third sets, respectively, to allow the Americans to take control.

(Left-Right) Nicole Davis, Logan Tom, Lindsey Berg, Jordan Larson, Foluke Akinradewo and Destinee Hooker all react in their own way to a key point versus Japan. (FIVB photo)

“I think the USA had a really good match tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “Japan plays a very different style of volleyball from us so it is important for us to focus on USA Volleyball and we took care of some details on our offense and put a great match together. We were good at the service line.” Heather Bown serves against Japan with the backdrop of a sellout crowd around her. (FIVB photo)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) turned in 26 assists on 70 set attempts, which helped the Americans to a 46.6 kill percent with 41 kills on 88 attacks leading to a .386 hitting efficiency with only seven attack errors. Larson totaled 16 excellent receptions on 33 of the team’s 47 total service receptions. Tom contributed 14 digs, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted 11 digs. Team USA’s defense limited Japan to 33 kills in the match as part of a 31.4 kill percent and .124 hitting efficiency. Team USA held a 7-3 advantage in blocks and a 4-2 margin in aces. Japan committed 23 errors in the match, compared to the Americans’ 16 errors. Both teams tallied 44 digs in the match. Japan converted 41.9 percent of its service receptions into excellent passes, just ahead of the Americans’ 40.4 excellent service reception percent. McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Saori Sakoda paced Japan with 10 points in the match, but did not play in the third set. Saori Kimura added nine points in the loss.

Jennifer Tamas speaks to the media during the post-match press conference as Hugh McCutcheon looks over the match statistics. (FIVB photo)

Jordan Larson goes up for a block against Japan. (FIVB photo) 95

1 2 3 4 5 USA 12 25 23 15 SRB 25 17 25 25 Serbia Snaps Team USA’s World Grand Prix Win Streak KOMAKI, Japan (Aug. 14, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team had its five-match win streak snapped as Serbia defeated the Americans 2512, 17-25, 25-23, 25-15 on Aug. 14 to conclude Pool H action of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Komaki, Japan.

Jordan Larson goes to her knees to pass a Serbia serve. (FIVB photos)

The U.S. dropped to 5-1 overall with 14 pool points through the first six matches of the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round. Counting 11 victories to conclude the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix, the Americans had their 16-match win streak in FIVB World Grand Prix contests snapped. Serbia used a 7-1 scoring run to propel to a 7-3 lead in the opening set and a 25-12 victory as the Americans committed eight errors. After holding a slim 14-12 lead in the second set, the U.S. used a 7-2 scoring run to separate to a 21-14 advantage en route to a 25-17 victory. The Americans rallied from a 16-13 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 16-all, but Serbia used a 6-2 scoring run to break an 18-all tie to help reach a 25-23 victory. Serbia gained a 6-2 lead in the fourth set and led by as many as 11 points at 21-10 in collecting the 25-15 victory. “Serbia played a very strong game today, especially in service and they attacked well in transition,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “As always, we are trying to get better and Serbia taught us a few things tonight.” Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) led the U.S. with 12 points with nine kills and three blocks. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) came off the bench to provide 10 kills and an ace for 11 points. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) recorded nine kills and a block for 10 points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) charted six kills, two blocks and an ace for nine points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) collected six kills, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) provided five kills and an ace for six points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with two kills, a block and ace for four points.

Nancy Metcalf takes a sharp angle to hit around the block. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. managed to convert only 36.7 percent of its attacks for points with a .180 hitting efficiency due to 24 attack errors. In contrast, Serbia converted 47.4 percent of its attacks with a .362 hitting percentage. Berg handled 37 assists on 87 total set attempts, while Hodge produced a teamhigh 14 excellent receptions on 29 attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 12 digs and Tom added 10 digs. Serbia held a 55-47 kill advantage and forced the Americans into 26 errors in the match to its own 17. Serbia charted a 9-7 edge in blocks, while the Americans produced a 4-2 ace advantage. Serbia also gained a 54-44 margin in digs. The U.S. service reception produced a 37.7 excellent percent on 85 chances, while Serbia’s reception handled a 32.8 percent on 67 attempts. McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Hodge subbed into the match for Larson in the second set and started the final two sets. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in the first, third and fourth sets. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) was part of a double-switch in the fourth set. Serbia was led by Jovana Brakocevic’s 20 kills and two blocks for a matchhigh 22 points. Sanja Malgurski totaled 14 points and Milena Rasic added 13 points.

Megan Hodge attacks versus one Serbian blocker. (FIVB photo)

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Lindsey Berg sets versus Serbia. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 GER 10 18 23 U.S. Women Start New Win Streak Versus Germany HONG KONG (Aug. 19, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Team used a 13-3 block advantage and 7-3 ace margin to defeat Germany 25-10, 25-18, 25-23 on Aug. 19 to begin Pool J of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Hong Kong. The U.S. improved to 6-1 overall with 17 points and two matches remaining in the preliminary round. The U.S. started the first set with a 7-0 lead on the serve of Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and she was on the service line as part of a 6-0 run that stretched the lead to 21-9 as the Americans won 25-10. Team USA totaled five blocks and four aces in the opening set. The U.S. broke a 12-all tie in the second set with a 7-1 run to take a 19-14 advantage and cruised to a 25-18 victory. Despite falling behind 6-0 to start the third set, the Americans worked themselves to a tie at 9-all and used a key 3-0 scoring run to take a 22-19 advantage to help close out the set 25-23. “We had very strong defense and did very well on the service line,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I am very satisfied with my players’ performance today. They played better than before and achieved our goal of keep improving. Germany is a very strong team and we are happy to win! We have to get ready now for tomorrow’s match against Italy.”

Foluke Akinradewo celebrates a point. (FIVB photo)

Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led all scorers with 17 points on 15 kills via 32 attacks and one error, one block and one ace. Tom finished the night with eight kills, three blocks and three aces for 14 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted a match-high six blocks to go with five kills and an ace for 12 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed nine kills and a block for 10 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) notched two kills and a block for three points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the U.S. scoring with two aces and a block for three points. With Berg providing 27 assists on 87 set attempts, the U.S. converted 35.8 percent of its attacks into points with a .275 hitting efficiency. Meanwhile, Germany managed just a 26.3 kill percent and a .068 hitting efficiency with 23 attack errors. Larson contributed 17 excellent receptions on 30 service reception attempts to go with seven digs. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 12 digs, while Tom recorded 12 excellent receptions on 16 attempts with seven digs. Germany held a 40-33 dig advantage to offset the Americans’ 13-3 block advantage and 7-3 ace margin. Team USA committed just 18 errors (attack errors, service errors, aces allowed), compared to Germany’s 32. “There were good volleyball players on both sides,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “We were good at serving, and I am sure the Hong Kong fans will appreciate the defense and attacks from both teams and enjoy the game we played.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) came in off the bench in the second set and served out the final two points. Germany’s Margareta Kozuch led her squad with 12 points on 10 kills and two aces, while Christiane Furst added six kills and two blocks.

Logan Tom passes against Germany (FIVB photo)

Hugh McCutcheon talks with Foluke Akinradewo. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 ITA 23 19 18 U.S. Women Take Convincing Win Over Italy HONG KONG (Aug. 20, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball defeated Italy 25-23, 25-19, 25-18 with an 8-0 ace and 12-4 block advantages on Aug. 20 in Pool J of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.. The U.S., now 7-1 overall in the preliminary round, rallied from a 22-18 deficit in the opening set to win 25-23 with four blocks and an ace in a 7-1 scoring run. Team USA broke a 13-all tie in the second set by scoring eight of the next 10 points establishing a 21-15 advantage en route to a 25-19 victory. The Americans jumped to an 11-6 lead in the third set with five unanswered points and rolled to the 25-18 victory.

(Left) Logan Tom attacks from the back-row against Italy. (Right) Jordan Larson launches a monster jump serve. (FIVB photos)

“I am happy with our team performance today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “First reason is that Italy is a very strong team, but we can still play at a high level. It is good for us to improve. Secondly, our team was very connected and we worked together well during the game.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) notched her match-high 18 points all on kills via 34 attacks with only one error for a .500 hitting efficiency. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in 14 points with 11 kills on 17 errorless attacks for a .647 hitting efficiency, two blocks and an ace. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) contributed eight kills, three aces and two blocks for 13 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted four kills, four aces and two blocks for 10 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tallied four kills and two blocks for six points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) collected three blocks in the match, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) rounded out the scoring with a kill off the bench. Berg provided the Americans with 41 assists, which led to a 42.1 kill percent and .346 hitting efficiency with only eight attack errors. Meanwhile, Italy converted 38.3 percent of its kills, but managed just a .226 hitting efficiency with 18 attack errors. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) provided 10 digs and 10 excellent receptions on 12 attempts. Larson chipped in 19 excellent receptions on 29 attempts to go with seven digs. Tom handled 19 total service receptions with 12 excellent passes.

Destinee Hooker (left behind attacker) and Heather Bown (right) form a blocking wall against Italy. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. held a 27-25 advantage in digs and produced a 71.7 percent on service receptions (43 excellent on 60 attempts). Italy was 49 of 68 on excellent service receptions for a 60.3 percent. “It was a competitive match and both teams worked really hard,” U.S. Women’s National captain Jennifer Tamas said. “We did well in spiking and transition. We also did well at the service line in the second set.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass came off the bench to serve in the first and third sets. Simona Gioli led Italy with 14 points, while Antonella Del Core and Lucia Bosetti added 10 points each. “Congratulations to the USA team,” Italy coach Barbolini Massimo said. “It is always difficult to play against USA. Our problems were the second line, spiking and blocking. We played better than yesterday and hope we can enter the final in Macau, as it is important to play other matches in high level.”

(Left) Lindsey Berg sets Heather Bown. (Right) Destinee Hooker hits over the Italy block (FIVB photo)

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Nicole Davis reacts after a point scored against Italy. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 PER 13 18 15 New-Look U.S. Women’s Lineup Unstoppable Versus Peru HONG KONG (Aug. 21, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated Peru 25-13, 25-18, 25-15 with a new-look lineup on Aug. 21 in Pool J of the FIVB World Grand Prix in Hong Kong. The U.S., ranked second in the FIVB world ranking and defending FIVB World Grand Prix champions in the premier annual international volleyball tournament, concludes the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round with an 8-1 record and 23 points.

(Left) Alisha Glass sets against Peru. (Right) Tamari Miyashiro, in her first start at libero during the FIVB World Grand Prix, is excited. (FIVB photos)

“We will first set our eyes on the games next week and keep on working on the zone qualification for World Cup,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I aim to keep improving the team and to submit USA Volleyball and how we are going to play.” The U.S. opened the first set with a 3-0 lead and the advantage reached 17-8 on a 7-1 scoring run as the Americans captured the set 25-13 without only Peru to score consecutive points. Team USA was not able to pull away from Peru in the second set until breaking away from a 17-16 lead with an 8-2 rush to the final 25-18 score that included three blocks down the stretch. After holding a slim 9-8 advantage in the third set, the U.S. inched out to a 16-12 lead at the second technical timeout and put the match away 25-15 thanks to a 7-0 run. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) tallied a match-high 15 points with 12 kills on 21 errorless attacks and three blocks. Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) charted 11 kills on 18 errorless attacks and three blocks for 14 points. Christa Harmotto (Hopewell, Pa.) contributed nine kills via 13 swings, one block and an ace for 11 points. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) provided six kills and three blocks in the victory, while captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) scored three kills, three blocks and an ace for seven points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.

Kim Glass (10) is all smiles along with teammates Nancy Metcalf (left) and Alisha Glass (right). (FIVB photo)

McCutcheon started Hodge and Kim Glass at outside hitter, Tamas and Harmotto at middle blocker, Metcalf at opposite and Alisha Glass at setter. Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) was the libero for the match. Entering the match, only two of today’s starting seven players had started a 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix match with Hodge starting the first three matches and Alisha Glass getting the starting nod in the second match of the tournament. McCutcheon indicated the change in lineup was two-fold. “The finals are coming up, and there are a lot of matches in a short period of time,” McCutcheon said. “And I also want to provide opportunities for other players to develop and give them a chance to compete. They did well.” Despite the lineup youth and few starts in the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix, Alisha Glass set the squad to a 48.2 kill percent and .412 hitting efficiency with only six attack errors. Peru converted just 27.5 percent of its attacks with a .064 hitting efficiency and 23 attack errors. Alisha Glass set the U.S. tables with 33 assists on 66 set attempts. Hodge turned in 10 excellent receptions on 21 ateempts, while Miyashiro handed out 10 digs and five excellent receptions on six attempts. The U.S. scored a 15-3 block advantage in the match to aid its 41-30 margin in kills. Both teams turned in two aces. Team USA’s offense clicked thanks to a 55.0 excellent reception percent on 40 attempts compared to Peru’s 53.7 percent. In addition, the Americans held a 23-20 advantage in digs.

Hugh McCutcheon, Karch Kiraly, Dr. Sherwin Ho and Paula Weishoff celebrate the victory over Peru and finishing 8-1 in the preliminary round (FIVB photo)

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Jennifer Tamas excited after a point against Peru. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 JPN 22 17 23 U.S. Women Ace Japan to Start Grand Prix Final Round MACAU, China (Aug. 24, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated Japan 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 with an 8-0 ace advantage as both teams opened up Pool B of the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round on Aug. 24 in Macau. Team USA opened up an early 9-4 lead in the first set and led by as many as seven points at 17-10 before ending with a 25-22 victory. The Americans used a 6-1 scoring run to assume a 10-6 edge in the second set and pushed forward to a 25-17 victory thanks to six aces in the set. The U.S. went into the second technical timeout of the third set leading 16-11, but Japan roared back to close to one at 16-15 forcing the Americans to rebuild their lead to 20-16 and held on for a 25-23 victory after the Japanese saved three match points.

Destinee Hooker (19), Foluke Akinradewo (16) and Jordan Larson (11) . (FIVB photos)

“I like the way the USA team played today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We played with good energy and we were strong from the service line. Japan is always a challenging opponent with the speed at which they play, and we knew Japan would fight to the very end, and certainly it was the case today. They are a good team and we are happy to start with a win against strong opponent.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 19 points with 16 kills on 29 attacks with only two errors, two blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in five kills on 19 attacks, four blocks and four aces for 13 points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided eight kills and a block for nine points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) contributed five kills and two aces for seven points, while Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) totaled five points with three kills, an ace and a block. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Berg provided 22 assists on 76 total set attempts leading to a 40.0 kill percent and .295 hitting efficiency as the team committed just 10 attack errors. Meanwhile, Japan converted 37.7 percent of its attack attempts for points with a .274 hitting efficiency. Larson contributed a team-high 13 excellent service receptions on 34 attempts, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) picked up a team-high four digs. Tom chipped in eight excellent receptions on 15 attempts.

Destinee Hooker stretches and takes advantage of her size and long arms to pick up a dig versus Japan. (FIVB photo)

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a serving sub in the first set. “I think it was a well-played match by both teams,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas said. “We knew to play against a team with such a fast offense like Japan it is important to serve aggressively, and I think we did a good job at that today. We are happy with the start and with this win.” The U.S. controlled the service game with an 8-0 ace advantage. The American edged Japan 8-5 in blocks and limited their errors to 17 for the match. Team USA held a 41.8 service receptions efficiency, while Japan had difficulty on serve-receive with only 18 excellent receptions on 68 attempts. Saori Kimura led Japan with 12 points, while Mai Yamaguchi contributed nine points in the loss.

Jordan Larson is all smiles after the U.S. wins a key point against Japan. (FIVB photo)

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Logan Tom powers down an attack versus Japan. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 21 22 25 15 ITA 19 25 25 22 10 Hooker Leads U.S. Women to Five-Set Win Over Italy MACAU, China (Aug. 25, 2011) - Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored an international personal-best 30 points and the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team rallied to defeat Italy 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 2522, 15-10 on the second day of the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. Team USA jumped to a 7-2 lead in the opening set and built a 19-10 advantage before holding onto a 25-19 victory. Italy used a 6-2 scoring run to take a 9-6 advantage in the second set and went on to win 25-21 to even the match. Despite falling behind 3-0 to start the third set, Italy rallied to take a 10-8 lead and battled to a 25-22 victory. The U.S. scored seven of the last 11 points of the fourth set to capture a 25-22 victory and force a fifth set. Team USA bolted to a 7-3 lead in the tiebreaker and paced itself to a 15-10 victory using four blocks and four Italian errors. “I am proud of my team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We had some moments that we weren’t at our best, yet our team still battled and was able to find the way to win. So we are very happy with the victory.” Hooker scored all 30 of her points on kills via 65 attempts with only five errors, breaking her previous international high point total of 28 points secured against Japan in the 2010 FIVB World Championship bronze-medal match. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted seven kills, four blocks and an ace for 12 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) totaled eight points with seven kills and a block. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) scored five kills and two aces for seven points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) came off the bench to spark the Americans with three kills and two blocks, including three points in the tie-breaking set. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) added four kills on nine attacks and a block off the bench, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) chipped in two kills, two blocks and an ace. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) notched a block and ace for two points, while Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Berg set the U.S. to a 34.1 kill percent and .220 hitting efficiency (59-21173) with 42 assists. Italy converted a slightly higher 36.7 kill percent, but committed 29 attack errors to limit itself to a .199 hitting efficiency. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 15 excellent receptions on 33 attempts without an error to go with a team-high nine digs. Tom added six excellent receptions on 18 attempts.

Jordan Larson, with the familiar tongue to the side during the play, lets her eye coordination do the work with her arms, legs and hand providing the power. (FIVB photo)

Foluke Akinradewo eyes the ball for a kill. (FIVB photos)

“Italy played really well today, they were really consistent,” Tamas said. “We worked so hard at the beginning of the match and had to focus on making good play after good play. It was a good win for us, a close and tough battle the whole time. I am really happy the way it went.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Tamas started the final three sets in place of Bown, while Hodge entered as a sub in the third set and started the final two sets in place of Larson. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Metcalf were utilized as part of a double-switch in the second set. The U.S. held advantages of 5-0 in aces and 11-9 in blocks to offset Italy’s 64-59 margin in kills. Simona Gioli led Italy with 28 points via 26 kills and two blocks. Sara Anzanello added 13 points, followed by Martina Guiggi’s 12 points.

Megan Hodge (11) and Jennifer Tamas (9) reject an Italian attack and providing a spark for Team USA off the bench. (FIVB photo)

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Destinee Hooker swings for one of her 30 points against Italy. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 24 21 20 BRA 22 26 25 25 U.S. Women Lose to Brazil in Final Round Pool Finale MACAU, China (Aug. 26, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to top-ranked Brazil 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 on Aug. 26 to conclude the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round pool play at Macau, China. Both the Americans (2-1) and Brazilians (3-0) were assured spots into the semifinals prior to the match, which decided the group winner and seeding into the semifinal round. The U.S. opened the first set with a dominating 6-0 advantage and the lead reached double-digits at 16-6 before the Americans reached the victory at 25-22 after weathering a 10-3 Brazil scoring run. In the second set, Brazil started with a 5-1 lead and built a 22-14 advantage, only to have the Americans go on a 9-1 scoring run to tie the set at 23-all. Brazil closed out the second set 26-24 to even the match. The third set remained close until the late stages before Brazil used a 5-2 run to close the set with a 25-21 victory. Brazil gained a five-point advantage at 19-14 in the fourth set after a 4-1 run and went on to win 25-20. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) each scored team-high 16 points in the loss. Tom notched 12 kills, three aces and a block. Hooker charted 14 kills and two aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed seven kills, four blocks and an ace for 12 points, which was matched by Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) with 10 kills and two aces. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tallied five kills and three blocks, while Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. “I’m happy with the way we played today, though not with the result,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon said. “We wanted to win and did everything we could, but we couldn’t turn a couple of plays at the right time. We made some improvements today that will help us in the upcoming matches, and I hope the two teams can play in the final.”

Destinee Hooker providing both the attack (left) and the block (right) against Brazil. (FIVB photos)

(Above) Nancy Metcalf attacks the Brazil defense. (Right) Jordan Larson swings away from the Brazil block. (FIVB photos)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was credited with 11 assists on 114 set attempts as the Americans converted 29.3 percent of their attacks as part of a .192 hitting efficiency (49-17-167). Brazil converted 38.3 percent of its attacks with a .281 hitting efficiency (64-17-167). Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted 28 excellent receptions on 48 attempts, while Tom produced a team-high eight digs to go with seven excellent receptions on 14 attempts. Larson added 13 excellent receptions on 27 attempts. “I think we both played a good match, both sides put up a good fight,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “It’s tough to lose to any team but we’re going to be ready for a battle in tomorrow’s semi-final, whoever the opponent will be.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was used as part of a double switch in all four sets, the first three set along with Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) and the fourth set with Hodge. The U.S. held advantages of 8-3 in aces and 8-7 in blocks. However, Brazil scored 64-49 advantage in kills and added a 39-16 margin in digs. Brazil’s Natalie Pereira paced the pool champions with 17 kills, three blocks and an ace for 21 points. Thaisa Menezes , Sheilla Castro and Fernanda Rodrigues all scored 14 points in the victory.

Destinee Hooker (19), Heather Bown (7) and Jordan Larson (11) reject a Brazilian attack. (FIVB photo)

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Lindsey Berg sets Foluke Akinradewo. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 SRB 22 20 21 U.S. Women Sweep Serbia to Reach Gold-Medal Match MACAU, China (Aug. 27, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team is one win away from defending its FIVB World Grand Prix title as Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored 20 points in leading the Americans over Serbia 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 on Aug. 27 during the FIVB World Grand Prix semifinal round being held in Macau, China.

Nicole Davis reaches to pass the ball as Jordan Larson watches. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. used a 4-0 run to take a 19-14 lead in the opening set and held on for a 25-22 victory. Team USA broke a 13-all tie in the second set with a 4-1 scoring run and ended the period with the final three points at 25-20. The Americans broke a 10-all tie in the third set with a 6-1 run thanks to five Serbia errors to go into the second technical timeout leading 16-11, only to have Serbia rally to tie the set at 20-all. However, the U.S. scored five of the final six points to close out the set 25-21. Hooker totaled her 20 points via 15 kills on 37 attacks and match-high five blocks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) added 10 kills on 19 errorless attacks, one block and one ace for 12 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed 10 points with six kills on 13 swings, three blocks and an ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored five kills on 18 attacks, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) added four kills on seven attacks and a block. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with a kill. “Serbia had a remarkable run at this tournament to be here in the semifinal,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “They played wonderful volleyball for the whole four weeks. From the start today we knew it would be a difficult match. On our side we think we applied strong pressure from the service line, which enabled us to get our blockers and defense into some good positions.”

Destinee Hooker attacks while Foluke Akinradewo and Jordan Larson prepare to cover a potential block by Serbia. (FIVB photo)

Berg was credited with 15 assists to help the Americans convert 43.2 percent of its attacks with a .379 hitting efficiency. In contrast, Serbia converted 37.4 percent of its attacks with a .235 efficiency. Larson secured 12 excellent receptions on 27 service receptions, both team highs. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) added four excellent receptions and three digs. “Tonight every player on the team had a goal of playing as hard as we could,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. ”We wanted to get to the final. Our goal for this tournament is to get better as a team, and I think tonight we accomplished that.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Alisha Davis (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in the third set. Team USA held a commanding 10-3 advantage in blocks and Serbia committed 22 errors in the match to the Americans’ 12 errors. Serbia held a 5-2 margin in aces a slim 43-41 advantage in kills. Jovana Brakocevic led Serbia with 19 points all on kills. Sanja Malgurski chipped in 16 points on 11 kills, three blocks and two aces in the loss. “USA played really well tonight,” Serbia coach Zoran Terzic said. “I am satisfied with the way we played. We played three times against the USA, and all three times we played well, but the quality of USA was better tonight. I have a lot of respect for the USA team, not only for the quality of the players, but also their attitude and the coaches.”

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(Above) Fans, including a Logan Tom fan club, was cheering on the U.S. Women’s National Team. (Left) A fan shows her support with the American flag. (FIVB photo)

Heather Bown hits a sharp angle against Serbia. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 26 25 25 BRA 24 20 21 U.S. Women Defeat Brazil, Defend World Grand Prix Title MACAU, China (Aug. 28, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defended its 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix title by defeating top-ranked Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 on Aug. 28 in the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix goldmedal match held at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Macau, China.

Lindsey Berg sets with Heather Bown as an attack option. (FIVB photo)

The second-ranked Americans have now won the tournament four times, with all four titles occurring in China (1995 in Shanghai, 2001 in Macau, 2010 in Ningbo and 2011 in Macau). Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), the most valuable player of the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix, led the American attack with a match-high 16 points with 15 kills and a block. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) chipped in 12 kills, one block and one ace for 14 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) scored 11 points with 10 kills on 30 attacks and a block. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted three kills, three blocks and an ace for seven points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) totaled six kills and a block for seven points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with a block. The U.S. opened the first set with a 9-3 lead, only to have Brazil rally to take the lead at 18-17. The Americans came back from a 21-20 deficit to win 26-24 as the set was tied eight times down the stretch. After 13 ties through 15-all in the second set, the U.S. broke away with a 4-0 run taking a 19-15 advantage and won 25-20 as Larson contributed five kills in the late stages. The U.S. used a 6-0 scoring run to take a 9-4 lead in the third set and stretched the advantage to 17-10, but Brazil closed to two points at 22-20 to make the Americans fight for the 25-21 victory. Tom scored eight of her 14 points in the third set.

Logan Tom (right) puts up a block against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

“It is always a challenge to play Brazil team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “They are the best team in the world. For us, we had to play with a lot of discipline, focus on trying to work together and stick to the game plan. Our team really performed very well today. I am very proud of them, not just for the victory, but in every match played throughout this long tournament our team made improvement. It is very good for us to see that we could perform at our best today when the best was needed.” Berg provided 19 assists as the Americans converted 38.7 percent of their attacks into points with a .311 hitting efficiency and only nine attack errors. Brazil converted 32.5 percent of its attacks with a .211 hitting efficiency. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed 16 excellent receptions. “Congratulations to both teams, it was a very competitive match,” U.S. Women’s National Team captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “The goal we had in this entire tournament was to get better as a team and I think we did. We are very fortunate and very excited to be here. We are just extremely happy for the progress we made.”

(Left) Jordan Larson (11) puts up a block versus Brazil. (Right) Foluke Akinradewo (16) hits around the Brazil block. (FIVB photos)

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in all three sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) subbed in the final two sets. Natalie Pereira paced Brazil with 11 points, while Sheilla Castro added 10. “Congratulations to the USA team, they played very, very well,” Brazil head coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes said. “They gave us a lesson of volleyball tonight. I agree with Fabiana that we were weak in our defense and blocking. We managed only two blocks in this entire match, and it is very hard to play as the USA team like this. It is difficult to play against the USA because they play at a very high level and they are very consistent.”

