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Kiraly, USA Volleyball announce 12-player women’s team for Tokyo Olympics
Olympics
June 7, 2021
USA Volleyball women’s coach Karch Kiraly announced his 12-player team for the upcoming Olympics and the setters are Jordyn Poulter and Micha Hancock. Lauren Carlini is one of the six alternates.
The team:
No. Name (Pos. Height, Hometown, College)
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., llinois)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Nebraska)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
11 Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue.)
12 Jordan Thompson (OPP, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Cincinnati)
14 Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Champaign, Ill., Illinois)
15 Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Ore., Pepperdine)
16 Foluke Akinradewo Gunderson (M, 6-3, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Stanford)
22 Haleigh Washington (M, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State)
23 Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Nebraska)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (M, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Texas)
The USA women are currently playing in the Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy, where they are undefeated.
“We’re extremely grateful for the extra time that the Olympic postponement provided,” Kiraly said in a USA Volleyball statement. “Our core group of 23 women’s national teamers has done amazing work in the last 14 months, setting us up for phenomenal trust, connection, purpose and performance.
“This roster announcement is a bittersweet moment, as we face a stark reminder that we cannot travel all 23 to Tokyo for battle, though they’ll all be there in our hearts and minds.”
Alternates
3 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford)
6 Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minn., Minnesota)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Wisconsin)
8 Hannah Tapp (M, 6-3, Stewartville, Minn., Minnesota)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Minnesota)
17 Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State)
“Ultimately, we coaches are elated for this Olympic roster selection, and for our program,” Kiraly said. “Each one of the 12 contributes unique skills and qualities that make her the right person for the job.
“This collection of special people who are elite volleyball players is poised to make a fierce Olympic run. We can’t wait to watch them ‘Let It Rip’ in Tokyo.”
Only four of the players have Olympic experience. Larson and Akinradewo will be competing in their third Olympics. Hill and Robinson played in the 2016 Games.
Poulter is the youngest player at 23 and Larson the oldest at 34. Nine of the players are from the Big Ten and only Hill and Thompson played at non-Power 5 schools.
