COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Nov. 7, 2016) – Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska) recently won her third straight FIVB Women’s Club World Championship (with two different teams) and continues to shine for her Turkish club team Eczacibasi in European Champions League action. For details on her accomplishments and other U.S. Women’s National Team news, read the full update below.
2ND ANNUAL GIVE IT BACK FOUNDATION VOLLEYBALL CAMP: The Give It Back Foundation, co-founded by U.S. Women’s National Team members Courtney Thompson (Kent, Washington, Twitter, Instagram) and Tamari Miyashiro (Kaneohe, Hawaii, Twitter, Instagram), is set to embark on its second year of inspiring and empowering the next generation of volleyball players to be the best they can be. Following up on a successful inaugural Give It Back Foundation Camp in Thompson’s hometown that donated $35,000 proceeds to The Children’s Therapy Center of Kent, Washington, the second annual event will have four stops in Miyashiro’s home state of Hawaii from Dec. 3-14. All of the net proceeds from each Give It Back Foundation camp will be donated to a charity in the community that is hosting the camp. For the four camps in Hawaii, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit HUGS Hawaii.
- Oahu Camp – Dec. 3-4 – $200
- Big Island Camp – Dec. 6-8 – $150
- Kauai Camp – Dec. 10-11 – $200
- Maui Camp – Dec. 12-14 – Hosted by Maui Juniors Volleyball Club – $150
All camps are open to girls in grade 9-12. Past and present U.S. Women’s National Team players Nicole Davis (Stockton, California, Twitter, Instagram), Alisha Glass (Leland, Michigan, Twitter, Instagram), Kristin Hildebrand (Orem, Utah, Twitter, Instagram) and Lauren Paolini (Ann Arbor, Michigan, Twitter, Instagram) will join Thompson and Miyashiro as coaches for the clinics for one or more clinics. During each camp, the coaching staff will teach topics such as growth mindset, self-talk, mindfulness, goal setting, nutrition and specific exercises in the weight room. For more information on the camps, contact info@giveitbackfoundation.org or visit the website at giveitbackfoundation.org. To register for one of the four camps, click here.
HUGS Hawaii has a mission to “improve the quality of life for families as they face the emotional and financial hardships of caring for a seriously ill child. For more on the charity, click here.
THOMPSON TALKS ON RETIREMENT: Courtney Thompson (Kent, Washington, Twitter, Instagram) made the decision to retirement this summer prior to competing in her second Olympic Games. To get insight on her decision to retire, check out FloVolleyball’s video interview at click here.
LARSON, ADAMS WITH TURKEY’S ECZACIBASI: Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska, Twitter, Instagram) and middle Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio, Twitter, Instagram), both members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team that won bronze in Rio, are playing for Eczacibasi of the Turkish League and as part of the European Champions League this winter. Eczacibasi, days after winning the FIVB Women’s Club World Championship in the Philippines, opened its European Champions League season with a 25-13, 25-13, 25-19 victory over Maritza Plovdiv on Nov. 1. Larson scored eight points with seven kills on 17 swings and an ace. She chipped in a 90 positive reception percent on 10 reception chances. Adams totaled seven points, all on kills via 13 attacks. Eczacibasi closed out the home-and-home series with a 25-16, 25-15, 25-19 victory on Nov. 5 to advance to the third-round. Larson contributed nine points with eight kills on 20 attacks and a block. She also handled eight receptions with a 75 positive reception percent. Adams added eight points with three kills on nine swings, three aces and two blocks. Eczacibasi will now face Minchanka Minsk in the Champions League third round with dates of the home-and-home series yet to be announced. Before playing in the European Champions League match, Eczacibasi opened the Turkey League with a 25-19, 25-22, 19-25, 19-25, 16-14 loss to Bursa Be Sehir on Oct. 27. Eczacibasi rebounded to defeat Idman Ocagi 31-29, 25-20, 27-25 on Oct. 30 to even its Turkish League record. Adams started all three sets and provided 10 points in the victory, including nine kills on 13 swings and a block. Larson contributed seven kills on 16 swings in playing just the first two sets. Neither Larson or Adams played in the match immediately after coming back from the Club World Championships.