Team USA celebrates the championship point. (FIVB photo)

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Destinee Hooker with the FIVB World Grand Prix trophy. (FIVB photo)

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U.S. Women Win Second Straight FIVB World Grand Prix MVP: Destinee Hooker

(Left) Lindsey Berg takes a picture of Jordan Larson holding the FIVB World Grand Prix trophy during the award ceremony. (Right) Foluke Akinradewo takes a turn holding the trophy. (FIVB photo)

Team USA goes onto the gold-medal podium step with arms raised as a unit in triumph. (FIVB photo)

(Clockwise starting above): USA fan. Jordan Larson kisses the trophy with Foluke Akinradewo. Nicole Davis and Kim Glass with trophy and medals. Logan Tom and Heather Bown. (FIVB Photos)

Team USA on the podium with the American flag in the background ready to be raised. (FIVB photo)

After receiving their medals, the U.S. Women watch as the American flag is raised and the National Anthem is played. (FIVB photo)

FIVB President Jizhong Wei shakes the hand of Heather Bown (partially obscured as Jennifer Tamas and Logan Tom watch. (FIVB photo)

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The U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team posing for the media during the award ceremony. (FIVB photo)

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“Destinee is a great athlete and a great competitor, we love having her on our team,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “As for her future, she has unlimited potential and I expect she will continue to improve and cement herself as one of the best players in the world.”

FIVB World Grand Prix MVP FIVB Heroes DESTINEE HOOKER MACAU, China(Aug. 28, 2011) – Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), an opposite hitter on the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, earned the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award after leading the Americans to their second straight and fourth overall gold medal in the event. The second-ranked U.S. Women defeated top-ranked Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 on Sunday in the gold-medal match at the Macau East Asian Games Dome in Macau, China. The FIVB World Grand Prix is the premier annual international tournament for women’s volleyball. Hooker finished the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round with 101 points for second in overall scoring. She totaled 90 kills, eight blocks and three aces, according to official FIVB stats. Hooker also ranked fourth Best Spiker with a 42.1 kill percent (90 kills on 214 attacks), 11th in Best Blocker with 0.44 blocks per set and 13th in Best Server with 0.17 aces per set. She led the U.S. Women in scoring in four of the five matches during the Final Round, which consisted of three pool play matches, the semifinals and medal matches. During the entire tournament counting the nine preliminary round matches, Hooker totaled 228 points (199 kills, 21 blocks, 8 aces). She converted 44.3 percent of her attacks with a .356 hitting efficiency. She led the team in scoring in nine of the 14 matches, including a personalinternational high of 30 points against Italy on Aug. 25 (per unofficial DataVolley Stats, she registered 34 points in the match). The U.S. Women reached the title match by going 8-1 in the FIVB World Grand Prix preliminary round staged over three consecutive weekends. The Americans defeated Japan and Italy to start its Final Round pool before losing to Brazil in four sets. Team USA swept Serbia 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 in the semifinals, following by its victory over Brazil. Hooker is the second American to win the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player in as many years as Foluke Akinradewo earned the honor in 2010 after leading Team USA to the tournament’s gold medal. During the World Grand Prix Final Round pool play, the FIVB honored Hooker and 12 other female volleyball players worldwide as FIVB Heroes.

The FIVB recently began a widespread rebranding project, which includes a new corporate logo, as well as a whole new look and feel to its events. The new FIVB Heroes marketing campaign, which has the athletes themselves at its core, is a key element of the project. “We are asking our top athletes in both disciplines – Beach Volleyball and Volleyball – to step into the spotlight and to further promote volleyball as a highly athletic and professional sport played around the globe and with a strong brand behind it,” FIVB President Jizhong Wei said. “This is what we are aiming for. No one can tell the story of our sport better than the athletes themselves. They are perfect role models – powerful, expressive and dynamic.” In total, 13 female volleyball players have been selected as FIVB Heroes, and half are playing in Macau this week at the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round. Joining Hooker as FIVB Heroes for female volleyball are: Milagros Cabral de la Cruz (Dominican Republic), Sheilla Castro (Brazil), Manon Flier (Netherlands), Ekaterina Gamova (Russia), Simona Gioli (Italy), ), Joanna Kaczor (Poland), Yeon-Koung Kim (Korea), Saori Kimura (Japan), Margareta Kozuch (Germany) Jelena Nikolic (Serbia), Yimei Wang (ChinaKenia Carcaces Opon (Cuba). Hooker’s rise to international fame started immediately after her fouryear career at the University of Texas where she earned American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American first or second-team status three times. With just one month of training before her first international tournament, Hooker helped the U.S. Women’s National Team to the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal as she averaged 4.76 points and 2.46 digs per set. During the FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round last year, she was the fourth leading scorer with 76 points and was seventh in Best Spiker with a 38.7 kill percent. Hooker led or tied for team-high honors in eight of the 14 World Grand Prix matches last summer. For the entire 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix, she converted 41.8 percent of her attacks into kills with a .330 hitting efficiency. Hooker proved her 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix success was not a fluke and avoided a letdown during the 2010 FIVB World Championship held in Japan. She finished fifth overall in scoring with 219 points (185 kills, 23 blocks, 11 aces) during the premier event held every four years. Hooker reached 20 or more points in eight of the 11 matches, including the final seven matches of the tournament. She scored a season-high 28 points during the World Championship bronze-medal match against Japan. Hooker converted 45.4 percent of her attacks for 11th place in Best Spiker, while holding a .333 hitting efficiency. She ranked 16th in Best Blocker during the FIVB World Championship.

Destinee Hooker honored as an FIVB Hero. (FIVB photo)

Hooker’s first taste with the U.S. Women’s National Team was during the 2008 spring season as she trained with the squad under then-head coach “Jenny” Lang Ping in an attempt to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. During that time, Hooker took a break from her education at the University of Texas and her highly successful indoor and outdoor track and field season. Aside from her exploits on the college volleyball courts, she captured the NCAA Division I outdoor high jump champion three times and won both the indoor and outdoor national NCAA title in 2009.

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The U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team posing for the media during the award ceremony. (FIVB photo)

Destinee Hooker presented with the FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player award. (FIVB photo) 117

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 CAN 19 19 23 U.S. Women Trip Canada in NORCECA Opener

The U.S. Women’s National Team during the National Anthem. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 13, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated Canada 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 on Sept. 13 during Pool B of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship being held Sept. 12-17 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. The U.S. broke a 7-7 tie in the opening set with three unanswered points and stretched the lead to 22-14 before holding off Canada 25-19 down the stretch. In the second set, the Americans rebounded from an 8-6 deficit with a 5-0 run and built a seven-point cushion at 21-14. Canada made the set interesting by closing to within three at 21-18 before the U.S. was able to finish the set at 25-19. Canada recovered from a 3-0 deficit in the third set and took an 8-6 lead into the technical timeout, only to have the Americans cruise to a 19-10 advantage on a 13-2 run. Canada did not go away quietly as it scored eight unanswered points to move to within one at 23-22 before the U.S. could side-out to the 25-23 victory. “I thought Canada played a good match,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon said. “I thought we were good in a couple phases of the game. Offensively, we could have been cleaner at the net. It was an okay start to the tournament, but we need to be better tomorrow.” The U.S. was led by Destinee Hooker’s (San Antonio, Texas) 18 points on 16 kills via 34 attacks and two blocks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) tallied 10 points with seven kills on 25 attacks and three aces, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted 10 points on six kills via 10 swings, two blocks and two aces. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) collected eight kills and a block for nine points, followed by Foluke Akinradewo’s (Plantation, Fla.) eight points all on kills. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with an ace.

(Left Photo) Destinee Hooker (left) and Heather Bown (right) stop a Canada attack. (Right Photo) Foluke Akinradewo (left) and Logan Tom (right) stop another attack. (Photos copyrighted by USA volleyball)

Berg was credited with 24 assists on 86 attempts as the Americans converted 45 of 112 attacks for a 40.2 percent. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a match-high 14 digs, while Hooker added seven digs. Larson charted 18 excellent receptions on 25 attempts, while Tom recorded 11 excellent receptions on 22 attempts. The U.S. limited Canada to a 29.7 kill percent for the match and held a 35-28 margin in digs. “I think we can come away from today’s match happy with our servereceive,” U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas said. “I hope we can improve in all facets of our game as we go along in the tournament.”

(Left) Logan Tom attacks versus Canada. (Right) Nicole Davis passes against Canada. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

“We allowed Canada to come back in all three sets to make the score closer, but a win is a win,” Berg said. “Tomorrow against Trinidad & Tobago will be a different match. It is always harder to set our rhythm against a team that is not as strong, but that will be something we have to work on. Our goal will be to get in-and-out as quickly as possible.” Canada out-blocked the Americans 11-5 to offset the Team USA 45-33 advantage in kills. The U.S. held a 6-1 margin in aces and committed three fewer errors at 19-16. McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Sarah Pavan led Canada with 17 points with 15 kills, a block and ace. Marisa Field added eight points in the loss, including a match-high four blocks. Jordan Larson and Heather Bown block Canada’s attack. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Heather Bown attacks against Canada (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman) 119

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 TRI 14 16 11 U.S. Women Overwhelm Trinidad & Tobago CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 14, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team overwhelmed Trinidad & Tobago 25-14, 25-16, 25-11 on Sept. 14 to conclude Pool B of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship being held Sept. 12-17 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Trinidad & Tobago stayed close in the first set and held a 7-6 advantage until the Americans caught fire and scored 19 of the final 26 points. In the second set, Trinidad & Tobago went into the first technical timeout with an 8-6 advantage before the U.S. stormed back and controlled the rest of the set for a 25-16 victory. Team USA claimed a 25-11 victory in the third set with two different starters from the opening set.

(Left) Foluke Akinradewo slams the Molten ball over the Trinidad & Tobago defense. (Right) Destinee Hooker attacks without a defender in front of her. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

“I was very happy with our team’s performance, and both teams played hard,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I think it is important to respect the game by always playing hard. I thought we improved from yesterday and were pretty clean (in terms of errors). Trinidad & Tobago put up a nice block against us.” The U.S. had 10 of its 12 players score during the match highlighted by Destinee Hooker’s (San Antonio, Texas) 10 points on eight kills, one block and one ace. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) added nine points with eight kills and a block in two sets of action. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) totaled six kills for all her points with just one set start. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in three kills and three blocks for six points.

Heather Bown (7) and Lindsey Berg (4) form a blocking wall against Trinidad & Tobago. (Photo copyrighted by USA volleyball)

Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided Team USA with five points with three kills and two aces. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) collected three kills, while Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) pocketed two kills and a block for three points. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) recorded two kills and an ace for three points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) scored two blocks and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Berg set the U.S. to a 45.6 kill percent with 20 assists, which led to a .418 hitting efficiency (36-3-79). Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted a teamhigh nine digs for the Americans, while Tom tallied 11 of the squad’s 20 excellent receptions. “I thought Trinidad & Tobago played a nice match,” said Tamas, the U.S. captain. “They are a very physical team.” The U.S. limited its mistakes to eight for the entire match and held advantages in kills (36-28), blocks (8-5) and aces (4-0). Meanwhile, Trinidad & Tobago committed 27 errors in the match as it connected for just 36.4 percent of its attacks with a .194 hitting efficiency (28-13-77). Team USA held a 31-22 margin in digs.

(Left) Megan Hodge attacks against Triniad & Tobago. (Right) Logan Tom (15) passes with Jordan Larson (15) and Nicole Davis (6). (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Hodge entered as a sub in the second set and started in place of Larson in the third set. Tamas started the third set in place of Bown. Alisha Glass, Metcalf and Kim Glass all came off the bench in the third set. Krystle Esdelle scored a match-high 12 points to lead Trinidad & Tobago. Kelly-Anne Billingy chipped in eight points in the loss.

Jennifer Tamas (9) and Megan Hodge (18) take away the angles from Trinidad & Tobago. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Jordan Larson swings against the Trinidad & Tobago defense. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman) 121

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 MEX 11 8 19 U.S. Women Sweep Mexico to Advance to Semifinals CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 15, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team handled Mexico 25-11, 25-8, 25-19 on Sept. 15 in the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship quarterfinals being held in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Both Puerto Rico and Cuba bypassed the quarterfinal round and moved directly into the semifinals by being the top two first-round pool winners. The Americans won Pool B, but their points scored ratio was the third-best among the three pools.

(Left) Logan Tom eyes the Molten ball for an attack against Mexico. (Right) Foluke Akinradewo goes up for an attack while the Mexico defense is down. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

The U.S. broke open a close 9-8 margin in the first set over Mexico by scoring 16 of the final 19 points for a 25-11 victory. Team USA produced five blocks and four aces in the opening set. The U.S. used an 11-2 scoring run to take a 14-5 advantage in the second set, then scored the final seven points for a 25-8 victory. The Americans pulled out of a 9-all tie in the third set with three consecutive points and inched toward the 25-19 victory. “I am very happy with the way we played tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “It is always good to play Cuba as they are one of the best teams in the world.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 12 points for the U.S. with nine kills on 18 attacks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) chipped in 10 points with six kills on nine attacks, three aces and a block. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) added four kills on 10 swings, four aces and two blocks. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) charted seven points on with six kills on 10 attacks and an ace, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) collected six points on four kills via five attacks and two blocks. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) notched five points off the bench all on kills from 10 attacks, while Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) pocketed two kills and a block for three points. Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) totaled two points as a third-set reserve, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa) each scored a point. Berg provided 11 assists in the match and Alisha Glass added six to help the Americans to a 54.1 kill percent and a .500 hitting efficiency (40-3-74). The U.S. committed just three attack errors in the match. Meanwhile, Team USA held Mexico to a 28.1 kill percent and .157 hitting efficiency. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) totaled a match-high 10 digs in the victory, while adding a team-high six excellent receptions on nine attempts. The U.S. tallied 17 excellent service receptions on 33 chances. Team USA held an 8-0 advantage in aces as the American serve-and-receive create problems for Mexico. In addition, the U.S. gained a 9-3 block margin and committed just 10 errors in the match to Mexico’s 18. Team USA gained a 25-21 edge in digs.

(Left) Heather Bown attacks past the Mexico block (Right) Alisha Glass blocks a Mexico attack. (Photos copyrighted by USA volleyball)

(Left) Megan Hodge slams an attack around the Mexico block. (Right) Jennifer Tamas takes on the Mexico attack. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

“It was a good, competitive match and I am happy with our performance,” said Tamas, the U.S. captain. “We played a clean match tonight and we will be ready for tomorrow.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Hodge subbed into the match in the second set and started the third set in place of Tom. Tamas started the third set in place of Bown. Alisha Glass was a sub in both the first and third sets, while Kim Glass and Metcalf were subs in the third set. Claudia Rios led Mexico with 10 points as no other teammate scored more than five points in the loss.

(Left) Team USA is all smiles during a timeout. (Right) Kim Glass impacts the ball. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Destinee Hooker attacks against Mexico. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 CUB 20 17 13 U.S. Women Ace Cuba in NORCECA Semifinals CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 16, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team scored seven aces leading to a 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 victory over Cuba on Sept. 16 in the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship semifinal round being held in Caguas, Puerto Rico.

(Left) Nicole Davis receives serve against Cuba. (Right) Jordan Larson attacks without a Cuba defender in front of her with head coach Hugh McCutcheon watching from behind. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

The U.S. broke a 16-all tie in the opening set with a 6-1 scoring run to claim a 25-20 victory. The Americans stormed to a 5-1 lead with two aces to start the second set, then use a key 4-0 run to snag a 16-10 advantage en route to a 25-17 victory. Team USA reached the first technical timeout of the third set with an 8-1 lead and scored the final six points for a 25-13 victory. “Obviously we are very happy with the victory,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Cuba is a strong team, but tonight I think our team played particularly hard. I think we have improved in each match of this tournament. More importantly, we qualified for the FIVB World Cup and that was our main goal.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 15 points with 13 kills on 27 errorless attacks and two aces. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed 11 kills on 17 attacks, two blocks and an ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added four kills on seven attacks, three blocks and an ace for eight points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) contributed three kills, three aces and a block for seven points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with four points on two kills and two blocks.

(Left) Destinee Hooker avoids the Cuba block. (Right) Lindsey Berg blocks a Mexico attack. (Photos copyrighted by USA volleyball)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was credited with 22 assists in leading Team USA to a 44.0 kill percent and .360 hitting efficiency (33-6-75). The Americans recorded only six attack errors and 11 total errors (attack errors, service errors, reception errors). Cuba was held to a 39.1 kill percent, but 14 attack errors reduced its hitting efficiency to .239. Tom tallied a team-high seven digs, while Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a team-high eight excellent receptions on 12 attempts and four digs. Larson added four digs and eight excellent receptions on 14 attempts. “Tonight was a nice three games,” said Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), the U.S. captain. “I think both teams played really hard. Several of our players had exceptional matches tonight and we had a great game at the service line.” Team USA held a 7-1 ace advantage and a slim 8-6 margin in blocks. Cuba totaled a 36-33 advantage in kills, but 32 errors (hitting, serving and receiving) hurt in the end.

(Left) Foluke Akinradewo hits over the Mexico block. (Right) Logan Tom connects with the Molten. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in the first two sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a reserve in the second set. Yanelis Santos paced Cuba with 10 points, while Kenia Carcaces and Yusidey Silie added eight points. “USA is always a very tough opponent,” Cuba coach Juan Carlos Gala said. “Tonight their serves were very tough. They were better than us from the start to finish.” Team USA celebrates match point against Cuba, ensuring a spot into the FIVB World Cup in November. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Lindsey Berg sets Heather Bown. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 DOM 15 23 18 U.S. Women Capture Sixth NORCECA Title CAGUAS, Puerto Rico (Sept. 17, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team captured its sixth NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship with a 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 victory over defending champions Dominican Republic on Saturday evening in Caguas, Puerto Rico. In the process, the world’s second-ranked U.S. squad officially earned NORCECA’s entry into the FIVB World Cup, the first 2012 Olympic Games qualifying event.

(Left) Destinee Hooker rejects a Dominican Republic overpass. (Right) Logan Tom attacks through the Dominican Republic block in the goldmedal match. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

After Dominican Republic closed from an 8-3 to 8-6 deficit in the opening set, the U.S. outscored the defending champions 17-9 down the stretch for a 25-15 victory. Team USA rallied from an 18-15 deficit in the second set to claim a 25-23 victory thanks to a 6-1 scoring run. The Americans broke a 7-all tie in the third set with 10 of the next 12 points to ease to a 25-18 victory. “First of all we are happy to win the match and qualify for the FIVB World Cup,” said U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand), who received the Eugenio George Award as the tournament’s most outstanding coach. “Both teams expended a lot of energy and emotion into their semifinal victories, and those matches are always difficult. Now we look forward to the World Cup and as all teams competing there, hope to qualify for the Olympic Games.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with 17 points via 13 kills on 27 attacks, three blocks and an ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) secured six kills on 12 attacks and a match-high five blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted six kills on 16 swings, two aces and a block for nine points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah), the tournament’s Best Server, tacked on seven kills via 13 swings and an ace for eight points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) produced four kills on nine errorless attacks and a block for five points. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) added a block.

(Left) Jordan Larson (11) jousts with Dominican Republic. (Right) Nicole Davis (6) passes. (Photos copyrighted by USA volleyball)

Berg, the tournament’s Best Setter, tallied 29 assists leading the Americans to a 46.8 kill percent and .325 hitting efficiency. Meanwhile, Team USA limited Dominican Republic to a .191 hitting efficiency with 21 attack errors. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) charted a team-high five digs to go with 10 excellent receptions on 13 errorless chances. Larson added four digs with a team-high 14 excellent receptions on 20 attempts. “We came here to qualify for the World Cup, and we accomplished that goal,” U.S. captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) said. “I think what has helped us is our commitment to work for each other, and we have been able to do that in this tournament.” Team USA out-blocked Dominican Republic 11-5 and secured a 4-1 margin in aces. The Americans limited their errors to 12, while Dominican Republic committed 25 mistakes to offset its narrow 38-36 kill advantage.

Hugh McCutcheon (left) goes over statistical trends with Lindsey Berg during a timeout. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

“I think it is incredible, that no matter who has been on the other side of the net, that we have won so many 3-0 matches over the last month (including the FIVB World Grand Prix championship),” Berg said. “We play together as a team for one another. Even the players on the bench participate in the match in so many ways. They look for tendencies of the other team and give us tremendous feedback. It is incredible to be a part of this team.” McCutcheon started Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker, Hooker at opposite and Berg at setter. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in the first two sets, while Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) was a serving sub in the second set. Dominican Republic’s Bethania De La Cruz scored 14 kills and a block for 15 points.

Team USA players applaud the crowd for its support after winning the NORCECA Championship title. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Lindsey Bergattacking sets Heather Foluke Akinradewo against Bown. (Photo(Photo copyrighted by Dominican Republic. copyrighted USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman) by USA Volleyball/Bill Kauffman)

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Best Server - Logan Tom Best Setter - Lindsey Berg Best Coach - Hugh McCutcheon USA Today Honors U.S. Women for NORCECA Title COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team was selected as USA Today’s Athletes of the Week on Sept. 19 after the team captured its sixth NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship.

Team USA all smiles after being presented their medals for winning the NORCECA Championship. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

By winning the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the U.S. earned a spot into the 12-team FIVB World Cup, which is the first 2012 Olympic Games qualifying tournament. The five continental championship winners earn spots into November’s World Cup, while the top four vicechampions earn spots into the 12-team tournament along with host Japan and two wild cards. The top three teams in the 2011 FIVB World Cup will also receive berths into the 2012 Olympic Games. The U.S. (26-7 in 2011) swept through the tournament by winning all five of its matches in straight sets starting with victories over Canada and Trinidad & Tobago in pool play. Team USA topped Mexico in the quarterfinal round on Sept. 15, followed by a 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 win over eighth-ranked Cuba on Sept. 16. The U.S. defeated Dominican Republic 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 in the gold-medal match on Sept. 17. Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City) was selected as the Best Server of the Tournament with a 0.80 aces per set average, while setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was tabbed as the Best Setter with 7.07 assists per set. Opposite Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) averaged 5.07 points with a 50.8 kill percent according to unofficial DataVolley statistics compiled by the team. She added averages of 4.27 kills, 1.67 digs, 0.40 aces and 0.40 blocks. Tom averaged 3.14 points and 1.29 digs per set while contributing a 43.3 kill percent. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted 3.71 points and 1.00 digs per set with a .367 hitting efficiency on 79 attacks. Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed 2.73 points per set with averages of 1.80 kills and 0.80 blocks to go with a 51.9 kill percent. Libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) averaged 2.33 digs per set. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) hit at a .395 efficiency as she averaged 2.08 points per set. Berg helped the team to a .364 team hitting efficiency. For the tournament, the U.S. committed just 76 errors (hitting, serving, receiving) in five matches, or 15.2 per match or 5.1 per set.

Logan Tom receiving the Best Server award at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship. (Photos copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

Lindsey Berg receiving the Best Setter award at the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship. (Photo copyrighted by USA volleyball)

Other team members participating in the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship include middle blocker and captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), outside hitters Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), and opposite Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa). “We play together as a team for one another,” Berg said after the U.S. captured the NORCECA title. “Even the players on the bench participate in the match in so many ways. They look for tendencies of the other team and give us tremendous feedback. It is incredible to be a part of this team.” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) received the Eugenio George Award as the tournament’s best coach. Staff members included assistant coaches Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) and Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.), technical coordinator/ assistant coach Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.), athletic trainer Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.), team leader Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Dr. Bill Stetson as team doctor. For additional information on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship, visit usavolleyball.org/events/8347.

(Left) Hugh McCutcheon receives trophy for Best Coach at NORCECA Championship. (Right) Lindsey Berg and Logan Tom with their individual honor trophies. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball)

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Jennifer Tamas, as captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team, accepts the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship trophy from NORCECA President Cristobal Marte Hoffiz. (Photo copyrighted by USA Volleyball) 129

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN TOP PUERTO RICO TO START PAN AMERICAN GAMES

TEAM USA OUT-BLOCKS PERU 14-2 IN SWEEP

USA..................................25 25 25 Puerto Rico.......................17 18 14

USA..................................25 25 25 Peru..................................19 15 19

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 15, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team out-blocked Puerto Rico 16-3 as it won its opening match 25-17, 25-18, 25-14 on Oct. 15 at the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 16, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team outblocked Peru 14-2 in posting a 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 victory on the second day of Pool B competition in the Pan American Games being held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The United States took advantage of 23 Puerto Rican errors in the victory while committing only eight. Outside hitter Angie Forsett (Lake Worth, Fla.) led all scorers with 12 points on eight kills and four blocks. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) led all blockers with six and added four attacks for a total of 10 points.

After a 16-all tie in the opening set, the U.S. Women scored four straight points to take a 20-16 advantage but needed to score the final four points of the set to secure the win at 25-19. The Americans reached a 7-2 lead in the second set with four quick blocks, then finished out the set with a 7-3 spurt for a 25-15 victory. Peru built a 9-5 lead in the third set, only to have the U.S. Women battle back to tie the score at 12-all and eventually go on to the 25-19 victory.

“This is so big,” Forsett said. “We have a lot of young players, so to get this first win under our belts feels good.” “I think today, our blocking defense worked well for us,” U.S. Head Coach Andy Banachowski said. “But I have been very pleased with the progress of our back line, too.” Puerto Rico out-hit the U.S. Women 38-35. The United States finished with two aces while Puerto Rico had none. Aurea Cruz led Puerto Rico with 11 points on 11 kills. Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) finished with 11 points on nine kills and two blocks. “There are more rookies (in this Pan American Games) than in the past,” said Barboza, the U.S. team captain. “We have a good group and a really strong zone. Everything has been great.”

Courtesy of NORCECA

Team USA used a balanced offense as four players reached double-figure scoring. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) led all scorers with 13 points on nine kills on 18 attacks and four blocks. Angie Forsett (Lake Worth, Fla.) charted seven kills on 24 swings, three blocks and the only ace of the match for 11 points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) tallied all 10 of her points on 18 attacks, while Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.) contributed six kills on 15 attacks and four blocks. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) collected six kills on 28 attacks and a block for seven points, while Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with two kills and two blocks.

Opposite Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) finished with six points on five attacks and one ace. Middle blocker Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.) totaled six points, including an ace.

“I am happy how we played,” Gibbemeyer said. “We’ve been playing together for a long time and the connection with my teammates has been improving. This is my first USA tournament ever and everyone here has been really nice. I am excited to play in such a prestigious tournament. There are very good teams in this championship. Tomorrow we will face Mexico, and we have to be prepared.”

Setter Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) finished with five points and was credited with 19 assists.

Lloyd used 23 assists to set the U.S. to a 37.7 kill percent and .283 hitting efficiency (40-10-106). Peru was limited to a 30.8 kill percent and .108 hitting efficiency (3724-120). Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Lichtman each tallied six digs, while Barboza collected 10 excellent receptions on 14 errorless attempts. Lichtman added seven excellent receptions on 15 attempts.

L i b e r o Ta m a r i M i y a s h i r o (Kaneohe, Hawaii) led both teams in digs with nine and also had 10 excellent receptions. Forsett had nine excellent receptions.

Banachowski started Forsett and Barboza at outside hitter, Gibbemeyer and Jones at middle blocker, Lichtman at opposite, Lloyd at setter and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) is the designated setter. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) and Regan Hood (Carrollton, Texas) played as substitutes. The U.S. Women took a 2-0 lead in the first set and led 8-4 at the first technical timeout (TTO). With the U.S. leading 10-6, Puerto Rico scored twice to pull within two. Barboza came back with a kill that sparked a 7-0 run behind the serving of Lloyd, who had an ace in the run. Forsett also scored on two attacks and a block and Gibbemery added a block and kill. Puerto finally ended the run with two straight kills, but never threatened again.

