COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 6, 2020) – The U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Team begins its 2020 season this weekend hosting a three-team series of exhibition matches in conjunction with the Colorado Crossroads March 7-9 at the Colorado Convention Center.
Team USA is ranked No. 1 in the world by World ParaVolley and the defending Paralympic Games gold medalist. Yet, it is not shying away from stiff competition as it gets ready for this summer’s 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games.
The U.S. will host third-ranked Brazil and sixth-ranked Russia over the course of the three days with a total of eight matches. Russia is the current World ParaVolley world champion and the only team to defeat the Americans in their last 52 matches. The U.S. won all eight head-to-head matches with Russia in 2019 and both matches against Brazil. All three teams have qualified for the eight-team 2020 Paralympic Games.
Team USA opens the exhibition series on March 7 at 9 a.m. against Russia, followed by a 5 p.m. match versus Brazil. The Americans face Russia again at 9 a.m. on Sunday followed by a 1 p.m. match against Brazil. The U.S. concludes the exhibition matches on March 9 at 10 a.m. against Russia.
Team USA has held sitting volleyball matches at Crossroads in 10 of the past 12 years. Large crowds of junior athletes and their parents have flocked to the sitting volleyball court during Crossroads to watch the top-ranked women’s sitting team in the world compete.
The U.S. will hold autograph sessions after its matches where fans can interact directly with the top stars of the sitting volleyball game.
U.S. Women’s National Sitting Team Roster for Crossroads Exhibitions
# – Name (Position, Height, Hometown)
1 – Lora Webster (Middle, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y.)
2 – Bethany Zummo (Libero, 5-3, Dublin, Calif.)
3 – Lexi Shifflett (Setter, 5-4, Waseca, Minn.)
4 – Maddy Ball (Outside Hitter, 5-7, Delray Beach, Fla.)
5 – Katie Holloway (Outside Hitter, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash.)
6 – Heather Erickson (Opposite, 5-11, Fayetteville, N.C.)
7 – Monique Burkland Matthews (Middle/Outside Hitter, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla.)
10 – Sydney Satchell (Libero, 5-2, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
11 – Jillian Williams (Middle/Opposite, 5-10, Odem, Texas)
13 – Nichole Millage (Opposite/Setter, 5-7, Champaign, Ill.)
14 – Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (Setter, 5-6, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
15 – Annie Flood (S/OPP, 5-8, Salem, Ore.)
16 – Nicole Nieves (Middle/Outside Hitter, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla.)
17 – Tia Edwards (Outside Hitter/Middle, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla.)
Head Coach: Bill Hamiter
Assistant Coach: Michelle Goodall
Assistant Coach: Jon Aharoni
Athletic Trainer: Patrick Young
Technical Coordinator: Jeffrey Hicks
Event Manager: Elliot Blake
Team Leader: Mark Herrin
Match Times (all times Mountain Times)
Saturday, March 7
USA vs Russia, 9 a.m.
Brazil vs Russia, 1 p.m.
USA vs Brazil, 5 p.m.
Sunday, March 8
USA vs Russia, 9 a.m.
USA vs Brazil, 1 p.m.
Russia vs Brazil, 5 p.m.
Monday, March 9
Russia vs Brazil, 8 a.m.
USA vs Russia, 10 a.m.