Bill Kauffman
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 19, 2011) – The U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team was selected as USA Today’s Athletes of the Week (click here for USA Today article) on Monday after the team captured its sixth NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship.

By winning the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship, the U.S. earned a spot into the 12-team FIVB World Cup, which is the first 2012 Olympic Games qualifying tournament. The five continental championship winners earn spots into November’s World Cup, while the top four vice-champions earn spots into the 12-team tournament along with host Japan and two wild cards. The top three teams in the 2011 FIVB World Cup will also receive berths into the 2012 Olympic Games.

The U.S. (26-7 in 2011) swept through the tournament by winning all five of its matches in straight sets starting with victories over Canada and Trinidad & Tobago in pool play. Team USA topped Mexico in the quarterfinal round on Sept. 15, followed by a 25-20, 25-17, 25-13 win over eighth-ranked Cuba on Sept. 16. The U.S. defeated Dominican Republic 25-15, 25-23, 25-18 in the gold-medal match on Sept. 17.

Outside hitter Logan Tom (Salt Lake City) was selected as the Best Server of the Tournament with a0.80 aces per set average, while setter Lindsey Berg (Honolulu) was tabbed as the Best Setter with 7.07 assists per set. Opposite Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) averaged 5.07 points with a 50.8 kill percent according to unofficial DataVolley statistics compiled by the team. She added averages of 4.27 kills, 1.53 digs, 0.40 aces and 0.40 blocks. Tom averaged 3.14 points and 1.43 digs per set while contributing a 43.3 kill percent. Outside hitter Jordan Larson (Hooper, Neb.) charted 3.71 points and 1.21 digs per set with a .367 hitting efficiency on 79 attacks. Middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo (Plantation, Fla.) contributed 2.73 points per set with averages of 1.80 kills and 0.80 blocks to go with a 51.9 kill percent. Libero Nicole Davis (Stockton, Calif.) averaged 2.40 digs per set. Heather Bown (Yorba Linda, Calif.) hit at a .395 efficiency as she averaged 2.08 points per set.

Berg helped the team to a .364 team hitting efficiency. For the tournament, the U.S. committed just 76 errors (hitting, serving, receiving) in five matches, or 15.2 per match or 5.1 per set.

Other team members participating in the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship include middle blocker and captain Jennifer Tamas (Milpitas, Calif.), setter Alisha Glass (Leland, Mich.), outside hitters Kim Glass (Lancaster, Pa.) and Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.), and opposite Nancy Metcalf (Hull, Iowa).

“We play together as a team for one another,” Berg said after the U.S. captured the NORCECA title. “Even the players on the bench participate in the match in so many ways. They look for tendencies of the other team and give us tremendous feedback. It is incredible to be a part of this team.”

U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand) received the Eugenio George Award as the tournament’s best coach. Staff members included assistant coaches Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.) and Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.), technical coordinator/assistant coach Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.), athletic trainer Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.), team leader Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Dr. Bill Stetson as team doctor.

Team USA has now won two significant titles in the last month after capturing the gold medal at the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier annual international volleyball tournament for women. Earlier this year the Americans also earned the bronze medal at the Pan American Cup after falling to Dominican Republic in the semifinal round.

The U.S. has now won the biennial NORCECA Continental Championship in 1981, 1983, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2011.

For additional information on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship, visit usavolleyball.org/events/8347.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster for NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship
# - Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
4 - Lindsey Berg (S, 5-8, Honolulu, Hawaii, Minnesota)
6 - Nicole Davis (L, 5-4, Stockton, Calif., Southern California)
7 - Heather Bown (MB, 6-3, Yorba Linda, Calif., Hawaii)
8 - Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Mich., Penn State)
9 - Jennifer Tamas (MB, 6-4, Milpitas, Calif., Pacific)
10 - Kim Glass (OH, 6-2, Lancaster, Pa., Arizona)
11 - Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Nebraska)
12 - Nancy Metcalf (Opp, 6-1, Hull, Iowa, Nebraska)
15 - Logan Tom (OH, 6-1, Salt Lake City, Utah, Stanford)
16 - Foluke Akinradewo (MB, 6-3, Plantation, Fla., Stanford)
18 - Megan Hodge (OH, 6-3, Durham, N.C., Penn State)
19 - Destinee Hooker (Opp, 6-4, San Antonio, Texas, Texas)

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand)
Assistant Coach: Karch Kiraly (San Clemente, Calif.)
Assistant Coach: Paula Weishoff (Irvine, Calif.)
Assistant Coach/Technical Coordinator: Jamie Morrison (Dana Point, Calif.)
Athletic Trainer/Medical Support: Jill Wosmek (Silver Lake, Minn.)
Team Manager: Ken Sullivan (Laguna Beach, Calif.)

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