HILL WITH TURKEY’S VAKIFBANK: Outside hitter Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon, Instagram) a bronze medalist on the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, returns this winter to play for Turkey’s VakifBank and in the European Champions League. VakifBank won its opening Turkish League match with a 25-21, 25-17, 25-23 victory over Seramiksan on Oct. 30. Hill scored 10 points in a starting role with six kills on 17 attacks and four blocks. She also handled a team-best 14 receptions with a 71 positive percent. VakifBank followed that victory with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 win over Galatasaray on Nov. 2. Hill was a sub in the second and third sets, racking up on kill and two aces for three points. On Nov. 6, VakifBank swept Nilufer BLD 25-14, 25-18, 25-23. Hill scored a team-high 17 points with 15 kills on 24 attacks and just one error and two blocks. VakifBank continues the Turkish League season on Nov. 13 against Sariyer. VakifBank has first, second and third-round byes in the European Champions League and is part of the round robin fourth round Pool D where it will face Uralochka-NTMK Ekaterinburg, Dresdner SC and a third-round winner beginning in mid-December.
FAWCETT, CRIMES WITH TURKEY’S SARIYER: Opposite Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio, Instagram) and middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California), both alternates to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, are competing for Sariyer in the Turkish League this winter. Sariyer fell to Canakkale Bld 25-20, 28-26, 28-26 in a tight three-set affair on Oct. 30. Fawcett scored a match-high 22 points with 20 kills on 41 attacks, one ace and one block. Crimes added eight points, all kills on 18 attacks. Sariyer lost to Halkbank 25-21, 22-25, 25-22, 28-26 on Nov. 6. Crimes collected 14 points in the match, including 11 kills on 23 swings, two blocks and an ace. Fawcett followed with 13 points via 12 kills on 36 attacks and a block. Sariyer returns to action on Nov. 13 against VakifBank.
ROBINSON, LOWE WITH CHINA’S BAIC MOTORS: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram) and opposite Karsta Lowe (Rancho Santa Fe, California, Instagram), both members of the 2016 bronze-winning U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, are in China this winter playing for BAIC Motors Beijing. In its season opener, BAIC Motors Beijing swept Shandong Weifang Hengxin 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 on Oct. 29. Lowe scored a match-high 25 points in starting just the first two sets, scoring 22 kills on 37 attacks and three aces. Robinson added 10 points with nine kills on 23 swings and one block. BAIC Motors Beijing lost to Zhejiang Jiashan Nong Commercial Bank 27-25, 25-23, 26-24 in three close sets on Nov. 5. Lowe turned in a match-high 20 points with 19 kills on 28 attacks. Robinson tacked on 11 points, including three aces. Up next on BAIC Motors Beijing’s schedule is a rematch at home with Zhejiang Jiashan Nong Commercial Bank.
MURPHY, EASY WITH CHINA’S HENAN: Opposite Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram), a bronze medalist with the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, and outside hitter Megan Easy (Boston, Massachusetts), a silver medalist with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, are playing in the Chinese League this winter with Henan. In its opening match, Henan lost to Bohai Bank Tianjin 25-21, 25-15, 25-22 on Oct. 29. Easy tallied a match-high 14 points in the loss via 12 kills on 22 swings and two blocks. Murphy pocketed 11 points in the match with 10 kills on 25 swings and a block. Henan lost the rematch to Bohai Bank Tianjin 26-24, 25-12, 25-22 on Nov. 5. Murphy collected 11 points with nine kills on 27 swings. Easy tallied 17 points with 16 kills on 37 attacks. Henan resumes action on Nov. 8 versus Fujian.
