COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Yet another Gator volleyballer will trade in the Orange and Blue for the Red, White and Blue this summer as Florida rising senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino was tabbed one of 12 players set to represent United States Volleyball on the Collegiate National Team for the China Tour this summer.
The squad, which is part of USA Volleyball's High Performance pipeline, will train and compete in a series of six matches in China spanning June 13-26. After a brief training session in the United States and landing in Shanghai on June 16, the team is expected to play three matches in Changxing City from June 17-21 against the Chinese Women's Junior National Team and a professional club team as opponents. The CNT-China team will then fly to Beijing to train and compete June 21-26 against the Chinese Women's U-23 National Team and a professional club team.
Dagostino is no stranger to USA Volleyball, as the Gators' starting setter will play in the USAV system for the fourth straight year. Dagostino will sport the Stars and Stripes along with teammate Alex Holston, who was named to Team USA's World University Games roster yesterday. Florida head coach Mary Wise will guide Team USA in South Korea for the WUG.
Complete US Collegiate National Team China Tour Release
The CNT-China Tour roster has five players who will be seniors in college in the 2015 season, along with four juniors-to-be and three sophomores-to-be. Both Abby Cole (Michigan) and Dagostino were members of the U.S. Collegiate National Team that trained and competed in conjunction with the 2014 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships in Minneapolis.
Athletes were 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.
The CNT-China Tour roster is one of three programs within USA Volleyball's High Performance U.S. Collegiate National Team program. An additional 36 players, which will be announced next week, will train and compete in conjunction with the 2015 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships in June at New Orleans.
MACKENZIE DAGOSTINO RESUME
· 2014 AVCA All-America Third Team
· 2014 AVCA All-Southeast Region Team
· 2014 All-SEC
· Finished the 2014 season 13th in the country in assists per set (11.50/s) and 23rd in aces per set (0.41/s)
· Led the SEC in service aces overall (0.41/s) and in SEC play (0.46/s) and ranked second in assists per set both overall (11.50/s) and in league play (11.63/s) her first season starting at Florida
· 2014 USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team Program in Minneapolis
· 2013 USA Senior National A2
· 2012 US Women's Junior National Travel Team
· 2011 US Women's Junior National A2 Team
· Transferred to Florida from Maryland after her freshman season (2012)
U.S. COLLEGIATE NATIONAL TEAM | TOUR OF CHINA
Brittany Abercrombie (OPP, University of Southern California, So., Carlsbad, Calif.)
Savannah Blinn (OPP, Gonzaga University, Sr., Lewiston, Idaho)
Abby Cole (MB, University of Michigan, Jr., Grand Haven, Mich.)
Mackenzie Dagostino (S, University of Florida, Sr., Tampa, Fla.)
Ashley Evans (S, Purdue University, So.-R, Liberty Township, Ohio)
Morgan Kurht (OH, Iowa State University, Jr.-R, Waverly, Iowa)
Mary-Kate Marshall (OH, Oregon State University, So., Coppell, Texas)
Tiffany Morales (L, University of Michigan, Sr., Hermosa Beach, Calif.)
Taylor Morey (L, University of Wisconsin, Sr., Muncie, Ind.)
Hannah Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Jr., Stewartville, Minn.)
Sarah Wilhite (OH, University of Minnesota, Jr., Eden Prairie, Minn.)
Kiara Wright (MB, Florida State University, Sr., Houston, Texas)
Head Coach: Jason Watson (Arizona State University head coach)
Assistant Coach: Katelyn Panzau (University of Maryland-Baltimore County assistant coach)
Assistant Coach: Abbi Hayes (Wingate University assistant coach)
