CLARK MAKES USA NATIONAL TEAM YOUTH ROSTER!!

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 20, 2015) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce its 20-player U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team (GYNTT) roster for 2015. These athletes will tryout for the 12 positions on the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team (GYNT) that will participate in this year’s FIVB Volleyball Girls’ Youth World Championship in Lima, Peru.

The GYNT is the highest level of programming for players born in 1998 or 1999. Team USA qualified for the World Championship after finishing with the silver medal at the 2014 NORCECA Women’s U18 Continental Championship in Costa Rica.

The GYNTT roster includes seven outside/opposite hitters, six middle blockers, four setters and three liberos. Kathryn Plummer (S, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Tstreet Volleyball Club, Southern California Region), who was captain of last year’s U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team, returns this year as a 6-6 setter. Libero Hailey Harward (Phoenix, Ariz., Aspire Volleyball Club, Arizona Region) is the only other returnee from the 2014 GYNT squad that won silver at the NORCECA Women’s U18 Continental Championship.

Outside/opposite hitters named to the GYNTT are Paige Hammons (Louisville, Ky., Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Association, Pioneer Region), Alexis Hart (Independence, Mo., Invasion, Heart of America Region), Khalia Lanier (Scottsdale, Ariz., AZ Storm, Arizona Region), Gia Milana (Armada, Mich., Oakland Elite Volleyball, Lakeshore Region), Jennifer Mosser (Lakeville, Minn., Minnesota Select, North Country Region), Mia Sokolowski (Tucson, Ariz., Zona Volleyball Club, Arizona Region) and Lexi Sun (Encinitas, Calif., Coast VBC, Southern California Region).

Middle blockers selected for the GYNTT are Brionne Butler (East Bernard, Texas, Texstar, Lone Star Region), Regan Pittman (Spring Hill, Kan., KC Power, Heart of America) Region, Lauren Sanders (Snohomish, Wash., Washington Volleyball Academy, Puget Sound Region), Lauren Stivrins (Scottsdale, Ariz., AZ Storm, Arizona Region), Ronika Stone (San Jose, Calif., Vision Volleyball Club, Northern California Region) and Stephanie Samedy (MB, Clermont, Fla., Top Select Volleyball Academy, Florida Region.

Joining Plummer at setter on the GYNTT roster are Sydney Hilley (Brooklyn Park, Minn., Minnesota Select, North Country Region), Madison Lilley (Overland Park, Kan., KC Power, Heat of America Region) and Ashley Shook (Plainfield, Ill., Sports Performance, Great Lakes Region).

Along with Harward, liberos picked for the GYNTT are Tiffany Clark (Naperville, Ill., Sports Performance, Great Lakes Region), and Morgan Hentz (Lakeside Park, Ky., Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club, Pioneer Region).

The final 12-player U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team will be determine through a second tryout of the 20-player roster scheduled to take place July 18-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The selected 12 players will continue training in Colorado Springs July 24-28 before heading to the FIVB Volleyball Girls’ Youth World Championship set for Aug. 7-16 in Peru.

Prior to the World Championship event, the GYNT travels to Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 28 to participate in a Pre-World Championship Competition hosted by the Argentina Volleyball Federation. The GYNT delegation will travel to Lima on Aug. 4 to train and acclimate before the World Championship.

“The FIVB World Championship will offer these talented athletes an opportunity to represent the USA on an international stage and compete with the best players in the world,” said U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team Head Coach Jim Stone, who returns for his eight consecutive season leading the GYNT program. “It is a wonderful challenge to compete successfully in this type of event with a short training window. I like the players we have in the mix and I'm confident we will represent the USA in a positive manner.”

Stone will be assisted by East Tennessee State University Head Coach Lindsey Devine, University of Central Florida Assistant Coach Michelle Chatman and Colorado State University’s Jared Hazel as technical coordinator.

U.S. Girls’ Youth National Training Team

Name (Position, Height, Hometown, Club, Region)
Brionne Butler (MB, 6-3, East Bernard, Texas, Texstar, Lone Star Region)
Tiffany Clark (L, 5-11, Naperville, Ill., Sports Performance, Great Lakes Region)
Paige Hammons (OH, 6-2, Louisville, Ky., Kentucky Indiana Volleyball Association, Pioneer Region)
Alexis Hart (OH, 6-1, Independence, Mo., Invasion, Heart of America Region)
Hailey Harward (L, 5-9, Phoenix, Ariz., Aspire Volleyball Club, Arizona Region)
Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Northern Kentucky Volleyball Club, Pioneer Region)
Sydney Hilley (S, 5-11, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Minnesota Select, North Country Region)
Khalia Lanier (OH, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., AZ Storm, Arizona Region)
Madison Lilley (S, 5-11, Overland Park, Kan., KC Power, Heart of America Region)
Gia Milana (OH, 6-2, Armada, Mich., Oakland Elite Volleyball, Lakeshore Region)
Jennifer Mosser (OH, 5-11, Lakeville, Minn., Minnesota Select, North Country Region)
Regan Pittman (MB, 6-4, Spring Hill, Kan., KC Power, Heart of America Region)
Kathryn Plummer (S, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Tstreet Volleyball Club, Southern California Region)
Stephanie Samedy (MB, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Top Select Volleyball Academy, Florida Region)
Lauren Sanders (MB, 6-4, Snohomish, Wash., Washington Volleyball Academy, Puget Sound Region)
Ashley Shook (S, 6-1, Plainfield, Ill., Sports Performance, Great Lakes Region)
Mia Sokolowski (OH, 6-4, Tucson, Ariz., Zona Volleyball Club, Arizona Region)
Lauren Stivrins (MB, 6-4, Scottsdale, Ariz., AZ Storm, Arizona Region)
Ronika Stone (MB, 6-2, San Jose, Calif., Vision Volleyball Club, Northern California Region)
Lexi Sun (OH, 6-3, Encinitas, Calif., Coast VBC, Southern California Region)

Head Coach: Jim Stone
Assistant Coaches: Lindsey Devine, Michelle Chatman
Technical Coordinator: Jared Hazel
Team Leader: Erin Leaser