Alex Holston & Mary Wise Headline USA Volleyball World University Games Squad
Tuesday, March 31, 2015 | Volleyball
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Florida volleyball two-time All-American and 2014 SEC Player of the Year Alex Holston will once again don the Red, White and Blue this summer on the 12-player World University Games roster, announced Tuesday by USA Volleyball. The Gators' own Mary Wise has been designated as head coach of the WUG team, and Holston, Wise and Team USA will head overseas to Gwangju, South Korea, for competition July 2-12.
Wise 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 from 2014, including Jordan Burgess (Stanford), Nia Grant (Penn State), Micha Hancock (Penn State), Briana Holman (Nebraska) and Florida's own Holston.
Complete USA Volleyball World University Games Release
The World University Games team 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.
ALEX HOLSTON RESUME
· 2014 USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team for European Tour (Silver Medalist)
· 2014 AVCA All-America First Team
· 2014 AVCA All-Southeast Region
· 2014 SEC Player of the Year
· 2014 NCAA Tournament Ames Regional All-Tournament Team
· 2014 All-SEC Team
· 2014 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll
· 2013-14 SEC First Year Academic Honor Roll
· 2013 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention
· 2013 AVCA All-Southeast Region
· 2013 All-SEC Team
· 2013 SEC All-Freshman Team
· 2012 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year
MARY WISE SNAPSHOT
· 2014 AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year, her 11th regional Coach of the Year accolade
· 2014 SEC Coach of the Year | 14th SEC Coach of the Year honor (1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998,1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2014)
· Led Florida to 22 Regional Semifinals last 24 years and a 61-24 (.718) NCAA Tournament record, seven Final Fours and one National Championship appearance
· Has led the Gators to 21 of the last 24 SEC Championships, seven Final Fours and 24 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths
· Third-winningest active Division I Coach
· The only active DI female head coach to reach the 800-win milestone (did so Sept. 12 in a 3-0 win at then-No. 6 Southern California)
· USA Volleyball “All-Time Great Coach”
· USA Volleyball Pan American Cup Head Coach 2010
· USA Volleyball A2 Team Head Coach at U.S. Open Championships 2006
· USA National B Team Head Coach at World University Games 1995
· At Florida (24 seasons): 742-88 (.894) | Career (28 seasons): 823-151 (.845)
U.S. WOMEN'S WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES ROSTER
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)
