Bio Sketches for 2010 U.S. Women’s National A2 Program Roster

Setters

Carli Lloyd (California-Berkeley, S, 1, 5-11, Bonsall, Calif.), a two-time AVCA All-American, is the first three-time selection to the U.S. Women’s National A2 Team roster. She averaged 11.24 assists last season and helped California to a .271 team attack efficiency with a 21-11 overall record. The Golden Bears reached the NCAA regional final before losing to eventual champion Penn State.

Kelly Murphy (Florida, S, 2, 6-2, Wilmington, Ill.), a 2009 AVCA All-America Second-Team pick, ranked third in the SEC in hitting with a .344 efficiency at Florida and seventh in assists with 7.04 per set in 2009. She hit better than .300 in 13 of her team’s last 16 matches. Murphy was a dual threat in hitting and setting, as she added 2.92 kills, 2.22 digs and 0.58 blocks per set.

Evan Sanders (Colorado State, S, 2, 6-0, Lafayette, Colo.) set Colorado State to a .235 team hitting efficiency and 25-6 overall record during her sophomore season. She averaged 10.56 assists, 0.82 kills, 0.77 blocks and 2.04 digs per set. Sanders played a key in the Rams winning the Mountain West Conference and reaching the NCAA Division I Regional semifinal round.

Paige Weber (Arizona, S, 1, 5-9, Indianapolis, Ind.), a 2009 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team selection, averaged 10.75 assists for Arizona last fall. She added 0.65 kills, 0.45 blocks, 2.09 digs and 0.28 aces per set. Weber helped the Wildcats to a 19-11 overall record, .231 team hitting efficiency and berth into the NCAA Division I Tournament.

Middle Blockers

Rachael Adams (Texas, MB, 2, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio) provided the Longhorns with a .486 attack efficiency while averaging 1.80 kills and 1.09 blocks per set in 2009 as Texas finished second in the NCAA. She started all 31 matches in her sophomore season.

Alyssa Davis (Auburn, MB, 1, 6-5, Oakland Park, Fla.) led Auburn with a .316 hitting efficiency as a junior last year. She averaged 0.66 blocks and 1.48 kills per set while playing in all 31 Tiger matches. Davis was second on the team in total blocks with 72 in 2009 while pounding a career-best 161 kills.

Jen Doris (Texas, MB, 1, 6-5, Houston, Texas) averaged 2.13 points as a junior in helping the Longhorns to a 29-2 overall record and second-place finish in the NCAA tournament. She produced a .366 hitting efficiency to go with 1.13 blocks per set.

Lindsay Fletemier (Dayton, MB, 1, 6-6, Garden City, Mich.), a member of the 2009 U.S. Women’s National Team A2 Program, averaged 3.47 kills per set and posted a .389 hitting efficiency as a junior at Dayton last season. She was named AVCA All-America Third-Team in 2009 and was honored as the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Fletemeyer currently ranks eighth at Dayton with 1,223-career kills and fourth in block assists with 331.

Lauren Gibbemeyer (Minnesota, MB, 1, 6-2, St. Paul, Minn.), a 2009 AVCA All-America First-Team selection, helped Minnesota reach the NCAA Division I Championship semifinals last fall. She finished 13th in the nation in block average with 1.42 per set while hitting .385, which ranked 15th in the nation. Gibbemeyer added averages of 3.31 kills and 0.83 digs per set.

Dominique Olowolafe (Cal Poly, MB, 1, 6-1, Lansing, Mich.) hit for a .346 attack efficiency as a junior at Cal Poly in 2009. She averaged 2.35 kills and 0.68 blocks per set. Olowolafe, who was selected All-Big West First-Team for the second straight year, hit higher than .304 in 22 of Cal Poly’s 29 matches last year.

Outside Hitters/Opposites

Michelle Bartsch (Illinois, OPP, 2, 6-3, Maryville, Ill.), a 2009 U.S. Women’s National Team A2 selection, helped Illinois to a 26-6 overall record in her sophomore season. She averaged 3.04 kills and 1.13 blocks per set in being named AVCA All-Mideast Region. Bartsch played a key role in Illinois finishing second in the Big Ten Conference behind NCAA champion Penn State.

Kelsey Black (Texas A&M, OH, 2, 5-11, Amarillo, Texas) split time at outside hitter and libero for Texas A&M last fall as a sophomore. She averaged 1.35 kills with a .221 hitting efficiency, 0.36 blocks and 1.81 digs per set. Black’s versatility helped the Aggies reach the NCAA Regional semifinals and finish with a 20-11 overall record.

