Holman Named to U.S. Collegiate National Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Nebraska junior volleyball player Briana Holman is one of 12 players selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team that will play in the 2015 World University Games July 2-12 at Gwangju, South Korea.

It is the second career selection for Holman to the U.S. Collegiate National Team. The middle blocker from DeSoto, Texas was part of the USA team that participated in the Tour of China in 2014. 

The World University Games happens every four years as a prelude to the Olympics the following summer.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for Briana," Nebraska head coach John Cook said. "It's been a dream of hers, and she will get to go to South Korea where the 1988 Olympics were held. This will be a high-level tournament, and the USA is sending its best possible team to try and medal. It will be a great experience for her, not only to go to Korea and play against the best competition in the world, but to get to meet and play with different student-athletes from other teams around the United States."

The World University Games roster is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance program’s Collegiate National Team. The squad has four players who finished their senior seasons in 2014, along with three seniors and five juniors.

Team USA for the World University Games includes setters Lexi Dannemiller (University of Michigan, West Chester, Ohio) and Micha Hancock (Penn State University, Edmond, Okla.). Opposites on the team are Khat Bell (University of Texas, Mesquite, Texas) and Alex Holston (University of Florida, Olney, Md.). Laura Larson (University of Arizona, Lakeville, Minn.) was named as the libero.

Middle blockers chosen to the World University Games roster are Nia Grant (Penn State University, Warren, Ohio), Briana Holman (University of Nebraska, DeSoto, Texas) and Paige Tapp (University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minn.). Outside hitters selected to the team are Jordan Burgess (Stanford University, Fort Myers, Fla.), Carly Kan (University of Missouri, Honolulu), Andi Malloy (Baylor University, Allen, Texas) and Nicole Walch (Florida State University, Stuart, Fla.).

Mary Wise, head coach for the University of Florida, has been named the head coach for the team. She will be assisted by Kyle Robinson, the new University of Oklahoma assistant coach, and Dan Thomassen, Sage Hill High School volleyball coach and co-founder of Prime Volleyball Club in California.

“The World University Games is a unique event that we look forward to competing in come July,” Wise said. “We are fortunate to assemble such a talented group of players to represent USA Volleyball.”

The squad includes five AVCA All-America First-Team selections in 2014, including Burgess, Grant, Hancock, Holman and Holston. Further, Bell and Walch were AVCA All-America Second-Team selections in 2014, while Tapp was named to the third-team.

The World University Games squad will come together June 28 in Los Angeles before traveling to South Korea for the competition. The roster was selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with an invitation-only training block held in January in Anaheim, Calif.

The U.S. Collegiate National Team program also includes a China Tour roster that will be announced later this week, along with a 36-player group that will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships in June.

U.S. Women’s World University Games Roster
Name (Position, School, 2015 College Year, Hometown)
Khat Bell (OPP, University of Texas, Grad, Mesquite, Texas)
Jordan Burgess (OH, Stanford University, Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.)
Lexi Dannemiller (S, University of Michigan, Grad, West Chester, Ohio)
Nia Grant (MB, Penn State University, Grad, Warren, Ohio)
Micha Hancock (S, Penn State University, Grad, Edmond, Okla.)
Briana Holman (MB, University of Nebraska, Jr., DeSoto, Texas)
Alex Holston (OPP, University of Florida, Jr., Olney, Md.)
Carly Kan (OH, University of Missouri, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
Laura Larson (L, University of Arizona, Jr., Lakeville, Minn.)
Andi Malloy (OH, Baylor University, Sr., Allen, Texas)
Paige Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Jr., Stewartville, Minn.)
Nicole Walch (OH, Florida State University, Sr., Stuart, Fla.)

Head Coach: Mary Wise (University of Florida)
Assistant Coach: Kyle Robinson (University of Oklahoma)
Assistant Coach: Dan Thomassen (Prime Volleyball Club, Sage Hill High School, Calif.)
Trainer: Meredith Dillon (West Valley College)