USA VolleyballJul 7, 2017 by Megan Kaplon
Karch Kiraly Names World Grand Prix Roster
Karch Kiraly Names World Grand Prix Roster
The 14-athlete roster chosen by head coach Karch Kiraly and his staff for the first weekend of FIVB World Grand Prix includes two members of the 2016 Olympic squad, a handful of other national team veterans, and many young players, some of whom made their
The 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix began today, with the U.S. Women’s National Team kicking off its month of competition in Kunshan, China.
The 14-athlete roster chosen by head coach Karch Kiraly and his staff for the first weekend of competition includes two members of the 2016 Olympic squad, a handful of other national team veterans, and many young players, some of whom made their debuts with the national team last month at the NORCECA Pan-American Cup.
Pan-Am Cup MVP Micha Hancock and 2016 Olympian Carli Lloyd claimed the two setting spots, while Pan-Am Cup liberos Justine Wong-Orantes and Amanda Benson made the roster once again for the first weekend of World Grand Prix. Three of the four outside hitters--Sarah Wilhite, Madi Kingdon, and Megan Courtney--are first-year national team members, while Michelle Bartsch-Hackley is the veteran of the group. At opposite, Olympian Kelly Murphy is joined by Liz McMahon, who received the Top Opposite award at the Pan-Am Cup.
All four middles on the World Grand Prix roster are products of the University of Minnesota program. Tori Dixon is making her comeback after tearing her ACL in early 2016, while Lauren Gibbemeyer has played with the women’s national team since 2011. Twins Paige and Hannah Tapp just finished their college careers in December, leading their team to the 2016 final four. Paige made her international debut at the Pan-Am Cup; WGP will be Hannah’s first international competition for the senior national team.
After playing Russia, Italy, and China in the first weekend of WGP competition, Team USA will travel to Macau, China, for weekend two, where it will face Turkey, Italy, and China. Kiraly will have an opportunity to change up his roster between the weekends of competition, as long as the athletes were included in his preliminary roster submitted in the spring. During the final weekend of the preliminary round, USA will play Netherlands, Belgium, and Brazil in Cuiaba, Brazil.
# - Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, 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)
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)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, Illinois)
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
July 8 vs. Italy, 3 AM ET
July 9 vs. China, 7 AM ET
July 17 vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 18 vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
July 22 vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.ET
July 23 vs. Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET
The 14-athlete roster chosen by head coach Karch Kiraly and his staff for the first weekend of competition includes two members of the 2016 Olympic squad, a handful of other national team veterans, and many young players, some of whom made their debuts with the national team last month at the NORCECA Pan-American Cup.
Pan-Am Cup MVP Micha Hancock and 2016 Olympian Carli Lloyd claimed the two setting spots, while Pan-Am Cup liberos Justine Wong-Orantes and Amanda Benson made the roster once again for the first weekend of World Grand Prix. Three of the four outside hitters--Sarah Wilhite, Madi Kingdon, and Megan Courtney--are first-year national team members, while Michelle Bartsch-Hackley is the veteran of the group. At opposite, Olympian Kelly Murphy is joined by Liz McMahon, who received the Top Opposite award at the Pan-Am Cup.
All four middles on the World Grand Prix roster are products of the University of Minnesota program. Tori Dixon is making her comeback after tearing her ACL in early 2016, while Lauren Gibbemeyer has played with the women’s national team since 2011. Twins Paige and Hannah Tapp just finished their college careers in December, leading their team to the 2016 final four. Paige made her international debut at the Pan-Am Cup; WGP will be Hannah’s first international competition for the senior national team.
After playing Russia, Italy, and China in the first weekend of WGP competition, Team USA will travel to Macau, China, for weekend two, where it will face Turkey, Italy, and China. Kiraly will have an opportunity to change up his roster between the weekends of competition, as long as the athletes were included in his preliminary roster submitted in the spring. During the final weekend of the preliminary round, USA will play Netherlands, Belgium, and Brazil in Cuiaba, Brazil.
USA World Grand Prix Roster: Weekend 1
# - Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, 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)
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)
23 – Liz McMahon (OPP, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, Illinois)
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Karch KiralyAssistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue
Consultant Coach: Jon Newman-Gonchar
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Team USA’s World Grand Prix Schedule
Kunshan, China
July 7 vs. Russia (USA 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-27, 25-16, 15-11)July 8 vs. Italy, 3 AM ET
July 9 vs. China, 7 AM ET
Macau, China
July 16 vs. Turkey, 4 a.m. ETJuly 17 vs. Italy, 2:30 a.m. ET
July 18 vs. China, 3:30 a.m. ET
Cuiaba, Brazil
July 21 vs. Netherlands, 5:05 p.m. ETJuly 22 vs. Belgium, 5:05 p.m.ET
July 23 vs. Brazil, 9:10 a.m. ET