Globetrotting Jordyn Poulter is at it again representing her country on the volleyball court.
The recently graduated Eaglecrest High School star setter and University of Illinois signee earned her way onto the 2015 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team, keeping her place in the country’s elite group of young players that’s netted her three previous trips to play abroad.
Poulter and the American squad headed abroad July 4 to kick off a two-week trek that includes training competition in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. The team swings through Trieste, Italy, followed by Maribor, Slovenia, July 4-12 for training matches before competing in the Global Challenge July 13-16 in Pula, Croatia. The U.S. will also play their junior national team counterparts from Italy, Slovenia and Croatia, as well as Hungary’s U22 team according to USA Volleyball.
It’s actually not the tournament the team was supposed to play in. That would be the FIVB U-20 World Championships, but the date of the tournament got switched to September, when most of the team would be playing with their colleges.
“We were really looking to forward to competing in the FIVB U-20 World Championships, however the dates were moved into September. So, unfortunately since the majority of us will be in college, the USA will not be sending a team,” Poulter said before leaving the country.
“The European Global Challenge was an alternate opportunity for our team to play together in place of Worlds against some of the teams preparing for Worlds. With that; we hope to embrace the adversity in every situation whether it be on or off the court, take every opportunity to improve, and get the gold.”
The 6-foot-1 Poulter — a future Olympic hopeful — is no stranger to traveling and playing well abroad over the past few summers.
She played in the same Global Challenge in the same place with the U.S. in the summer of 2012, after her freshman year at Eaglecrest, then earned the top setter award during the U.S. team’s silver medal performance at the FIVB U-18 Girls’ World Youth Championships in Nakhon Ratchasiam, Thailand, in 2013. Last summer, Poulter won a gold medal at the U20 NORCECA Continental Championship tournament in Guatemala City, Guatemala, with the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team.
Italy tops Poulter’s list of favorite countries during her globetrotting, so she’s not entirely disappointed about the switch in tournaments.
“I am beyond thrilled to go back (to Italy),” she said. “The first Global Challenge was the first time I had ever traveled out of the country, and my first exposure to international volleyball. I loved seeing the culture of Italy and tasting all of the incredible food and coffee.”
With one more chance to play internationally and heading to Illinois as part of the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, Poulter has a lot to look forward to.
She also has plenty to look back on in her seemingly too quick time at Eaglecrest, which included four trips to the Class 5A state tournament. The Raptors never won a state championship in that time, but Poulter considers herself lucky to play there for coach Tanya Bond’s tradition-laden program.
“It only really hit me that I had graduated from high school a week or so ago, it’s amazing how fast four years can fly by,” Poulter said. “I had such a great high school experience at Eaglecrest and those memories will never fade. My support system the past four years at EHS has been tremendous and I am beyond thankful to everyone who has been a role in my success.”
Along with Poulter, Maryland’s Rhamat Alhassan, Indiana’s Danielle Cuttino, California’s Hayley Hodson and Kentucky’s Molly Sauer return from last summer’s U20 U.S. team. This time, Poulter will be the only Colorado player on the roster, which doesn’t include Lewis-Palmer star Alexa Smith.
Smith was named Gatorade’s National Player of the Year for the 2014-15 prep volleyball season.
“The primary goal of the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team is to prepare the top players at the junior level for the National Team and the Olympics through high-level training and international competition,” said coach Tom Hogan, the associated head coach at the University of Denver.
“We will teach and train the U.S. Women’s National Team system and concepts in our gym, and we will compete against some of the top junior national teams in the world. We think this trip has the potential to create an Olympic impact on some of the players on our roster, and we look forward to seeing them develop through this high level experience.”
Poulter definitely hopes she is building towards an Olympic shot in the future, but she’s comfortable taking one step at a time.
“I have a lot to look forward to and a lot to improve upon before I get my shot at the National Team,” Poulter said. “That aspiration is still in the back of my mind, but for the time being, that is where it will stay.”
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2015 U.S. WOMEN’S JUNIOR NATIONAL VOLLEYBALL TEAM
Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College/High School, Youth Club)
Orie Agbaji (MB, 6-3, Kansas City, Mo., Oak Park High School, Club North); Rhamat Alhassan (MB, 6-4, Glenarden, Md., Florida, Metro American); Adora Anae (OH, 6-1, Laie, Hawaii, Utah, Imi Ike); Danielle Cuttino (MB, 6-4, Indianapolis, Ind., Purdue, Circle City); Audriana Fitzmorris (OPP, 6-4, Overland Park, Kan., St. James Academy, Invasion VBC); Lauryn Gillis (OH, 6-1, New Castle, Ind., Wisconsin, Munciana); Hayley Hodson (OH, 6-2, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford, Tstreet); Caroline Knop (L, 5-8, Pasadena, Calif., Michigan, San Gabriel Elite); JORDYN POULTER (S, 6-1, AURORA, COLORADO, ILLINOIS, FRONT RANGE); Molly Sauer (L, 5-7, Louisville, Ky., Louisville, KIVA); Carli Snyder (OH, 6-0, Macomb, Mich., Florida, Michigan Elite); Taylor Tashima (S, 6-0, Wilmette, Ill., Northwestern, Wildcat Juniors)
Head Coach: Tom Hogan; Assistant Coaches: Erin Virtue, Stacy Sykora; Technical Coordinator: Jared Goldberg; Team Leader: Denise Sheldon
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