LLOYD, GIBBEMEYER WITH ITALY’S CASALMAGGIORE: Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist setter for Team USA, and middle Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram) have returned to Italy to compete for Pomi Casalmaggiore in the Italian Serie A1 league and the CEV Cup. Casalmaggiore rallied from two sets down to defeat Suditirol Bolzano 21-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-17, 15-10 on Oct. 30. Gibbemeyer was credited with five kills on 14 attacks and a block for six points in the win. Lloyd set Casalmaggiore to a 39 kill percent for the match and chipped in four individual kills on eight errorless attacks and a block for five points. Casalmaggiore edged Igor Gorgonzola Novara 25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 25-21 on Nov. 6. Lloyd set the team to a 42 kill percent while chipping in four individual kills on five attempts and two aces for six points. Gibbemeyer added 10 points with five kills and five blocks. For highlights of the match, click here. Casamaggiore will resume Italian League action on Nov. 13 against Imoco Volley Conegliano.
BARTSCH WITH ITALY’S BOLZANO: Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch (Maryville, Illinois, Twitter), an alternate on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is competing for Sudtirol Bolzano in the Italian Serie A1 this winter. Bolzano lost a heart-breaking 21-25, 23-25, 25-16, 25-17, 15-10 match to Pomi Casalmaggiore on Oct. 30. Bartsch notched 13 points in the match, all on kills via 48 attacks. She also handled 31 receptions with a 61 positive percent. Bolzano lost to reigning Italian League champion Imoco Volley Conegliano 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 on Nov. 6. Bartsch totaled eight kills on 31 swings with a 90 positive reception percent on 10 chances. Bolzano returns to Italian League action on Nov. 13 when it faces Club Italia Crai.
KREKLOW WITH ITALY’S MODENA: Setter Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minnesota, Twitter, Instagram), an alternate on the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is playing for Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena in the Italian Serie A1 and European Champions League this winter. Modena dropped a 24-26, 25-22, 25-14, 25-17 decision to Savino Del Bene Scandici on Oct. 29 in the third round of the regular season. Kreklow did not play in the contest. Modena, whose fourth round match with Foppapedretti Bergamo was moved to Nov. 23, will resume action on Nov. 13 against Metalleghe Montichiari. Modena began the European Champions League on Nov. 1 with a three-set win over Calcit Ljubljana in which Kreklow did not play. Modena finishes the second-round home-and-home series on Nov. 5 with the winner advancing to the third round.
AKINRADEWO WITH SWITZERLAND’S VOLERO ZURICH: Middle Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Florida, Twitter, Instagram), the Best Blocker in the 2016 Olympic Games after leading the U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team to a bronze medal, is playing for Volero Zurich in the Swiss League and in the European Champions League. After competing in this past week’s FIVB Women’s Club World Championship, Volero opened the Swiss League on Oct. 29 with a 25-12, 25-17, 25-13 win over Volley Top Luzern. Volero improved to 2-0 with a 25-23, 23-25, 25-19, 25-11 victory over Volley Lugano on Nov. 2. Volero edged Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen 25-15, 25-10, 17-25, 19-25, 15-7 on Nov. 6. Volero has first, second and third-round byes in the European Champions League and will face begin the round robin fourth round in mid-December against Dinamo Moscow, CS Volei Alba Blaj and a team advancing from the third round.
HANCOCK WITH POLAND’S IMPEL WROCLAW: Setter Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma, Twitter, Instagram), who played for the U.S. Women during the 2016 Pan American Cup and set the tournament record for aces in a match and tournament, is playing for Poland’s Impel Wroclaw in the Orlen Liga. Wroclaw defeated BKS Profi Credit Bielsko-Biala 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-16 on Oct. 31. Hancock set her team to a 38 kill percent and added two individual kills, three blocks and an ace for six points. American teammate Megan Courtney scored 12 points, including 10 kills on 20 swings and two blocks, in the victory. Wroclaw blanked Giacomini Budowlani Torun 25-23, 25-17, 25-18 on Nov. 6. Hancock set Wroclaw to a 38 kill percent and added two kills on six attempts and two blocks. Courtney chipped in 17 points with 12 kills on 27 attacks, three blocks and two aces. Wroclaw moves into the fifth round of the regular season to play Atom Trefl Sopot on Nov. 13.
NCAA ON TV AND INTERNET: While the U.S. Women’s National Team is away for the winter, check out how some of the future Team USA players are doing during the NCAA collegiate season. USA Volleyball has cataloged hundreds of NCAA Division I matches that will be broadcasted on television or streamed on the Internet.