USA – North Platte Post Archive

Ostrander Selected to U.S. Collegiate National Team

Posted on April 9, 2015

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.)

Huskers’ Holman Named to U.S. Collegiate National Team

Posted on March 31, 2015

Briana Holman when playing for LSU before transferring to Nebraska.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Nebraska junior volleyball player Briana Holman is one of 12 players selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team that will play in the 2015 World University Games July 2-12 at Gwangju, South Korea.

It is the second career selection for Holman to the U.S. Collegiate National Team. The middle blocker from DeSoto, Texas was part of the USA team that participated in the Tour of China in 2014.

The World University Games happens every four years as a prelude to the Olympics the following summer.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for Briana,” Nebraska head coach John Cook said. “It’s been a dream of hers, and she will get to go to South Korea where the 1988 Olympics were held. This will be a high-level tournament, and the USA is sending its best possible team to try and medal. It will be a great experience for her, not only to go to Korea and play against the best competition in the world, but to get to meet and play with different student-athletes from other teams around the United States.”

The World University Games roster is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance program’s Collegiate National Team. The squad has four players who finished their senior seasons in 2014, along with three seniors and five juniors.

Team USA for the World University Games includes setters Lexi Dannemiller (University of Michigan, West Chester, Ohio) and Micha Hancock (Penn State University, Edmond, Okla.). Opposites on the team are Khat Bell (University of Texas, Mesquite, Texas) and Alex Holston (University of Florida, Olney, Md.). Laura Larson (University of Arizona, Lakeville, Minn.) was named as the libero.

Middle blockers chosen to the World University Games roster are Nia Grant (Penn State University, Warren, Ohio), Briana Holman (University of Nebraska, DeSoto, Texas) and Paige Tapp (University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minn.). Outside hitters selected to the team are Jordan Burgess (Stanford University, Fort Myers, Fla.), Carly Kan (University of Missouri, Honolulu), Andi Malloy (Baylor University, Allen, Texas) and Nicole Walch (Florida State University, Stuart, Fla.).

Mary Wise, head coach for the University of Florida, has been named the head coach for the team. She will be assisted by Kyle Robinson, the new University of Oklahoma assistant coach, and Dan Thomassen, Sage Hill High School volleyball coach and co-founder of Prime Volleyball Club in California.

“The World University Games is a unique event that we look forward to competing in come July,” Wise said. “We are fortunate to assemble such a talented group of players to represent USA Volleyball.”

The squad includes five AVCA All-America First-Team selections in 2014, including Burgess, Grant, Hancock, Holman and Holston. Further, Bell and Walch were AVCA All-America Second-Team selections in 2014, while Tapp was named to the third-team.

The World University Games squad will come together June 28 in Los Angeles before traveling to South Korea for the competition. The roster was selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with an invitation-only training block held in January in Anaheim, Calif.

The U.S. Collegiate National Team program also includes a China Tour roster that will be announced later this week, along with a 36-player group that will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in June.

U.S. Women’s World University Games Roster
Name (Position, School, 2015 College Year, Hometown)
Khat Bell (OPP, University of Texas, Grad, Mesquite, Texas)
Jordan Burgess (OH, Stanford University, Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.)
Lexi Dannemiller (S, University of Michigan, Grad, West Chester, Ohio)
Nia Grant (MB, Penn State University, Grad, Warren, Ohio)
Micha Hancock (S, Penn State University, Grad, Edmond, Okla.)
Briana Holman (MB, University of Nebraska, Jr., DeSoto, Texas)
Alex Holston (OPP, University of Florida, Jr., Olney, Md.)
Carly Kan (OH, University of Missouri, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
Laura Larson (L, University of Arizona, Jr., Lakeville, Minn.)
Andi Malloy (OH, Baylor University, Sr., Allen, Texas)
Paige Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Jr., Stewartville, Minn.)
Nicole Walch (OH, Florida State University, Sr., Stuart, Fla.)

