The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Three Longhorn Volleyball players selected to U.S. Women’s National Team
04.19.2018 | Volleyball
Rachael Adams, Molly McCage, and Chiaka Ogbogu have been selected on the 26-player roster.
AUSTIN, Texas – Three former Texas Volleyball players have been selected to represent the U.S. Women's National Team for the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League, USA Volleyball announced on Thursday.
Rachael Adams (2008-11), Molly McCage (2012-15), and Chiaka Ogbogu (2013-17) are three of 26 players picked by U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly.
Per FIVB regulations, the 26-player preliminary roster will be trimmed to 21 players by May 5, which every week's 14-player roster must be selected from. Each country must declare its 14-player roster two days before the start of each week's round-robin competition.
Additional players will be training at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim throughout the summer in preparation for the Pan American Cup that takes place in July and the season-ending FIVB World Championship that starts Sept. 29 in Japan.
The FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) is in its first year replacing the long-standing FIVB World Grand Prix. The VNL has five consecutive weeks of preliminary round matches where 16 teams play in one of four round-robin pods each week around the world.
The U.S. Women, ranked second in the world by the FIVB, open the FIVB Volleyball Nations League against No. 22 Poland on May 15, followed by No. 12 Turkey on May 16 and No. 7 Italy on May 17. All three USA matches begin at 7 p.m. CT in Lincoln, Neb.
Full list of selected players
- Setters (4): Lauren Carlini (Aurora, Illinois), Alexa Dannemiller (West Chester, Ohio), Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma), Carli Lloyd (Bonsall, California)
- Opposites (4): Annie Drews (Elkhart, Indiana), Kelly Murphy (Wilmington, Illinois), Krystal Rivers (Birmingham, Alabama), Aiyana Whitney (Norwood, New Jersey)
- Outside Hitters (8): Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (Champaign, Illinois), Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio), Kim Hill (Portland, Oregon), Madison Kingdon (Hermosa Beach, California), Jordan Larson (Hooper, Nebraska), Kelsey Robinson (Manhattan Beach, California), Kadie Rolfzen (Papillion, Nebraska), Sarah Wilhite (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
- Middle Blockers (7): Rachael Adams (Cincinnati, Ohio), Foluke Akinradewo (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), Tori Dixon (Burnsville, Minnesota), Lauren Gibbemeyer (St. Paul, Minnesota), Molly McCage (Spring, Texas), Chiaka Ogbogu (Coppell, Texas), Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minnesota)
- Liberos (3): Amanda Benson (Litchfield Park, Arizona), Caroline Knop (Pasadena, California), Justine Wong-Orantes (Cypress, California
