USA Volleyball

Karch Kiraly Makes Roster Change Ahead Of FIVB World Grand Prix Finals

Karch Kiraly Makes Roster Change Ahead Of FIVB World Grand Prix Finals

Heading into the Final Round of the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix, U.S. Women's National Team head coach Karch Kiraly made just one change to the group of players that had achieved a second-place overall ranking in the preliminary round with a 6-3 record.

Jul 31, 2017 by Megan Kaplon
Karch Kiraly Makes Roster Change Ahead Of FIVB World Grand Prix Finals
Heading into the Final Round of the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix in Nanjing, China, U.S. Women's National Team head coach Karch Kiraly made just one change to the group of players that had achieved a second-place overall ranking in the preliminary round with a 6-3 record.

Kiraly decided to bring in Annie Drews to take the place of opposite Liz McMahon. McMahon came in as a sub in seven of the team's nine matches in the preliminary rounds of World Grand Prix, scoring 21 points.

Both Drews and McMahon were also members of the U.S. team that competed at the 2017 NORCECA Pan-American Cup in June. McMahon was named top opposite of that tournament after putting away 27 points versus Puerto Rico.

Drews played at Purdue from 2012 to 2015, earning second-team All-American honors as a senior.

Five other teams qualified for the final round of World Grand Prix in Nanjing: host team China, Serbia, Brazil, Netherlands, and Italy. The USA, which has won six World Grand Prix titles to date, will play Serbia and Italy in its final round pool, and if it finishes first or second in the pool the USA will move on to the semifinals.

U.S. Women's National Team Roster: 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round

# - Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 -- Micha Hancock (S, 5-foot-11, Edmond, Oklahoma, Penn State)
3 -- Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, Bonsall, California, Cal)
4 -- Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, California, Nebraska)
5 -- Sarah Wilhite (OH, 6-1, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Minnesota)
6 -- Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Burnsville, Minnesota, Minnesota)
8 -- Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, St. Paul, Minnesota, Minnesota)
9 -- Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona)
11 -- Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Elkhart, Indiana, Purdue)
12 -- Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Wilmington, Illinois, Florida)
14 -- Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Maryville, Illinois, Illinois)
17 -- Megan Courtney (OH, 6-1, Dayton, Ohio, Penn State)
19 -- Hannah Tapp (M, 6-2, Stewartville, Minnesota, Minnesota)
20 -- Amanda Benson (L, 5-7, Litchfield Park, Arizona, Oregon)
21 -- Paige Tapp (M, 6-1, Stewartville, Minnesota, Minnesota)

2017 FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round Schedule

August 2: USA vs. Serbia, 3 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 2: Brazil vs. China, 7:30 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 3: USA vs. Italy, 3 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 3: Brazil vs. Netherlands, 7:30 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 4: Serbia vs. Italy, 3 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 4: China vs. Netherlands, 7:30 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel LIVE)
August 5: Semifinal 1, 3 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 PM ET)
August 5: Semifinal 2, 8 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 PM ET)
August 6: Bronze-Medal Match, 3 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 1 PM ET)
August 6: Gold-Medal Match, 8 AM ET (aired on Olympic Channel at 3 PM ET)