COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (March 27, 2017) – Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois) goes through a rapid fire of 20 questions for fans to get to know her, while other U.S. Women’s National Team news from around the globe is covered in this week’s U.S. Women’s Update.
RAPID FIRE WITH KELSEY ROBINSON: Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram), a 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team bronze medalist, answered 20 questions that dives into life on and off the court for fans to get to know her better.
After a long season outside the country, what would be your ideal first meal back in the States?
Whole Foods or Mendocino Farms (steak kale avocado salad exactly). After traveling and being in different grocery stores where it might take an hour to find certain ingredients, it’s so nice to come home to your favorite foods or being able to cook something you love! I’m also always craving something super green and healthy after flying and being in airports for so many hours.
Favorite quote and by whom?
“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” ― Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture
Sent to me by a teammate during a really difficult period of my career and it’s helped me through everything since.
Favorite fun moment off the court during this club season?
Would have to be finding cute little hustings throughout the streets of Beijing with my mom. We ended up doing pottery all day and grabbing some amazing Pho.
Instagram or Snapchat?
Instagram… I am the worst selfie taker ever.
Go-to breakfast meal?
Mimosas? jk jk. I love love love breakfast. Avocado toast with a runny egg on top, almond milk latte, and oven roasted sweet potatoes. Runner up: breakfast burritos .
Favorite songs on your phone or music service?
Can’t go wrong with anything old school.
TV show you can’t miss, even while overseas?
Guilty pleasure… The Bachelorette.
Best place you have visited for vacation?
Tuscany, Italy was one of my all-time favorites and Croatia!
Best place you have played at in the States?
When we played in Hawaii for USA Volleyball Cup, it was incredible.
Favorite venue and city to play in overseas?
My home team’s gym. Palaverde Treviso, Italy. We sell out almost every time and our crowd is amazing.
Living celebrity you would like to meet and why?
Emma Watson, she’s a bomb feminist. And Hermoine.
If not volleyball, what sport would you be playing?
Basketball or Tennis. Or if I was like 10 foot shorter gymnastics would be sick.
Funniest teammate on U.S. Women’s National Team?
Courtney Thompson
Most used app on your phone?
Google translate.
Other than communication devices, what one personal item you must bring from home on road trips that you can’t live without?
Mostly all of my proteins and supplements and teas. And my camera! Anything that makes me feel at home or can help performance since that’s typically why I’m traveling.
A little known fact about yourself that many would find interesting?
I have a travel website dedicated to all the little things and tricks I’ve found along the way. www.apassporttoplay.com
Top two things still on your bucket list?
Sky diving and Vietnam.
If you could trade lives with anyone for one day, who would that be?
Aaron Rodgers
What is the first thing you notice about someone when you first meet?
Usually if they’re taller than me.
If you had access to a time machine where and when would you go?
The 1960s
FIVB WORLD GRAND CHAMPIONS CUP SCHEDULE SET: The FIVB held its drawing of lots for the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Champions Cup set for Sept. 5-10 in Japan. The U.S. Women’s National Team will open against defending Olympic Games champion China on Sept. 5 followed by Korea on Sept. 6. Both matches will be played at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. After a day off to travel to Nagoya, Team USA resumes action against Russia on Sept. 8, followed by meeting host Japan on Sept. 9. The Americans conclude the five-match round-robin format on Sept. 10 against Brazil.
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. In the European Champions League, VakifBank opened its Playoff 6 round (quarterfinals) by rallying past Volero Zurich 15-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 on March 23. Hill powered home 12 points with nine kills on 21 attacks, two aces on a team-best 20 serves and a block. She also recorded 14 receptions with a 43 positive reception percent. VakifBank will face Volero Zurich again on April 5 to conclude the home-and-home series that decides which team advances to the semifinals on April 22. In the Turkish regular season, VakifBank finished the regular season on a three-match win streak after sweeping Bursa B. Sehir 25-23, 27-25, 25-22 on March 25. Hill was a sub in all three sets providing seven kills on 11 attacks and a 100 positive reception percent. VakifBank, which ended the regular season in first place in the Turkish League with a 21-1 record, meets eighth-seed Besiktas in a home-and-home series with matches on March 28 and March 30 to determine which team advances to the semifinals.
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. In European Champions League, Eczacibasi lost a heartbreaking 16-25, 25-22, 25-19, 21-25, 15-12 match to Turkish rival Fenerbahce on March 23 to open the home-and-home Playoff 6 round (quarterfinals). Larson turned in 13 points in the loss with 11 kills on 29 attacks and two aces. She also was credited with a 74 positive reception percent on 23 chances. Adams provided five kills, four blocks and two aces for 11 points in the first quarterfinal match. Eczacibasi will need to defeat Fenerbahce in the second match on April 4 to force a Golden Set to determine which team advances to the semifinals that start on April 22. In the Turkish League, Eczacibasi handled Besiktas 20-25, 25-23, 25-19, 25-22 on March 25 to conclude the regular season in third place. Adams, who started just the final two sets, recorded four kills on eight swings and four blocks for eight points. Larson did not suit for the match. Eczacibasi, which ended the regular season with a 17-5 record, enters the Turkish quarterfinals as the third seed and meets sixth-seed Canakkale on March 29 and March 31 in a home-and-home series.
