Women's Volleyball | March 25, 2019

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USC women's volleyball All-American junior outside hitter Brooke Botkin (Houston, Texas/Pearland HS) was named to the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team for its upcoming Japan Tour on Monday, March 25.
 
Botkin is one of 12 current college players chosen to don the red, white, and blue for several matches in Japan from May 19-30. She is one of four outside hitters on the roster and will join Dani Drews (University of Utah; Sandy, Utah), McKenna Melville (UCF; Egan, Minnesota), and Jacqueline Quade (University of Illinois; Fort Wayne, Indiana).
 
Setters named to the CNT-Japan Tour are Mica Allison (University of Illinois; White Heath, Illinois) and Saige Kaahaaina-Torres (University of Utah; Honolulu, Hawai'i). The two opposite hitters selected are Taylor Bannister (LSU; Missouri City, Texas) and Kenzie Koerber (University of Utah; Chino Hills, California).
 
The libero will be CC McGraw (University of Minnesota; Prior Lake, Minnesota). Middle blockers chosen to the squad include Heather Gneiting (Brigham Young University; Pleasant Grove, Utah), Taylor Morgan (University of Minnesota; Blaine, Minnesota), and Katie Myers (University of Maryland; Westerville, Ohio). Heather Olmstead, head coach of the Brigham Young University women's volleyball team, will serve as the CNT-Japan Tour head coach.
 
The elite team of collegians will tour May 19-30 in Japan where it will have a series of training sessions and matches. The tour is unique in that the U.S. will play against Nippon Sport Science University, one of the best collegiate volleyball teams in Japan, as well as Japan's Women's 20 and World University Games teams. Below is the tentative match schedule:
 
May 22: vs. Nippon Sport Science University in Tokyo
May 23: vs. Japan Women's U20 Team at NEC in Kawasaki
May 24: vs. Japan World University Games Team in Kawasaki
May 25: vs. Japan World University Games Team at NEC in Kawasaki
May 26: vs. Japan Women's U20 Team at Japan National Training Center in Kita, Tokyo
May 28: vs. Okayama Seagulls in Okayama
 
"I'm excited to represent USA this summer along with 12 student-athletes from across the country," Olmstead said. "This roster is full of experience and skill at every position. We're looking forward to competing at a high level and experiencing the Japanese culture."
 
The CNT-Japan Tour will have Jaylen Reyes and Krista Vansant as assistant coaches. Reyes is currently assistant coach at University of Nebraska, while Vansant is an assistant coach with Indiana University. TJ Read, the director of volleyball operations at UCF, will serve as the program's technical coordinator.
 
Drews is the only player with experience in the CNT program as she was part of the 2018 CNT-Detroit roster. Allison helped lead the U.S. Women's Junior National Team to gold at the 2018 NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship after playing in the 2017 FIVB Girls' U18 World Championship as part of the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team.
 
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 1-3 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. USA Volleyball will announce the CNT-Anaheim roster within the next two weeks. The CNT-World University Games roster was announced on March 13. All CNT programs are considered second tryouts for the U.S. Women's National Teams under NCAA rules.
 
Under first-year head coach Brent Crouch, USC finished with a 22-11 overall record and a second-place tie in the Pac-12 (13-7). The Trojans played one of the toughest schedules in the nation with 18 AVCA ranked opponents. USC made its 36th appearance in the NCAA tournament (28th consecutive) and advanced to the second round as the 11th seed before falling in an upset to San Diego. Botkin was named to the AVCA All-America second team and became the program's 42nd all-time All-American. Freshman setter Raquel Lázaro was chosen as the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and received AVCA All-America honorable mention alongside outside hitter Khalia Lanier.
 
For more information on the USC women's volleyball team and a complete schedule and results, please visit USCTrojans.com/WVB. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow @USCWomensVolley on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.