The USA Volleyball Women’s National Team will welcome 4 Olympians back into their roster for the first time this summer when the U.S. welcomes Brazil for a two-match exhibition series. The matches will be played on August 27th and 29th at the Anaheim Convention Center.
The Americans have played most of the summer without their stars and the vast majority of last year’s Olympic bronze medal squad. Instead, they’ve relied heavily on a young, inexperienced roster that has been jokingly referred to as the “college all-stars”.
Next week, though, they’ll bring back Rachael Adams, Foluke Akinradewo, Kim Hill, and 2016 USA Volleyball Player of the Year Jordan Larson.
That particular group of 4 is particularly important, as they were the United States’ leading scorers in the bronze medal win last year over the Netherlands and combined for 65 of the United States’ 79 earned points (excluding opponent errors).
With the new group coming in, the Americans do lose the services of Kelly Murphy, who scored 7 points in last year’s Olympic bronze medal game and has been a steadying point for the Americans this summer. She was the 6th-best scorer overall in this year’s FIVB World Grand Prix and ranked first among the Americans. Murphy has taken a break from volleyball to return to the University of Florida and finish her undergraduate degree.
This will beU.S. Women’s National Team’s second-to-last major competition before professional leagues around the world begin. As the defending champions, they receive an automatic bid to next year’s FIVB World Championship tournament and thus are exempt from September’s NORCECA Championship. Instead they will play in the World Grand Champions Cup from September 5th-10th in Japan against Japan, China, Russia, Brazil, and South Korea.
Brazil has not yet released their roster.
American Roster
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
4 – Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Nebraska, Cypress, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
7 – Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Wisconsin, Aurora, Illinois)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
9 – Madi Kingdon (OH, 6-1, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
11 – Annie Drews (OPP, 6-4, Purdue, Elkhart, Indiana)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Maryville, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Plantation, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
29 – Aiyana Whitney (OPP, 6-5, Penn State, Norwood, New Jersey)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Marv Dunphy
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Hicks
Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
Most Recent U.S. Women vs. Brazil Matches (since 2011)
July 23, 2017: Brazil def. USA 25-20, 25-13, 16-25, 25-18 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
July 10, 2016: Brazil def. USA 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-21, 28-26 in Pan American Games (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 20, 2015: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 15-11 in Pan American Games (pool play)
Oct. 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-18, 29-27, 25-20 in FIVB World Championship (semifinals)
Oct. 5, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Championship (pool play)
Aug. 15, 2014: Brazil def. USA 29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
Aug. 10, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-20, 25-22, 29-27 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
July 12, 2014: USA def. Brazil 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 22-25, 27-25, 25-27, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 6, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 5, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 25-19 in USA Volleyball Cup
Nov. 12, 2013: Brazil def. USA 26-24, 26-24, 25-20 in FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
Aug. 28, 2013: Brazil def. USA 25-19, 25-12, 25-10 in FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round
June 15, 2013: USA def. Brazil 25-11, 25-20, 25-22 in Pan American Cup (semifinals)
Aug. 11, 2012: Brazil def. USA 11-25, 25-17, 25-20, 25-17 in Olympic Games (gold-medal match)
July 30, 2012: USA def. Brazil 25-18, 25-17, 22-25, 25-21 in Olympic Games (pool play)
July 20, 2012: USA def. Brazil 28-30, 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-11 in Pan Am Cup (gold-medal match)
June 27, 2012: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 13-25, 15-13 in FIVB World Grand Prix Finals (pool play)
June 17, 2012: USA def. Brazil 20-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
Nov. 4, 2011: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 17-25, 27-25, 25-19 in FIVB World Cup
Aug. 28, 2011: USA def. Brazil 26-24, 25-20, 25-21 in FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round (gold-medal match)
Aug. 26, 2011: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-20 in FIVB World Grand Prix Final Round (pool play)
July 5, 2011: Brazil def. USA 28-30, 25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11 in Pan American Cup (pool play)
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