COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 18, 2016) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce its 12-player roster for its U.S. Collegiate National Team (CNT-China) that will tour China.
The squad, which is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline, will train and compete in a series of matches from June 18-July 1. After a short training period June 18-19 in Los Angeles, the team will be in Shanghai from June 21-23, followed by Nanjing from June 23-26 and Beijing June 26-July 1. The CNT-China squad will also be traveling in conjunction with the Pac-12 Conference All-Star Team.
Selected CNT-China setters are Katie Brand (Kansas State University, Grand Island, Nebraska) and Ainise Havili (University of Kansas, Fort Worth, Texas). Middle blockers chosen to the team are Kaz Brown (University of Kentucky, Waterloo, Iowa), Abby Cole (University of Michigan, Grand Haven, Michigan) and Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette University, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin).
Outside hitters named to the team are Madison Rigdon (University of Kansas, Pflugerville, Texas), Tia Scambray (University of Washington, Dana Point, California), Courtney Schwan (University of Washington, Auburn, Washington) and Alexa Smith (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado). Opposites tabbed for the CNT-China team are Audriana Fitzmorris (Incoming Stanford University, Overland Park, Kansas) and Jordan Thompson (University of Cincinnati, Edina, Minnesota).Serving as liberos for the team is Morgan Heise (SMU, Hempstead, Texas).
The team’s coaching staff will be named later this spring.
The Pac 12 will have four representatives on the team with two players from Washington, along with one each from Colorado and Stanford. The Big 12 will have three players, including two Kansas teammates and one from Kansas State.
The CNT-China Tour roster has only two players (Cole and Brand) who will be seniors in college in the 2016 season, while one player has yet to play a single collegiate match (Fitzmorris). Cole was also on the CNT-China Tour last summer.
The CNT-Europe roster is expected to be released next week, while the CNT-GJNC program roster is expected to be announced by the end of the month.
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 19-21 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
U.S. Collegiate National Team for 2016 Tour of China
Name (Position, School, 2016 College Year, Height, Hometown)
Katie Brand (S, Kansas State University, Sr., 6-1, Grand Island, Nebraska)
Kaz Brown (MB, University of Kentucky, Jr., 6-4, Waterloo, Iowa)
Abby Cole (MB, University of Michigan, Sr., 6-5, Grand Haven, Michigan)
Audriana Fitzmorris (OPP, Stanford University/St. James Academy [Lenexa, Kan.], Fr., 6-6, Overland Park, Kansas)
Ainise Havili (S, University of Kansas, Jr., 5-10, Fort Worth, Texas)
Morgan Heise (L, SMU, Jr., 5-6, Hempstead, Texas)
Madison Rigdon (OH, University of Kansas, So., 6-0, Pflugerville, Texas)
Jenna Rosenthal (MB, Marquette University, So., 6-6, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
Tia Scambray (OH, University of Washington, Jr., 6-0, Dana Point, California)
Courtney Schwan (OH, University of Washington, Jr., 6-1, Auburn, Washington)
Alexa Smith (OH, University of Colorado, So., 6-1, Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, So., 6-4, Edina, Minnesota)