February 22, 2013

Orewiler and Nicholas Head To USA Volleyball National Team Tryouts

GREENSBORO, N.C. – USA Volleyball has a projected record 247 athletes signed up to participate in open tryouts for the U.S. Women's National Team, U.S. Women's National A2 Program and U.S. Women's Junior National Team. UNCG junior Kellie Orewiler is one of them. Additionally, head coach Patrick Nicholas will be assisting with the event for the second time. 

The tryouts begin today and run until Sunday at the Sports Center II inside the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. 

Among the 247 tryout participants representing 90 different colleges are 60 outside hitters, 57 middle blockers, 56 liberos, 49 setters and 25 opposites. The 2012 U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts attracted a then-record 207 participants. 

The tryout begins with waves going from 2-3:50 p.m. MT, 4-5:50 p.m. MT and 6:10-8 p.m. MT. Each athlete has been assigned to participate in one wave on Friday. On Feb. 23, athletes will participate in a morning session and an afternoon wave starting at 8 a.m. MT and ending at 8 p.m. MT. Athlete groups for Feb. 23 will be assigned at the end of the previous night. The tryout concludes on Feb. 24 with tournament play broken up into two sessions from 7:30-9:10 a.m. and 9:20-11 a.m. Each participant will compete in one tournament wave to be determined the night of Feb. 23.

The U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team Program is available to athletes who have concluded their college eligibility and who wish to be invited to be a member of the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team on a full-time basis. This program could begin as early as the spring of 2013, or when an athlete's scholastic or professional club season has concluded. Also considered for training with this group will be athletes who have remaining collegiate eligibility and their participation beginning in mid-May or when their scholastic calendar ends for 2013. 

The U.S. Women's National Volleyball Senior A2 program is available to athletes with collegiate eligibility remaining for the 2013 season. This program is scheduled to take place in Dallas from June 25 to July 4. A projected 48 athletes will be invited to participate in the program, which will include training and competing at the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships (GJNC) from July 1-4. These athletes may also be invited to participate with the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team.

- UNCG -