The 2018 FIVB Women's World Championship

U.S. Women's National Team Launches World Title Defense

U.S. Women's National Team Launches World Title Defense

On September 29, the American squad will launch its 2014 World Championship defense with seven players from that team returning.

Sep 26, 2018 by Megan Kaplon
Women's FIVB World Championship Hype Video

Four years ago, the USA won the FIVB Women’s World Championship, marking the first time the U.S. women won a gold medal at any of the three major international volleyball events (World Champs, World Cup, and the Olympics). 

On September 29, the American squad will launch its defense of the title with seven players from the 2014 roster returning and seven newbies seeking their first major gold medal. 

Earlier in the summer, the USA -- led by setter Carli Lloyd, top attacker and tournament MVP Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, and outside-hitter-turned-libero Kelsey Robinson -- won the inaugural Volleyball Nations League title. But that doesn’t mean anything heading into the highest-stakes competition of the season. 

In fact, it just puts an even bigger target on the USA’s back. No. 2-ranked team in the world, reigning world champs, and newly crowned VNL gold-medalists: all 24 teams in the tournament will be dreaming of scoring a victory over the Americans.

“So far in 2018, our program appears to be on a good path,” USA head coach Karch Kiraly said. “We’ve had some good results, lots of players and staff have made important contributions, but ultimately those things don’t give us even one extra point at the World Championship. We’re going to have to go out and fight our hardest, every single play, to earn 25 points before the other team does.”

Here’s what to know about the 14 USA players heading to Japan, and the Americans’ first five opponents in Pool C. 

Team USA

The USA World Champs roster features two players who haven’t donned the red, white, and blue jersey in a while. Outside hitter Megan Courtney tore her ACL at the start of the professional season last fall, and the former Penn State star returns to the USA roster as a libero, the position she played at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup and in a series of friendlies in Brazil last month.

After the 2016 Olympics, opposite Karsta Lowe stepped away from the gym in order to pursue her master's degree at USC. At the time, it was unclear if she would ever return to the sport. But earlier this summer, she felt the itch and came back to the USA gym. Lowe also made the trip to Brazil, and alternated between starting on the right and serving as the opposite in the double sub. 

The 14-player roster also includes Robinson, who like Courtney made the switch from outside to libero to fill a need on the team. The USA’s boasts four equally talented middles in Lauren Gibbemeyer, Rachael Adams, Tori Dixon, and Foluke Akinradewo, who shared time almost equally throughout VNL. 

Then, of course, you can’t forget about Kiraly’s experienced trio of outsides Kim Hill, Jordan Larson, and Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, who will be backed up by rookie outside Sarah Wilhite-Parsons. 

Setter Carli Lloyd ranked second in the entire VNL competition with 16.89 assists per set, and Micha Hancock will serve as her understudy. Olympic opposite Kelly Murphy rounds out the 14-player roster.

USA World Championship Roster

# - Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)

1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)

3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)

5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)

6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)

8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)

10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)

12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)

13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)

14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)

15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)

16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)

23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)

24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)

The Competition - Pool C

Azerbaijan | Sept. 29, 2:10 AM CT

The U.S. women have played No. 24-ranked Azerbaijan three times in the history of the two programs, and Azerbaijan has won all three meetings. Two were in 2003 and 2004 at the Yeltsin Cup, an annual tournament hosted by the Russian Federation, and the third was at the 2006 World Championships in which the USA finished ninth. (Azerbaijan finished tied for 13th.)

Six-foot-six opposite Polina Rahimova led Azerbaijan with 151 total points in the 2017 CEV European Championship, in which Azerbaijan made it to the semifinals, ultimately finishing fourth. 

Rahimova, who was born in Uzbekistan and plays professionally for Turkish club Fenerbahçe, also ranked as the top scorer in the entire CEV European League in 2016 when Azerbaijan won, defeating Slovenia in the final.

Trinidad & Tobago | Sept. 30, 11:40 PM CT

Trinidad & Tobago makes its World Championship debut in 2018. In fact, the Caribbean squad has only competed in one other world event in its history--the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix in which the team competed in Group 3, winning only one match and finishing 31st overall.

Team captain and setter Renele Ford played NCAA ball at the University of Central Florida and Florida International and has been on the Trinidad & Tobago senior national team for more than 10 years. She currently plays professionally for Svedala Volleyball in Sweden. 

Among the 14 players on the final T&T World Champs roster are five other former NCAA players: Jalicia Ross-Kydd (MB, Marshall), Kelly-Anne Billingy (OH, Marshall), Delicia Pierre (OH, Bethune-Cookman), Darlene Ramdin (OH, St. John’s), and Taija Thomas (OH, FIU). 

“The mood of the players is very upbeat and training has been going very well for us,” Ford said in an interview with the FIVB. “We are now just looking ahead to our stay in Japan where we will have a series of matches prior to the tournament.”

South Korea | Oct. 2, 5:20 AM CT

The USA will have a day off after its match with Trinidad & Tobago and before taking on No. 10-ranked South Korea. 

In the Volleyball Nations League meeting between the two teams, the USA dominated, winning in straight sets, only letting Korea get more than 20 points in one. With the win, the USA stretched its lead in the all-time series with Korea to 14-3. 

Yeon Koung Kim was the top scorer for Korea in its 5-10 Nations League performance. The 30-year-old veteran had 175 total points on 145 kills, 21 blocks, and nine aces. 

Thailand | Oct. 3, 5:20 AM CT

The USA also faced Thailand in the preliminary rounds of VNL, dismantling the No. 16-ranked Asian squad 25-10, 25-22, 25-16, in a match in which Jordan Larson and Kim Hill led the U.S. with 15 and 13 points respectively.

Thailand’s best World Champs finish was a 13th place in 1998 and 2010, and the Thai women have never competed in an Olympics. The team’s best showing in a major international tournament was a fourth-place finish at the 2012 World Grand Prix. Most recently, the team’s crowning achievement was a silver medal at the 2017 Asian Games.

Twenty-three-year-old outside hitter Ajcharaporn Kongyot led Thailand at Nations League with 187 total points, despite at 5-11 being very undersized in comparison to other teams’ starting pin hitters.

Russia | Oct. 4, 5:10 AM CT

Saving the best for last, the USA will face No. 5-ranked Russia in the final match of the first round. The European powerhouse did not play well during Nations League, finishing seventh with an 8-7 record. In the two teams’ sole meeting during VNL, the USA swept Russia 25-14, 25-18, 25-18.

However, earlier this month, the Russians earned some redemption with a good showing at the Montreux Volley Masters, where they took home a silver medal, losing to Italy in the final. Nataliya Goncharova, who did not compete in Nations League, led Russia in kills and total points in Montreux and has been included on the World Champs roster.

A long history exists between the USA and Russia women’s volleyball teams. Russia holds the lead in the series since 1983 70-43, but since 2013, the Americans have been dominant, losing just twice to Russia.