Head Coach: Mary Wise (University of Florida)
Assistant Coach: Kyle Robinson (University of Oklahoma)
Assistant Coach: Dan Thomassen (Prime Volleyball Club, Sage Hill High School, Calif.)
Trainer: Meredith Dillon (West Valley College)

1980 US Olympic Hockey Team Reunites in Lake Placid

Posted on February 21, 2015

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Thirty-five years after the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s stunning gold medal at the Lake Placid Winter Olympics, the once-fuzzy-faced heroes are being feted for their signature accomplishment.

Every surviving member of the hockey team is coming back for a “Relive the Miracle” reunion on Saturday night at Herb Brooks Arena, the hockey rink on Main Street they made famous with one of the most memorable upsets in sports history.

Missing will be Brooks, the Hall of Fame coach who was killed in a car accident in 2003, and rugged defenseman Bob Suter, who died at age 57 in September.

Festivities will include audio, video and still pictures, as well as a discussion of the game with the players. Suter’s jersey also will be raised to the rafters as a tribute.

NBC also plans to anchor its “Hockey Day in America” coverage from Lake Placid on Sunday and feature the team.

Five Huskers to Attend U.S. National Team Tryouts

Posted on February 13, 2015

LINCOLN, Neb. – Five members of the 2015 Nebraska volleyball team will participate at the USA Women’s Volleyball National Team Open Tryouts, set for Feb. 20-22 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Rising senior Alicia Ostrander and sophomore Kira Larson are the two veteran Huskers who will compete at the tryouts. Three newcomers will also try out: junior All-America transfer Briana Holman and incoming freshmen Mikaela Foecke and Kenzie Maloney.

The tryout will evaluate approximately 240 athletes from 92 colleges from across the country for spots on the U.S. Women’s National Team, the U.S. Collegiate National Team (formerly the U.S. Women’s A2 Program) and for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team for athletes born in 1996 or 1997. For a list of athletes competing at the tryout, click here.

The Husker program is no stranger to the U.S. National Team. This past fall, former Huskers Kayla Banwarth, Jordan Larson-Burbach and Kelsey Robinson won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIVB World Championship in Italy, the first major title in U.S. women’s volleyball history.

Among the current group of tryout participants, Holman was selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team last March following her All-SEC freshman season at LSU. Larson made the 2012 women’s junior A2 team during her high school career at Fargo North. Foecke, a freshman-to-be from Fort Madison, Iowa, has already played for the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team, winning gold at the U-20 NORCECA Continental Championships. Maloney was a starter for the U.S. Youth National Team that won a silver medal at the Youth World Championships in 2013. The fifth Husker that will try out, Ostrander, played sparingly in her first two seasons as a Husker before becoming a key contributor in 2014, averaging 2.49 kills per set.

The U.S. Collegiate National Team will compete at the World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea (June 28-July 14), the Tour of China (June 12-26) and the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (June 21-30).

For athletes born in 1996 or 1997, they will also be evaluated to earn a spot on the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that will compete at the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women’s U20 World Championship in Cyprus July 1-13 with a training block from June 14-29 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Selections for the U.S. Collegiate National Teams will be made by the end of March, while selected athletes to the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team will be notified by April 31 with a public announcement expected by May 7.

1980 US Olympic Hockey Team to Relive Miracle on Ice Moment

Posted on January 22, 2015

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — Most members of the gold medal-winning 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team are expected to return to Lake Placid in February to participate in a special event centered around the 35th anniversary of their famed Miracle on Ice.

The evening at Herb Brooks Arena on Feb. 21 will include video, audio and photos, as well as a tribute to team member Bob Suter, who died in September while coaching kids. His No. 20 jersey will be raised to the rafters of the 1980 Rink where the U.S. team produced stirring victories over the Soviet Union and Finland to win the gold.

The event is part of the eighth annual Hockey Weekend Across America, a three-day nationwide celebration of the sport, and NBC will have a live studio show from Lake Placid.