The U.S. limited their errors to 14 in the match while benefiting from 20 committed by Peru. The Americans tallied a 54.5 excellent serve reception percent, while Peru managed just 51.4 percent. Peru held a slim 24-20 margin in digs. Andy Banachowski, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Women at the Pan American Games, started Forsett and Barboza at outside hitter, Jones and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Lichtman at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Miyashiro was the libero for the match. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was a sub in the second and third sets. “I was very pleased with my team performance today,” Banachowski said. “Our young team is getting better. I think we improved overall today. Peru gave us a very tough match. I am happy how we reacted in pass and attack much better than yesterday.” Mirtha Uribe led Peru with 11 points, while Yulissa Zamudio tallied eight points.

Puerto Rico took an 8-4 lead at the first TTO of the second set but Lloyd came back with two straight kills to pull the U.S. to within two. The U.S. finally tied the score at 13-13. With the score tied 15-15, Gibbemeyer gave the U.S. its first two-point lead with an attack and block. The U.S. scored four more straight points, including a kill and block by Forsett, to lead 21-15 and went on to win the set. The U.S. Women took a 4-1 lead in the third set and led 8-4 at the first TTO. Lloyd and Forsett scored after the break to put the U.S. ahead 10-4 the team increased its lead to nine at the second TTO at 16-7. Puerto Rico scored on a U.S. serving error before the U.S. Women gained three more straight points on a block from Gibbemeyer followed by two Puerto Rico errors. Leading 19-8, the U.S. took the set easily.

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2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN DOWN MEXICO 3-0 TO WIN PAN AM GAMES POOL B

U.S. WOMEN FALL TO EXPERIENCED CUBA TEAM IN SEMIFINAL ROUND

USA..................................25 25 31 Mexico..............................14 16 29

USA..................................17 16 27 21 Cuba.................................25 25 25 25

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 17, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team swept Mexico 25-14, 25-16, 31-29 on Oct. 17 to conclude Pool B of the Pan American Games being held in Guadalajara, Mexico.

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 19, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Team lost to Cuba 25-17, 25-16, 25-27, 25-21 in the Pan American Games semifinal round on Oct. 19 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The U.S. used an 11-3 scoring run to establish a 16-7 advantage in the opening set to cruise to a 2514 victory. Team USA scored the final seven points of the second set to score a 25-16 victory. The Americans bolted to a 7-1 lead in the third set, but Mexico battled back to within a 9-8 score. The U.S. reached a 23-18 advantage late in the third, only to have Mexico rally and take a 25-24 lead setting off a barrage of six lead changes after the first match point was gained by the U.S. at 24-23. In the end, the U.S. won the set 31-29 on its fourth match-point opportunity and after saving three set points by Mexico.

Cuba never trailed in the opening set, moving out in front 11-5 and holding at least a three-point lead to the 25-17 final score. Team USA held a 10-8 advantage in the second set, but a 6-1 Cuban run to 21-14 proved the difference in the 25-16 victory. The American used an 11-3 scoring run to overcome a 12-7 deficit in the third set, then needed to save three match points before winning 27-25 to push the match to a fourth set. After a see-saw affair in the fourth set, Cuba came back from an 18-17 deficit to win 25-21 by scoring six of the final eight points.

Alix Klineman (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) led four Americans in double-figure scoring with 14 points, all on kills. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) charted a match-high five blocks to go with five kills for 10 points. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) and Regan Hood (Carrollton, Texas), who both played just two sets, tallied nine kills and a block for 10 points. Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.) contributed four kills and three blocks for seven points in the victory, while Keao Burdine (Pico Rivera, Calif.) added three kills and a block for four points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) totaled three kills, while Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out the scoring with two blocks.

Courtesy of NORCECA

“We try to come out aggressively whenever we play,” Klineman said. “It is ultimately on our side that determines how a game will go. That’s what we try to focus on. It doesn’t matter how we scout the other team. In the end, it’s about how we play.” Thompson set Team USA to a 43.1 kill percent and .266 hitting efficiency (47-18-109). Mexico was limited to a 25.4 kill percent and .085 hitting efficiency (30-20-118). Tama Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) provided the Americans with a team-high nine digs, while Klineman had a team-high four excellent receptions. Team USA out-blocked Mexico 13-6 and held a 47-30 advantage in kills. Mexico managed a slim 19-18 margin in digs and totaled 29 excellent receptions on 71 attempts compared to the Americans’ 10 excellent receptions on 55 attempts. Andy Banachowski, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Women at the Pan American Games, started Klineman and Barboza at outside hitter, Jones and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Lichtman at opposite and Thompson at setter. Miyashiro was the libero for the match. Hood started the second and third sets in place of Lichtman, while Burdine started the third set in place of Barboza. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was a serving sub in both the second and third sets. “The crowd was outstanding,” Banachowski said. “You can’t prepare for that. We just told our players to focus on what’s between the lines because, I’ll tell you what, that crowd was loud.” Samantha Bricio paced Mexico with eight points in a non-starting role, while Andrea Rangel added seven points.

Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) scored a U.S.-high 14 points with all coming on kills. Alix Klineman (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), who played just the last two sets, added 12 points with nine kills, two aces and a block. Jessica Jones (Naperville, Ill.) contributed five kills and four blocks for nine points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) pocketed six kills and two aces for eight points, while Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) charted three blocks, two aces and two kills for seven points. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) scored five kills and two blocks for seven points, while Angie Forsett (Lake Worth, Fla.) collected four kills. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out the scoring with a block and ace for two points. “This team has good chemistry,” Lloyd said in regards to the comeback that started in the third set. “Even though it is our first time together, we really trust each other. Courtney (Thompson) really changed the momentum of the game. She called a good offense.” The U.S. converted 36.3 percent of its attacks with a .210 hitting efficiency (45-19-124), while Cuba converted 56.4 percent of its attacks via a .479 hitting efficiency. “Cuba is a really good team,” Lichtman said. “It took a while to adjust. We came out a little tentative, but by the third set, we had nothing to lose. They made great plays. It was hard to counter that. We’re always happy to be in a place to play for a medal.” Cuba held a commanding 66-45 advantage in blocks to help offset 18 errors in the match to the Americans’ 12 miscues. Cuba also held a 16-11 margin in blocks, while Team USA produced a slim 7-6 lead in aces. Team USA tallied a 59.3 Courtesy of NORCECA positive reception percent with Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) contributing 26 excellent receptions on 37 errorless chances. She added nine digs in the match. Meanwhile, Cuba’s reception was limited to a 38.5 excellent percent. Andy Banachowski, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Women at the Pan American Games, started Forsett and Barboza at outside hitter, Jones and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Lichtman at opposite and Lloyd at setter. Miyashiro was the libero for the match. Klineman replaced Forsett to start the third and fourth sets, Thompson was a sub in all but the second set. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was a serving sub in the final two sets, while Regan Hood (Carrollton, Texas) was a sub in the second set. “We came with the hope of winning a medal and the possibility still exists for us,” Banachowski said. “Cuba put a lot of pressure tonight with the service. I am really proud of how the team played in the third and fourth sets.” Cuba produced six players in double-figure scoring led by Yoana Palacios Mendoza’s 25 points. Kenia Carcases Opon and Gyselle de la Caridad Silva Franco each totaled 14 points. “USA is a team we respect a lot,” Cuba coach Juan Carlos Gala said. “We could achieve the goal on the first two sets with our service. USA knew how to recover and went out looking for the victory on the third and fourth. They are a team with a lot of courage, and they showed by winning their pool in the tournament.”

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2011 U.S. Women's National Team Match Capsules U.S. WOMEN RALLY TO WIN THIRD STRAIGHT PAN AM GAMES BRONZE MEDAL

USA..................................23 25 25 25 Dominican Republic..........25 16 20 19

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 20, 2011) – Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) scored 23 points and the U.S. Women’s National Team used 22 blocks to rally past Dominican Republic 23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 in the Pan American Games bronzemedal match Thursday evening in Guadalajara, Mexico. The U.S. Women, with seven players making their international senior-level debut, ended the tournament in third place after starting the tournament 3-0 in pool play. The U.S. overcame an 8-2 deficit in the opening set by using a 7-0 run to take a 2018 advantage, but Dominican Republic answered late with a 25-23 victory. Team USA used seven blocks in the second set to build a 21-10 advantage and en route to a 25-16 victory. The U.S. overcame an 8-5 deficit in the third set by using a 10-1 scoring run to take a 15-9 advantage and held on for a 25-20 victory. Team USA broke free from a 15-14 advantage in the fourth set with a 5-0 scoring run and closed the match with a 25-19 victory as Barboza scored nine of her points in the set. “I think we did a really great job and learned our lessons from last night,” Barboza said. “We fought hard and executed. When we got off the bus today, it was all about beating the Dominican Republic.” Barboza, the U.S. captain, scored her 23 points on 22 kills via 52 attacks and a block. Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minn.) added 16 points with 11 kills and five blocks. Angie Forsett (Lake Worth, Fla.) came off the bench to notch 11 kills and four blocks as part of a 15-point performance. Jessy Jones (Naperville, Ill.) charted five kills and seven blocks for 12 points. Cassidy Lichtman (Poway, Calif.) contributed five kills and four blocks for nine points. Courtney Thompson (Kent, Wash.) rounded out the scoring with a kill, block and ace for three points. Barboza has now won the bronze medal in three consecutive Pan American Games, while Thompson has earned her second bronze medal. Barboza and Thompson are two of the five players with senior-level international playing experience with the U.S. along with Forsett, Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii) and Alix Klineman (Manhattan Beach, Calif.).

Courtesy of NORCECA

“I love this game and I love this team,” Thompson said. “It is easy to get fired up for something like this. We really wanted a medal. You can watch film and hear about it, but until you are in the arena, you don’t know.” The U.S., behind 41 assists by Thompson, converted 35.5 percent of its attacks with a .252 hitting efficiency (55-16-155). Meanwhile, Dominican Republic converted 31.6 percent of its attacks as part of a .137 hitting efficiency (53-30-168). Lichtman recorded a team-high 11 digs, while Forsett contributed nine digs in the victory. Barboza, Thompson and Miyashiro all posted seven digs for Team USA. Miyashiro totaled 24 excellent receptions on 30 attempts, while Lichtman added 16 excellent receptions on 25 attempts. The U.S. held a 22-8 margin in blocks and a slim 55-53 edge in kills. The Americans held their errors to 17 in the match, while Dominican Republic committed 20 errors. Team USA also produced a 46-43 margin in digs. As a team, the U.S. tallied 57 excellent receptions on 76 attempts for a 72.4 percent. Dominican Republic held a 66.3 excellent reception percent on 92 attempts. “We didn’t change much,” Forsett said. “Last night we didn’t play USA volleyball. Tonight we finished. It’s redemption knowing you can do it. We never had a doubt.” Andy Banachowski, who is serving as head coach for the U.S. Women at the Pan American Games, started Klineman and Barboza at outside hitter, Jones and Gibbemeyer at middle blocker, Lichtman at opposite and Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, Calif.) at setter. Miyashiro was the libero for the match. Forsett replaced Klineman in the first set and remained on the court the rest of the match. Thompson subbed into the match in the first set for Lloyd and started the remaining three sets, although Lloyd returned briefly in the third set. Kayla Banwarth (Dubuque, Iowa) was a sub in all four sets. Bethania De La Cruz scored a match-high 26 points to lead Dominican Republic, while Prisilla Rivera added 15 points in the loss.

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Pan American Games photos courtesy NORCECA

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 17 27 25 BRA 22 25 25 19 U.S. Women Win Key World Cup Opener over Brazil NAGANO, Japan (Nov. 4, 2011) - Using a balanced offense of five doublefigure scorers, the U.S. Women’s National Team defeated Brazil 25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19 in scoring a key victory between the top two teams in the world on Nov. 4 to open the 2011 FIVB World Cup at Nagano, Japan. The match pitted second-ranked Team USA against top-ranked Brazil for the fourth time in 2011, but this match held added significance since the FIVB World Cup is the first 2012 Olympic Games qualification event. The three teams reaching the World Cup medal podium on Nov. 18 will earn berths into the 2012 Olympic Games.

Team USA during the national anthem prior to its match with Brazil. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

The U.S. used a 10-5 scoring run in the opening set to take a 13-9 advantage and went on to win 25-22. Brazil gained a 20-14 advantage in the second set with a 6-1 scoring run before scoring five of the final six points for a 25-17 victory. The Americans rallied from a 17-14 deficit in the third set to knot the score at 22-all, then saved two set points before capturing the victory 27-25. Team USA used a 4-0 run to propel to an 8-5 lead in the fourth set and never looked back in winning 25-19. “First of all, I’m happy to have won tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I agree with Ze Roberto (Brazil head coach) that the level wasn’t the best, but I’m proud of our leadership, especially their ability to compete with composure at the end of the sets when the plays needed to be made to try and help turn the match. Both teams applied a lot of service pressure and reception was good.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) collected a team-high 17 points with 14 kills and three of the Americans’ six aces in the match. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) added 11 kills on 19 attacks and four blocks for 15 points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) chipped in 12 kills, one block and one ace for 14 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed 11 kills and an ace for 12 points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.), playing in her first match for the U.S. since 2009, came off the bench to start in the third set and tallied eight kills on 15 swings and two blocks for 10 points. Scott-Arruda was named the match’s most valuable player honor by the local organizers. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tallied two kills and a two blocks for four points, while Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) added three points with two kills and an ace. “First, this tournament is the most difficult tournament of all over the four years, other than the Olympics, and to play one of the other best teams in the world in the first match is a struggle,” Berg said. “Both teams probably didn’t play their best tonight, but we’re ecstatic to have gotten this win and will try to build on this.” Berg totaled 53 assists to set the U.S. to a 38.5 kill percent and .295 hitting efficiency (60-14-156). Meanwhile, Brazil converted at a higher 41.2 kill percent but its .294 hitting efficiency (63-18-153) essentially matched the Americans due to 18 errors. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a team-high 16 digs and 25 excellent receptions on 38 attempts. Larson provided 14 excellent receptions on 22 errorless attempts, in addition to 11 digs.

Danielle Scott-Arruda (right), who came off the bench to score 10 points, attacks against Brazil’s Fabiana. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

(Above) Jordan Larson passes while Logan Tom eyes the play. (Right) Destinee Hooker’s taped fingers with messages to mom and dad. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Scott-Arruda started the third and fourth sets in place of Bown. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) and Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) were subs in the first and third sets. The U.S. out-blocked Brazil 9-5 and held a 6-0 advantage in aces. Brazil held a slim 63-60 margin in kills and limited its errors to 19 to the Americans’ 23. The Americans produced a 60.5 excellent reception percent to the Brazilians’ 58.2 percent. Brazil edged the Americans in digs 54-51. Sheilla Castro and Fernanda Rodrigues each scored 18 points for Brazil in the loss, while Paula Pequeno added 11 points.

Team USA celebrates championship point in its upset over top-ranked Brazil. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Nicole Davis lunges for a dig versus Brazil. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 27 25 SRB 16 25 20 U.S. Women Blank Serbia to Move to 2-0 at World Cup NAGANO, Japan (Nov. 5, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team improved to 2-0 at the FIVB World Cup as Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored 22 points in a 25-16, 27-25, 25-20 victory over Serbia on Nov. 5 at Nagano, Japan. Team USA has now defeated No. 1 Brazil and No. 5 Serbia to begin the FIVB World Cup. Brazil and Serbia finished second and third, respectively, behind the U.S. at the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix – the premier annual women’s international tournament. The U.S. gained a 15-10 advantage in the first set with a 4-0 run, then closed out the 25-16 victory with five of the final six points. Serbia scored consecutive points only once in the first set. Team USA rallied from 19-17 deficit in the second set to win 27-25 after saving two Serbia set point opportunities. The Americans scored five blocks in the set. Team USA scored the final five points of the third set as Hooker scored an ace at 25-20 to close out the match. The U.S. had started the third set with a 5-1, only to have Serbia tie the score at 15-all. “I’m very happy to win today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “I think our team performed admirably. I think it’s been a very difficult beginning for us facing Brazil and Serbia, but happy to be at the end of those two matches with two wins. I thought my team used a lot of emotional energy yesterday (against Brazil), but we had some strong individual performances today.” Hooker, designated as the match’s most impressive player, scored 19 kills on 35 swings, two aces and a block as part of her match-high 22 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed 12 kills on 30 attacks, four blocks and an ace for 17 points. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) chipped in six kills on 10 swings and four blocks for 10 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) totaled six kills on eight attacks and three blocks for nine points. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) rounded out the scoring with three kills and an ace for four points.

Tayyiba Haneef-Park (#3) shares a moment with Destinee Hooker (behind her) as Team USA (right) and Serbia (left) line up for the team introductions. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

(Left) Logan Tom tosses the ball as part of her serve versus Serbia. (Right) FIVB President Jizhong Wei attends the Team USA match versus Serbia. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) provided 39 assists in helping the U.S. to a 47.4 kill percent and .361 hitting efficiency (46-11-97). Serbia was held to a 39.6 kill percent and .226 hitting efficiency (42-18-106). “We’re thrilled to be 2-0 after playing against two of the best teams in the world,” said Berg, who is serving as team captain. “Serbia came out with a different lineup than we’re used to, so we had to concentrate and get used to some players we don’t know. But we’re happy with the win today.” Larson totaled 27 of the Americans’ 33 excellent service receptions on 44 attempts. Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed a team-high eight digs, while Tom added seven digs. McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match.

Heather Bown swings against Serbia’s wide open block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Team USA held a 12-8 advantage in blocks and a 4-1 margin in aces. The Americans forged a 46-42 edge in kills and limited their errors to 10 in the match. Serbia committed 15 errors in the loss. Serbia held a 30-24 advantage in digs and produced a 58.8 excellent service reception percent to the Americans’ 54.4 percent. Earlier this year, the U.S. defeated Serbia 3-0 in the FIVB World Grand Prix semifinal round after the two teams split a pair of preliminary round matches. Stefana Veljkovic paced Serbia with 15 points, while Ana Bjelica added 11 points and Britzitka Molnar charted 10 points.

(Left) Destinee Hooker (#19) blocks a Serbian attack with Heather Bown (middle) providing support. (Right) Destinee Hooker presented with the most impressive player award for the match. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

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Foluke Akinradewo attacks against Serbia. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 KOR 10 12 13 U.S. Women Out-Block Korea 14-0 in Sweep NAGANO, Japan (Nov. 6, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team overwhelmed Korea 25-10, 25-12, 25-13 with a 14-0 block advantage on Nov. 6 at Nagano, Japan, to improve to 3-0 at the FIVB World Cup. With the victory, the U.S. moved into sole possession of first place with nine points and is one of two undefeated teams (Italy is 3-0 with eight points). The U.S. opened the first set with a 5-1 lead and limited Korea to only one point on its own service in cruising to a 25-10 victory. Korea managed just three kills and an ace in the opening set as its six other points were on U.S. errors. Team USA cruised to an 11-3 lead in the second set and went on to a 25-12 victory as the Americans played 10 players in the set. Korea stayed close in the third set until a 4-0 run by the Americans created a 10-4 margin and pushed the U.S. to a 25-13 victory.

Jordan Larson (11), Heather Bown (7) and Destinee Hooker (19) react to a point versus Korea. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

“I’m very happy with today’s match,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Our team was very good today. It’s important as the tournament progresses that we continue to improve with every match and I thought we did that today. Korea is a good team and can cause you a lot of problems, but our group was very focused and determined, and I thought they executed at a high level. Hopefully we can continue that as we go to the next site.” The U.S. had eight players reach the scoring column, including 15 points coming off the bench. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) scored five kills on eight errorless attacks, four blocks and three aces for 12 points. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) matched her 12 points with nine kills on 14 errorless attacks and three blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) contributed seven kills on 14 swings and a block for eight points. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) came off the bench to pocket six kills on 10 swings and two blocks for eight points.

Foluke Akinradewo eyes the ball for her servie against Korea. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided seven points on five kills and two blocks. Tayibba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) charted six points on five kills via 11 attacks and a block. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) tacked on three kills on three attacks and a block for four points. Danielle ScottArruda (Baton Rouge, La.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. The U.S. converted 55.4 percent of its attacks into points and produced a .500 hitting efficiency with just four attack errors (41-4-74). Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) totaled 22 assists and was named the most impressive player of the match, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) came in off the bench to add 10 assists. Meanwhile, Korea converted only 19.8 percent of its attacks with a negative .044 hitting efficiency (18-22-91). “Tonight was a great night for USA Volleyball,” Berg said. “We came out very determined – probably more determined than the last two nights – and came out to take care of business. I’m happy that we won tonight and happy to come out of the first leg 3-0.”

(Left) Alisha Glass (#1) and Danielle Scott-Arruda (#2) go for a block versus Korea. (Right) Megan Hodge goes for one of her six kills off the bench versus Korea. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied seven excellent receptions on eight attempts for the U.S., which tallied a 58.1 excellent reception percent as a team. She added a team-high five digs, while Tom chipped in four digs. McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Hodge came into the match in the second set and started the third set in place of Larson. Haneef-Park subbed in the first two sets, then started in place of Hooker. Glass was a sub in all three sets, while Scott-Arruda and Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) were subs in the third set. In addition to its 14-0 block advantage, the U.S. held a 41-18 margin in kills and 3-1 edge in aces. Team USA also managed a 19-17 advantage in digs. Youn-Joo Hwang led Korea with six points, while Yeon-Koung Kim added five points in the loss.

Lindsey Berg sets Danielle Scott-Arruda versus Korea. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Lindsey Berg sets versus Korea (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 KEN 16 13 21 U.S. Women Ease by Kenya to go 4-0 at FIVB World Cup TOYAMA, Japan (Nov. 8, 2011) - Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored 20 points to lead the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team to a 25-16, 25-13, 25-21 victory over African Champion Kenya on Nov. 8 at Toyama, Japan, to improve to 4-0 at the FIVB World Cup.

(Left) Megan Hodge swings against the Kenya block. (Above) Team USA arrives at the Toyama City Gym. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

Kenya battled back from an 11-4 deficit in the opening set to close to 14-11, but the U.S. collected eight of the final 10 points for a 25-16 victory. Team USA broke a 2-all tie in the second set with eight unanswered points and cruised to a 25-12 victory. The Americans battled back from a 13-9 deficit in the third set to tie the score at 14-all, then used a key 3-0 run to take a 23-19 advantage en route to closing out the set 25-21. “I’m very happy with the win today,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Obviously, in the World Cup, every win is important and valuable. I thought Kenya was much improved and certainly hit the ball in the court a lot and dug a lot of balls. It was not an easy match, but my team stayed focused and that was important. Now, we look to tomorrow and our next match and to keep the tournament going.” Team USA, using six new starters from its first three matches in the FIVB World Cup, continued its undefeated streak in the Olympic Games qualification tournament. Hodge reached her match-high 20 points with 15 kills on 28 attacks and five blocks. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) tallied eight kills, four aces and a block for 13 points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) contributed seven kills on 12 errorless attacks, one block and one ace for nine points. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) charted six kills and an ace for seven points. Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.) recorded three blocks and a kill for four points. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block.

Danielle Scott-Arruda hits past the Kenya block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Glass provided 25 assists in the match leading the U.S. to a 43.5 kill percent and .341 hitting efficiency (37-8-85). Meanwhile, Kenya converted just 33.0 percent of its attacks as part of a .202 hitting efficiency (31-12-94). “First, I want to congratulate Kenya for coming out in the fourth match and always competing, and showing great energy, which shows a lot for the sport,” U.S. captain Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) said. “Also, today was a big day for USA – we got us our fourth win and in this tournament every win is important. And we got to rest some players because this is a very long tournament and some players got to play that we’re going to need down the road.” Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) provided a team-high eight digs in the victory, while Hodge added seven digs and six excellent service receptions on nine errorless chances.

Team USA and Kenya pose together for a photo. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

McCutcheon started Glass at setter, Hodge and Barboza at outside hitter, Scott-Arruda and Tamas at middle blocker and Haneef-Park at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Team USA dominated the service line with an 11-3 advantage in aces. The Americans, who had just 11 errors in the match to Kenya’s 21, produced a slim 6-5 margin in blocks. The U.S. out-scored Kenya 37-31 on kills. Team USA held a 20-15 advantage in digs. Kenya captain Brackcides Khadambi led her squad with 12 points, while Lyida Maiyo and Mercy Moim each collected seven points. “Today, it was a good match and an interesting match, and the USA played very well,” Khadambi said. “On my side, my team also played good – we received and attacked and tried to retrieve their spiked balls, so for us it was a good match.” Hugh McCutcheon speaks to the media following Team USA’s three-set win over Kenya. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Team USA enters the Toyama City Gym with a young local volleyball team. (Photo courtesy FIVB) 141

1 2 3 4 5 USA 30 19 24 GER 32 25 26 Germany Hands U.S. Women First Loss of World Cup TOYAMA, Japan (Nov. 9, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team lost to Germany 32-30, 25-19, 26-24 on Nov. 9 in the FIVB World Cup at Toyama, Japan. Team USA, now 4-1 with 12 points in the FIVB World Cup standings after taking its first loss of the tournament, is in second place behind lone undefeated Italy (5-0, 14 points). Germany battled back from a 9-4 deficit in the opening set and saved seven set points before winning a marathon 32-30 set. Germany used the momentum from the opening set to take a 12-6 lead in the second set and went on to win 25-19 as the Americans never got closer than four points. Germany rallied from a 22-18 deficit in the third set to win 26-24 after saving one set point.

(Left) Jordan Larson (11) and Heather Bown (7) try to stop a Germany attack. (Right) Logan Tom goes up for a block against Germany. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

“(Germany) played very well and full credit goes to the German side,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “At the end of the day, we made some errors down the stretch – we turned some plays down the stretch, but Germany made a couple of extra plays at some different times and that was it. The margins are thin; we expect that. As we go through this tournament it’s inevitable that there will be some adversity and it’s really about how your teams choose to deal with that, so hopefully our team will respond appropriately.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led the U.S. with 18 points all on kills and 34 attacks. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) totaled 14 points with 12 kills on 21 attempts, one block and one ace. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed seven blocks and four kills on eight errorless attacks for 11 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted five kills on eight swings and two blocks for seven points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) recorded five kills and a block for six points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) added three points in just the third set, while Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with a kill. Berg set the U.S. to a 48.5 kill percent and .384 hitting efficiency (48-1099) with 36 assists. Meanwhile, Germany hit at a .410 hitting efficiency (55-12-105) and 52.4 kill percent.

Heather Bown swings past Germany’s block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) tallied a team-high 10 digs to go with 10 excellent receptions on 25 attempts. Larson was credited with 18 excellent receptions on 31 attempts. “Today was definitely Germany’s day,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “Congratulations to them on a great-fought match. USA didn’t play our best, but we had chances – definitely in sets one and three – but didn’t take advantage of them and had some bad unforced errors at that time. Nobody said this tournament was going to be easy.” McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Scott-Arruda started the third place in place of Bown. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) was a sub in all three sets. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) was a sub in the final two sets, while Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a reserve in the second set. Germany’s serve kept the Americans off-balance all night as it held a 6-1 ace advantage to offset Team USA’s 11-7 block margin. Germany turned in a 63.6 service reception percent with 43 excellent receptions on 66 attempts, while the U.S. held a 41.1 service reception percent with 33 excellent receptions on 73 attempts. Germany also held a 55-48 lead in kills. Germany’s Angelina Grun produced a match-high 21 points in the victory, while Corina Ssuschke-Voigt and Maren Brinker collected 14 points each.

