COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 12, 2019) – The U.S. Women’s National Team has invited 17 players to participate in a spring training block held March 16-23 in Anaheim, California – host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – at the American Sports Centers.
All 17 athletes will be evaluated for additional training this summer with the full U.S. Women’s National Team with the opportunity to make international rosters including the Pan American Games and Pan American Cup.
The training group includes 10 athletes with collegiate eligibility remaining. For these athletes, the training block serves as an extended tryout in compliance with NCAA rules.
Selected middles include Rachael Kramer (University of Florida), Avie Niece (University of Washington), Dana Rettke (University of Wisconsin) and Tionna Williams (University of Wisconsin). Outside hitters are Leah Edmond (University of Kentucky), Mikaela Foecke (University of Nebraska), Yossiana Pressley (Baylor University), Jacqueline Quade (University of Illinois) and Kadie Rolfzen (U.S. Women’s National Team).
Setters invited to the extended tryout are Sydney Hilley (University of Wisconsin), Madison Lilley (University of Kentucky), and Samantha Seliger-Swenson (University of Minnesota). Opposites in the spring training block are Taylor Bannister (LSU), Oluoma Okaro (Arizona State University) and Jordan Thompson (University of Cincinnati). The two liberos are Reyn “Tita” Akiu (University of Hawaii) and Justine Wong-Orantes (U.S. Women’s National Team).
“For those of us on the U.S. Women’s National Team staff, every day we get to work with dedicated people pursuing mastery is a great day,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re pumped for the opportunity to work with this group, and excited to see how they all develop over the next several years. Finally, a gratitude shout out: for all those people with remaining college eligibility, a big thank you to all of their college programs whose support made this training camp possible.”
Notes:
- Justine Wong-Orantes and Kadie Rolfzen have spent time with the U.S. Women’s National Team in each of the past two years.
- Five athletes – Tita Akiu, Taylor Bannister, Avie Niece, Jacqueline Quade and Jordan Thompson – all participated in the recent U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout held March 1-3 in Colorado Springs.
- All 17 athletes have used the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryout to gain access to this second tryout, whether in 2019 or in previous years.
- Tita Akiu, Samantha Selinger-Swenson, Mikaela Foecke and Tionna Williams exhausted their collegiate eligibility following the 2018 season.
Name (Position, College, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
Reyn “Tita” Akiu (L, University of Hawaii, 5-3, 0, Honolulu, Hawaii)
Taylor Bannister (OPP, LSU, 6-5, 2, Missouri City, Texas)
Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, 2, Lexington, Kentucky)
Mikaela Foecke (OH, University of Nebraska, 6-3, 0, West Point, Iowa)
Sydney Hilley (S, University of Wisconsin, 6-0, 2, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota)
Rachael Kramer (M, University of Florida, 6-8, 1, Phoenix, Arizona)
Madison Lilley (S, University of Kentucky, 5-11, 3, Overland Park, Kansas)
Avie Niece (M, University of Washington, 6-0, 1, Bellevue, Washington)
Oluoma Okaro (OPP, Arizona State University, 6-1, 0, Lakewood, California)
Yossiana Pressley (OH, Baylor University, 6-0, 2, Cypress, Texas)
Jacqueline Quade (OH, University of Illinois, 6-2, 1, Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Dana Rettke (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-8, 2, Riverside, Illinois)
Kadie Rolfzen (OH, WNT/University of Nebraska, 6-4, 0, Papillion, Nebraska)
Samantha Seliger-Swenson (S, University of Minnesota, 5-11, 0, Minnetonka, Minnesota)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 6-4, 1, Edina, Minnesota)
Tionna Williams (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-2, 0, Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Justine Wong-Orantes (L, WNT/University of Nebraska, 5-6, 0, Cypress, California)