After dominating at the Rio Paralympic Games, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team was named the USA Volleyball Team of the Year.
On top of this award, the team was named as the “Best Paralympic Team” as presented by DOW at the Team USA Awards in Washington D.C.
In 2004, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team finished with the bronze medal under then Head Coach Mike Hulett, then took silver at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games under current Head Coach Bill Hamiter.
The team finally was able to pull through in the final game of the Paralympics to take the ultimate prize for an athlete, a gold medal.
Earlier in the year, the U.S. Women’s Sitting Team travelled to Anji China for the World ParaVolley Intercontinental Cup. Awaiting the team was No. 1 ranked China, the three-time reigning Paralympic champion. As an early sign, the U.S. defeated China in pool play and again in the gold medal match of the event.
“We knew we could do this, but we’re finally the team we knew we could by,” said Katie Holloway, U.S. outside hitter.
Later in the season, the U.S. defeated China again at a tournament in the Netherlands.
On the road to the Paralympics, the U.S. team dropped a brutal five set match up to China in pool play. The U.S. team would go to not drop another set in the Paralympic Games. They would again face China in the finals of the Games, and rolled to a 3-0 victory and the gold medal.
Heather Erickson was named as the tournament’s MVP and “Best Receiver” by World ParaVolley, while Lora Webster earned “Best Blocker” honors. Erickson would go on to be named the USAV Female Sitting Player of the Year and was a finalist in 2016 for an ESPY in the category of “Best Female Athlete with a Disability” and the Sportswomen of the Year presented by the Women’s Sports Foundation.
The U.S. Women’s Sitting Team is now ranked No. 1 in the world by World ParaVolley.
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