COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 13, 2018) – The U.S. Women’s National Team will host Japan in a joint training block at the end of July, including a friendly exhibition match on July 27 at Tustin High School in Tustin, California, as part of the 2020 Olympic Games Two-Year Out Celebration.
The USA-Japan exhibition match will have first serve at 7 p.m. PT. General admission is $10, while tickets for youth 10-and-under, seniors 60-and-over and military with identification are $7. Tickets go on sale at Tustin High School Gym one hour prior to the match.
Japan will be training July 22-29 at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim – official host city for the U.S. Women’s and Men’s National Teams – as part of the 2020 Olympic Games Two-Year Out Celebration. The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games start on July 24.
Earlier this month the U.S. Women captured the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League title and the $1 million top prize that goes along with the gold medals. Team USA’s focus now shifts to preparing to defend its FIVB World Championship title won back in 2014 in Italy. Like the 2020 Olympic Games, Japan is hosting the 2018 World Championship, an event held every four years.
“Having won a total of six Olympic medals, including gold in the inaugural volleyball event at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, the Japanese National Team is one of the premier international women’s programs,” U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’re enthusiastic about their visit for two primary reasons: 1) they last visited us for training and competition in 2013, over five years ago; and 2) they’ll be visiting exactly two years before the Opening Ceremonies of the 2020 Olympic Games, a Games at which we naturally aspire to qualify and compete at the highest level.”
Team USA’s training over the next two months leading up the World Championship will bring together the rosters used for the Volleyball Nations League and invited players from the Pan American Cup team, along with a few other athletes who have been in the gym training and rehabbing injuries.
The U.S. Women open the FIVB World Championship on Sept. 29 against Azerbaijan.
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for U.S. Women’s National Team
First Round Pool C – Kobe, Japan
Sept. 29: USA vs. Azerbaijan, 3:10 a.m. ET
Sept. 30: USA Vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 12:40 a.m. ET
Oct. 2: USA vs. Korea, 6:20 a.m. ET
Oct. 3: USA vs. Thailand, 3:10 a.m. ET
Oct. 4: USA vs. Russia, 6:10 a.m. ET
Second Round – Nagoya or Osaka, Japan
Oct. 7-11
Third Round – Nagoya, Japan
Oct. 14-16
Semifinals and Finals – Yokohoma, Japan
Oct. 19-20