COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The USA Volleyball High Performance Indoor Program named its 12-player U.S. Girls' Youth National Team (Under-18) roster for 2010, according to U.S. Girls' Youth National Team Head Coach Jim Stone.
The selected outside hitters/opposites are Jordan Burgess (Tampa, Fla.), Mimi Eugene (Houston), Brittany Howard (Los Altos, Calif.), Angela Lowak (New Braunfels, Texas) and Andie Malloy (Allen, Texas). The middle blockers chosen for the team are Molly McCage (Spring, Texas), Chloe Reinig (Detroit, Mich.) and Shelby Sullivan (Richardson, Texas). The setters are Madison Bugg (Apex, N.C.), Allison Palmer (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Lauren Sieckmann (Omaha, Neb.). Haley Pouliezos (Imperial, Mo.) was tabbed to the roster as the libero. Due to the versatility of the team's talent, some of the players may train and compete at multiple positions.
"I am pleased by the level of effort given by all the players," Stone said. "The attitude of the players was great, and they all tried hard. Now the challenge for the players is to take the information they received this weekend and continue to improve. We will not have any training prior to traveling to Guatemala, so we have to improve in the coming three months on an individual basis."
The U.S. Girls' Youth National Training Team members have been training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Due to the early schedule date for the 2010 NORCECA Girls' Youth Continental Championship held April 3-11 at Guatemala, the training squad was comprised of the top evaluated rising Select-age athletes from 2009. In most years, the NORCECA event is held in July or August. Typically, the U.S. training team is comprised of the highest evaluated players from the USAV High Performance Tryouts, which are held normally in early February through late April.
Although the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team has been selected, the USAV High Performance Department encourages Youth Age players (born in 1994 or 1995) to participate in the scheduled tryouts. Since USAV was forced to select this national team prior the 2010 tryout season, all Youth athletes – including the 18 Girls' Youth National Training Team athletes – are still eligible for Youth A1/A2 training and competition teams at the USAV High Performance Championships or other training programs. This will allow USA Volleyball to re-assess the depth chart for 2010 in preparation for 2011 (FIVB World Championship).
The U.S. Girls' Youth National Team has dominated its FIVB Zone during the NORCECA Continental Championship, which is a qualifying event into the FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship held in odd-numbered years. Team USA has won the last four biennial NORCECA Girls' Youth Continental Championship events, including the 2008 title in Puerto Rico.
2010 U.S. Girls' Youth National Team Roster
Player (Pos., Ht, Hometown, Club, Region)
Madison Bugg (S, 6-0, Apex, N.C., 2012, Triangle, Carolina)
Jordan Burgess (OH, 6-0, Tampa, Fla., 2012, Tampa Bay Juniors, Florida)
Mylan "Mimi" Eugene (OH, 5-11, Houston, Texas, 2014, Texas Tornados, Lone Star)
Brittany Howard (OH, 6-3, Los Altos, Calif., 2012, Vision, Northern California)
Angela Lowak (OH, 6-0, New Braunfels, Texas, 2012, Austin Juniors, Lone Star)
Andie Malloy (S/OH, 6-2, Allen, Texas, 2012, Skyline Juniors, North Texas)
Molly McCage (MB, 6-3, Spring, Texas, 2012, Texas Team, Lone Star)
Allison Palmer (S, 5-9, Laguna Beach, Calif., 2012, Laguna Beach Volleyball Club, Southern California)
Haley Pouliezos (L, 5-7, Imperial, Mo., 2012, High Performance, Gateway)
Chloe Reinig (MB, 6-4, Detroit, Mich., 2013, Michigan Elite, Lakeshore)
Lauren Sieckmann (S, 5-11, Omaha, Neb., 2012, Nebraska Elite, Great Plains)
Shelby Sullivan (MB, 6-2, Richardson, Texas, 2012, TAV, North Texas)
Head Coach: Jim Stone (USA Volleyball High Performance Coach)
Assistant Coach: Melissa Wolter (University of West Florida)
Assistant Coach: Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa (USA Volleyball High Performance Coach)
Assistant Coach: Mike Gee (Golden Bear)
Team Leader: Diane French (USA Volleyball High Performance)
Other U.S. Girls' Youth National Training Team Members
Player (Pos., Ht, Hometown, Club, Region)
Kat Brooks (L, 5-4, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2012, Asics Rainbows, Aloha)
Lydia Ely (MB, 6-6, Flourissant, Mo., 2012, Team St. Louis, Gateway)
Chelsey Keoho (L, 5-3, Kailua, Hawaii, 2012, Jammer's Volleyball Club, Aloha)
Tai Manu-Olevao (OH, 6-0, Hilo, Hawaii, 2012, Asics Rainbows, Aloha)
Regan Peltier (MB, 6-2, Nixa, Mo., 2012, Midwest Xplosion, Gateway)
Katarina Schulz (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Ariz., 2012, Club Red, Arizona)