Kanani Danielson (Hawaii, OH, 2, 5-10, Ewa Beach, Hawaii) was selected as a 2009 AVCA All-America First-Team pick after helping Hawaii reach the NCAA Division I Championship semifinals. She held a .314 hitting efficiency to go with averages of 4.23 kills, 2.32 digs and 0.62 blocks per set. Danielson took 28 percent of the offensive swings for Hawaii, which finished the season with a 32-3 record.

Laura DeBruler (Illinois, OH, 1, 5-10, Downers Grove, Ill.), a 2009 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team member, earned AVCA All-America First-Team last year. She held a .300 hitting efficiency with averages of 4.46 kils, 0.56 blocks and 2.78 digs per set. DeBruler, who ranked second in the Big Ten in kills and 100 kills shy of setting the school career record, helped the Fighting Illini to a 26-6 overall record in 2009.

Whitney Dosty (Arizona, OH, 1, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz.) averaged 3.02 kills, 1.71 digs and 0.56 blocks per set in her junior season with Arizona last year. She was named to the All-Pac-10 Honorable Mention Team in 2009. Dosty helped the Wildcats reach the NCAA Division I tournament and a 19-11 season record.

Juliann Faucette (Texas, OH, 1, 6-2, San Diego, Calif.), who has trained and competed with the U.S. Women’s National Team, averaged 3.17 kills, 0.71 blocks and 1.46 digs in 2009. She helped the Longhorns reach the NCAA title match in 2009. Faucette was named to the 2009 AVCA All-America Third-Team as a junior.

Monique Mead (Georgia Tech, OPP, 3, 5-10, Newnan, Ga.) helped Georgia Tech to a 21-10 overall record in her freshman season. She averaged 3.07 kills, 0.78 blocks, 1.97 digs and 0.26 aces per set in her first collegiate season. Mead was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and was an All-ACC First-Team pick.

Tarah Murrey (California-Berkeley, OH, 2, 6-3, El Cerrito, Calif.), a member of the 2009 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team, averaged 3.27 points per set as a sophomore in 2009. She added averages of 2.83 kills, 0.24 aces, 2.25 digs and 0.54 blocks per set. Cal reached the NCAA regional final before losing to eventual champion Penn State.

Juliane Piggott (UC Irvine, OH, 1, 6-2, Newport Beach, Calif.), an AVCA All-American honorable mention in 2009, posted 353 kills for UCI last year and ranked 10th in the Big West with a 3.15 kill average. She was an All-Big West First-Team selection. Piggott also averaged 1.77 digs, 0.23 aces and 0.46 blocks per set in her junior season.

Ali Troost (San Diego, OPP, 1, 6-1, Hemet, Calif.) was named AVCA All-America Second Team in 2009 after helping San Diego to a 18-7 record. She was named the West Coast Conference Player of the Year while hitting .315. Troost averaged 3.95 kills, 0.41 aces, 0.45 blocks and 1.86 digs per set for the Toreros as a junior in 2009.

Liberos

Ellie Blankenship (Northern Iowa, L, 1, 5-10, Cedar Rapids, Iowa), a 2009 AVCA All-America honorable mention selection, led the Missouri Valley Conference and ranked fourth nationally with a 5.82 dig average last season. She was named to the All-Missouri Valley Conference First-Team. Blankenship is Northern Iowa’s all-time dig leader despite having a year of eligibility left.

Ashley Mass (Iowa State, L, 1, 5-8, Muskego, Wis.) became Iowa State’s first AVCA All-America First-Team pick after the 2009 season, the first libero to earn first-team designation since 2004. She led the Big 12 in digs per set with 5.49 and was 10th overall in the nation. Mass earned her second straight Big 12 Libero of the Year in 2009.

Laurie Gonzalez (Albany, L, 2, 5-9, Carolina, Puerto Rico), a member of the 2009 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team program, has been selected for the program for the second consecutive season. She averaged 4.89 digs per set last fall at Albany. Gonzalez added 24 aces as part of a 0.25 ace average.

Sydney Yogi (Texas, L, 2, 5-2, Honolulu), a member of the 2006 and 2007 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team, averaged 1.88 digs per set as a defensive specialist as a sophomore. She helped the Longhorns finish second in the 2009 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship. Yogi played in 89 of 104 sets for Texas last season.

Article (Bio’s) by Bill Kauffman

Photo’s all supplied by the players respective college roster’s page.