June 5, 2008
ATLANTA – The U.S. Women’s National A2 Blue Team, which included Yellow Jacket outside hitter Talisa Kellogg, captured the bronze medal in the Open Division of the USA Adult Open Volleyball Championships held in Atlanta. The tournament, played at the Georgia World Congress Center over the last two weeks, was won by the U.S. Women’s National A2 Red Team, coached by Michigan State head coach Cathy George and Georgia Tech’s associate head coach Ben Bodipo-Memba.
The USA A2 Red Team defeated Huskies VBC, University of Washington’s collegiate team, in the gold medal match. The U.S. won the first two sets before the Huskies rallied to win the third set.
USA A2 Blue finished with the bronze medal during the tournament.
The USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline A2 Teams have been competing in the Open Division since 2003. Its only other championship in the event was in 2004. The USA A2 Program is the only team with more than one Women’s Open Division title in the last eight years.
USA Volleyball has showcased its USA Adult Open Volleyball Championships for 79 years since the organization’s founding in 1928. Except for 1943 and 1944 during the height of World War II, the Open has been a mainstay celebrating adult volleyball nationally.
The event is one of the largest national championships in any sport in the United States, and the Open has featured the sport of volleyball from coast-to-coast.
Additional information on the tournament can be found at http://www.usavolleyball.org/Adults/.
USA A2 Red Team
1 – Jessica Nyrop (S, Senior in 2008, San Diego)
2 – Lauren Williams (MB, Redshirt Freshman in 2008, Southern California)
3 – Kelsey Bowers (MB, Senior in 2008, Florida)
4 – Kimmee Roleder (OH, Sophomore in 2008, Southern California)
5 – Am’ra Solomon (OPP, Junior in 2008, California-Berkeley)
6 – Callie Rivers (OH, Sophomore in 2008, Florida)
7 – Elena Martinez (L, Senior in 2008, Louisiana State)
9 – Carli Lloyd (S, Sophomore in 2008, California-Berkeley)
11 – Ellen Herman (OH, Junior in 2008, Ohio)
15 – Brittnee Cooper (MB, Junior in 2008, Louisiana State)
Head Coach: Cathy George (Michigan State)
Assistant Coach: Ben Bodipo-Memba (Georgia Tech)
USA A2 Blue Team
1 – Dominique Olowolafe (MB, Sophomore in 2008, Cal Poly)
2 – Lori Baird (MB, Senior in 2008, Utah)
3 – Jamie Houston (OH, Senior in 2008, Hawai’i)
4 – Talisa Kellogg (OH, Senior in 2008, Georgia Tech)
5 – Sarah Ammerman (OH, Junior in 2008, Texas A&M)
6 – Alli Hillgren (L, Junior in 2008, Southern California)
7 – Sydney Anderson (S, Sophomore in 2008, Nebraska)
9 – Maria Taylor (OPP, Senior in 2008, Georgia)
10 – Nicole Vargas (S, Senior in 2008, Long Beach State)
11 – Kristy Jaeckel (OH/OPP, Redshirt Freshman in 2008, Florida)
15 – Zoe Garrett (MB, Sophomore in 2008, Southern California)
Head Coach: Jerritt Elliott (Texas)
Assistant Coach: Brook Coulter (Denver)