Boston will be American Bidder for 2024 Olympics

Posted on January 8, 2015

DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Olympic Committee chose Boston to bid for the 2024 Games in an attempt to bring the Summer Olympics to America after a 28-year gap.

During a daylong meeting at the Denver airport, USOC board members chose Boston over Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, all of which have been lobbying to become the American choice for more than a year.

Boston joins Rome as the only other city that has officially decided to bid. Germany will submit either Hamburg or Berlin, with France and Hungary among those also considering bids. The International Olympic Committee will award the Games in 2017.

America’s last two attempts to land the Games resulted in embarrassments — fourth-place finishes for New York (2012) and Chicago (2016).

Irving is USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year

Posted on December 21, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, the MVP of the Basketball World Cup, was honored Sunday as the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.

Irving started in all nine games for the Americans in Spain and averaged 12.1 points and 3.6 assists. He scored 26 points in the gold-medal game, going 6 of 6 from 3-point range to spark a rout of Serbia.

Irving was selected by USA Basketball’s board of directors.

USOC Decides to Bid for 2024; City still Undecided

Posted on December 16, 2014

The U.S. Olympic Committee has decided to bid for the 2024 Olympics, hoping to bring the Summer Games back to America after a 28-year absence.

The USOC board heard presentations from four candidate cities Tuesday — Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington — and voted to enter a field that already includes Rome and either Hamburg or Berlin, with Paris likely to join.

A decision on which city the U.S. will put forward for a bid is expected next month.

The United States hasn’t hosted a Summer Games since the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

The country’s last two tries have been flops, with New York (2012) and Chicago (2016) each finishing fourth in voting. The USOC chose not to bid for the 2020 Games, which will take place in Tokyo.

Howard Voted US Player of Year for 2nd Time

Posted on November 20, 2014

CHICAGO (AP) — Goalkeeper Tim Howard has been voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s Male Athlete of the Year for the second time.

Howard, who had 15 saves in the Americans’ 2-1 overtime loss to Brazil in the second round of the World Cup, also won the award in 2008. He is the fifth multiple winner, joining Landon Donovan (’03-’04, ’09-’10), Kasey Keller (’97, ’99, ’05), Clint Dempsey (’07, ’11-’12) and Marcelo Balboa (1992, ’94).

Howard increased his career total to 55 international wins, two more than Keller’s previous American record.

Votes were cast by the 50 players who appeared for the U.S. this year, select former players, senior and youth U.S. national team coaches, Major League Soccer and North American Soccer League head coaches, administrators and media. The result was announced on Thursday.

Team USA, Former Huskers Capture Gold

Posted on October 12, 2014

MILAN, Italy – Team USA – with former Huskers Kayla Banwarth, Jordan Larson-Burbach and Kelsey Robinson – made history on Sunday, beating China 3-1 (27-25, 25-20, 16-25, 26-24) and winning the first world championship gold medal for the U.S. Women’s program at the FIVB World Championship at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan.

The U.S. Women had never before won gold at any of the three major international volleyball events: World Championship, World Cup or Olympic Games.

Larson-Burbach started the match and finished with four kills and two service aces. Banwarth started at libero and led the USA defensively throughout the final rounds of the tournament.

U.S. Head Coach Karch Kiraly became the fourth person to win a World Championship gold medal as both a player and a coach. He won as a player at the 1986 World Championship in Paris.

“We came here to make history and we made it,” Kiraly said. “It was a tough battle. I would like to congratulate Lang Ping and her team. They played a marvelous tournament. After we got a 2-0 lead we knew China would never give up. It was a battle to the end and they have some great young players, as do we. I hope that we will be playing against each other in the future. It is just good for the sport to have teams with such history performing at a high level.”

On the road to Sunday’s title match, this young U.S. squad with five players in their first or second season with the National Team, defeated Russia, the two-time defending World champion, twice, and Brazil, the two-time defending Olympic champion in the semifinals.