Trio Of Gators Selected For USAVB National A2 Program
Friday, March 28, 2008 | Volleyball
University of Florida rising senior middle blocker Kelsey Bowers (Gainesville, Fla.), rising redshirt freshman outside hitter Kristy Jaeckel (Littleton, Colo.) and rising sophomore outside hitter Callie Rivers (Winter Park, Fla.) are among the 22 players from around the nation that were selected for the 2008 Women's National A2 Program, USA Volleyball announced on Friday.
The Gators' three selections are the second-most among the 14 collegiate teams represented in the program, trailing only the four garnered by the University of Southern California. The UF program has now been the recipient of 33 USA Volleyball appointments since 2001, an average of more than four per year.
Bowers, a second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick in each of the last two seasons, ranked second in the conference in hitting percentage as a junior, while her .402 clip in league play topped the SEC. She also averaged a team-best 1.31 blocks per game in 2007, tying for the third-best average in program history by a junior. Bowers, who will be fulfilling her first USA Volleyball appointment, is one of six middles selected for the National A2 Program this year.
After redshirting her initial year in the Florida program, Jaeckel has emerged as an offensive force during spring play, as she totaled a team-high 24 kills against Florida State in the spring opener. Prior to her arrival in Gainesville, the 6-2 outside hitter played on the 2007 U.S. Junior National A2 Team that competed at the European Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia.
Rivers earned a spot on the 2007 SEC All-Freshman Team after compiling season averages of 2.71 kills and 3.29 points per set, while also establishing a school record for blocks per game by a freshman outside hitter with a mark of 0.51 per set. She posted seven double-doubles in her rookie season, including a streak of three-straight in the latter stages of the campaign. She also has prior USA Volleyball experience, having competed on the U.S. Junior National A2 Team in 2006.
The 22 players selected for the A2 Program, all of whom have remaining college eligibility, will be split into two 11-member squads during training sessions prior to competing in the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships from May 24-31 in Atlanta.
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