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(Above) Jordan Larson reaches to keep the ball in play. (Left) Hugh McCutcheon attending the post-match press conference after the loss to Germany. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

Danielle Scott-Arruda (left) and Jordan Larson (11) creates problems for the German attack. (Photo courtesy FIVB) 143

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 ARG 12 15 19 U.S. Women Back on Track After Win over Argentina OKAYAMA, Japan (Nov. 11, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team returned to the FIVB World Cup win column with a 25-12, 25-15, 25-19 victory over Argentina on Nov. 11 at Okayama, Japan. Team USA improved to 5-1 with the victory and remained in second place in the FIVB World Cup standings with 15 points. Team USA broke a 4-all tie in the opening set with a 12-2 scoring run to take a 16-6 advantage, then closed out the set with a 25-12 victory. The U.S. raced to a 9-4 advantage in the second set and cruised to the 25-15 victory. The Americans used a key 4-0 run to take a 12-7 lead in the third set, then withstood a late Argentina run to win 25-19.

A Japanese youth volleyball club escorts Team USA onto the court during the pre-match ceremony. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

“We’re happy to win tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Obviously, every win in this tournament is important. We know Argentina and I think our group was able to come out and control a lot of the elements of the game from the beginning and we made it difficult for them. So I was very happy that we were able to play hard and to make some improvements in a few areas from some of the things we were doing at the beginning of the tournament.” Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) led the U.S. with a match-high 14 points with nine kills on 16 errorless attacks, three blocks and two aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.), designated as the most impressive player of the match by the local organizers, and Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) each totaled 11 kills and two blocks for 13 points. Akinradewo scored her points with 19 attacks, while Hooker totaled her 11 kills on 18 errorless swings. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in six points on nine errorless attacks, all on kills. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) tallied four points with three kills on four attacks and a block all in the third set. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) charted two kills and an ace for three points, Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) contributed two kills in a reserve role. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) each scored a kill, while Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with a block.

(Left) Logan Tom (15) blocks an Argentina attack. (Right) Megan Hodge directs an Argentina serve to the U.S. setter. (Photos courtesy FIVB)

The U.S. Women celebrate a point late during the third-set victory over Argentina. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) provided the Americans with 16 assists leading to a 54.8 kill percent and .476 hitting efficiency (46-6-84). The U.S. defense held Argentina to a 30.8 kill percent and .198 hitting efficiency. “Today, we continued our journey to get to London and to qualify,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “Every day we step on the court with a new opponent with respect for the other team, but we have to stay focused on what our plan is and what we’re doing.” Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) contributed 12 digs for the Americans. Hodge, despite just one set played, turned in a team-high seven excellent receptions on 12 errorless attempts. Tom added six excellent receptions on nine chances. McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Scott-Arruda and Hodge started the third set in place of Bown and Larson, respectively. Glass and HaneefPark were subs in all three sets, while Barboza was a sub in the third set. Team USA held a 9-3 block advantage and scored a 3-0 margin in aces. The Americans managed a 46-28 advantage in kills. Further, the U.S. passing netted a 25-17 edge in digs and a 53.9 service reception efficiency (21-39) without any errors. Argentina managed just a 26.2 reception efficiency on 65 serve-receive chances. Leticia Boscacci paced Argentina with eight kills, while Lucia Fresco added seven kills.

Cynthia Barboza (middle) and Heather Bown (7) react to the Japanese crowd after the U.S. defeated Argentina. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Logan Tom hammers an attack against Argentina. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 ALG 12 12 9 U.S. Women Down Algeria to Stay in Second Place OKAYAMA, Japan (Nov. 12, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team dominated Algeria 25-12, 25-12, 25-9 with a 16-3 block advantage on Nov. 12 to move to 6-1 at the FIVB World Cup at Okayama, Japan. “I thought the team’s performance tonight was strong,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “We got to play a lot of players and I thought in a few key phases of the game we did a nice job.”

Team USA (left) and Algeria shake hands prior to competing on the court. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

After closing out the third round on Nov. 13 versus Dominican Republic at 6:20 p.m. local time (1:20 a.m. Pacific Time), the U.S. travels to Tokyo for the fourth and final round. The Americans will face China on Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. local time (6 p.m. Pacific Time on Nov. 15), Italy on Nov. 17 at 3 p.m. local time (10 p.m. Pacific Time on Nov. 16) and host Japan on Nov. 18 at 6:20 p.m. local time (1:20 a.m. Pacific Time). The U.S. bolted to a 9-3 advantage in the opening set and never allowed Algeria to score on its serve in the 25-12 victory. After Algeria scored the first two points of the second set, the Americans scored eight of the next nine points and used nine blocks to form a 25-12 victory. Team USA picked up an early 5-1 lead in the third set and closed out the frame and match with the final nine points for a 25-9 victory. The U.S. had seven players score at least five points in the match. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) was selected the match’s most impressive player as she scored nine kills on 10 errorless attacks, two aces and a block with just one set start. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) added 12 points with five blocks, four aces and three kills. Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) contributed five kills on 10 errorless swings and four blocks for nine points. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) chipped in all seven of her points on kills via 14 attacks.

Mgean Hodge (18) and Heather Bown (right) put up a block against Algeria (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) provided four kills on four attacks, one block and one ace for six points in just the first set of action. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) charted three blocks, two kills and an ace for six points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) scored three kills on four swings and two blocks for five points. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) rounded out the scoring with a kill. “I can’t be disappointed,” Tom said. “I think we’re in a good spot. We had some ups and downs, but going into these last few matches I think we have good momentum.” The U.S. converted 58.6 percent of its attacks with a .552 hitting efficiency (34-2-58). Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) notched nine assists, while Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) added eight assists.

Destinee Hooker (right) hits past the Algeria block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Tom was credited with a team-high five digs, while Glass added four digs. Tamari Miyashiro provided two digs and two excellent service receptions on eight errorless attempts. McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, ScottArruda and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Miyashiro was the designated libero for the match. Hodge started the second and third sets in place of Larson. Glass and Haneef-Park were subs in the first two sets before starting in place of Berg and Hooker, respectively, in the third set. Barboza started the third set in place of Tom. The U.S. out-scored Algeria 8-0 from the service line and 34-24 on attacks, in addition to its 16-3 margin in blocks. The Americans limited their errors to six for the match as Algeria committed 17 mistakes. Algeria held a 2518 margin in digs. Safia Boukhima led Algeria with 10 points, while Yasmine Oudni charted eight points in the loss.

Team USA shakes hands with Algeria after the match, then celebrates on its side of the court. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Tayyiba Haneef-Park attacks versus Algeria with Jordan Larson ready to cover. (Photo courtesy FIVB) 147

1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 DOM 21 19 14 U.S. Women Sweep NORCECA Rival Dominican Republic OKAYAMA, Japan (Nov. 13, 2011) - Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a match-high 26 points as the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated NORCECA rival Dominican Republic 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 on Nov. 13 to move to 7-1 at the FIVB World Cup at Okayama, Japan.

Team USA during the playing of the National Anthem prior to its match with Dominican Republic. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

The U.S. has now earned 21 World Cup standings points and remains in second place behind undefeated and defending 2007 World Cup champion Italy (8-0, 23 points). After Dominican Republic scored the first three points of the opening set including two aces, the U.S. used an 8-1 scoring run to command an 8-4 lead and finished out the set with a 25-21 victory. Team USA rallied from a 16-14 deficit in the second set using an 8-1 scoring run to establish a 22-17 advantage and closed the set at 25-19. The U.S. controlled the third set from the start with an 8-0 scoring run leading to an 11-2 advantage and 25-14 victory. “We’re very happy with the win tonight,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “As always in this tournament, every win is critical. The Dominicans played a fantastic match yesterday and were strong again today, but I just thought our team was a little crisper and a little cleaner, and we were able to turn a few points and that helped us in the first couple of sets.” Team USA entered the match having defeating Dominican Republic three of four times in 2011, including a sweep during the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship gold-medal match that officially qualified the Americans into the FIVB World Cup. The U.S. has now won 11 of the last 13 FIVB competition matches with Dominican Republic.

Foluke Akinradewo rifles a shot past Dominican Republic during her 12-point performance. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Hooker reached her 26 points with 19 kills on 26 attacks, four blocks and three aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed 10 kills on 12 errorless attacks and two blocks for 12 points. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) charted eight points with seven kills on 12 swings and a block. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided six kills on 17 attacks, while Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) added five kills. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) rounded out the scoring with a block. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) used 38 assists to set the Americans to a 55.3 kill percent and .494 hitting efficiency (47-5-85). The U.S. held Dominican Republic to a 38.4 kill percent and .232 hitting efficiency (38-15-99). “Tonight was a very important night for us to finish this round strong going into the last round,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “We’ve played the Dominican team a lot and have a lot of respect for them. They have very physical players and we have to come out to play a tough game every time we play them. Tonight, they came out strong again and we’re really happy for our victory.”

Heather Bown hits at a sharp angle around the Dominican Republic block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) was credited with a team-high 10 digs along with 10 excellent receptions on 14 attempts. Larson added 13 excellent receptions on 23 attempts. McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Glass was a late sub in the third set. Team USA limited its errors to eight for the entire match while the Dominican Republic committed 17 errors. The U.S. built a 47-38 margin in kills. The Americans held an 8-6 block advantage and a slim 3-2 margin in aces. Team USA turned in a 56.3 excellent reception percent as a team with two errors (coming within the first three points of the match) on 48 attempts. Dominican Republic managed a 35-29 advantage in digs. Bethania De La Cruz de Pena led Dominican Republic with 14 points, while Milagros Cabral de la Cruz added 13 points in the loss.

Danielle Scott-Arruda (left) and Lindsy Berg (right) with FIVB President Jizhong Wei after the U.S. victory over Dominican Republic. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Destinee Hooker (left) and Foluke Akinradewo reject a Dominican Republic atttack. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 31 18 19 15 CHN 21 29 25 25 10 U.S. Women Hold Off China in Five-Set Thriller TOKYO, Japan (Nov. 16, 2011) - Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) scored a career-high 37 points as the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team held off China 25-21, 31-29, 18-25, 19-25, 15-10 victory on Wednesday morning in Tokyo during the FIVB World Cup final round being held at Yoyogi National Stadium. The U.S. Women grabbed a 12-7 lead in the opening set and reached a sixpoint edge at 20-14 before holding on for a 25-21 victory. Team USA trailed 17-14 in the second set and came back to win 31-29 on its third set-point opportunity after saving Chinese set points. China used a 5-1 scoring run to take a 14-8 lead in the third set en route to claiming a 25-18 victory. In the fourth set, China scored six unanswered points to assume an 18-13 lead and posted a 25-19 victory. In the tiebreaker, Hooker scored three points – two kills and a block – in a 4-0 scoring run breaking a 7-all tie as Team USA finished out the set with a 15-10 victory.

Danielle Scott-Arruda (2), Jordan Larson (11) and Megan Hodge (18) march into the arena with China. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

“I’m extremely proud of our team today,” U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “China is playing good volleyball. Their style is different than most teams here. We started well and showed poise in the second set coming from behind and again in the fifth set. “Can we play better? Yes. It’s easy to play at your best, but it’s finding a way to win when not at our best that matters.” Hooker led all scorers with 37 points on a match-high 34 attacks and 62 attacks, two blocks and one ace. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) added 16 points on 11 kills via 16 swings, three blocks and a team-high two aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) totaled 15 points on 13 kills and 23 attacks, one block and one ace. Among other U.S. scorers, Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) finished with 12 points on eight attacks, three blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) tallied nine points on seven attacks, one block and one ace. Setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu, Hawaii) scored one point with a setter dump.

Destinee Hooker (19) and Foluke Akinradewo (right) force the China attack to be altered to an awaiting Jordan Larson (left). (Photo courtesy FIVB)

Berg was credited with 53 assists helping the U.S. to a 49.3 kill percent and .380 attack efficiency (74-17-150). Meanwhile, China converted just 45.0 percent of its attacks with a .363 hitting efficiency. U.S. libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) was named the match’s most impressive player with 12 excellent receptions and nine digs. Larson led in digs with 11 while Tom and Davis both had nine. Tom led in excellent receptions with 26. “Today is all that mattered for us,” said Berg, who is the U.S. team captain. “When we went on the court, we didn’t want to think about our previous seven wins or our future games, just today.”

Nicole Davis slides in for a dig. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a sub in the second, third and fifth sets. Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.) subbed into the match in the second and third sets, while Danielle ScottArruda (Baton Rouge, La.) entered of the bench in the fourth and fifth sets. The United States out-attacked China 74-72 while holding advantages in blocks (10-8) and aces (6-3). China held a 50-40 margin in digs. China was led by Ruoqi Hui, who finished with 25 points on 22 kills, one block and two aces. “We have managed to play five sets with one of the best teams, and for us we have learned a lot,” China Head Coach Yu Juemin said. “Today we had a great game with quick offense and good serve receive. We’d like to continue this in the next two.”

The U.S. Women celebrate a hard-fought, five-set win over China to improve to 8-1 in the FIVB World Cup. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Jordan Larson attacks over the China block. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 22 25 ITA 23 15 25 21 U.S. Women Defeat Italy, Earn 2012 Olympic Games Berth TOKYO, Japan (Nov. 17, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team defeated tournament-leader Italy 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21 on Thursday to gain a 2012 Olympic Games berth during the second to last day of FIVB World Cup competition taking place at Tokyo’s Yoyogi National Stadium. With the victory, second-ranked Team USA moved into first place with a 9-1 record and 26 points. Italy falls to 9-1 with 25 points. The U.S. scored five of the last seven points of the opening set to recover from a 21-20 deficit to win 25-23. Team USA scored five unanswered points to take an 8-4 lead in the second set and cruised to a 10-point, 25-15 victory. After falling behind 4-0 in the third set, Italy rallied to tie the score at 9-all and used a 5-0 run to establish a 16-12 lead en route to a 25-22 victory after the Americans closed to one at 21-20. The U.S. trailed 13-11 in the fourth set, but a 6-0 run with three block and two aces allowed the Americans to take a 17-13 lead. After Italy closed to a single point at 20-19, the U.S. scored five of the final seven points for a 25-21 victory.

(Left) Jordan Larson attacks. (Right) Lindsey Berg sets. (Photos courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

“I’m extremely, extremely happy for our team — not just for tonight, but for the whole tournament and indeed the whole year,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “It’s been a long international season, and our team has accomplished almost all of its goals. This is a special group that we have right now. I feel a lot of gratitude to our athletes and staff for all the work they do to prepare our team. Knowing we’ve qualified for the Olympics is a wonderful feeling.” Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) led five Americans in doublefigure scoring with 24 points via 20 kills, two blocks and two aces. Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed 14 kills and a block for 15 points. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted 11 kills and two aces for 13 points, while Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) provided 12 points on eight kills, three blocks and an ace. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored 11 points on 10 kills and a block. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) rounded out the scoring with a block and ace for two points. “I just think our team is playing better volleyball than a year ago,” McCutcheon said. “I also think they are a better team than a year ago. The athletes truly care about each other, and play for each other -- just not with each other. Lindsey is a great captain, and she mentioned Logan. They want to represent their country and do it to the best of their ability. And that’s what it’s about.”

Team USA celebrates the final point against Italy to capture a berth into the 2012 Olympic Games. (Photo courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

Berg provided the U.S. with 51 assists leading to a 45.0 kill percent and .350 hitting efficiency (63-14-140). Italy converted just 42.3 percent of its attacks for a .328 hitting efficiency (58-13-137). Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) provided a team-leading 18 digs, while Larson and Tom each totaled nine digs. Larson contributed 21 excellent receptions on 34 errorless attempts, while Tom was 15 of 27 in reception. “Wow,” Berg said after the match. “First of all every time we play Italy it’s always a cat fight. They were undefeated, and we congratulate them on a great tournament. I want to give credit to Logan Tom who has been our rock in this tournament. It’s a big win for us now that we’ve qualified. But we want to win the tournament, and the journey continues for us.” McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) was a sub in all four sets, while Cynthia Barboza (Long Beach, Calif.) was a sub in the final three sets. The U.S. serve produced a 6-0 advantage in aces to counter Italy’s 9-8 margin in blocks. Team USA held a 63-58 advantage in kills, in addition to a 43-35 margin in digs. Carolina del Pilar Costagrande led Italy with 26 points, while Simona Gioli added 17 points.

The U.S. Women celebrate qualification to 2012 Olympic Games after win over Italy. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Danielle Scott-Arruda (left) with Destinee Hooker, who was named most impressive player after leading Team USA to win over Itay. (Photo courtesy Kishimoto Photos) 153

1 2 3 4 5 USA 27 23 18 JPN 29 25 25 U.S. Women End World Cup with Silver after Loss to Japan TOKYO, Japan (Nov. 18, 2011) - The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team dropped a 29-27, 25-23, 25-18 match to host Japan on Friday evening at Yoyogi National Stadium to finish with the silver medal in the FIVB World Cup. Despite the loss, the U.S. (9-2, 26 points) achieved its primary goal of 2012 Olympic Games qualification one day earlier with a win over Italy. However, Italy earned the FIVB World Cup gold medal with a 10-1 record after sweeping Kenya earlier Friday forcing the Americans to defeat Japan in either three or four sets to reach the top podium step.

Team USA lines up prior to match with Japan. (Photo courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

Along with the U.S., Italy earned a ticket to the Olympics with the gold medal with a 10-1 record and 28 points, while China took the bronze and the third Olympic Games spot. For the full FIVB World Cup schedule and tournament details, visit the U.S. Women’s tournament event page at www.usavolleyball.org/events/8883. The U.S. led 23-21 in the opening set and had four set points only to have Japan rally to win 29-27. Japan built a 20-16 lead in the second set, only have the U.S. save three set points before the host country finished the frame at 25-23. Japan used a 3-0 run to build a 15-11 lead in the third set and held on for the 25-18 victory. “Obviously today we weren’t at our best,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Japan played well, certainly in the last half of the tournament; they’ve improved. The most important thing was to gain qualification and we’ve done that. So overall our feeling is one of very strong positive emotion, but obviously tonight a very strong negative emotion, too. But we’ll move on and learn from today’s experience and hopefully learn in the future.”

(Left) Foluke Akinradewo attacks. (Right) Heather Bown attacks. (Photos courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) led the U.S. in scoring with 11 points via eight kills, two blocks and an ace. Logan Tom (Salt Lake City, Utah) added 10 points on eight kills and two blocks. Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas), the Team USA leading scorer for the tournament and who was named the tournament’s Best Spiker, was held to nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) chipped in seven points on five kills and two blocks. Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Laguna Hills, Calif.) contributed six points, while Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) each tallied four points. Danielle Scott-Arruda (Baton Rouge, La.) added one point in the loss. Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) contributed 22 assists leading to a 35.9 kill percent and .239 hitting efficiency (42-14-117). Meanwhile, Japan converted 40.6 percent of its attacks with a .304 hitting efficiency (56-14-138) Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) totaled a U.S. team-high six digs, while Larson added five digs and 11 excellent receptions on 18 errorless attempts.

(Left) Logan Tom passes. (Right) Jordan Larson attacks. (Photos courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

“Tonight obviously Japan came out to play,” said Berg, the U.S. captain. “They’re a really good team and if the other team doesn’t come out to play… We had a lost opportunity; Japan played amazing… [pauses] I’m sorry if I’m emotional here, I just care a lot. But we qualified [for the Olympics] and that’s positive. We had a great tournament, but we had missed opportunities with Germany and tonight with Japan. I just want to win and that’s why I’m here. But overall it’s been positive.” McCutcheon started Berg at setter, Tom and Larson at outside hitter, Akinradewo and Bown at middle blocker and Hooker at opposite. Davis was the designated libero for the match. The U.S. held a slim 8-6 margin in blocks, but it was not enough as Japan produced a 56-42 advantage in kills and a 4-2 edge in aces. Yukiko Ebata led Japan with a match-high 21 points, while Saori Kimura charted 16 points.

Heather Bown (7) and Jordan Larson (11) form a block against Japan. (Photo courtesy FIVB)

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Megan Hodge attacks past the double block of Japan. (Photo courtesy Kishimoto Photos) 155

U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team Earns FIVB World Cup Silver Medal Best Spiker: Destinee Hooker (USA)

Photos courtesy FIVB

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Destinee Hooker was awarded the Best Spiker award during the FIVB World Cup. (Photo courtesy Kishimoto Photos)

Destinee Hooker was named FIVB World Cup Best Spiker with a 49.5 attack percent (158 kills on 319 attempts)…Ranked third in Best Scorer with 185 points, despite only playing in 10 of the 11 matches of the World Cup… Scored a career-high 39 points in victory over China on Nov. 16, including 36 kills on 67 attacks, two blocks and an ace…Scored 27 points in victory over eventual World Cup champion Italy, and the victory qualified the U.S. into Olympic Games…For 11-match tournament, she held set averages of 5.91 points, 5.13 kills, 0.44 blocks, 0.34 aces (ranked ninth in tournament) and 0.88 digs. 157

2011 U.S. Women's National Team Player of the Year Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) has been named the USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year for 2011. Berg played in 90 sets during the 2011 season with 27 match starts in three tournaments played. She averaged 8.48 assists per set while the U.S. converted 45.4 percent of its attack in her three tournaments with a .342 hitting efficiency. Further, Berg averaged 1.38 digs, 0.13 blocks and 0.12 aces per set while scoring 35 points.

Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) said. “Her commitment to the Team and her skill, competitive drive, and leadership were huge for us.” Berg started 12 of 14 matches during the FIVB World Grand Prix leading to a second consecutive gold medal in the tournament. She aided the team to a .293 team hitting efficiency with 7.57 assists per set average during the World Grand Prix. Berg added 78 digs (1.86 per set), eight blocks (0.19 per set) and seven aces (0.17 per set) during the World Grand Prix. During the gold-medal match of the World Grand Prix, Berg set the U.S. to a .302 hitting efficiency versus then-No. 1 Brazil.

“I am honored to once again receive the USA Volleyball Female Athlete of the Year,” Berg said. “To be selected out of not only the whole World Cup team, but also among all of the athletes that have been Lindsey Berg in and out of the gym this summer is a huge honor. Day 2011 USA Volleyball Indoor Female in and day out we dedicate Athlete of the Year ourselves to being better volleyball players and teammates. This summer I dedicated it to being the best I could and bringing out the best in others. I hope I accomplished that and can continue it going into the London 2012 Olympics.” Berg also moved into the captain’s role by the end of the year. Over the course of her three tournaments, the U.S. Women’s National Team won the gold medal at the FIVB World Grand Prix and the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, followed by the silver medal at the seasonending FIVB World Cup to secure a spot into the 2012 Olympic Games. “Lindsey had a great 2011 season – both on and off the court,” U.S.

Berg was selected as the Best Setter during the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship held Sept. 11-17 in Puerto Rico. She provided 7.07 assists per set leading to a .364 team hitting efficiency and goldmedal finish to qualify Team USA into the 2011 FIVB World Cup. In the NORCECA gold-medal match, Berg charted 29 assists as the U.S. tallied a .342 hitting efficiency in a three-set win over Dominican Republic. Team USA did not lose a single set during the NORCECA championship with Berg starting all five matches. Berg ranked third in Best Setter at the FIVB World Cup as she averaged 10.27 assists per set, helping her squad to the silver medal with a .368 team hitting efficiency and 46.5 kill percent. She started 10 of 11 matches during the World Cup, playing 33 of a possible 37 sets. During the World Cup opening four-set win over Brazil, Berg totaled 53 assists, two kills and an ace as the U.S. charted a .294 hitting efficiency. She followed with a 39-assist performance in a three-set win over World Grand Prix bronze medalist Serbia. Berg contributed 51 assists in a four-set win over Italy that solidified Team USA’s spot into the 2012 Olympic Games. The U.S. Women’s National Team finished 2011 with a 39-10 record. At season’s end, Team USA replaced Brazil as the top-ranked team in the FIVB world ranking. Berg also earned the USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year in 2008, which culminated with the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games.

