The first results of the U.S. Collegiate National Team tryouts held in February were announced Monday with the revealing of the Collegiate National Thailand Tour team.
The 12-member roster will train and compete in Bangkok from May 19-30. The match schedule will include contests against the Thailand National Team, the Thailand U23 Team and Bangkok Glass, the top team in the Thai professional league. The squad will also play against two other teams yet to be confirmed.
The team will be training and competing at the FIVB Development Center in Bangkok.
Eight of the 12 players have USA Collegiate National Team program experience. Three were on last year’s CNT-China Tour Roster, while four others were on the CNT-Europe squad. Two were members of the CNT-Indianapolis training program last summer.
The University of Texas will be the most represented institution on the team, boasting four members as well as head coach Jerritt Elliott, who will lead the CNT-Thailand squad. The University of Kentucky is the only other college with multiple team members, claiming two spots on the Thailand Tour team.
The team features four outside hitters, three middle blockers, two opposites, two setters and one libero.
Outside hitters on the squad are: Lily Johnson (Sr., Missouri State), Madison Rigdon (Sr., Kansas), Micaya White (So., Texas), McKenna Woodford (Jr., Washington State).
Middle blockers Kaz Brown (Sr., Kentucky), Morgan Johnson (Jr., Texas) and Chiaka Ogbogu (Sr., Texas).
The two opposites are Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (Jr., Texas) and Jordan Thompson (Jr., Cincinnati).
The two setters are Taylor Hughes (Jr., Ohio State) and Taylor Nelson (Sr., Cal Poly).
The lone defensive specialist is libero Ashley Dusek (Sr., Kentucky).
Five members of the team were AVCA All-Americans in 2016. White was a first team selection, while Lily Johnson, Hughes, Thompson and Rigdon garnered honorable mention acclaim.
Elliott led his 2016 Longhorns to a national runner-up finish. Assistant coach Paula Weishoff, a three-time U.S. Olympian who earned silver in 1984 Olympics and bronze in 1992 Olympics, led her Concordia (Irvine) team to a 26-3 record in Division II play. Assistant coach Alyssa D’Errico’s Dayton Flyers went 30-2 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament.
U.S. COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM-THAILAND TOUR
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (OPP, University of Texas, 6-4, 2, Los Angeles, California)
Kaz Brown (M, University of Kentucky, 6-4, 1, Waterloo, Iowa)
Ashley Dusek (L, University of Kentucky, 5-7, 1, East Bernard, Texas)
Taylor Hughes (S, Ohio State University, 2, 6-1, Carroll, Ohio)
Lily Johnson (OH, Missouri State University, 5-11, 1, Wildwood, Missouri)
Morgan Johnson (M, University of Texas, 6-3, 2, DeSoto, Texas)
Taylor Nelson (S, Cal Poly, 1, 6-0, Granite Bay, California)
Chiaka Ogbogu (M, University of Texas, 6-2, 1, Coppell, Texas)
Madison Ridgon (OH, University of Kansas, 6-0, 1, Pflugerville, Texas)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 2, 6-4, Edina, Minnesota)
Micaya White (OH, University of Texas, 6-1, 3, Frisco, Texas)
McKenna Woodford (OH, Washington State University, 6-4, 2, Chandler, Arizona)
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (head coach at University of Texas)
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (head coach at University of Concordia Irvine)
Assistant Coach: Alyssa D’Errico (assistant coach at University of Dayton)
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