CRIMES WITH TURKEY’S SARIYER: Middle Alexis Crimes (Rancho Cucamonga, California, Instagram), an alternate to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Women’s Volleyball Team, is competing for Sariyer in the Turkish League this winter. Sariyer lost to 11th-place Idman Ocagi 25-18, 25-18, 25-21 on March 25. Crimes pocketed nine points with eight kills on 14 attacks and block. Sariyer closed out the regular season with a 4-18 record and in 12th place. Sariyer will play in the 9-12 relegation round matches with the first round taking place April 2-4 and the second cycle set for April 8-10.
ROBINSON, FAWCETT WITH ITALY’S CONEGLIANO: Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson (Bartlett, Illinois, Twitter, Instagram), a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, and opposite Nicole Fawcett (Zanesfield, Ohio, Instagram) are playing in the Italian Serie A1 after transferring midseason from teams China and Turkey, respectively. In Italian Serie A action, first-place Conegliano finished the regular season with a 25-19, 25-23, 20-25, 25-15 victory on March 25 to end on a three-match win streak. Robinson totaled nine points with six kills on 18 errorless attacks, two aces on a team-best 25 serves and a block. She added an 81 positive reception percent on a team-best 26 chances. Fawcett, who was a sub in the final two sets, tallied one block in the victory. Conegliano (20-2, 56 points) ended the regular season with a 10-point lead in the standings and four fewer losses than second-place Pomi Casalmaggiore. Conegliano received a first-round bye the Italian playoffs. In the European Champions League, Conegliano receives a bye in the Playoff 6 (quarterfinal round) as the host to the Final Four that will be staged April 22-23.
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. In the Italian League, Casalmaggiore had its two-match win streak snapped on March 25 with a 21-25, 25-22, 25-18, 25-17 loss to Metalleghe Montichiari. Lloyd set her team to a 32 kills percent for the match and added one kill and one block. Gibbemeyer notched nine points with eight kills on 12 errorless attacks and a block. Despite the loss, Casalmaggiore (16-6, 46 points) ended the regular season in second place and has a first-round bye in the Italian playoffs. In CEV Cup action, Casalmaggiore faces Italian rival Unet Yamamay Busto Arsizio in the semifinal home-and-home series with the first match on March 28 and the return date on April 1.
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 had its two-match win streak snapped following a 25-17, 22-25, 25-19, 25-23 loss to sixth-place Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena on March 25. Bartsch collected 17 points the match with 14 kills on 42 swings, two aces on 17 serves and a block. She chipped in a 70 positive reception percent on 27 chances. Bolzano (9-13, 31 points) finished the regular season in eighth place and will face ninth-place Il Bisonte Firenze (11-11, 30 points) in the first round of the playoffs. The first match is on March 30 with the return match on April 3.
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. In the CEV Champions League, Volero lost its Playoff 6 Round (quarterfinals) opener to VakifBank 15-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 on March 23. Akinradewo charted 13 points that included nine kills on 17 attacks with just one error, two aces and two blocks. The two teams meet again on April 5 to conclude the home-and-home series that determines which team advances to the Champions League semifinals on April 22. In the Swiss League playoffs, top-seed Volero defeated eighth-seed VC Kanti Schaffhausen I 25-20, 25-11, 25-9 on March 25 to sweep the best-of-three quarterfinal series. Akinradewo tallied three kills on four errorless attacks, three aces on 13 serves and a block for seven points in playing just the first two sets. Volero will now meet TS Volley Dudingen in the semifinals with matches on April 5 and April 8 to start the best-of-three series with April 9 being the tiebreaker if necessary. Volero went undefeated during the regular season. Volero will play Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen on April 1 in the Cornercard Volley Cup Final.
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 upset league-leader Chemik Police 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19 on March 21 in a match that was originally scheduled for March 8. Hancock set the team to a 38 kill percent and added three kills on six errorless attacks, two aces on 11 serves and a block. American teammate Megan Courtney tallied three kills and two blocks in starting the first two sets. Wroclaw (21-4, 64 points) will conclude the regular season on March 28 against fourth-place Developres Skyres Rzeszow (16-9, 50 points) on March 28. Wroclaw will head into the playoffs as the second seed regardless of the regular season finale outcome, though it can finish with the same amount points as Chemik Police but lose out on tiebreakers.