Copyrighted by USA Volleyball

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U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 Montreux Volley Masters Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics

Name Sets Kills

Kills/ Set

Kill PCT

Attack Errors

Total Attack

Crimes 12 14 1.17 48.3 4 29 Haneef-Park 21 57 2.71 40.4 27 141 Forsett 9 23 2.56 50.0 5 46 Miyashiro 0 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 Davis 22 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 Alisha Glass 15 2 0.13 28.6 3 7 Tamas 22 40 1.82 54.1 7 74 Kim Glass 18 53 2.94 44.2 20 120 Larson 20 32 1.60 34.4 14 93 Harmotto 11 15 1.36 46.9 8 32 Fawcett 12 33 2.75 41.3 12 80 Akinradewo 0 0 0.00 0.00 0 0 Spicer 20 6 0.30 75.0 1 8 Richards 15 18 1.20 25.0 14 72 TEAM 22 293 13.32 41.6 116 704 Opponent 22 276 12.55 37.1 114 744

Attack Eff. Aces

Aces/ Set Blocks

.345 5 0.42 5 .213 5 0.24 13 .391 0 0.00 8 .000 0 0.00 0 .000 0 0.00 0 -.143 1 0.07 5 .446 3 0.14 4 .275 3 0.17 8 .194 2 0.10 9 .219 1 0.09 7 .263 1 0.08 2 .000 0 0.00 0 .625 1 0.05 2 .056 2 0.13 1 .251 24 1.09 64 .218 23 1.05 55

Montreux Volley Masters Pool A June 7: USA def. Peru 25-7, 24-26, 25-11, 25-19 June 9: USA def. Germany 25-19, 22-25, 2-23, 15-25, 16-14 June 10: China def. USA 25-27, 25-14, 19-25, 25-21, 15-11

Montreux Volley Masters Semifinal June 11: Cuba def. USA 25-18, 25-22, 17-25, 26-24

Montreux Volley Masters Bronze Medal June 12: China def. USA 16-25, 25-13, 29-27, 25-23

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Blocks/ Sets Digs

0.42 0.62 0.89 0.00 0.00 0.33 0.18 0.44 0.45 0.64 0.07 0.00 0.10 0.07 2.91 2.50

Digs/ Set Points

12 1.00 24 49 2.33 75 17 1.89 31 0 0.00 0 98 4.45 0 27 1.80 8 14 0.64 47 44 2.44 64 37 1.85 43 6 0.55 23 19 1.58 36 0 0.00 0 25 1.25 9 41 2.73 21 389 17.68 381 87 3.95 354

Points/ Set

2.00 3.57 3.44 0.00 0.00 0.53 2.14 3.56 2.15 2.09 3.00 0.00 0.45 1.40 17.32 16.09

U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 Pan American Cup Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics

Name Sets Kills

Kills/ Set

Kill PCT

Attack Errors

Total Attack

Attack Eff. Aces

Aces/ Set Blocks

Alisha Glass 25 3 0.12 30.0 1 10 .200 1 0.04 7 Forsett 5 6 1.20 35.3 2 17 .235 0 0.00 2 Davis 27 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 .000 0 0.00 0 Tamas 27 41 1.52 54.7 6 75 .467 5 0.19 13 Kim Glass 19 16 0.84 43.2 3 37 .351 5 0.26 0 Larson 23 60 2.61 36.6 21 164 .238 5 0.22 9 Metcalf 14 33 2.36 63.5 5 52 .538 3 0.21 5 Harmotto 6 13 2.17 61.9 2 21 .524 0 0.00 3 Fawcett 21 46 2.19 34.3 22 134 .179 2 0.10 18 Akinradewo 22 56 2.55 54.9 5 102 .500 3 0.14 17 Spicer 15 1 0.07 33.3 1 3 .000 6 0.40 0 Hodge 21 77 3.67 45.0 28 171 .287 2 0.10 6 TEAM 27 352 13.04 44.7 96 787 .325 32 1.19 80 Opponent 27 295 10.93 35.0 169 842 .150 14 0.52 48

Pan American Cup Pool B July 1: USA def. Peru 25-20, 25-14, 25-14 July 2: USA def. Puerto Rico 25-17, 25-17, 25-17 July 3: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-11, 25-17, 25-18 July 4: USA def. Costa Rica 25-20, 25-10, 25-8 July 5: Brazil def. USA 28-30, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11

Pan American Cup Quarterfinal July 7: USA def. Argentina 25-13, 25-14, 25-19

Pan American Cup Semifinal July 8: Dominican Republic def. USA 21-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21

Pan American Cup Bronze Medal July 9: USA def. Cuba 25-21, 25-16, 25-13

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Blocks/ Sets Digs

0.28 0.40 0.00 0.48 0.00 0.39 0.36 0.50 0.86 0.77 0.00 0.29 2.96 1.78

Digs/ Set Points

Points/ Set

48 1.92 11 0.44 6 1.20 8 1.60 65 2.41 0 0.00 11 0.41 59 2.19 7 0.37 21 1.11 42 1.83 74 3.22 16 1.14 41 2.93 1 0.17 16 2.67 18 0.86 66 3.14 6 0.27 76 3.45 8 0.53 7 0.47 31 1.48 85 4.05 258 9.56 464 17.19 220 8.15 357 13.22

U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics Name Sets Kills Richards 0 0 Berg 42 7 Miyashiro 13 0 Davis 46 1 Bown 42 73 Alisha Glass 19 1 Tamas 7 8 Kim Glass 15 7 Larson 42 90 Metcalf 10 13 Harmotto 3 10 Tom 34 80 Akinradewo 44 94 Hodge 22 63 Hooker 45 203 TEAM 48 651 Opponent 48 596

Kills/ Set 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.02 1.74 0.05 1.14 0.47 2.14 1.30 3.33 2.35 2.14 2.86 4.51 13.56 12.42

Kill PCT 0.0 36.8 0.0 100.0 48.7 50.0 36.4 46.7 29.9 46.4 76.9 37.6 48.2 44.7 44.5 41.0 35.5

Attack Errors 0 5 0 0 20 0 4 3 33 3 0 34 16 21 40 185 280

Total Attack 0 19 0 1 150 2 22 15 301 28 13 213 195 141 456 1,589 1,681

Attack Eff. Aces .000 0 .105 7 .000 0 1.000 0 .353 9 .500 0 .182 1 .267 1 .189 20 .357 0 .769 1 .216 17 .400 13 .298 9 .357 9 .293 89 .188 31

FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds Aug. 5: USA def. Serbia 25-22, 25-20, 23-25, 20-25, 15-10 Aug. 6: USA def. Kazakhstan 25-15, 25-21, 25-12 Aug. 7: USA def. China 25-20, 25-17, 25-16 Aug. 12: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-22, 25-22, 25-10 Aug. 13: USA def. Japan 25-22, 25-14, 25-18 Aug. 14: Serbia def. USA 25-12, 17-25, 25-23, 25-15 Aug. 19: USA def. Germany 25-10, 25-18, 25-23 Aug. 20: USA def. Italy 25-23, 25-19, 25-18 Aug. 21: USA def. Peru 25-13, 25-18, 25-15 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Pool B Aug. 24: USA def. Japan 25-22, 25-17, 25-23 Aug. 25: USA def. vs. Italy 25-19, 21-25, 22-25, 25-22, 15-10 Aug. 26: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 FIVB World Grand Prix Semifinals Aug. 27: USA def. Serbia 25-22, 25-20, 25-21 FIVB World Grand Prix Gold-Medal Match Aug. 28: USA def. Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21

161

Aces/ Set Blocks 0.00 0 0.17 8 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.21 22 0.00 2 0.14 3 0.07 3 0.48 18 0.00 3 0.33 1 0.50 12 0.30 40 0.41 10 0.20 22 1.85 144 0.65 74

Blocks/ Sets Digs 0.00 0 0.19 78 0.00 14 0.00 128 0.52 21 0.11 15 0.43 4 0.20 11 0.43 81 0.30 6 0.33 2 0.35 84 0.91 25 0.45 34 0.49 71 3.00 574 1.54 541

Digs/ Set Points 0.00 0 1.86 22 1.08 0 2.84 1 0.50 104 0.79 3 0.57 12 0.73 11 1.93 128 0.60 16 0.67 12 2.47 109 0.57 147 1.55 82 1.58 234 11.96 884 11.27 701

Points/ Set 0.00 0.52 0.00 0.02 2.48 0.16 1.71 0.73 3.05 1.60 4.00 3.21 3.34 3.73 5.20 18.42 14.60

U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 NORCECA Women's Continental Championship Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics

Kills/ Kill Attack Total Attack Aces/ Blocks/ Digs/ Points/ Name Sets Kills Set PCT Errors Attack Eff. Aces Set Blocks Sets Digs Set Points Set Berg 15 1 0.07 20.0 1 5 .000 1 0.07 2 0.13 20 1.33 4 0.27 Davis 15 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 .000 0 0.00 0 0.00 35 2.33 0 0.00 Bown 13 20 1.54 52.6 5 38 .395 2 0.15 5 0.38 3 0.23 27 2.08 Alisha Glass 9 1 0.11 100.0 0 1 1.000 0 0.00 0 0.00 2 0.22 1 0.11 Tamas 2 4 2.00 50.0 1 8 .375 0 0.00 2 1.00 3 1.50 6 3.00 Kim Glass 4 4 1.00 44.4 0 9 .444 1 0.25 0 0.00 2 0.50 5 1.25 Larson 14 39 2.79 49.4 10 79 .367 5 0.36 8 0.57 14 1.00 52 3.71 Metcalf 2 2 1.00 50.0 0 4 .500 0 0.00 0 0.00 1 0.50 2 1.00 Tom 14 29 2.07 43.3 11 67 .269 12 0.86 3 0.21 18 1.29 44 3.14 Akinradewo 15 27 1.80 51.9 8 52 .365 2 0.13 12 0.80 5 1.25 41 2.73 Hodge 4 11 2.75 57.9 1 19 .526 0 0.00 0 0.00 5 1.25 11 2.75 Hooker 15 64 4.27 50.8 15 126 .389 6 0.40 6 0.40 25 1.67 76 5.07 TEAM 15 202 13.47 49.4 53 409 .364 29 1.93 38 2.53 134 8.93 269 17.93 Opponent 15 165 11.00 36.2 92 456 .160 3 0.20 24 1.60 111 7.40 192 12.80 Pool A Sept. 12: Puerto Rico def. Costa Rica 25-8, 25-12, 25-10 (Match 3) Sept. 13: Mexico def. Costa Rica 25-21, 21-25, 25-11, 25-17 (Match 4) Sept. 14: Puerto Rico def. Mexico 25-16, 25-18, 28-26 (Match 9) Pool B Sept. 12: Canada def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-15, 28-30, 25-22, 25-11 (Match 2) Sept. 13: USA def. Canada 25-19, 25-19, 25-23 (Match 6) Sept. 14: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago 25-14, 25-16, 25-11 (Match 7) Pool C Sept. 12: Dominican Republic def. Panama, 25-12, 25-10, 25-15 (Match 1) Sept. 13: Cuba def. Panama 25-13, 25-15, 25-7 (Match 5) Sept. 14: Cuba def. Dominican Republic 25-15, 29-27, 25-22 (Match 8) Classification 7-9 Sept. 15: Costa Rica def. Panama 25-21, 25-17, 21-25, 25-19 (Match 10) Quarterfinals Sept. 15: USA def. Mexico 25-11, 25-8, 25-19 (Match 12) Sept. 15: Dominican Republic def. Canada 25-17, 25-22, 25-21 (Match 11) Final Classification 7-8 Sept. 16: Trinidad & Tobago def. Costa Rica 26-24, 25-21, 25-12 (Match 13) Semifinals Sept. 16: USA def. Cuba 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 (Match 14) Sept. 16: Dominican Republic def. Puerto Rico 25-16, 25-23, 25-22 (Match 15) Final Classification 5-6 Sept. 17: Mexico def. Canada 22-25, 25-23, 25-18, 25-22 (Match 16) Medal Matches Sept. 17: Cuba def. Puerto Rico 25-20, 25-15, 25-21 (Bronze) Sept. 17: USA def. Dominican Republic 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 (Gold)

162

U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 Pan American Games Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics

Name Sets Kills

Kills/ Set

Kill PCT

Attack Errors

Total Attack

Attack Eff. Aces

Aces/ Set Blocks

Banwarth 12 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 .000 1 0.08 0 Burdine 1 3 3.00 37.5 2 8 .125 0 0.00 1 Forsett 12 34 2.83 33.3 13 102 .206 1 0.08 12 Miyashiro 17 0 0.00 0.0 0 0 .000 0 0.00 0 Barboza 16 62 3.88 38.8 18 160 .275 0 0.00 6 Gibbemeyer 17 36 2.12 54.5 8 66 .424 0 0.00 24 Hood 4 8 2.00 44.4 4 18 .222 0 0.00 1 Klineman 6 24 4.00 37.5 13 64 .172 2 0.33 3 Lichtman 16 29 1.81 34.9 12 83 .205 4 0.25 7 Lloyd 12 6 0.50 66.7 0 9 .667 2 0.17 6 Thompson 10 2 0.20 100.0 0 2 1.000 5 0.50 3 Jones 17 24 1.41 47.1 5 51 .373 1 0.06 20 TEAM 17 228 13.41 40.4 75 564 .271 16 0.94 83 Opponent 17 224 13.18 37.8 129 593 .160 10 0.59 35

Pan American Games Preliminary Rounds Oct. 15: USA def. Puerto Rico 25-17, 25-18, 25-14 Oct. 16: USA def. Peru 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 Oct. 17: USA def. Mexico 25-14, 25-16, 31-29

Pan American Games Semifinal Round Oct. 19: Cuba def. USA 25-17, 25-16, 25-27, 25-21

Pan American Games Bronze-Medal Match Oct. 20: USA def. Dominican Republic 23-25, 25-16, 25-20, 25-19

163

Blocks/ Sets Digs

0.00 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.38 1.41 0.25 0.50 0.44 0.50 0.30 1.18 4.88 2.06

Digs/ Set Points

Points/ Set

1 0.08 1 0.08 0 0.00 4 4.00 16 1.33 47 3.92 40 2.35 0 0.00 18 1.13 68 4.25 5 0.29 60 3.53 0 0.00 9 2.25 5 0.83 29 4.83 26 1.63 40 2.50 4 0.33 14 1.17 9 0.90 10 1.00 1 0.06 45 2.65 125 7.35 327 19.24 118 6.94 269 15.82

U.S. Women's National Team Stats 2011 FIVB World Cup Compiled with Unofficial DataVolley Statistics

Name Sets Kills

Alisha Glass Scott-Arruda Haneef-Park Berg Davis Bown Barboza Tamas Larson Miyashiro Tom Akinradewo Hodge Hooker TEAM Opponent

20 21 14 33 34 30 16 3 30 3 33 31 12 32 37 37

1 27 29 4 0 53 7 2 76 0 73 82 33 164 553 495

Kills/ Set

0.05 1.29 2.07 0.12 0.00 1.77 0.44 0.67 2.53 0.00 2.21 2.65 2.75 5.13 14.95 13.38

Kill PCT

33.3 51.9 52.7 33.3 0.0 55.2 28.0 40.0 36.9 0.0 38.6 59.0 51.6 49.4 46.5 38.9

Attack Errors

1 1 9 2 0 13 1 1 21 0 22 11 7 25 115 196

Total Attack

3 52 55 12 0 96 25 5 206 0 189 139 64 332 1,190 1,274

Attack Eff. Aces

.000 .500 .364 .167 .000 .417 .240 .200 .267 .000 .270 .511 .406 .419 .368 .235

0 1 6 3 0 6 1 0 7 0 8 5 6 11 54 20

Nov. 4: def. Brazil 25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19 (at Nagano, Japan) Nov. 5: def. Serbia 25-16, 27-25, 25-20 (at Nagano, Japan) Nov. 6: def. Korea 25-10, 25-12, 25-13 (at Nagano, Japan) Nov. 8: def. Kenya 25-16, 25-13, 25-21 (at Toyama, Japan) Nov. 9: lost to Germany 30-32, 19-25, 24-26 (at Toyama, Japan) Nov. 11: def. Argentina 25-12, 25-15, 25-19 (at Okayama, Japan) Nov. 12: def. Algeria 25-12, 25-12, 25-9 (at Okayama, Japan) Nov. 13: def. Dominican Republic 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 (at Okayama, Japan) Nov. 16: def. China 25-21, 31-29, 18-25, 19-25, 15-10 (at Tokyo, Japan) Nov. 17: def. Italy 25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 25-21 (at Tokyo, Japan) Nov. 18: lost to Japan 27-29, 23-25, 18-25 (at Tokyo, Japan)

164

Aces/ Set Blocks

0.00 0.05 0.43 0.09 0.00 0.20 0.06 0.00 0.23 0.00 0.24 0.16 0.50 0.34 1.46 0.54

2 6 5 2 0 21 0 0 10 0 13 25 6 14 106 50

Blocks/ Sets Digs

0.10 0.29 0.36 0.06 0.00 0.70 0.00 0.00 0.33 0.00 0.39 0.81 0.50 0.44 2.86 1.35

5 0 4 26 103 5 8 0 51 2 56 4 15 28 279 342

Digs/ Set Points

0.25 0.00 0.29 0.79 3.03 0.17 0.50 0.00 1.70 0.67 1.70 0.13 1.25 0.88 7.54 9.24

3 34 40 9 0 80 8 2 93 0 94 112 45 189 713 565

Points/ Set

0.15 1.62 2.86 0.27 0.00 2.67 0.50 0.67 3.10 0.00 2.85 3.61 3.75 5.91 19.27 15.27

Volleyball Glossary Bagel - winning a game 25-0.

Pancake - a one-handed floor defensive technique where the hand is extended and slid along the floor, palm down, and the ball rebounds off the back of the hand, rather than the floor.

Block - an attempt by a player or players to interrupt the ball before, as or just after it crosses the net.

Pass - the first of three contacts on the offensive side - overhead or forearm.

Bump (Pass) - technique of playing the ball using forearms, hands together, to direct the ball.

Perimeter Defense - backrow defenders work in the area a meter in from the backline and sidelines up to the three-meter line.

Bump (Set) - a forearm pass used as a set.

Pipe - a ball set in the middle of the court, on the three-meter line, for a backrow player to hit.

Ace - a served ball that directly results in a point.

Carry - a fault called if the ball comes to rest in the course of contact by one player. Chickenwing - a last-ditch way to dig a ball using your elbow and a bent arm. Court - the playing surface divided into two equal areas by a net. In its official form, volleyball is played on a rectangular court 18 meters (59 feet 0.75 inches) long and 9 meters (29 feet 6.475 inches) wide; the women’s net placed at 2.24 meters (7 feet 4.125 inches) high and the men’s net at 2.44 meters (8 feet) high. Coverage - most often, refers to backing up a teammate’s hit when the block is up and the ball comes back. Cross Court/Cut Shot - an offensive hit when a player, instead of hitting with power, slices the ball just over and nearly parallel to the net. Dig Lips - defending more than once and successfully an opponent’s hard spike as if the attacker was saying beforehand where the hit was going and you read their lips. Dig - to pass a very hard hit spike; a ball brought up (saved) with any part of the body, particularly from a spike attempt. Dink - a very softly-hit spike; ball played just over the net or the blockers hands. Down-Referee - secondary referee. He/she stands on the floor at the opposite end of the net as the up-referee. Also known as the second official.

Quick - the first of the three attack options. The attacker contacts the ball immediately after it is released from the setter’s hands. Red card - a severe sanction given by the up-referee. Roof - to block a spike, usually straight down and for a point. Screening - an attempt by a player to conceal the start of a teammate’s serve by obstructing an opponent’s line of sight. Screening is illegal. Seams - the space between the blockers and between back-court defenders. Set – the act of getting the ball into the position for the hitters to attack the ball. Usually done overhead with two hands. Setter – the team quarterback. Attempts to “set” every second contact for his/her hitters to attack. Serve - the act of putting the ball into play. Shank - to pass the ball badly. Six Pack - another term for getting a spiked ball in the face on defense. A “Twelve Pack” actually knocks down the defender. In the past the defender was then obligated to buy the spiker a six pack of his/her desired beverage (roots are found in doubles sand play). Sizzle the Pits - a spike that goes under, and past, the armpits of a big block.

Dump - when the setter, instead of setting the hitters, attacks the ball over the net.

Slide - a movement from an attacker’s serve receive position past another into a third; usually the ball is hit while “sliding out” towards the sideline.

Facial Disgracial - a spike that hits the opposing blocker or floor defender in the face.

Spiked Ball - a ball hit forcibly from a height not less than the top of the net. Also known as a bury, crush, hammer, kill, put-away or slam.

Foot fault - stepping on the court or out of bounds before serving the ball.

Stuff - a block in which the ball goes straight down to the floor with no hope of being picked up by an opposing player.

Free Ball - a ball the opponent cannot attack and must yield by passing over the net.

Tool - when a ball is intentionally spiked off a blocker’s hands to make it go out of bounds.

Husband and Wife - when a serve drops untouched between two receivers who fail to move.

Touch - when the ball lands out of bounds, but not before contacting one of the players.

Joust - when two players on opposing sides attempt to block the ball by vying to push it onto each other’s side of the net.

Up-referee - the main referee. He/she stands upon a special chair. Also known as the first referee.

Kill - an attack that results in an immediate point.

Yellow card - a first sanction given by the up-referee, cost the sanctioned team a point.

Paint Brush - a wipe off shot by the spiker (painter) on a blocker.

165

2010 U.S. Women's National Team Rosters 2010 U.S. Women’s National Team for Exhibition vs. Evergrande # Name Pos Ht Hometown College 1 Bryn Kehoe S 5-10 North Bend, Ohio Stanford 2 Cheryl Weaver MB 6-2 Washington, D.C. Long Beach State 4 Angie Pressey OH 5-8 Lake Mary, Fla. California 5 Jessica Fine L 5-6 Tarzana, Calif. UCLA 6 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. Penn State 7 Tama Miyashiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii Washington 8 Katie Kimmich OH 6-4 Lakeside, Calif. Pepperdine 10 Mekana Barnes MB 6-0 Highlands Ranch, Colo. Colorado State 11 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. Penn State 13 Ellen Herman OH 6-1 Toledo, Ohio Ohio 14 Heather Hughes OH 6-2 Fallbrook, Calif. Loyola Marymount 16 Tracy Stalls MB 6-4 Denver, Colo. Nebraska 18 Jill Collymore OH 5-10 Bellevue, Wash. Washington Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator/Team Leader: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)

2010 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Montreux Volley Masters # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Ogonna Nnamani OH 6-1 Bloomington, Ill. 2 Kristin Richards OH 6-1 Orem, Utah 3 Christa Harmotto MB 6-2 Aliquippa, Pa. 4 Angie Pressey OH 5-8 Lake Mary, Fla. 5 Tamari Miyashiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Jill Collymore OPP 5-10 Seattle, Wash. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 13 Alexis Crimes MB 6-3 Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. 14 Nicole Fawcett OPP 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio 15 Courtney Thompson S 5-8 Kent, Wash. 17 Nellie Spicer S 5-9 Barrington, Ill. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Technical Coordinator: Jennifer Hirneisen Team Leader: Jim McLaughlin Team Doctor: Dr. William Stetson

2010 U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Pan American Cup # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Ogonna Nnamani OPP 6-1 Bloomington, Ill. 2 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 3 Christa Harmotto MB 6-2 Aliquippa, Pa. 5 Stacy Sykora L 5-10 Burleson, Texas 6 Tamari Miyashiro L 5-7 Kaneohe, Hawaii 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 12 Nancy Metcalf OPP 6-1 Hull, Iowa 15 Courtney Thompson S 5-8 Kent, Wash. 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison Team Leader: Mary Wise International Referee: Julie Voeck

College Stanford Stanford Penn State California Washington Southern California Washington Stanford Pacific Long Beach State Penn State Washington UCLA Penn State

College Stanford Penn State Penn State Texas A&M Washington Hawaii Stanford Nebraska Nebraska Washington Stanford Penn State

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Grand Prix # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Ogonna Nnamani OPP 6-1 Bloomington, Ill. 2 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 5 Stacy Sykora L 5-10 Burleson, Texas 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 14 Nicole Fawcett OPP 6-4 Zanesfield, Ohio 15 Logan Tom OH 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 17 Nellie Spicer S 5-9 Barrington, Ill. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. 19 Destinee Hooker OPP 6-4 San Antonio, Texas Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Jim Stone (Columbus, Ohio) Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Leader for Poland/Thailand: Reed Sunahara (Cincinnati, Ohio) Team Leader for Hong Kong/Ningbo: Laurel Iversen (Kalaheo, Hawaii)

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for Tour of Brazil # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Ogonna Nnamani OPP 6-1 Bloomington, Ill. 2 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 5 Stacy Sykora L 5-10 Burleson, Texas 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 10 Kim Glass OH 6-2 Lancaster, Pa. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 12 Nancy Metcalf OPP 6-1 Hull, Iowa 13 Lauren Paolini MB 6-4 Ann Arbor, Mich. 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 17 Nellie Spicer S 5-9 Barrington, Ill. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. 19 Destinee Hooker OPP 6-4 San Antonio, Texas Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Technical Coordinator: Chelsea Nitta Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) International Referee: Hansen Leong

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship # Name Pos Ht Hometown 1 Ogonna Nnamani OPP 6-1 Bloomington, Ill. 2 Alisha Glass S 6-0 Leland, Mich. 4 Lindsey Berg S 5-8 Honolulu, Hawaii 5 Stacy Sykora L 5-10 Burleson, Texas 6 Nicole Davis L 5-4 Stockton, Calif. 7 Heather Bown MB 6-3 Yorba Linda, Calif. 8 Cynthia Barboza OH 6-0 Long Beach, Calif. 9 Jennifer Tamas MB 6-4 Milpitas, Calif. 11 Jordan Larson OH 6-2 Hooper, Neb. 12 Nancy Metcalf OPP 6-1 Hull, Iowa 15 Logan Tom OH 6-1 Salt Lake City, Utah 16 Foluke Akinradewo MB 6-3 Plantation, Fla. 18 Megan Hodge OH 6-3 Durham, N.C. 19 Destinee Hooker OPP 6-4 San Antonio, Texas Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.) Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.) Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.) Team Doctor: Dr. William Briner Team Manager: Ken Sullivan

166

College Stanford Penn State Texas A&M Southern California Hawaii Stanford Pacific Nebraska Penn State Stanford Stanford UCLA Penn State Texas

College Stanford Penn State Texas A&M Southern California Hawaii Stanford Pacific Arizona Nebraska Nebraska Texas Stanford UCLA Penn State Texas

College Stanford Penn State Minnesota Texas A&M Southern California Hawaii Stanford Pacific Nebraska Nebraska Stanford Stanford Penn State Texas

2010 U.S. Women's National Team Stats Name Sets Kills Foluke Akinradewo 120 257 Cynthia Barboza 94 93 Mekana Barnes 6 6 Heather Bown 110 209 Jill Collymore 11 28 Alexis Crimes 1 0 Nicole Davis 32 0 Nicole Fawcett 14 10 Jessica Fine 6 0 Alisha Glass 129 46 Kim Glass 7 8 Christa Harmotto 25 51 Ellen Herman 4 9 Megan Hodge 75 252 Destinee Hooker 97 398 Heather Hughes 6 23 Bryn Kehoe 4 4 Katie Kimmich 5 10 Jordan Larson 129 281 Nancy Metcalf 29 48 Tamari Miyashiro 25 0 Ogonna Nnamani 54 97 Lauren Paolini 5 3 Angie Pressey 8 8 Kristin Richards 5 2 Nellie Spicer 36 6 Tracy Stalls 9 12 Stacy Sykora 115 0 Jennifer Tamas 41 71 Courtney Thompson 27 0 Logan Tom 79 239 Cheryl Weaver 9 22 TEAM 160 2,199 Opponent 160 2,068

Kills/ Set 2.14 0.99 1.00 1.90 2.55 0.00 0.00 0.71 0.00 0.36 1.14 2.04 2.25 3.36 4.10 3.83 1.00 2.00 2.18 1.66 0.00 1.80 0.60 1.00 0.40 0.17 1.33 0.00 1.73 0.00 3.03 2.44 13.74 12.93

Kill PCT 51.4 32.7 50.0 50.0 53.8 0.0 0.0 35.7 0.0 52.3 25.0 56.7 36.0 39.4 42.6 42.6 57.1 31.3 34.3 35.0 0.0 39.9 30.0 23.5 18.2 60.0 54.5 0.0 57.3 0.0 37.5 56.4 41.4 36.8

Attack Errors 50 29 3 55 10 0 0 9 0 7 7 8 6 93 101 13 0 4 84 20 0 40 4 8 2 2 2 0 12 1 97 5 665 1,008

Total Attack 500 284 12 418 52 1 0 28 0 88 32 90 25 639 935 54 7 32 820 137 0 243 10 34 11 10 22 0 124 1 637 39 5,306 5,625

Hitting Eff. .414 .225 .250 .368 .346 .000 .000 .036 .000 .443 .031 .478 .120 .249 .318 .185 .571 .188 .240 .204 .000 .235 -.100 .000 .000 .400 .455 .000 .476 -1.00 .223 .436 .289 .188

Service Aces 12 4 3 21 2 0 0 1 0 11 1 0 1 10 21 0 2 1 26 2 0 3 3 1 1 4 4 0 4 6 18 0 164 142

Aces/ Set 0.10 0.04 0.50 0.19 0.18 0.00 0.00 0.07 0.00 0.09 0.14 0.00 0.25 0.13 0.22 0.00 0.50 0.20 0.20 0.07 0.00 0.06 0.60 0.13 0.00 0.11 0.44 0.00 0.10 0.22 0.23 0.00 1.03 0.89

Stuff Blocks 107 8 5 81 5 0 0 0 0 44 0 11 2 32 64 1 0 0 65 15 0 31 1 4 1 5 5 0 23 1 29 8 549 272

Blocks/ Sets Points 0.89 376 0.09 105 0.83 14 0.74 311 0.45 35 0.00 0 0.00 0 0.00 11 0.00 0 0.34 101 0.00 9 0.44 62 0.50 12 0.43 294 0.66 483 0.17 24 0.00 6 0.00 11 0.50 372 0.52 65 0.00 0 0.57 131 0.20 7 0.50 13 0.20 4 0.14 15 0.56 21 0.00 0 0.56 98 0.04 7 0.37 286 0.89 30 3.43 2,912 1.70 2,482

Points Set 3.13 1.12 2.33 2.83 3.18 0.00 0.00 0.79 0.00 0.78 1.29 2.48 3.00 3.92 4.98 4.00 1.50 2.20 2.88 2.24 0.00 2.43 1.40 1.63 0.80 0.42 2.33 0.00 2.39 0.26 3.62 3.33 18.20 15.51

