USAV Announces U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 women who will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
TOKYO (July 23, 2021) – The U.S. Women’s National Team enters the Olympic Games Tokyo 2021 as the top-ranked team in the world and the three-time FIVB Volleyball Nations League champion.
When asked their goal for Tokyo, the players and staff don’t hedge: anything less than gold will be a disappointment.
“Of course, we talk about it,” three-time Olympian Jordan Larson told the Associated Press. “A gold medal is a goal and something that we’ve never done before as the United States indoor women’s volleyball team. So we talk about it but at the end of the day, the conversations that we’re having as a team is how can we make each other better and have those small things lead to good volleyball. While the gold is a focus of ours, it’s not our end all, be all.”
Larson and middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson lead the team. Both players won silver in London, losing a tough final to Brazil. They also took bronze in Rio de Janeiro after losing in the semifinal to Serbia and beating Netherlands in the final.
Outside hitters Kim Hill and Kelsey Robinson also return from the 2016 Olympic Team.
The remaining group of eight players might be new to the Olympic Games, but are veterans of international competition, both with USA Volleyball and with professional club teams overseas.
Outside hitter Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, an alternate in 2016, was named MVP of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in 2018 and 2021. Jordyn Poulter earned the VNL Best Setter award in 2021 and Justine Wong Orantes took Best Libero.
Opposite Annie Drews, who won VNL MVP in 2019, opposite Jordan Thompson, middles Haleigh Washington and Chiaka Ogbogu and setter Micha Hancock are all under 30 and bring a youthful energy to the lineup.
The U.S. Women open pool play on July 25 against No. 16 Argentina. Then they face No. 2 China and No. 4 Turkey in two matches in a row. They finish pool play with the No. 7 Russian Olympic Committee and No. 9 Italy.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ.)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois)
4 Justine Wong Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine, Univ.)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford Univ.)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ.)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas)
Head Coach Karch Kiraly
Asst. Coach Erin Virtue
Asst. Coach Tama Miyashiro
Asst. Coach Luka Slabe
Performance Analyst Jeff Liu
Sport Physiologist & Team Leader Jimmy Stitz
Physical Therapist & ATC Kara Kessans
Consultant Coach Sue Enquist
Consultant Coach Marv Dunphy
Team Doctor Dr. Chris Lee
Second Scout Justin Chang
Olympic Schedule (All times PT)
Jul 24 at 7:05 p.m. USA v Argentina
July 26 at 7:05 p.m. USA v China
July 29 at 5:45 a.m. USA v Turkey
July 30 at 7:05 p.m. USA v Russian Olympic Committee
Aug. 1 at 7:05 p.m. USA v Italy
Aug. 3/4 Quarterfinals
Aug. 5/6 Semifinals
Aug. 7/8 Medal matches