Bill Kauffman
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: 719-228-6800
E-Mail: bill.kauffman@usav.org

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 18, 2008) – The 12-player U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team roster was determined this weekend as the 22-player training team went through a training session May 15-18 at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.

The team will compete at the NORCECA U-18 Continental Championship at Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. The NORCECA event takes place July 3-11.

Jim Stone (Columbus, Ohio), a retired head women’s volleyball coach at The Ohio State University, will serve as head coach of the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team. He will be assisted by University of West Florida Head Coach Melissa Wolter (Pensacola, Fla.) and TCA Volleyball Club Director and Head Coach Neil Mason (Newport Coast, Calif.). The team trainers will be Daryl Tamashiro (Waipahu, Hawai’i), Blaine Tendler (Burlington, N.C.) and Shawn Taylor (Valparaiso, Ind.).

The roster will consist of five outside hitters, four middle blockers, two setters and one libero. The roster features outside hitters Lydia Bai (Tustin, Calif.), Kristina Graven (San Jose, Calif.), Jazmine Orozco (Lakewood, Calif.), Kelly Reeves (San Diego, Calif.) and Ashley Wittman. The quartet of middle blockers are Erica Denney (Centennial, Colo.), Tori Dixon (Savage, Minn.), Madelyn Hutson (Brentwood, Tenn.) and Carly Wopat (Goleta, Calif.). The setters are Molly Kreklow (Hamlake, Minn.) and Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill.), while Jennifer Bonilla is the libero.

“It is such an honor to be chosen for the U.S. Girls&rsquo ; Youth National Team,” Denney said. “I feel so blessed to play with and be coached by such amazing people. I am so excited to represent the U.S. in Puerto Rico.”

“I am so excited,” Bonilla said. “Such an opportunity does not come around too often. It is such an honor.”

Click here for the full roster of the 2008 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team