2010 U.S. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Team Results (28-13) China Tour (at Guangzho, China) Jan. 30: def. Hong Kong 4-0 (scrimmage) Jan. 31: lost to Evergrande 1-3 (scrimmage) Feb. 2: lost to Evergrande 0-3 (Exhibition) Montreux VolleyMasters (Switzerland) June 8: def. Japan 3-0 June 9: def. Germany 3-1 June 11: lost to Russia 1-3 June 12: def. Cuba 3-0 (semifinal) June 13: lost to China 1-3 (final) Pan American Cup (Mexico) June 18: def. Peru 3-0 June 19: def. Puerto Rico 3-0 June 20: def. Trinidad & Tobago 3-0 June 21: def. Costa Rica 3-0 June 22: def. Mexico 3-0 June 25: lost to Dominican Republic 1-3 (semifinal) June 26: def. Cuba 3-0 (Bronze Medal) FIVB World Grand Prix Aug. 6: def. Dominican Republic 3-1 (Pool B at Poland) Aug. 7: lost to Germany 1-3 (Pool B at Poland) Aug. 8: lost to Poland 1-3 (Pool B at Poland) Aug. 13: def. Italy 3-1 (Pool D at Thailand) Aug. 14: def. Thailand 3-0 (Pool D at Thailand) Aug. 15: def. Puerto Rico 3-1 (Pool D at Thailand) Aug. 20: def. Germany 3-0 (Pool G at Hong Kong) Aug. 21: def. Thailand 3-0 (Pool G at Hong Kong) Aug. 22: def. China 3-1 (Pool G at Hong Kong) Aug. 25: def. Poland 3-2 (Final Round at Ningbo, China Aug. 26: def. Italy 3-0 (Final Round at Ningbo, China) Aug. 27: def. Brazil 3-2 (Final Round at Ningbo, China) Aug. 28: def. China 3-0 (Final Round at Ningbo, China) Aug. 29: def. Japan 3-0 (Final Round at Ningbo, China) Brazil Tour Sept. 25: lost to Brazil 2-3 Sept. 26: lost to Brazil 2-3 Sept. 28: lost to Brazil 0-3 Sept. 29: lost to Brazil 1-3 FIVB World Championship Oct. 29: def. Thailand 3-1 (1st round) Oct. 30: def. Croatia 3-0 (1st round) Oct. 31: def. Germany 3-0 (1st round) Nov. 2: def. Kazakhstan 3-0 (1st round) Nov. 3: def. Cuba 3-1 (1st round) Nov. 6: def. Czech Republic 3-0 (2nd round) Nov. 7: lost to Italy 1-3 (2nd round) Nov. 9: def. Netherlands 3-0 (2nd round) Nov. 10: lost to Brazil 1-3 (2nd round) Nov. 13: lost to Russia 1-3 (semifinal) Nov. 14: lost to Japan 2-3 (bronze match)

Extra Stats Digs on China Tour: Miyashiro 28 (4.00); Hodge 21 (3.00); Pressey 21 (3.00); Hughes 14 (2.33); Herman 9 (2.25); A. Glass 13 (1.86); Fine 11 (1.83); Kehoe 7 (1.75); Kimmich 3 (0.60); Barnes 3 (0.50); Stalls 4 (0.44); Weaver 3 (0.33). USA Totals: 119 (10.82). China Opponent Totals: 92 (8.36). Digs at Montreux: Davis 80 (4.44); Barboza 29 (1.81); Hodge 30 (1.67); Spicer 24 (1.50); Nnamani 23 (1.35); Thompson 16 (1.14); Miyashiro 12 (0.80); Richards 4 (0.80); Tamas 12 (0.71); Harmotto 8 (0.44); Fawcett 3 (0.23); Jill Collymore 0 (0.00); Crimes 0 (0.00); Pressey 0 (0.00). USA Totals: 211 (11.72). Opponent Totals: 194 (10.78). Digs at Pan American Cup: Sykora 63 (3.32); A. Glass 48 (2.40); Miyashiro 7 (2.33); Larson 44 (2.10); Metcalf 42 (2.10); Barboza 28 (2.00); Hodge 28 (1.87); Thompson 13 (1.00); Akinradewo 10 (0.50); Harmotto 3 (0.43); Nnamani 4 (0.31); Bown 4 (0.22). USA Totals: 226 (10.27). Opponent Totals: 218 (9.91). Digs at FIVB World Grand Prix: Sykora 161 (4.13); Davis 49 (3.50); Hodge 51 (3.19); A. Glass 153 (2.94); Larson 139 (2.73); Tom 101 (2.59); Hooker 123 (2.46); Tamas 3 (1.00); Fawcett 3 (1.00); Akinradewo 46 (0.88); Spicer 6 (0.75); Bown 33 (0.67); Barboza 14 (0.39); Nnamani 2 (0.20). USA Totals: 561 (10.79). Opponent Totals: 594 (11.42). Digs at Brazil Tour: Hooker 20 (2.86); Sykora 44 (2.59); Alisha Glass 35 (2.19); Hodge 32 (1.88); Bown 5 (1.67); Nnamani 13 (1.63); Larson 25 (1.47); Barboza 14 (1.27); Metcalf 8 (1.00); Tamas 13 (0.93); Kim Glass 6 (0.86); Spicer 10 (0.83); Akinradewo 3 (0.25); Paolini 1 (0.20). USA Totals: 192 (11.92). Opponent Totals: 227 (13.35). Digs at FIVB World Championship: Sykora 181 (4.53); Tom 132 (3.30); Alisha Glass 106 (3.12); Larson 99 (2.48); Hooker 76 (1.90); Berg 23 (1.35); Akinradewo 29 (0.81); Bown 29 (0.73); Tamas 5 (0.71); Hodge 1 (0.50); Barboza 4 (0.24); Nnamani 0 (0.00); Metcalf 0 (0.00). USA Totals: 455 (11.38). Opponent Totals: 437 (10.93). Season Dig Totals: Davis 129 (4.03); Sykora 449 (3.90); Tom 233 (2.95); Alisha Glass 355 (2.75); Pressey 21 (2.63); Larson 307 (2.38); Hughes 14 (2.33); Hooker 219 (2.26); Herman 9 (2.25); Hodge 163 (2.17); Miyashiro 47 (1.88); Fine 11 (1.83); Kehoe 7 (1.75); Metcalf 50 (1.72); Spicer 40 (1.11); Thompson 29 (1.07); Barboza 89 (0.95); Kim Glass 6 (0.86); Tamas 33 (0.80); Richards 4 (0.80); Nnamani 48 (0.78); Akinradewo 88 (0.73); Bown 71 (0.65); Paolini 3 (0.60); Kimmich 3 (0.60); Barnes 3 (0.50); Harmotto 11 (0.44); Stalls 4 (0.44); Fawcett 6 (0.43); Weaver 3 (0.33); Jill Collymore 0 (0.00); Crimes 0 (0.00). USA Totals 1,764 (11.03). Opponent Totals: 1,762 (11.01).

All stats are unofficial team stats provided through DataProjectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DataVolley software DataPoject is Official & Exclusive Provider of Statistical Software Systems of USA Volleyball

167

2010 U.S. Women's National Team Schedule/Results (28-13) Date Opponent (Record)

Result

City

Pts Leader (*DataVolley)

Attend

Tour of China 1/30 Hong Kong (scrimmage) 1/31 Evergrande (scrimmage) 2/2 Evergrande (exhibition)

W, 25-11, 25-17, 25-16, 25-6 L, 24-26, 23-25, 25-21, 24-26 L, 20-25, 14-25, 19-25

Guangzhou, China Guangzhou, China Guangzhou, China

Hodge, Stalls - 15 Jill Collymore - 16 Megan Hodge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 15

NA NA NA

26th Montreux Volley Masters 6/8 Japan W, 25-23, 25-23, 25-21 Montreux, Switzerland Ogonna Nnamani - 18 6/9 Germany W, 19-25, 35-33, 25-20, 25-22 Montreux, Switzerland Megan Hodge - 27 6/11 Russia L, 25-22, 13-25, 23-25, 18-25 Montreux, Switzerland Megan Hodge - 16 6/12 Cuba (semifinals) W, 25-18, 25-23, 29-27 Montreux, Switzerland Megan Hodge - 14 6/13 China (gold-medal match) L, 25-23, 27-29, 22-25, 20-25 Montreux, Switzerland Cynthia Barboza - 20 Montreux Final Standings: Gold - China; Silver - USA; Bronze - Cuba; 4. Russia; 5. Poland; 6. Netherlands; 7T. Japan; 7T. Germany

650 900 1,800 N/A N/A

Ninth Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pan American Cup 6/18 Peru W, 27-25, 25-22, 25-22 Tijuana, Mexico Heather Bown - 14 500 6/19 Puerto Rico W, 25-13, 25-17, 25-14 Tijuana, Mexico Hodge/Akinradewo - 13 900 6/20 Trinidad & Tobago W, 25-17, 25-9, 25-11 Rosarita, Mexico Barboza/Larson - 10 253 6/21 Costa Rica W, 25-11, 25-10, 25-2 Rosarita, Mexico Ogonna Nnamani - 19 118 6/22 Mexico W, 25-14, 25-16, 25-15 Tijuana, Mexico Megan Hodge - 12 2,500 6/25 Dominican Republic (semis) L, 25-22, 23-25, 22-25, 16-25 Tijuana, Mexico Larson/Akinradewo - 12 3,000 6/18 Cuba (bronze-medal match) W, 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 Tijuana, Mexico Megan Hodge - 16 3,000 Pan American Cup Final Standings: Gold - Dominican Republic; Silver - Peru; Bronze - USA; 4. Cuba; 5. Argentina; 6. Puerto Rico; 7. Canada; 8. Brazil; 9. Mexico; 10. Trinidad & Tobago; 11. Costa Rica. FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Rounds 8/6 Dominican Republic W, 26-24, 22-25, 25-14, 25-19 Gdynia, Poland Destinee Hooker - 16 3,000 8/7 Germany L, 23-25, 22-25, 25-16, 23-25 Gdynia, Poland Destinee Hooker - 25 1,100 8/8 Poland L, 25-16, 24-26, 19-25, 23-25 Gdynia, Poland Destinee Hooker - 19 5,000 8/13 Italy W, 26-28, 26-24, 25-23, 25-15 Bangkok, Thailand Heather Bown/Logan Tom - 20 3,100 8/14 Thailand W, 25-18, 25-21, 25-13 Bangkok, Thailand Heather Bown - 15 5,400 8/15 Puerto Rico W, 21-25, 25-22, 25-12, 25-15 Bangkok, Thailand Foluke Akinradewo - 14 3,200 8/20 Germany W, 25-15, 25-18, 25-13 Hong Kong, China Destinee Hooker - 21 3,993 8/21 Thailand W, 25-16, 25-16, 25-16 Hong Kong, China Jordan Larson - 15 6,130 8/22 China W, 25-19, 25-10, 22-25, 25-22 Hong Kong, China Destinee Hooker - 25 10,402 FIVB World Grand Prix Preliminary Round Standings: 1. Brazil (24 points, 8-1); 2. USA (21 points, 7-2); 3. Poland (21 points, 7-2); 4. Japan (19 points, 6-3); 5. Italy (19 points, 6-3); 6. China (19 points, 6-3); 7. Netherlands (13 points, 5-4); 8. Dominican Republic (7 points, 3-4); 9. Germany (7 points, 2-7); 10. Thailand (6 points, 2-7); 11. Puerto Rico (4 points, 1-8); 12. Chinese Taipei (2 points, 1-8) FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round 8/25 Poland W, 13-25, 18-25, 28-26, 25-19, 15-12 Ningbo, China Logan Tom - 20 6,600 8/26 Italy W, 25-23, 25-20, 25-14 Ningbo, China Destinee Hooker - 17 6,400 8/27 Brazil W, 22-25, 25-19, 30-28, 17-25, 15-13 Ningbo, China Akinradewo/Hooker - 20 6,300 8/28 China W, 25-21, 27-25, 25-22 Ningbo, China Destinee Hooker - 24 7,800 8/29 Japan W, 26-24, 25-20, 25-23 Ningbo, China Destinee Hooker - 17 6,500 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round Standings: Gold - USA (13 points, 5-0); Silver - Brazil (11 points, 3-2); Bronze - Italy (7 points, 2-3); 4. China (6 points, 2-3); 5. Japan (4 points, 2-3); 6. Poland (4 points, 1-4); 7. Netherlands; 8. Dominican Republic; 9. Germany; 10. Thailand; 11. Puerto Rico; 12. Chinese Taipei. Tour of Brazil 9/25 Brazil 9/26 Brazil 9/28 Brazil 9/29 Brazil

L, 25-19, 17-25, 26-24, 15-25, 11-25 L, 26-24, 17-25, 22-25, 25-20, 10-15 L, 20-25, 12-25, 22-25 L, 22-25, 20-25, 25-18, 20-25

Maringa, Brazil Maringa, Brazil Londrina, Brazil Londrina, Brazil

Megan Hodge - 22 Hodge/Nnamani - 20 Foluke Akinradewo - 9 Destinee Hooker - 17

NA NA NA NA

FIVB World Championship 10/29 Thailand W, 23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 Matsumoto, Japan Hooker - 27 1,740 10/30 Croatia W, 25-16, 25-13, 25-23 Matsumoto, Japan Hooker - 15 2,150 10/31 Germany W, 25-23, 26-24, 25-17 Matsumoto, Japan Tom - 20 1,780 11/2 Kazakhstan W, 25-17, 25-19, 25-19 Matsumoto, Japan Hooker - 15 1,080 11/3 Cuba W, 30-28, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23 Matsumoto, Japan Hooker - 21 4,170 11/6 Czech Republic W, 25-20, 25-20, 25-13 Nagoya, Japan Hooker - 20 2,752 11/7 Italy L, 16-26, 26-24, 25-27, 25-27 Nagoya, Japan Hooker -24 2,309 11/9 Netherlands W, 25-17, 25-22, 25-18 Nagoya, Japan Hooker - 21 382 11/10 Brazil L, 19-25, 26-24, 19-25, 23-25 Nagoya, Japan Hooker - 21 1,351 11/13 Russia L, 16-25, 25-13, 19-25, 21-25 Tokyo, Japan Hooker - 23 5,800 11/14 Japan L, 25-18, 23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 8-15 Tokyo, Japan Hooker - 28 12,000 FIVB World Championship Final Standings: Gold - Russia; Silver - Brazil; Bronze - Japan; 4. USA; 5. Italy; 6. Turkey; 7. Germany; 8. Serbia; 9. Poland; 10. China; 11. Netherlands; 12. Cuba. * Match leaders are based on DataVolley Statistics and not official P-2 stats.

168

U.S. Women's Volleyball Record vs. Opponents (1983-present)

Overall

Country

Record 1983* 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Algeria

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Argentina

14-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

3-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 1-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

2-0

1-0

Australia

10-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

4-0

5-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Azerbaijan

0-3

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-1

0-2

0-0

Bahamas

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Barbados

6-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

3-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

38-58

0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 2-1 5-1 0-0

2-1 1-1 1-0 3-2

0-1

4-6

1-2

0-0

0-1

3-3

1-6

1-1 1-2

1-5

0-2

2-3

0-3

1-2

1-4

0-4

1-5

2-2

3-0

Brazil JNT

2-1

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

2-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-1

0-0

Bulgaria

10-1

2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 5-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-1

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

3-0

Cameroon

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

Canada

71-10

1-0 1-1 2-0 6-0 3-0 1-0 7-3

5-2 2-0 0-0 1-0

6-1 15-0

1-0

2-0

5-2

1-1

2-0

0-0 0-0

2-0

1-0

3-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

China

35-85

6-1 3-11 0-0 0-1 1-6 0-2 1-1

0-7 3-6 2-6 0-5

0-6

4-0

2-5

0-1

0-4

0-2

2-3

1-2 0-3

0-4

2-2

1-2

0-2

2-0

0-0

3-0

2-2

1-0

Chinese Taipei 3-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

Croatia

3-2

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-1

0-0

0-1

1-0

1-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Costa Rica

13-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0 0-0

1-0

0-0 0-0 2-0

1-0

3-0

1-0

0-0

Colombia

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

55-93

8-2 4-1 0-1 0-11 0-12 2-2 2-2

8-3 2-3 2-4 0-5

1-1

2-6

2-5

0-3

0-5

0-3

3-2 3-2

5-0

2-4

1-2

0-1

3-2

1-2

0-2

3-0

2-2

1-1

Cuba ‘B’

5-1

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

4-1 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Czech Rep.

4-0

0-0

Brazil

Cuba

0-1

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Domin. Rep. 40-11

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

7-0

5-1

1-0

0-0 1-0

3-0

1-1

3-1

1-1

2-2

1-1

4-1

3-0

Egypt

4-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

2-0

0-0

El Salvador

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

France

11-0

6-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Germany

61-15 12-0 5-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 8-3 0-0

1-1 1-0 0-0 1-0

4-2

2-0

3-0

4-1

3-1

0-0

3-0

2-0 1-0

1-0

1-1

0-1

0-0

0-2

3-1

2-1

2-0

1-2

1-0

Greece

1-0

0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Guatemala

3-0

0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Haiti

2-0

0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Hungary

4-2

3-0 0-0 0-2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

32-24

1-0 0-0 9-2 1-2 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0

5-0

0-0

0-1

1-3

0-1

0-0

1-1 3-4

2-1

1-3

0-1

1-3

0-0

2-1

3-0

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

98-113 8-6 1-14 4-10 8-11 9-4 12-3 1-9

Italy Jamaica Japan

0-1

8-6 4-6 1-9 1-8

5-2

3-1

0-1

1-6

3-3

4-5

0-2 0-1

3-0

1-0

1-2 0-0 1-0

3-0

0-0

2-1

0-0

Kazakhstan

5-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Kenya

7-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0 1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Korea

8-3

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

2-2 0-0

2-0

1-0

1-1

0-0

1-0

0-0

Maritius

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Mexico

24-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 2-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

2-0 0-0

0-0

4-0 0-0 2-0

1-0

2-0

1-0

2-0

0-0

Netherlands 26-11

2-0 1-0 2-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 5-1 2-0 0-2

2-0

1-0

3-1

0-1

0-0

1-2

0-0 2-0

2-0

0-0

0-1

1-0

0-1

0-0

0-1

1-0

0-0

Neth. Antilles 1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0 1-0

Nicaragua

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

No. Korea

12-1

11-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Peru

28-5

0-0 3-0 0-0 1-2 0-1 0-2 0-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0

1-0

2-0

0-0

6-0

2-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

2-0

1-0

2-0

1-0

4-0

0-0

Poland

12-4

2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-1

1-0

1-2

1-0

2-0

3-0

0-0

1-1

0-0

Puerto Rico

29-2

1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

2-0

1-0

1-0 1-0

1-0

4-0

2-0

1-0

0-1

3-1

2-0

1-0

Romania

6-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 5-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

#Russia

31-68

2-0 2-0 0-0 0-3 0-7 0-0 0-5

1-9 3-4 4-1 2-2

1-2

2-0

5-4

0-3

0-6

0-1

0-5

5-0 2-6

0-3

1-1

0-0

1-1

0-0

0-1

0-2

0-0

1-1

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-1

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 1-0

#Russia ‘B’ Serbia

0-2

4-2

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-1

0-0

3-1

23-24

1-0 1-3 0-4 4-1 2-0 4-2 0-0

0-2 1-1 0-2 0-2

2-1

3-1

2-1

0-1

2-1

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

3-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 3-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Switzerland

5-3

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

2-0 0-0 0-0 0-1

0-2

1-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

Thailand

15-1

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 1-0

0-0

3-0

2-0

1-0

0-1

3-0

0-0

2-0

Tunisia

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Trinidad

6-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

2-0

1-0

0-0

1-0

2-0

0-0

Turkey

7-2

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

2-0

0-1

0-0

1-0

0-0

1-1

0-0

1-0

Ukraine

3-2

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0

0-2

1-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Venezuela

3-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

2-0

0-0

Virgin Is.

3-0

0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

Yugoslavia

1-0

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

0-0

So. Korea Spain

Total

1-0

670-502 70-9 22-30 25-20 24-33 22-31 32-15 16-20 40-32 38-22 15-22 15-27 25-20 57-16 23-19 10-12 27-30 24-19 24-26 21-10 17-18 29-15 20-16 26-15 16-12 26-11 22-11 18-14 28-13 39-10 23-1

1983* 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Results Not Counted: 1983 - Pan American Games; 1994 - Tour Of Asia & Goodwill Games; 2006 - Poland or Azteca Cup Results w/training team and junior members competing # Includes Matches Played Vs. USSR, CIS and Russia.

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SEOUL TRAIN: Karch Kiraly, center, led a second goldmedal celebration in Seoul in 1988. (Photo: Bruce Hazelton)

Guts & Glory USA Volleyball’s history in the Olympic Games has seen its highs and lows for more than four decades by Don Patterson Tokyo, 1964

•••••••••••••

Men — Finish: 9th out of 10 teams • Record: 2-7 • Team: Mike Bright, Barry Brown, Keith Erickson, Bill Griebenow, Richard Hammer, Jake Highland, Ron Lang, Chuck Nelson, Mike O’Hara, Ernie Suwara, John Taylor and Pedro Velasco. • Head coach: Harry Wilson

Volleyball made its Olympic debut in Tokyo in 1964, and the U.S. was among the 10 countries that participated in the men’s field. But it was a rough go, and the first stumble came before the team even boarded the plane. Gene Selznick, who many thought was the country’s top player, was selected only as an alternate, a slight that shocked and disappointed many players who were chosen. The short version of what happened: The coach, Harry Wilson, didn’t like Selznick and Selznick didn’t think Wilson was much of a coach. By all accounts, Wilson wasn’t much of a coach, and Selznick, who wasn’t known 52 |

as the easiest guy to get along with, rarely missed an opportunity to let Wilson know what he was doing wrong. The fact that Selznick was right most of the time apparently mattered little when it came time to finalize the roster. “It was politics pure and simple,” recalled one player, Ron Lang, years later. “But basically if you wanted to go to the Olympics, you shut up and went.” Go they did, but the results weren’t good. Penalized frequently for using overhand passes that they were accustomed to in U.S. competitions but that weren’t allowed internationally, they won just two matches and finished ninth. It was evidence enough that changes to the program were needed. Teams from some countries had been together for years. The U.S. trained for two weeks.

Women — Finish: 5th out of 6 teams • Record: 1-4 • Team: Patti Bright, Jean Gaertner, Lou Galloway, Barb Harwerth, Linda Murphy, Gail O’Rourke, Nancy Owen, Mary Jo Peppler, Mary

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Perry, Sharon Peterson, Verneda Thomas, Jane Ward. • Head coach: Doc Burroughs

Similar to the men’s situation, the women’s team was at a disadvantage against countries that put far more resources and time into their volleyball teams. They, too, had just two weeks to prepare, and U.S. player Linda Murphy remembers that part of that training was hampered by all the shots that players had to get before boarding the plane to Japan. “You got them in either your shoulder or your hip, so you either couldn’t raise your arm or you couldn’t take a step,” she says. Lack of funds was a major issue. One player, Jane Ward, was a full-time teacher in California, but the school system docked her pay for two weeks when she went to the Olympics. Coaching was another issue. At the helm was Doc Burroughs, who was universally liked but “didn’t know how to coach,” said another member of the team, Sharon Peterson, years later. And not being able to take passes overhead caused problems,

TOKYO TIP: Mike Bright tips a set from Ron Lang in Tokyo in 1964. Below, the 1968 Men’s team spent some time doing some high-altitude training in Lake Tahoe, Calif., before leaving for Mexico City. (Photos: USA Volleyball)

EARLY YEARS: The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team displayed some loose coverage in 1968 in Mexico City (top photo), while the 1964 team packed light for Tokyo in photo above. (Photos: USA Volleyball)

too. Murphy says she had never executed a forearm pass before she got to Tokyo. Not surprisingly, the first U.S. women’s Olympic team struggled. Before the competition even started, the team played a training match against a Japanese high school team – and lost. In the Olympics, the U.S. lost its first four matches – to Japan, Poland, Romania and Russia – without winning a game. The team’s lone victory came in its final match against Korea. It was disappointing at the time, but perspective is necessary. As Murphy says now, “People didn’t realize it, but just qualifying was a pretty big deal.”

Mexico City, 1968

••••••

Men — Finish: 7th out of 10 teams • Record: 4-5 • Team: John Alstrom, Mike Bright, Wink Davenport, Smitty Duke, Tom Haine, Jack Henn, Butch May, Danny Patterson, Larry Rundle,

Jon Stanley, Rudy Suwara, Pedro Velasco. • Head coach: Jim Coleman

Preparation for the 1968 Games was a bit more extensive than it had been in 1964 – the team trained in California at Lake Tahoe for six weeks – and it led to one very significant highlight: a stunning upset of the Soviet Union. The Soviets were up in sets 2-1, but the U.S. came back and won going away in the fifth, 15-6. As the points ticked away in favor of the Americans, U.S. setter Jack Henn recalls a look of astonishment on the

faces of the Soviet players. “You could see in their eyes that they were thinking, ‘Is this really happening?’” he said. “You knew if they didn’t come back and win the gold, they were going to be sent to Siberia.” The Soviets did come back and take the gold, winning their remaining eight matches. The U.S., meanwhile, wasn’t able to lift its game to the same height the rest of the way. It didn’t help when one key player, Larry Rundle, sprained his ankle. It also didn’t help that most of the players were hit with bad cases of MontezuUSAVOLLEYBALL.ORG

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ma’s revenge at some point in the tournament. Women — Finish: 8th out of 8 teams • Record: 0-7 • Team: Patti Bright, Ann Heck, Fanny Hopeau, Ninja Jorgensen, Laurie Lewis, Miki McFadden, Marilyn McCreavy, Nancy Owen, Barbara Perry, Mary Perry, Sharon Peterson, Jane Ward. • Head coach: Harlan Cohen

In early 1967, the U.S. showed promise with a strong silver-medal finish at the FIVB World Championship. But with an asterisk. The Soviet bloc teams weren’t there. It was still a significant accomplishment for a program in its infancy, but it wasn’t a good indicator for future success, and that much proved out the following year at the Olympics in Mexico where the team didn’t win a match and finished in last place. The addition of the Soviet teams to the Olympic field was only one issue. The U.S. team was also missing two of its best players: Linda Murphy, a member of the 1964 Olympic team, and Mary Jo Peppler. Both had a disagreement – or, in Peppler’s case, multiple disagreements – with the coach. In Murphy’s case, it was simply a matter of Cohen telling her she needed to be at an optional practice or she was finished. She was working at the time and also had obligations at home, so she made the decision that she couldn’t make it, and that was that. Looking back on it now, U.S. player Miki McFadden says that was a blow to the team’s chances. “The game wasn’t that big at that point, and Linda was a dominating 6-3 hitter,” McFadden says. “I think it would have helped a lot to have her there.” Player-coach issues aside, the U.S.

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SILVER SMILES Under the intense scrutiny of strongwilled coach Arie Selinger, the 1984 U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, left, was the first U.S. team to earn a medal in volleyball. Below, Chris Marlowe will always be remembered for the flag he packed to celebrate a gold medal. (Photos: USA Volleyball).

wouldn’t likely have been a medal contender in 1968. The team was essentially a collection of all stars that had little training time and was led by a volunteer coach. Many of the powerhouse countries in that era were like professional teams, so it wasn’t a level playing field for the U.S., and like in 1964, qualifying alone was an achievement. This was the final Olympics for Jane Ward, who was the team captain and highly respected by her teammates. “In my mind, Jane is the best who has ever played,” Murphy says. “She was a great competitor, and she made her teammates better. If she made a mistake, it was headline material.”

