COLORADO SPRINGS | Eighteen volleyball players open four days of tryouts for the U-20 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team Thursday.
Two players from Eaglecrest High School and Front Range Volleyball Club are among the group battling it out at the U.S. Olympic Training Center to be part of the 12-player roster selected to represent the country in the NORCECA Women’s U-20 Continental Championship July 6-14 in Guatemala.
Recent Eaglecrest graduate Taylor Loyd and senior-to-be Jordyn Poulter hope to be on the final roster when it is announced by coach Tom Hogan and his staff on Sunday.
“This is a group of talented and hungry athletes,” Hogan said in a statement released by USA Volleyball. “They bring to the table a wide variety of backgrounds, international experience and expertise, and each will play an important part in contributing to the team. Our entire staff is honored to work with this talented group. We’ll work hard and we’ll work smart, and we look forward to representing our country with pride.”
Poulter’s odds to make the team appear very good, especially considering only two other setters — Ainise Havili (Haltom City, Texas, TAV) and Taylor Tashima (Wilmette, Ill., Wildcat Juniors VBC) — were invited, the smallest group of any position at the tryout.
The 6-foot-1 Poulter, a University of Illinois commitment, also has experienced success in the national system, as she was part of the U-18 U.S. team that won the silver medal last summer in the FIVB U-18 Girls’ World Youth Championships in Nakhon Ratchasiam, Thailand.
Poulter started eight of the team’s nine matches and was voted best setter in the tournament, which featured 20 countries from around the world. Tashima also played on the U.S. team.
Loyd recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in time to play for Eaglecrest last season, where she played outside hitter, though her natural position is libero. She is one of five liberos present in the final 18 players, joining Caroline Knop (Pasadena, Calif., San Gabriel Elite), Cat McCoy (Southlake, Texas, TAV), Jordan Pingel (Colorado Springs, Colorado Juniors) and Molly Sauer (Louisville, Ky., KIVA).
One advantage for Loyd may be that the Junior National Training Team is coached by Hogan, who has signed Loyd to play for him at the University of Denver.
Two other players from Colorado, outside/opposite hitter Alexa Smith of Lewis-Palmer High High School and Air Academy’s Pingel.
The Junior National Training Team will train in Minneapolis June 29-July 4 before departing for Guatemala.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. Facebook: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2014 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team
Name (Position, Hometown, Region, Club, HS Grad Year)
Orie Agbaji (MB, Kansas City, Mo., Heart of America Region, Club North, 2016); Rhamat Alhassan (MB, Glenarden, Md., Chesapeake Region, Metro American VBC, 2014); Danielle Cuttino (MB, Indianapolis, Ind., Hoosier Region, Circle City VBC, 2104); Audriana Fitzmorris (MB, Overland Park, Kan., Heart of America Region, Invasion VBC, 2016); Mikaela Foecke (MB, West Point, Iowa, Iowa Region, Fusion Volleyball Club, 2015); Molly Haggerty (OH, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Great Lakes Region, Sports Performance, 2016); Ainise Havili (S, Haltom City, Texas, North Texas Region, TAV, 2014); Hayley Hodson (OH, Newport Beach, Calif., Southern California Region, Tstreet VBC, 2015); Caroline Knop (L, Pasadena, Calif., Southern California Region, San Gabriel Elite, 2014); Khaliah Lanier (OH, Scottsdale, Ariz., Arizona Region, Arizona Storm, 2016); TAYLOR LOYD (L, Centennial, Rocky Mountain Region, Front Range VBC, 2014); Cat McCoy (L, Southlake, Texas, North Texas Region, TAV, 2014); Jordan Pingel (L, Colorado Springs, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado Juniors, 2015); JORDYN POULTER (S, Aurora, Rocky Mountain Region, Front Range VBC, 2015); Molly Sauer (L, Louisville, Ky., Pioneer Region, KIVA, 2015); Courtney Schwan (OH, Milton, Wash., Puget Sound Region, Kent Juniors, 2014); Alexa Smith (OH, Monument, Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado Juniors, 2015); Taylor Tashima (S, Wilmette, Ill., Great Lakes Region, Wildcat Juniors VBC, 2014)
