LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska volleyball rising senior Alicia Ostrander is one of 36 athletes USA Volleyball has selected to participate in the U.S. Collegiate National Team (CNT) program that will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships from June 21-29 in New Orleans, La.
For the fourth consecutive year, USA Volleyball will have its U.S. Collegiate National Team program (formerly known as U.S. Women’s National A2 Team) represented at the USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships.
Ostrander, a Gordon, Neb., native, is coming off a breakout season in which she notched 152 kills and averaged 2.49 kills per set to rank fourth on the team. Ostrander posted 10 or more kills in nine matches and recorded a career-high 19 kills on 25 swings against Illinois on Oct. 18. The outside hitter went through a breakout stretch in the middle of the season with double-digit kills in seven of eight matches.
“USA Volleyball is excited to bring these three dozen outstanding collegiate athletes together for the College National Team program in New Orleans,” USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel said. “It’s always beneficial to the development of our National Team pipeline to get this group in the gym during the summer, as well as in front of the juniors playing at the GJNC so they can see the next level of play. Over the past four years, our CNT athletes have served as outstanding role models for these younger athletes.”
In March, the U.S. Collegiate National Team program selected players to compete in the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea. Husker junior Briana Holman was selected to that squad. In total, 60 athletes have been selected into the CNT program, which is part of the USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline.
This CNT program includes nine middle blockers, nine outside hitters, six setters, six opposites and six liberos. The middle blockers are Alyssa Garvelink (Michigan State University, Holland, Mich.), Krystalyn Goode (University of Michigan, River Hills, Wis.), Kayla Haneline (University of Northern Iowa, Plattsmouth, Neb.), Molly Lohman (University of Minnesota, Mankato, Minn.),Kaitlyn Oliver (Boise State University, Helena, Mont.), Tyler Richardson (Ohio State University, Ypsilanti, Mich.), Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette University, Fond du Lac, Wis.),Lauren Schad (University of San Diego, Rapid City, S.D.) and Stephenee Yancy (University of Illinois-Chicago, Aroma Park, Ill.).
Opposites selected to the program are Cody Dodd (Tennessee Tech, Cookeville, Tenn.),Canace Finley (University of San Diego, Fort Collins, Colo.), Chelsey Harris (Rice University, Houston, Texas), Hayley McCorkle (University of North Carolina, Winterville, N.C.), Kelsie Payne (University of Kansas, Austin, Texas) and Taylor Treacy (University of North Carolina, Columbia, S.C.).
The selected outside hitters are Adora Anae (University of Utah, Laie, Hawaii), Alexis Austin(University of Colorado, Houston, Texas), Kia Bright (University of Central Florida, Jacksonville, Fla.), Tiana Dockery (University of Kansas, Richmond, Texas), Erin Fairs (University of Louisville, Richmond, Texas), Katie Horton (Florida State University, Westland, Mich.), Alicia Ostrander (University of Nebraska, Gordon, Neb.), Luisa Schirmer (Ohio State University, Pittsford, N.Y.) and Azariah Stahl (Purdue Univeristy, Elkhart, Ind.).
Liberos named to the program are Heather Gearhart (University of North Carolina, Chula Vista, Calif.), Alyssa Goehner (University of Minnesota, Lakeville, Minn.), Morgan Heise (Southern Methodist University, Hempstead, Texas), Amanda Neill (Purdue University, Lafayette, Ind.),Cierra Simpson (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Cassandra Strickland(University of Washington, Huntington Beach, Calif.).
The setters are Bianca Arellano (Arizona State University, Phoenix, Ariz.), Morgan Bergren(University of Kentucky, Muncie, Ind.), Katie Brand (Kansas State University, Grand Island, Neb.), Nicole Edelman (University of Colorado, Boulder, Colo.), Ainise Havili (University of Kansas, Fort Worth, Texas) and Gabrielle Simpson (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo.).
The coaching staff for the CNT-GJNC program will be named in the coming weeks.
After the training portion of the program, the 36 athletes will be divided into three equal teams which will compete in a round-robin event June 26-29. The round-robin event may include an additional team to increase the field to four teams that would compete June 25-29.
U.S. Collegiate National Team for 2015 USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships
Name (Position, School, 2015 College Year, Hometown)
Adora Anae (OH, University of Utah, So., Laie, Hawaii)
Bianca Arellano (S, Arizona State University, Sr., Phoenix, Ariz.)
Alexis Austin (OH, University of Colorado, Sr., Houston, Texas)
Morgan Bergren (S, University of Kentucky, Sr., Muncie, Ind.)
Katie Brand (S, Kansas State University, Jr., Grand Island, Neb.)
Kia Bright (OH, University of Central Florida, Jr., Jacksonville, Fla.)
Tiana Dockery (OH, University of Kansas, Sr., Richmond, Texas)
Cody Dodd (OPP, Tennessee Tech, Sr., Cookeville, Tenn.)
Nicole Edelman (S, University of Colorado, Sr., Boulder, Colo.)
Erin Fairs (OH, University of Louisville, Sr., Richmond, Texas)
Canace Finley (OPP, University of San Diego, Sr., Fort Collins, Colo.)
Alyssa Garvelink (MB, Michigan State University, So., Holland, Mich.)
Heather Gearhart (L, University of North Carolina, Sr., Chula Vista, Calif.)
Alyssa Goehner (L, University of Minnesota, So., Lakeville, Minn.)
Krystalyn Goode (MB, University Michigan, Sr., River Hills, Wis.)
Kayla Haneline (MB, University of Northern Iowa, Jr., Plattsmouth, Neb.)
Chelsey Harris (OPP, Rice University, Jr., Houston, Texas)
Ainise Havili (S, University of Kansas, So., Fort Worth, Texas)
Morgan Heise (L, Southern Methodist University, Jr., Hempstead, Texas)
Katie Horton (OH, Florida State University, Jr., Westland, Mich.)
Molly Lohman (MB, University of Minnesota, So., Mankato, Minn.)
Hayley McCorkle (OPP, University of North Carolina, Jr., Winterville, N.C.)
Amanda Neill (L, Purdue University, Sr., Lafayette, Ind.)
Kaitlyn Oliver (MB, Boise State University, So., Helena, Mont.)
Alicia Ostrander (OH, University of Nebraska, Sr., Gordon, Neb.)
Kelsie Payne (OPP, University of Kansas, So., Austin, Texas)
Tyler Richardson (MB, Ohio State University, Sr., Ypsilanti, Mich.)
Jenna Rosenthal (MB, Marquette University, Fr.-R, Fond du Lac, Wis.)
Lauren Schad (MB, University of San Diego, Jr., Rapid City, S.D.)
Luisa Schirmer (OH, Ohio State University, So., Pittsford, N.Y.)
Cierra Simpson (L, University of Colorado, Jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Gabrielle Simpson (S, University of Colorado, So., Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Azariah Stahl (OH, Purdue University, So., Elkhart, Ind.)
Cassandra Strickland (L, University of Washington, Sr., Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Taylor Treacy (OPP, University of North Carolina, Jr., Columbia, S.C.)
Stephenee Yancy (MB, University of Illinois-Chicago, Sr., Aroma Park, Ill.)