COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Dec. 1, 2019) – The annual U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout is scheduled for Feb. 21-23, 2020, at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center (OPTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The tryout will evaluate athletes for both the U.S. Women’s National Team and the U.S. Collegiate National Team program for athletes who have remaining collegiate eligibility after the 2019-20 season. The tryout is open to current U.S. citizens who are college-age athletes and older born in the years 1994-2001 inclusive. Athletes born prior to 1994 need to contact USA Volleyball at indoorhp@usav.org for approval to attend.
Participating athletes, regardless of age, must possess a working knowledge of offensive and defensive systems along with terminology consistent with that of a typical mid- to high-level collegiate program. Participating athletes must also possess a level of athleticism, fitness and technical ability consistent with that of a high-level collegiate player.
Tryout registration costs depend on lodging arrangements and arrival day. For athletes staying at the OPTC, the tryout registration fee is $400 (includes lodging, meals, local transportation and tryout expenses). Registration for early arrival on Feb. 20 is $90 per athlete, which includes meals and airport shuttle prior to 9 p.m.). For athletes not staying at the OPTC, the fee is $250. Per NCAA legislation, it is allowable for an institution, if it so chooses, to pay necessary expenses for its athlete to attend a national team tryout.
Each athlete will have four sessions over the course of the three-day tryout.
U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff will direct the entire tryout process with assistance from evaluators from some of the elite college and club programs across the country.
Selected athletes for the U.S. Women’s National Team may begin their training in Anaheim, California, as early as the spring of 2020, or when an athlete’s scholastic or professional club season has concluded. Athletes selected to one of the two U.S. Collegiate National Team programs will have the opportunity to participate either against foreign opponents at dates to be determined or in a week-long training program June 21-27 with Red-Blue matches. Both CNT programs, comprising 28 athletes each, will take place in Anaheim.
U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team 1 (28 Athletes)
- Location: Anaheim, California
- Dates: TBD
- Competition: Foreign Teams TBD
U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Team 2 (28 Athletes)
- Location: Anaheim, California
- Dates: June 21-27, 2020
- Competition: Red vs Blue Match
A vast majority of the current U.S. Women’s National Team athletes have participated in past open tryouts and earned spots into the pipeline, whether going directly to the senior level team or using their selection to the U.S. Collegiate National Team program as a springboard to the national team in future years.
Jordan Thompson was a highlight coming out of the 2019 open tryout as she was invited to train with the U.S. Women’s National Team, while earning a spot on the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and Olympic qualification tournament rosters. Kathyrn Plummer, the two-time AVCA Division I Player of the Year, attended the 2018 open tryout and competed for Team USA in 2019. In 2017, current national team members Roni Jones-Perry, Chiaka Ogbogu and Jenna Rosenthal were part of the tryout. The 2016 tryout brought in current Team USA players Jordyn Poulter, Samantha Seliger-Swenson and Hannah Tapp. In 2015, current U.S. Women’s National Team players Rhamat Alhassan, Danielle Cuttino, Mikaela Foecke and Annie Drews participated in the tryout. The 2013 tryout attracted current U.S. Women’s National Team members Tori Dixon, Kim Hill, Karsta Lowe and Kadie Rolfzen. The 2010 tryout had three future Olympians (Rachael Adams, Carli Lloyd and Kelly Murphy) who won bronze at the 2016 Olympics.