April 25, 2012
STANFORD, Calif. - Five former Stanford women's volleyball players have been selected to represent the U.S. Women's National Team, ranked No. 1 in the world, on its 25-player preliminary roster for the 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix. The United State is looking to win its third consecutive title.
Representing Stanford are Foluke Akinradewo ('09), Cynthia Barboza ('09), Alix Klineman ('11), Kristin Richards ('07) and Logan Tom ('03).
The FIVB has expanded the preliminary roster to 25 athletes, but will be reduced closer to the start of the event that begins June 8. U.S. Women's National Team head coach Hugh McCutcheon has selected five setters, four opposites, seven outside hitters, six middle blockers and three liberos to the preliminary roster.
The setters include two-time Olympian and 2012 USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year Lindsey Berg, Alisha Glass, Carli Lloyd, Nellie Spicer and Courtney Thompson. U.S. liberos include three-time Olympian Stacy Sykora, 2008 Olympian Nicole Davis and Tamari Miyashiro.
McCutcheon has selected two-time Olympian Tayyiba Haneef-Park, 2004 Olympian Nancy Metcalf, 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player Destinee Hooker and Nicole Fawcett as opposites on the World Grand Prix preliminary roster. Outside hitters include three-time Olympian Tom, 2008 Olympian Kim Glass, Barboza, Megan Hodge, Jordan Larson, Klineman and Richards.
Middle blockers on the preliminary roster are four-time Olympian Danielle Scott-Arruda, three-time Olympian Heather Bown, 2008 Olympian Jennifer Tamas, 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix most valuable player in Akinradewo, Lauren Gibbemeyer and Christa Harmotto.
The FIVB World Grand Prix has filled 15 of the 16 berths for the 2012 competition so far. The remaining spot will be decided April 27-28 in Oran, Algeria, as the hosts clash with Chinese Taipei in the playoff.
Now in its 20th year, the FIVB World Grand Prix will have the same preliminary round format as 2011 with a total of 16 teams battling it out across three weeks of pool-play in 10 countries from June 8-24 ahead of the Finals, set to take place in Ningbo, China from June 27 to July 1.
The U.S. Women's National Team, which has already qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games, opens its title defense on June 8 against Germany in a Pool B match at Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Team USA follows with first-round matches against either Algeria or Chinese Taipei on June 9 and host Dominican Republic on June 10.
The U.S. travels south to Brazil for the second preliminary round weekend with three tough contests. Team USA opens Pool E against 2011 FIVB World Cup winner Italy on June 15, followed by a match against Germany on June 16 and second-ranked Brazil on June 17.
The U.S. travels halfway around the world for the third preliminary round weekend with Pool J set in Bangkok, Thailand. Team USA faces Serbia on June 22, followed by Argentina on June 23 and host Thailand on June 25.
The top five squads among the 16-teams in the preliminary round advance to the Final Round, along with host China. The six-team Final Round will take place June 27 to July 1 starting with two pools of three. The top two teams in each Final Round pool advance to the crossover semifinal on June 30 before the medal-round matches on July 1.
At the 2011 FIVB World Grand Prix, the U.S. topped Brazil in the gold-medal match, while Serbia won the bronze medal. Later in the year, Team USA finished second at the FIVB World Cup behind gold-medalist Italy to earn a spot in the 2012 Olympic Games.
U.S. Women's National Team Preliminary Roster for 2012 FIVB World Grand Prix
1 - Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Mich., Penn State)
2 - Danielle Scott-Arruda (MB, 6-2, Baton Rouge, La., Long Beach State)
3 - Tayyiba Haneef-Park (Opp, 6-7, Laguna Hills, Calif., Long Beach State)
4 - Lindsey Berg (S, 5-8, Honolulu, Hawaii, Minnesota)
5 - Stacy Sykora (L, 5-10, Burleson, Texas, Texas A&M)
6 - Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
7 - Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
8 - Cynthia Barboza (OH, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Stanford)
9 - Jennifer Tamas (MB, 6-4, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
10 - Kim Glass (OH, 6-2, Lancaster, Pa., Arizona)
11 - Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
12 - Nancy Metcalf (Opp, 6-1, Hull, Iowa, Nebraska)
13 - Christa Harmotto (MB, 6-2, Hopewell, Pa., Penn State)
14 - Nicole Fawcett (Opp, 6-4, Zanesfield, Ohio, Penn State)
15 - Logan Tom (OH, 6-1, Salt Lake City, Utah, Stanford)
16 - Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla., Stanford)
17 - Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, Bonsall, Calif., California-Berkeley)
18 - Megan Hodge (OH, 6-3, Durham, N.C., Penn State)
19 - Destinee Hooker (Opp, 6-4, San Antonio, Texas, Texas)
20 - Alix Klineman (OH, 6-4, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Stanford)
21 - Tamari Miyashiro (L, 5-7, Kaneohe, Hawaii, Washington)
22 - Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Wash., Washington)
23 - Mary `Nellie' Spicer (S, 5-9, Barrington, Ill., UCLA)
24 - Kristin Richards (OH, 6-1, Orem, Utah, Stanford)
25 - Lauren Gibbemeyer (MB, 6-2, St. Paul, Minn., Minnesota)
Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.)
Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.)
Courtesy of USA Volleyball