Munich, 1972 • • • • • • • • • Montreal, 1976 • • • • • • • Neither the men’s nor the women’s team qualified for the Olympics.

Moscow, 1980

••••••••

Women — Finish: The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics, so no American athletes competed in Russia. • Team: Janet Baier, Carolyn Becker, Rita Crockett, Patty Dowdell, Laurie Flachmeier, Debbie Green, Flo Hyman, Laurel Brassey, Debbie Landreth, Diane McCormick, Terry Place, Sue Woodstra. • Head Coach: Arie Selinger

After not qualifying for the Olympic

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Games in 1972 and 1976, the U.S. Women quickly became a contender for the 1980 Olympic Games gold medal with a deep and talented roster including Flo Hyman and Rita Crockett. The team was the first to go through a successful experiment in having a yearround resident training program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs in 1978, which helped forge the team into a

tight-knit unit. But the U.S. was part of a 65-nation boycott of the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, which derailed the chances of the U.S. to win its first Olympic Games medal.

Los Angeles, 1984

•••••••

Men — Finish: gold medal • Record: 5-1 (3-1 in pool play, 2-0 in the medal round) • Team: Dusty Dvorak, Dave Saunders, Steve Salmons, Paul Sunderland, Rich Duwelius, Steve Timmons, Craig Buck, Marc Waldie, Chris Marlowe, Aldis Berzins, Pat Powers, Karch Kiraly. • Head coach: Doug Beal

Crockett, Laurie Flachmeier, Debbie Green, Flo Hyman, Rose Magers, Kim Ruddins, Julie Vollertsen, Paula Weishoff, Sue Woodstra. • Head coach: Arie Selinger

The U.S. was good, but China, led by future USA coach Lang Ping, was better. The U.S. beat the Chinese in pool play at the Olympics, then advanced to the gold-medal match with a 3-0 victory over Peru in the semis. But after a tight first game in the final, China pulled away quickly for a one-sided victory – 16-14, 15-3, 15-9. It wasn’t an upset. China had established itself as a world power with a dominating gold-medal performance two years earlier at the FIVB World Championship, a tournament where the U.S. finished third behind Peru. Still, “Our goal all along was the gold, so it was disappointing,” says three-time Olympian Paula Weishoff, who was a starter on that team and is now an assistant coach for the current U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team. Standouts along with Weishoff on the 1984 team were Debbie Green, Flo Hyman

Seoul, 1988

•••••••••••••

Men — Finish: gold medal • Record: 7-0 (5-0 in pool play, 2-0 in the medal round) • Team: Craig Buck, Bob Ctvrtlik, Scott Fortune, Karch Kiraly, Ricci Luyties, Doug Partie, Jon Root, Eric Sato, Dave Saunders, Jeff Stork, Steve Timmons, Troy Tanner. • Head coach: Marv Dunphy

Many of the players on the 1988 team will tell you that the very best U.S. men’s team of that era was not the 1984 Olympic goldmedal team or the 1988 Olympic gold-medal team, but rather the 1986 team, which had more collective experience and the addition of outside hitter Bob Ctvrtlik, who went on to play in two more Olympics. By 1988, the starting lineup was newer. Karch Kiraly, Steve Timmons and Craig Buck were still there, but terminating opposite Pat Powers was gone, as was Dusty Dvorak. So Timmons moved to opposite, and UCLA All American Doug Partie took over the other middle blocker spot next to Buck. At setter was Pepperdine grad Jeff

People forget, but the team that won a gold medal in 1984 to kick off the greatest run in U.S. indoor volleyball history was still a work in progress two years earlier. In fact, the U.S. finished a lowly 13th at the FIVB World Championship, albeit with much different personnel. Under the direction of head coach Doug Beal, who is now USA Volleyball’s chief executive officer, the years leading up to the 1984 Games were filled with experimentation. “We were like lab animals,” starting outside hitter Aldis Berzins once said. The result was a two-passer system that shaped how all international teams played for nearly a decade. With Berzins and Karch Kiraly handling serve-receive, the new system emphasized specialization, which allowed players to make the best use of their signature skills. It also helped launch the frequent use of a powerful back-row attack, a weapon that Steve Timmons and Pat Powers used to punish opponents. Add the monster blocking of 6-8 Craig Buck and the sweet sets of Dusty Dvorak, and the team was on its way to becoming a world power. The coming attraction to the gold medal was a 27-match U.S. winning streak in 1984 that included a four-match sweep of the Russians in the Ukraine BEFORE THEY WERE BALD: The 1992 U.S. Olympic Men’s Volleyball Team was mostly full of hair and big just before the Olympics. It was smiles before controversy struck in their opening match. (Photo: USA Volleyball) first time the American men had beaten the Russians since the 1968 Olympics, and it made it that much more and Rita Crockett, but the “glue of the team,” Stork, and Ctvrtlik started alongside Kiraly at disappointing to the players and coaches when Weishoff says, was Sue Woodstra. “She outside hitter. the Russians boycotted the 1984 Games. But wasn’t flashy, but she did everything – pass, The results, of course, were still fabulous. their run in Los Angeles was convincing, play defense, she was a smart hitter, she could The U.S. went 5-0 in pool play, fending off a punctuated by a dominating 3-0 victory in the block,” Weishoff says. “She was invaluable.” scare from a hot Argentina team that jumped gold-medal match over Brazil. The dynasty Sadly, the 6-5 Hyman died a year and a out to a two-set lead before the Americans had begun. half later of Marfan syndrome while playing came back to win in five. In the semis, they Women — Finish: silver medal • volleyball in Japan. She was 31. crushed Brazil in the three sets, and they Record: 4-1 (3-0 in pool play, 1-1 in the The silver medal stood as the best U.S. took care of the Soviets in four sets in the medal round) • Team: Jeanne Beauprey, women’s indoor finish for 24 years, until the 2008 gold-medal match. It was a grand finale to Carolyn Becker, Linda Chisholm, Rita team equaled it with the silver medal in Beijing. an incredible run of success in the 1980s that

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saw the team win the volleyball Triple Crown – gold medals at the 1985 FIVB World Cup, 1986 FIVB World Championship and 1988 Olympics – and it matched the Soviet record of consecutive Olympic gold medals. Kiraly, the team captain, was the Olympic MVP, and Timmons had also come up huge with his terminating attacks from both the front and back row. A less heralded hero was 5-11 defensive specialist Eric Sato, whose blistering jump serves accounted for numerous key points. One of the great sources of pride for Kiraly about the 1988 gold was the fact that, in a fullfield tournament, the team was able to deliver under the pressure of great expectations. “Winning is one thing – staying on top after winning is another,” he wrote in “The Sand Man,” his autobiography. “It’s much harder. … The pressure you face as a favorite, including the pressure you put on yourself, is the ultimate test for an athlete. And the one of which I am most proud.”

Women — Finish: seventh • Record: 2-3 (1-2 in pool play, 1-1 in the consolation round) • Team: Deitre Collins, Caren Kemner, Laurel Brassey, Liz Masakayan, Jayne McHugh, Melissa McLinden, Kim Oden, Keba Phipps, Angela Rock, Kim Ruddins, Liane Sato, Tammy Webb. • Head coach: Terry Liskevych

The Seoul Games marked the first of three Olympics for head coach Terry Liskevych, and he says he was still figuring things out in international volleyball after coaching women’s college volleyball at University of the Pacific. As he puts it, once you’ve been to an Olympics and gone through a quadrennial, you still may have butterflies in subsequent Olympics “but they fly in formation.” In Seoul, the U.S. women were in a brutal pool that included gold-medal favorite China and a potent Peru team that had won a bronze medal two years earlier at the FIVB World Championship. China beat the U.S. 3-0 in the opening match, but the Americans bounced back with a five-set victory over Brazil in the next match. Unexpectedly, though, Peru upset China in pool play, which meant that the U.S.’s only chance of advancing to the medal round was to beat Peru 3-0 in the final pool-play match and hold them to 34 points. Into the early part of the third set, it looked as if they might pull it off. The U.S. won the first set 15-12 and set two 15-9. But the team ran out of steam in set three and lost. With nothing to play for, the U.S.’s motivation dissolved and Peru came back to win in five sets. In the non-medal round, the U.S. lost the fifth-place match to East Germany in four sets and then finished with a five-set victory over

56 |

South Korea to take seventh place. It wasn’t the finish they wanted, but people had told Liskevych the team wouldn’t qualify for the Games at all that quadrennial, so there was some consolation in the fact that they earned a spot in an Olympic women’s field that included only eight teams.

Barcelona, 1992

••••••••

Men — Finish: bronze medal • Record: 6-2 (4-1 in pool play, 2-1 in the medal round) • Team: Nick Becker, Carlos Briceno, Bob Ctvrtlik, Scott Fortune, Dan Greenbaum, Brent Hilliard, Bryan Ivie, Doug Partie, Bob Samuelson, Eric Sato, Jeff Stork, Steve Timmons. • Head coach: Fred Sturm

By many accounts, Kiraly’s presence on that team would have made the difference between bronze and gold, but we’ll never know. By then, he was dominating on the beach and laying the groundwork for a third Olympic gold medal of his own – in Atlanta four years later in the first Olympic beach competition.

Women — Finish: bronze medal • Record: 4-2 (2-1 in pool play, 2-1 in the medal round) • Team: Tara Cross-Battle, Janet Cobbs, Lori Endicott, Caren Kemner, Ruth Lawanson, Tammy Liley, Elaina Oden, Kim Oden, Teee Sanders, Liane Sato, Paula Weishoff, Yoko Zetterlund. • Head coach: Terry Liskevych

Qualifying for Barcelona was as tough if not tougher for the U.S. Women than the Olympics itself. It came down to a do-ordon’t-go match at the FIVB World Cup in Osaka, Japan, where the U.S. edged Peru 1512 in the fifth set to earn its Olympic berth. In Barcelona, starting setter Lori Endicott was sick for the first match, and the U.S. lost to Japan in five sets. But the Americans bounced back in a big way in their next two pool-play matches, defeating the Soviets in five sets and crushing Spain in three to advance to the quarterfinals. There, they took

Three-peat wasn’t to be. Up until a few months before the Olympics, U.S. coach Fred Sturm was still trying to get Karch Kiraly to return, but Karch ultimately decided that his priority was to conquer the beach, which he did – for most of the 1990s. The U.S. carried on without him, but with four returning starters from the 1988 team: Jeff Stork, Bob Ctvrtlik, Doug Partie and Steve Timmons. Controversy bubbled up after the first match in Barcelona, which the U.S. won on the court in five games over Japan, but lost when the FIVB ruled to reverse the outcome because of a supposedly overlooked infraction – a second yellow card that had been given to middle blocker Bob Samuelson with Japan leading 2-1 in sets and 14-13 in the fourth game, which in those days was a side out game to 15. The ruling was this: the ref should have awarded a penalty point for Samuelson’s second yellow card and, thus, Japan would have won the match. Not surprisingly, U.S. players disagreed – Samuelson said he was never shown the yellow card – and decided to wage a collective protest by shaving their heads, an action that altered the name of the sport to “Volleybald” for the remainder of the Games. ATLANTA CELEBRATION: The U.S. Men finished ninth in The shorn U.S. men were Atlanta, but had some high points. (Photo: Peter Brouillet) strong through the rest of pool play, winning four consecutive matches, and care of Netherlands to set up a semifinal showthey advanced to the semifinals with a four-set down with Cuba. The match ebbed and flowed, victory in the quarterfinals over Russia, then and the U.S. women looked to be in good known as the Unified Team. But in the semis, shape when they took a 2-1 lead in sets. But a hot Brazil team that would go on to win the the U.S.’s top hitter, Caren Kemner, struggled gold took the Americans down in four sets, down the stretch, and Cuba prevailed in five. ending Timmons’ quest to become a three-time It was a tough loss for the team, and gold medalist. The U.S. earned the bronze with especially for Kemner, who felt bad that a four-set victory over Cuba. she’d had an off night in the biggest match

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of the quadrennial. But after some encouraging late-night words in the Olympic Village from captain Kim Oden, Kemner rebounded and so did the team, winning the next day in straight sets over Brazil and taking home a bronze medal. “If we didn’t win that (bronzemedal match), I probably would have been thinking about that Cuba match for the rest of my life,” Kemner said afterward. “But the fact that the team finished so strongly – that we got back on the horse and rode out – I think is something that will overshadow it a little bit.” Playing in her second Olympics, Weishoff was terrific, and she ended up being chosen the Outstanding Player of the Games.

1-1 in matches that were meaningless to them. That left them with a seventhplace finish. Beyond Cuba’s prowess, there were plenty of issues on the U.S.’s side of the court. The setting was up and down – starter Lori Endicott was subbed for frequently by backup Yoko Zetterlund – and the team’s top left-side hitter, Teee Williams, was inconsistent. Starting middle Bev Oden was sub-par at key times, too, and she was often replaced by rising star Danielle Scott. Overall, it was a big disappointment for a team that was clearly hoping to build on its bronze from Barcelona and compete for a gold. Atlanta, 1996 • • • • • • • “The starting lineup never came out and played like the Men — Finish: 9th • Reteam we’ve been starting for cord: 2-3 • Team: Lloy Ball, two years,” assistant coach Bob Ctvrtlik, Scott Fortune, Aldis Berzins said at the John Hyden, Bryan Ivie, Mike time. “For whatever reason, Lambert, Dan Landry, Jeff they were a little tentative. Nygaard, Tom Sorensen, Jeff The matches that we won in Stork, Ethan Watts and Brett SYDNEY SHUFFLE: Resilient Logan Tom played in the first of her three pool play, a lot of it had to do Winslow. • Head coach: Fred Olympic Games in 2000. (Photo: Peter Brouillet) with the subs coming off the Sturm bench.” Going in, as U.S. advisory coach Al 5-3 (4-1 in pool play, 0-1 in the medal Liskevych’s final analysis was that there Scates would say shortly after the tournament, round, 1-1 in the consolation bracket) • was plenty of blame to be shared. “The coachteam insiders were realistic that a bronze Team: Tara Cross-Battle, Lori Endicott, ing staff has to be pointed at to be at fault medal was probably the ceiling for this team. Caren Kemner, Kristin Klein, Bev Oden, … and the players need to take some of the It was a young group, with a lot of new faces Elaina Oden, Danielle Scott, Tammy blame, too,” he said. “Everybody failed.” and undersized outside hitters, but two years Webb, Paula Weishoff, Teee Williams, earlier, it had proved capable of overachievElaine Youngs and Yoko Zetterlund. • ing when it won a bronze medal at the FIVB Sydney, 2000 • • • • • • • • • • • • Head coach: Terry Liskevych World Championship in Greece. Gold was the hope, but Cuba, as usual, As expected, the U.S. Men defeated Men — Finish: 11th • Record: 0-5 • was in the way. The Cubans had won the 1992 Poland and Argentina to open pool play, both Team: Lloy Ball, Kevin Barnett, Thomas Olympics, were about to win the 1996 Olymthree-set sweeps. In the third match, they lost Hoff, John Hyden, Mike Lambert, Dan pics and would win again in 2000, making for a grueling match against Cuba – 18-16 in the Landry, Chip McCaw, Ryan Millar, Jeff one of the great volleyball dynasties – men or fifth – and U.S. coach Fred Sturm expressed Nygaard, George Roumain, Erik Sullivan women – in the sport’s history. concern afterward that the loss could be and Andy Witt. • Head coach: Doug Beal Adding to their impressive credentials, the crucial in the team’s quest to push through to In some ways, this team was done when Cubans had also won the 1994 FIVB World the medal round. Turns out, he was right. The its plane landed in Sydney. The list of ailChampionships and the 1995 FIVB World U.S. men lost the next two pool-play matches ments was long, from setter Lloy Ball’s knee Cup, but the U.S. team’s confidence had been – in three to Brazil, in five to Bulgaria – and problem to middle blocker Tom Hoff returning buoyed with a gold medal at the 1995 FIVB didn’t advance. from back surgery and then pulling an abWorld Grand Prix, so players and coaches For a team that had grown accustomed to dominal muscle. Middle blocker Jeff Nygaard were gunning for an upset. winning medals at the Olympics, it was a big sat out the entire Olympics with mono, and It didn’t work out, though. Cuba, as it setback. another key player, outside hitter Kevin had been known to do, virtually sleepwalked Ctvrtlik, who had returned two years earBarnett, hadn’t fully recovered from an injury through pool play, winning just three of five lier and taken a firm and vocal leadership role, matches. That put them third out of fourth in he’d suffered earlier in the summer. shared his thoughts shortly after the U.S. was What it all added up to wasn’t pretty. Five their pool, which meant they drew a quarterfieliminated, saying: “This is about as painful pool-play matches, five losses. To recap: The nal faceoff with the U.S., which had gone 4-1 (a result) as you can have. Usually, I can find U.S. was defeated by Argentina (in four sets), in pool but lost to China. a bright spot in something. But I’m hoping the then by Russia (in four), then by Yugoslavia In the quarterfinal, Cuba turned it on and sun comes up tomorrow.” (in three), then by Korea (in five) and, finally, won in three sets, and the U.S. was relegated Women — Finish: 7th • Record: by Italy (in four). to the consolation bracket, where they went USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG

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LONDON OLYMPICS PREVIEW

Some criticized U.S. Coach Doug Beal for overtraining the team to the point that it broke down, and Beal acknowledges that may have been part of the problem, saying, “I wasn’t probably as aware or as sensitive to the physical issues as I could have been.” Overall, Beal says he thinks “it was a better team than the way it played in Sydney, but it wasn’t a very confident team, so that’s probably my fault.”

Women — Finish: fourth • Record: 5-3 (4-1 in pool play, 1-2 in the medal round) • Team: Robyn Ah Mow, Heather Bown, Tara Cross-Battle, Mickisha Hurley, Sarah Noriega, Demetria Sance, Danielle Scott, Stacy Sykora, Charlene Tagaloa, Logan Tom, Kerri Walsh and Allison Weston. • Head coach: Mick Haley

picture, there was nothing for them to feel badly about. “I’m very pleased with the fighting spirit and never-say-die attitude of our team,” Haley said afterward. “They battle, and they try to find anywhere they can beat you, and they’ve come together as a model that parents can be proud to have their children copy.”

Athens, 2004

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Men — Finish: fourth • Record: 4-4 (3-2 in pool play, 1-2 in the medal round) • Team: Lloy Ball, Erik Sullivan, Phil Eatherton, Donald Suxho, Reid Priddy, Ryan Millar, Riley Salmon, Brook Billings, Tom Hoff, Clay Stanley, Kevin Barnett, and Gabe Gardner. • Head coach: Doug Beal

“We did the impossible tonight,” middle blocker Ryan Millar said afterward. A key to the win was backup setter Donald Suxho, who was sent in by Beal early in the fourth game to change the momentum. He did just that – “We kind of ran out of gas a little bit in the fourth, and he was the spark for us,” libero Erik Sullivan said – and the U.S. was on to the semis. The magic ran out in the next two matches. A talented Brazil team beat them 3-0 in the semis, and Russia beat them 3-0 in the bronze-medal match. All in all, considering how many great teams there were in the field, Beal was mostly satisfied. “I think we had a possibility to win a medal in Athens, but it would have been a stretch for that team,” he said. “Frankly, I’m not sure that team was more talented than the team that played so poorly in Sydney, but we were a lot healthier, we were a better serving team and our outsides played more consistently.”

Athens was a big step in the right direcFollowing the 1996 Olympics, there was tion for the U.S. men’s program, which a mass exodus from the program, and the hadn’t had much to celebrate in a long time. quadrennial leading up to the 2000 Sydney Not only had there been consecutive disapGames was a transition period, with a new pointments at the Olympics – 9th at Atlanta Women — Finish: fifth • Record: head coach in former University of Texas in 1996, 11th in Sydney in 2000 – but there 2-4 (2-3 in pool play, 0-1 in the medal coach Mick Haley and a completely new hadn’t been a medal at either of the two other round) • Team: Keba Phipps, Danielle pack of players. grand-slam tournaments since the bronze at Scott, Tayyiba Haneef, Lindsey Berg, The team took its lumps for a couple the 1994 FIVB World Championship which, Stacy Sykora, Elisabeth Bachman, of years, finishing last (13th) at the 1998 coincidentally, was also in Athens. Heather Bown, Ogonna Nnamani, FIVB World Championship and ninth at the The U.S. advanced out of pool play with Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Nancy Metcalf, 1999 FIVB World Cup. Late in the quadrenvictories over Netherlands, Australia and Tara Cross-Battle, Logan Tom. • Head nial, Haley made changes and additions. He Brazil, then recorded the highlight of the brought in a knowledgeable assistant coach, tournament against Greece in the quarterfinal. coach: Toshi Yoshida The fifth-place finish was beneath exToshi Yoshida, and a host of young talent that Facing elimination and down 2-1 in sets and pectations for a team stocked with talented included opposite Kerri Walsh, young outside 20-12 in the fourth game, they came back veterans, many of whom had played key hitter Logan Tom and middle blocker Heather to win the fourth game 25-23 and took the roles in what was considered an over-achievBown. Also providing a boost were veterans match with a 17-15 win in the fifth – after ing, fourth-place finish four years earlier in Danielle Scott and Tara Cross-Battle, who they were down 12-9. Sydney. Among the returnreturned to the team after playing contributors: middle ing overseas. blockers Danielle Scott and To the surprise of many, the Heather Bown, setter Robyn team made a nice run in Sydney Ah Mow, libero Stacy Sykora and played a lot of exciting voland outside hitter Logan Tom. leyball en route to a fourth-place Another outside hitter, Tara finish. Particularly enjoyable for Cross-Battle, was back for her U.S. fans was the team’s upset fourth Olympics. And the U.S. quarterfinal victory over Korea, was now under the direction which was more experienced of head coach Toshi Yoshida, and defensively sound. Down who had helped the team 12-9 in the fifth set, the Ameriturn things around before the cans rallied behind amazing Sydney Games in his role as digs by Walsh, a big block from assistant to Mick Haley. Scott and kills from Scott and Entering the tournament, Tom. the U.S. women had their The semifinal match was sights set on playing for the equally exciting, and the young gold, but they came out of pool U.S. team gave the towering play with an unsightly 2-3 Russians all they could handle record. Setbacks to two world before finally bowing 15-8 in powers, China and Russia, the fifth. Two days later, the were explainable, but a five-set team lost to Brazil in the bronze medal match, and there were POWER BUILDING: The foundation for the strong team in 2012 got stron- loss to Dominican Republic ger in Athens in 2004. (Photo: FIVB) was a hard one to digest; the plenty of tears. But in the big

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Americans had won nine previous meetings between the two teams. The U.S. routed Cuba 3-0 in the final pool play match to advance to the second stage of the tournament, but a five-set loss to Brazil in the quarterfinals left them in a four-way tie for fifth and ended their Olympics. “We showed everything we had, our weaknesses, our strengths,” Yoshida said afterward, “but it wasn’t enough.”

Beijing, 2008

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Men — Finish: gold medal • Record: 8-0 (5-0 in pool play, 3-0 in finals) • Team: Lloy Ball, Sean Rooney, David Lee, Rich Lambourne, Reid Priddy, Ryan Millar, Riley Salmon, Tom Hoff, Clay Stanley, Kevin Hansen, Gabe Gardner, Scott Touzinsky. • Head coach: Hugh McCutcheon

The volleyball competition in Beijing was preceded by a tragedy when Todd Bachman, the father-in-law of coach Hugh McCutcheon, died from wounds suffered in a knife attack at a Beijing tourist site. McCutcheon missed the U.S.’s first three Olympic matches to be with his family. McCutcheon has always made it clear that there shouldn’t be a connection between the tragic event and the success the U.S. men’s team had on the volleyball court. “Some people would say that what happened off the court brought the team together, but to me that does them a huge disservice,” McCutcheon says. “We didn’t come out of nowhere. We had won FIVB World League three weeks before and beaten Brazil four of the last five times we played them. It was clear we were among the best teams in the world. It was never a case where the team wasn’t very good and then all of a sudden we became world beaters.” The U.S. went 8-0 in Beijing, winning all five pool-play matches and then running the table in the final round with a 3-2 win over Serbia in the quarterfinal, a 3-2 win over Russia in the semifinal and a 3-1 victory over Brazil in the gold-medal match. Clay Stanley, a 6-9 opposite from Honolulu, earned MVP honors as well as “Best Scorer” and “Best Server” by being a dominant force throughout the tournament. “He was so terminal – serving and hitting and blocking and digging balls,” McCutcheon says. “He was everywhere.” Especially notable, too, were outside hitters Reid Priddy and Riley Salmon and setter Lloy Ball, who finished his Olympic career on a high note after non-medal finishes in three previous Games. In reviewing the gold-medal performance, McCutcheon is reluctant to focus on indi-

BEIJING BONANZA: Lloy Ball was part of an American medal party in Beijing in 2008, one that included three gold medals and two silvers (including U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team in Paralympics). (Photo: FIVB).

vidual play. “I thought the key to our series of victories was about us being a team,” he says. “We really believed that was our strength, and it showed in how we had lots of different ways we could attack opponents and how the guys played so unselfishly.” Women — Finish: silver medal • Record: 6-2 (4-1 pool play, 2-1 in finals) • Team: Ogonna Nnamani, Danielle Scott-Arruda, Tayyiba Haneef-Park, Lindsey Berg, Stacy Sykora, Nicole Davis, Heather Bown, Jennifer Tamas, Kim Glass, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, Kim Willoughby, Logan Tom. • Head coach: Lang Ping

Count this team among the overachievers in U.S. women’s volleyball history. By all accounts, this team got frequent and major boosts from its bench – “We did a lot of subbing,” setter Lindsey Berg said – and found its groove at the right time. Two years before the Olympics, a different version of the team had finished ninth at the 2006 FIVB World Championship, but a year later, with the return of veteran outside hitter Logan Tom, libero Stacy Sykora and the addition of hard-hitting University of Arizona outside hitter Kim Glass, the team qualified for Beijing with a bronze medal at the 2007

FIVB World Cup in Japan. In Beijing, there was seemingly always someone to step in if help was needed. Tom anchored one outside hitter spot, and Kim Glass saw most of the action at the other OH position, but Ogonna Nnamani and Kim Willoughby also contributed on the outside. In the middle, Heather Bown and Danielle Scott were the starters, but in a pool-play match against Venezuela when the team was sputtering, reserve middle Jen Tamas came off the bench to help turn it around. At setter, Robyn Ah Mow-Santos was the starter but Lindsey Berg saw almost as much playing time. With all hands on deck, the U.S. scored a huge five-set victory over Italy in the quarterfinal, coming back from down 2-1 in sets. In the semis, they took care of an old nemesis, Cuba, in three sets. That sent them to the gold-medal match against Brazil, where they fell in four. But the mood was mostly upbeat afterward. After all, the silver medal equaled the highest finish in U.S. women’s history, and it had been 24 years since the last one. “Brazil ended up being better, but we fought every match,” Berg said. “We never gave up, and we just kept going.” USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG

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All-Time U.S. Women's Indoor Volleyball Olympians 1964 (Tokyo) 5th Place Patti Bright Jean Gaertner Lou Galloway Barbara Harwerth Linda Murphy Gail O’Rourke Nancy Owen Mary Jo Peppler Mary Perry Sharon Peterson Verneda Thomas Jane Ward Head Coach: Dr. W.P. Burroughs Manager: Ida Litschauer 1968 (Mexico City) 8th Place Patti Bright Kathryn Heck Fanny Hopeau Ninja Jorgensen Laurie Lewis Miki McFadden Marilyn McCreavy Nancy Owen Barbara Perry Mary Perry Sharon Peterson Jane Ward Head Coach: Harlan Cohen 1980 (Moscow) Did Not Compete (USA Boycott) Janet Baier Carolyn Becker Rita Crockett Patty Dowdell Laurie Flachmeier Debbie Green Flo Hyman Laurel Brassey Debbie Landreth Diane McCormick Terry Place Sue Woodstra Head Coach: Arie Selinger Assistant Coach: Toshi Yoshida Manager: Ruth Becker 1984 (Los Angeles) Silver Medal Jeanne Beauprey Carolyn Becker Linda Chisholm Rita Crockett Laurie Flachmeier Debbie Green Flo Hyman Rose Magers Kim Ruddins Julie Vollertsen Paula Weishoff Sue Woodstra Head Coach: Arie Selinger Assistant Coach: John Corbelli Assistant Coach: Marlon Sano

1988 (Seoul) 7th Place Deitre Collins Caren Kemner Laurel Kessel Tammy Liley Liz Masakayan Jayne McHugh Melissa McLinden Kim Oden Keba Phipps Kim Ruddins Angela Rock Liane Sato Head Coach: Terry Liskevych Assisant Coach: Debbie Landreth Brown Assistant Coach: Kent Miller 1992 (Barcelona) Bronze Medal Janet Cobbs Tara Cross-Battle Lori Endicott Caren Kemner Ruth Lawanson Tammy Liley Elaina Oden Kim Oden Liane Sato Paula Weishoff Teee Williams Yoko Zetterlund Head Coach: Terry Liskevych Assistant Coach: Greg Giovanazzi Assistant Coach: Kent Miller Technical Coordinator: David Sims Medical Consultant: Dan McDonough 1996 (Atlanta) 7th Place Tara Cross-Battle Lori Endicott Caren Kemner Kristin Klein Tammy Liley Bev Oden Elaina Oden Danielle Scott Paula Weishoff Teee Williams Elaine Youngs Yoko Zetterlund Head Coach: Terry Liskevych Assistant Coach: Aldis Berzins Assistant Coach: Jeanne Beauprey Reeves Technical Assistant: Dave Fleming

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2000 (Sydney) 4th Place Robyn Ah Mow Heather Bown Tara Cross-Battle Mickisha Hurley Sarah Noriega Demetria Sance Danielle Scott Stacy Sykora Charlene Tagaloa Logan Tom Kerri Walsh Allison Weston Head Coach: Mick Haley Assistant Coach: Toshi Yoshida Assistant Coach: Jeri Estes Technical Coordinator: Monica Paul Trainer: Emery Hill, Jr. Team Doctor: Dr. David Weinstein Team Manager: Bob Gambardella 2004 (Athens) 5th Place Robyn Ah Mow-Santos Elisabeth Bachman Lindsey Berg Heather Bown Tara Cross-Battle Tayyiba Haneef Nancy Metcalf Ogonna Nnamani Keba Phipps Danielle Scott Stacy Sykora Logan Tom Head Coach: Toshi Yoshida Assistant Coach: Kevin Hambly Assistant Coach: Tara Cross-Battle Technical Coordinator: Robyn Romansky Trainer: Emery Hill, Jr. Team Leader: Tom Pingel 2008 (Beijing) Silver Medal Robyn Ah Mow-Santos Lindsey Berg Heather Bown Nicole Davis Kim Glass Tayyiba Haneef-Park Jennifer Joines Ogonna Nnamani Danielle Scott-Arruda Stacy Sykora Logan Tom Kim Willoughby Head Coach: “Jenny” Lang Ping Assistant Coach: Sue Woodstra Assistant Coach: Li Yong Assistant Coach: Tom Hogan Technical Coordinator: Diane French Trainer: Emery Hill, Jr. Team Leader: Joan Powell

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All-Time U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Results 1964 Olympics - Tokyo, Japan Finish: 5th Match Results Oct. 11: lost to Japan 15-1, 15-5, 15-2 Oct. 12: lost to Poland 15-3, 15-4, 15-10 Oct. 13: lost to Romania 15-9, 15-1, 15-2 Oct. 17: lost to Soviet Union 15-1, 15-8, 15-7 Oct. 21: def. South Korea 15-7, 15-13, 15-13 Final Record: 1-5 (3-12) Final Standings Gold: Japan (5-0) Silver: Soviet Union (4-1) Bronze: Poland (3-2) 4. Romania (2-3) 5. USA (1-4) 6. South Korea (0-5)

1968 Olympics - Mexico City, Mexico Finish: 8th Match Results Oct. 13: lost to Japan 15-6, 15-2, 15-2 Oct. 14: lost to Czechoslovakia 15-7, 11-15, 15-9, 15-11 Oct. 16: lost to Poland 15-3, 15-1, 16-14 Oct. 17: lost to South Korea 15-9, 15-13, 13-15, 15-5 Oct. 21: lost to Soviet Union 15-1, 6-15, 15-4, 15-6 Oct. 23: lost to Peru 15-11, 15-0, 14-16, 15-12 Oct. 26: lost to Mexico 15-8, 15-7, 15-4 Final Record: 0-7 (4-21) Final Standings Gold: Soviet Union (7-0) Silver: Japan (6-1) Bronze: Poland (5-2) 4. Peru (3-4) 5. South Korea (3-4) 6. Czechoslovakia (3-4) 7. Mexico (1-6) 8. USA (0-7)

1984 Olympics - Los Angeles, California Finish: Silver Medal Match Results July 30: def. West Germany 17-15, 15-8, 15-10 Aug. 1: def. Brazil 12-15, 10-15, 15-5, 15-5, 15-12 Aug. 3: def. China 15-13, 7-15, 16-14, 15-12 Aug. 5: def. Peru 16-14, 15-9, 15-10 Aug. 7: lost to China 16-14, 15-3, 15-9 Final Record: 4-1 (12-6) Final Standings Gold: China Silver: USA Bronze: Japan 4. Peru 5. South Korea 6. West Germany 7. Brazil 8. Canada Pool A Standings USA (3-0) China (2-1) West Germany (1-2) Brazil (0-3) Pool B Standings Japan (3-0) Peru (2-1) South Korea (1-2) Canada (0-3)

1988 Olympics - Seoul, South Korea Finish: 7th Place Match Results Sept. 20: lost to China 0-3 (9-15, 5-15, 7-15) Sept. 23: def. Brazil 14-16, 15-5, 15-13, 12-15, 15-7 Sept. 25: lost to Peru 15-12, 15-9, 4-15, 5-15, 15-9 Sept. 27: lost to East Germany 15-13, 15-11, 10-15, 15-8 Sept. 29: def. South Korea 15-4, 12-15, 13-15, 15-9, 15-8 Final Record: 2-3 (9-13) Final Standings Gold: Soviet Union Silver: Peru Bronze: China 4. Japan 5. East Germany 6. Brazil 7. USA 8. South Korea

1996 Olympics - Atlanta, Georgia Finish: 7th Place Match Results July 20: def. Ukraine 15-8, 15-5, 15-11 July 22: def. Netherlands 12-15, 15-10, 17-15, 15-7 July 24: lost to China 15-8, 15-2, 12-15, 15-12 July 26: def. Japan 15-11, 15-7, 15-12 July 28: def. Korea 10-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-3 July 30: lost to Cuba 15-1, 15-10, 15-12 July 31: lost to Korea 15-12, 15-5, 15-11 Aug. 1: def. Germany 17-15, 15-6, 5-15, 15-6 Final Record: 5-3 (16-12) Final Standings Gold: Cuba Silver: China Bronze: Brazil 4. Russia 5. Netherlands 6. Korea 7. USA 8. Germany 9. Canada 9. Japan 11. Ukraine 11. Peru

Pool A Standings Soviet Union (2-1) Japan (2-1) South Korea (1-2) East Germany (1-2) Pool B Standings Peru (3-0) China (2-1) USA (1-2) Brazil (0-3)

1992 Olympics - Barcelona, Spain Finish: Bronze Medal Match Results July 29: lost to Japan 15-13, 11-15, 12-15, 15-8, 15-13 July 31: def. CIS 9-15, 17-15, 15-12, 4-15, 15-11 Aug. 2: def. Spain 15-4, 15-5, 15-10 Aug. 4: def. Netherlands 15-11, 11-15, 15-8, 15-7 Aug. 6: lost to Cuba 8-15, 9-15, 15-6, 15-5, 15-11 Aug. 7: def. Brazil 15-8, 15-6, 15-13 Final Record: 4-2 (16-9) Final Standings Gold: Cuba Silver: Commonwealth of Independent States - former Soviet Union Bronze: USA 4. Brazil 5. Japan 6. Netherlands 7. China 8. Spain Pool A Standings Commonwealth of Independent States - former Soviet Union (2-1) USA (2-1) Japan (2-1) Span (0-3) Pool B Standings Cuba (3-0) Brazil (2-1) Netherlands (1-2) China (0-3)

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Pool A Standings China (5-0) USA (4-1) Netherlands (3-2) Korea (2-3) Japan (1-4) Ukraine (0-5) Pool B Standings Brazil (5-0) Russia (4-1) Cuba (3-2) Germany (2-3) Canada (1-4) Peru (0-5)

All-Time U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Results 2000 Olympics - Sydney, Australia Finish: 4th Place Match Results Sept. 16: def. China 19-25, 25-21, 25-12, 26-24 Sept. 18: def. Kenya 25-16, 25-6, 25-16 Sept. 20: def. Croatia 25-19, 25-18, 25-16 Sept. 22: def. Australia 25-11, 25-17, 25-10 Sept. 24: lost to Brazil 25-17, 20-25, 25-15, 25-15 Sept. 26: def. Korea 26-24, 17-25, 25-23, 25-27, 16-14 Sept. 28: lost to Russia 25-15, 23-25, 25-15, 26-28, 15-8 Sept. 30: lost to Brazil 25-18, 25-22, 25-21 Final Record: 5-3 (18-12) Final Standings Gold: Cuba Silver: Russia Bronze: Brazil 4. USA 5. China 6. Germany 7. Croatia 8. Korea 9. Australia 9. Italy 11. Peru 11. Kenya Pool A Standings Brazil (5-0) USA (4-1) Croatia (3-2) China (2-3) Australia (1-4) Kenya (0-5) Pool B Standings Russia (5-0) Cuba (4-1) Korea (3-2) Germany (2-3) Italy (1-4) Peru (0-5)

2004 Olympics - Athens, Greece Finish: 5th Place

2008 Olympics - Beijing, China Finish: Silver Medal

Match Results Aug. 14: lost to China 25-21, 23-25, 25-22, 25-18 Aug. 16: def. Germany 25-22, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25 Aug. 18: lost to Dominican Republic 26-24, 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 19-17 Aug. 20: lost to Russia 20-25, 25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 15-11 Aug. 22: def. Cuba 25-22, 25-12, 25-19 Aug. 24: lost to Brazil 25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 25-27, 15-6 Final Record: 2-4 (13-13)

Match Results Aug. 9: def. Japan 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 25-21 Aug. 11: lost to Cuba 25-15, 26-24, 25-17 Aug. 13: def. Venezuela 25-17, 20-25, 25-14, 25-18 Aug. 15: def. China 23-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-20, 15-11 Aug. 17: def. Poland 18-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19, 15-13 Aug. 19: def. Italy 20-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-18, 15-6 Aug. 21: def. Cuba 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 Aug. 23: lost to Brazil 25-15, 18-25, 25-13, 25-21 Final Record: 6-2 (19-14)

Final Standings Gold: China Silver: Russia Bronze: Cuba 4. Brazil 5. Japan 5. Korea 5. Italy 5. USA 9. Germany 9. Greece 11. Dominican Republic 11. Kenya

Final Standings Gold: Brazil Silver: USA Bronze: China 4. Cuba 5. Italy 5. Japan 5. Russia 5. Serbia 9. Kazakhstan 9. Poland 11. Algeria 11. Venezuela

Pool A Standings Brazil (5-0) Italy (4-1) Korea (3-2) Japan (2-3) Greece (1-4) Kenya (0-5)

Pool A Standings Cuba (5-0) USA (4-1) China (3-2) Japan (2-3) Poland (1-4) Venezuela (0-5)

Pool B Standings China (5-0) Russia (3-2) Cuba (3-2) USA (2-3) Germany (2-3) Dominican Republic (1-4)

Pool B Standings Brazil (5-0) Italy (4-1) Russia (3-2) Serbia (2-3) Kazakhstan (1-4) Algeria (0-5)

2008 U.S. Olympic Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volleyball Team with silver medals. (FIVB photo)

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International Volleyball Fact Sheet Introduction: Volleyball has major international competitions every year and, at its highest level, is a physically demanding sport played by some of the world’s most elite athletes. Of course, volleyball is also a popular recreational activity enjoyed by more than 38 million persons in the United States (more than any team sport but basketball) and more than 800 million persons globally, making it the world’s most popular participant sport. This fact sheet is designed to provide more understanding about international volleyball and its major competitions, including the Olympic Games. International Governing Body: The international governing body for volleyball is the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIVB is the world’s largest sports federation, with more than 200 member nations. Under the direction of its president, Dr. Ruben Acosta of Mexico, the FIVB oversees the administration of volleyball throughout the world and is responsible for producing several major events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and World Grand Prix. National Governing Body: The national governing body (NGB) for volleyball in the United States is USA Volleyball, formerly known as the United States Volleyball Association. Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is responsible for the administration of all forms of volleyball in the United States, including producing the annual USA Open Volleyball Championships, Junior Olympic Championships and the USA Outdoor National Championships. As mandated by the 1978 Amateur Sports Act, USA Volleyball is responsible to the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and the FIVB for training and nominating the teams which represent the United States in the Olympic Games and other important volleyball competitions worldwide. Major Competitions: The four major events on the international volleyball calendar are the Olympic Games (men and women, indoor and beach), World Championships (men and women, indoor and beach), World Cup (men and women, indoor), World League (men, indoor) and World Grand Prix (women, indoor). All events are conducted quadrennially, with the exceptions of the annual World League/Grand Prix and the biennial Beach World Championships. World Rankings: Following the decision of the FIVB Board of Administration, a new system of point attribution based on a new scale has been implemented for the FIVB World Ranking of Volleyball National Teams. The following competitions are now included: • Senior World Championships included for four years 25 percent reduction each year. Points are also granted for the qualification matches, to the best non-qualified teams. • Olympic Games included for four years - 25 percent reduction each year. Points are also granted for the qualification matches, to the best non-qualified teams.

• World Cup included for two years - 50 percent reduction the second year. • Senior Continental Championships included for two years - 50 percent reduction the second year; points are also granted for the qualification matches to the best non-qualified teams. • Men’s World League / Women’s World Grand Prix included for one year. Women (Points) - as of 7/9/2012 1. USA (245) 2. Brazil (217.5) 3. China (187.0) 4. Italy (183.75) 5. Japan (177.25) 6. Germany (119.25) 7. Serbia (112.0) 8. Turkey (104.25) 9. Russia (96.25) 10. Cuba (87.0) 11. Dominican Republic (72.75) 12. Thailand (72.0) 13. Poland (59.75) 14. Kenya (50.75) 15. Korea (49.25) 16. Algeria (47.25) 17. Peru (41.5) 18. Argentina (39.0) 19. Puerto Rico (37.5) 20. Netherlands (30.25) 21. Egypt (28) 22. Canada (25.75) 23. Mexico (24.75) 24. Czech Republic (23.75) 25. Senegal (23.50) 26. Colombia (22.5) 27. Kazakhstan (21.75) 28. Chinese Taipei (21.0) 29. Costa Rica (20.0) 30. Cameroon (19.0) 31. Uruguay (18.25) 32. Croatia (17.25) 33. Tunisia (16.0) 34. Trinidad & Tobago (15.75) 35. Romania (14.5) 36. Azerbaijan (14.25) 37. Chile (13.75) 38T. Belgium (12.25) 38T. Belarus (12.25) 40T. Spain (10.5) 40T. France (10.5)

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Men (Points) as of 7/9/2012 1. Brazil (232.5) 2. Russia (196.5) 3. Poland (192.0) 4. Cuba (188.25) 5. USA (178.0) 6. Italy (173.0) 7. Serbia (136.25) 8. Argentina (94.75) 9. Bulgaria (93.75) 10. Germany (69.5) 11. China (57.25) 12. Egypt (55.0) 13. Iran (50.25) 14. Cameroon (45.25) 15. France (44.75) 16. Canada (43.25) 17. Japan (41.0) 18. Venezuela (40.75) 19. Puerto Rico (37.5) 20. Tunisia (37.25) 21. Korea (35.5) 22. Australia (33.5) 23. Mexico (33.0) 24. Czech Republic (30.0) 25. Algeria (26.25) 26. Slovakia (25.25) 27. Colombia (24.75) 28. Spain (24.25) 29. Finland (20.75) 30. India (19.75) 31. Chile (18.75) 32. Morocco (17.0) 33. Trinidad & Tobago (16.25) 34. Congo (14.0) 35. Portugal (13.5) 36T. Estonia (12.75) 36T. Netherlands (12.75) 36T. Slovenia (12.75) 36T. South Africa (12.75) 40. Romania (12.25)

Olympic Games: Volleyball made its debut in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Twelve teams in both the men’s and women’s draw earn the right to compete: Past Olympic Champions (Men) 1964: Soviet Union (USA, ninth) 1968: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1972: Japan, (USA, DNQ) 1976: Poland (USA, DNQ) 1980: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1984: USA 1988: USA 1992: Brazil (USA, third) 1996: Netherlands (USA, ninth) 2000: Yugoslavia (USA, 11th) 2004: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2008: USA

Past World Champions (Women) 1952: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1956: Soviet Union (USA, ninth) 1960: Soviet Union (USA, sixth) 1962: Japan (USA, DNP) 1966: Japan (USA, second) 1970: Soviet Union (USA, 11th) 1974: Japan (USA, 12th) 1978: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1982: China (USA, third) 1986: China (USA, 10th) 1990: Soviet Union (USA, third) 1994: Cuba (USA, sixth) 1998: Cuba (USA, 13th) 2002: Italy (USA, second) 2006: Russia (USA, ninth) 2010: Russia (USA, fourth)

Past Olympic Champions (Women) 1964: Japan (USA, fifth) 1968: Soviet Union (USA, eighth) 1972: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1976: Japan (USA, DNQ) 1980: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1984: China (USA, second) 1988: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1992: Cuba (USA, third) 1996: Cuba (USA, seventh) 2000: Cuba (USA, fourth) 2004: China (USA, fifth) 2008: Brazil (USA, second)

World Cup: The World Cup is held every four years, in the year prior to the Olympic Games. Though originally held at various sites, it has been hosted by Japan since 1977. Prior to 1991, the World Cup took place in the year immediately following the Olympics. The 12 berths in the World Cup for men and women are gained in the following manner:

World Championships: The World Championships are held every four years in the second year after the Olympics. The site, usually separate for the men’s and women’s competitions, is determined by the FIVB based on bids received from interested cities. The 24 berths for the men and women are gained in the following manner (2006 information is provided in parenthesis where available): • Host country • Defending World Champions • FIVB determined the appropriate number of qualification spots for each continent/zone based on performance at the 2002 World Championships and the number of teams registered for the 2006 World Championships. Each continent/zone played a World Championships Qualification Tournament in early 2002.

Past World Cup Champions (Men) 1965: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1969: East Germany (USA, DNP) 1973: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1977: Soviet Union (USA, 10th) 1981: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1985: USA 1989: Cuba (USA, fourth) 1991: Soviet Union (USA, third) 1995: Italy (USA, fourth) 1999: Russia (USA, fourth) 2003: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2007: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2011: Russia (USA, sixth)

Past World Champions (Men) 1949: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1952: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1956: Czechoslovakia (USA, sixth) 1960: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1962: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1966: Czechoslovakia (USA, 11th) 1970: East Germany (USA, 18th) 1974: Not held 1978: Soviet Union (USA, 19th) 1982: Soviet Union (USA, 13th) 1986: USA 1990: Italy (USA, 13th) 1994: Italy (USA, third) 1998: Italy (USA, ninth) 2002: Brazil (USA, ninth) 2006: Brazil (USA, 10th) 2010: Brazil (USA, sixth)

Past World Cup Champions (Women) 1973: Soviet Union (USA, sixth) 1977: Japan (USA, seventh) 1981: China (USA, fourth) 1985: China (USA, DNQ) 1989: Cuba (USA, DNQ) 1991: Cuba (USA, fourth) 1995: Cuba (USA, seventh) 1999: Cuba (USA, ninth) 2003: China (USA, third) 2007: Italy (USA, third) 2011: Italy (USA, second)

• Host country (Japan- Men and Women) • Defending World Cup champion • Winners of the five zone championships • The highest-placed team (of each zone) not qualified for the Olympic Games in accordance with the ranking of the zone championships.

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Zone Championships: The volleyball world is divided into five international zones.The United States is in the NORCECA (North America Central America Caribbean) Zone, with championships held every other year at various sites. The other zones are Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The frequency of zone championships competition varies in each of the five sections. Any nation in a particular zone may participate in its zone championships whenever such a competition is conducted. Past NORCECA Champions (Men) 1969: Cuba (USA, third) 1971: Cuba (USA, second) 1973: USA 1975: Cuba (USA, third) 1977: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1979: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1981: Cuba (USA, second) 1983: USA 1985: USA 1987: Cuba (USA, second) 1989: Cuba (USA, third) 1991: Cuba (USA, second) 1993: Cuba (USA, second) 1995: Cuba (USA, second) 1997: Cuba (USA, second) 1999: USA 2001: Cuba (USA, second) 2003: USA 2005: USA 2007: USA 2009: Cuba (USA, second) 2011: Cuba (USA, second) Past NORCECA Champions (Women) 1969: Mexico (USA, bronze) 1971: Mexico (USA, DNP) 1973: Cuba (USA, third) 1975: Cuba (USA, second) 1977: Cuba (USA, third) 1979: Cuba (USA, second) 1981: USA 1983: USA 1985: Cuba (USA, second) 1987: Cuba (USA, second) 1989: Cuba (USA, third) 1991: Cuba (USA, second) 1993: Cuba (USA, second) 1995: Cuba (USA, second) 1997: Cuba (USA, second) 1999: Cuba (USA, second) 2001: USA 2003: USA 2005: USA 2007: Cuba (USA, second) 2009: Dominican Republic (USA, fourth) 2011: USA

World League and World Grand Prix: The World League features the top 12 men’s volleyball teams in the world in competition for a total purse that has grown to $15 million since the inaugural season in 1990. Teams are divided into three, four-team pools and each country playing the other teams in their pool four times (twice at home, twice on the road). The winner and runner-up in each pool advance to a seeded playoff round. The regular season is usually played in May and June with playoffs in early July. The World Grand Prix is the women’s counterpart to the World League, and offers a total purse of $2 million to its 12-team field. Teams play in different four-team pools each weekend, at roundrobin tournaments hosted by cities throughout Asia. The three teams with the best records join the host country for the Grand Prix Finals. The regular season is played in August and earlySeptember with playoffs in mid-September. World League Champions 1990: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1991: Italy (USA, third in pool) 1992: Italy (USA, first in pool, third overall) 1993: Brazil (USA, fifth in pool) 1994: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1995: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1996: Netherlands (USA, DNP) 1997: Italy (USA, DNP) 1998: Cuba (USA, DNP) 1999: Italy (USA, DNP) 2000: Italy (USA, first in pool, sixth overall) 2001: Brazil (USA, third in pool, tied-ninth overall) 2002: Russia (USA, DNP) 2003: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2004: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2005: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2006: Brazil (USA, third in pool) 2007: Brazil (USA, third in finals) 2008: USA 2009: Brazil (USA, sixth) 2010: Brazil (USA, eighth) 2011: Russia (USA, seventh) 2012: Poland (USA, silver) World Grand Prix Champions 1993: Cuba (USA, seventh regular season) 1994: Brazil (USA, fifth regular season) 1995: USA 1996: Brazil (USA, fifth) 1997: Russia (USA, eighth) 1998: Brazil (USA, eighth) 1999: Russia (USA, DNP) 2000: Cuba (USA, sixth) 2001: USA 2002: Russia (USA, sixth) 2003: China (USA, third) 2004: Brazil (USA, third) 2005: Brazil (USA, eighth) 2006: Brazil (USA, seventh) 2007: Netherlands (USA, eighth final, seventh preliminary) 2008: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2009: Brazil (USA, ninth) 2010: USA 2011: USA 2012: USA

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USA Volleyball – 2012 Fact Sheet Name: USA Volleyball Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. Founded: 1928 Membership: Approximately 275,000 Mission: USA Volleyball is the National Governing Body (NGB) for all disciplines of volleyball in the United States and is officially recognized by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). As mandated by the Amateur Sports Act, USA Volleyball is responsible for the growth of the sport in America at the grassroots and most elite levels. USA Volleyball is the parent organization of the USA National Teams. Chief Executive Officer: Doug Beal Head Coach USA Women: Hugh McCutcheon (Fourth Year with Women’s Team) Head Coach USA Men: Alan Knipe (Fourth Year with Men’s Team) Major 2012 National Team Events: Senior Women’s Volleyball FIVB World Grand Prix (June 8-July 1, Various Countries) Pan American Cup (July 11-21, Mexico) U.S. versus Bulgaria (July 14, 16, 18 - Anaheim/Los Angeles, Calif.) Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 13, London)

Senior Men’s Volleyball U.S. versus Argentina (April 27 and April 29, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualifier (May 7-12, Long Beach, Calif.) FIVB World League (May 18-July 8, Various Countries) Pan American Cup (July 7-15, Dominican Republic) Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 13, London)

Indoor High Performance and USAV Juniors (Youth and Junior) Indoor High Performance and USAV Juniors (Youth and Junior) NORCECA Girls’ Youth Championship (June 26-July 1, Dominican Republic) USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships (June 28-July 7, Columbus, Ohio) NORCECA Boys’ Youth Championship (July 2-7, Mexico) USAV Boys’ Junior National Championships (July 1-8, Dallas, Texas) USAV High Performance Championships (July 24-28, Des Moines, Iowa) NORCECA Women’s Junior Championship (Aug. 21-26, Nicaragua) NORCECA Men’s Junior Championship (Aug. 27-Sept. 1, Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Beach FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour (various countries) NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour (various countries) Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series (various stops in United States) FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Youth World Championships (July 11-14, Cyprus) FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Junior World Championsihps (Aug. 29-Sept. 2, Canada) U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball (Sept. 14-16, Manhattan Beach, Calif.)

Other Events NCVF Collegiate Club Championships (April 5-7, Kansas City, Mo.) USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge (April 14-15, Hermosa Beach, Calif.) USA Volleyball Open National Championships (May 26-June 2, Salt Lake City, Utah) USA Beach Junior Tour (various locations) About USA Volleyball: Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has over 275,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $17 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game. For more information please visit www.usavolleyball.org. Other: USA Volleyball consists of 40 regional volleyball associations which manage grassroots playing opportunities for the USA Volleyball membership and is affiliated with 36 member organizations (i.e. NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, YMCA) that provide playing opportunities at a variety of levels.

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4065 Sinton Road, Suite 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Phone: 719-228-6800 www.usavolleyball.org 186