COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 21, 2018) – Micha Hancock (Edmond, Oklahoma) and Megan Courtney (Dayton, Ohio) are two of 14 players selected to the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team that will represent the United States at the FIVB World Championship Sept. 29 to Oct. 20 in Japan. Team USA, ranked second in the world, will be attempting to defend its World Championship title won in 2014 in Italy.
Hancock, a setter in her second year of training full time with the U.S. Women's National Team, has played in 57 sets during the 2018 season including three starts on an exhibition tour of Brazil in August that resulted in a 4-0 record against the fourth-ranked team in the world. She served as the back-up setter during the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League this year, which ended with Team USA winning gold and the $1 million top prize. Among her highlights during the VNL was coming off the bench in the VNL Final Six pool play to rally the Americans to victory over Turkey.
Hancock has tallied 29 points on the season including 15 aces (0.26 per set). She has added 1.07 digs per set in her limited court time as the primary backup setter.
"Micha is a fierce competitor and leader, and those qualities helped her stay prepared for her moments of competitive opportunity during Volleyball Nations League, including helping us change the course of some critical matches," U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. "She's also having a tangible effect on the high level of training in our gym."
Courtney, a libero for Team USA, will be making her first World Championship appearance. She joined the U.S. Women's National Team full time in 2017 as an outside hitter, but switched to libero for the 2017 USA Volleyball Cup and 2017 FIVB World Grand Champions Cup that ended with the Americans winning bronze.
Courtney had a late start to the 2018 season after recovering from an ACL tear suffered on the second day of training with her pro club in Poland last fall. During a home exhibition match against Japan and four exhibitions in Brazil, Courtney eased back into the libero position. She averaged 2.33 digs per set in 15 sets played, along with a .366 receiving efficiency on 93 chances. Courtney started three of four matches in Brazil, all USA victories.
"Megan has worked extremely hard returning to play after a knee injury last year, so the whole program was happy to see her back in action in Brazil during our August tour there," Kiraly said. "Now she's looking to take her game beyond where it was prior to her injury, and making great strides."
The FIVB Women's World Championship is played every four years in the second year of the Olympic quadrennial. The Americans begin defense of their 2014 title in Kobe, Japan, as they face Azerbaijan (Sept. 29), Trinidad & Tobago (Sept. 30), Korea (Oct. 2), Thailand (Oct. 3) and Russia (Oct. 4) in the first-round Pool C. The top four teams in Pool C advance to the second round (Oct. 7-11) in Osaka. The top three teams from the two second round pools move on to the third round held Oct. 14-16 in Nagoya, followed by the semifinals and medal matches on Oct. 19-20 in Yokohama.
The U.S. qualified for the FIVB World Championship as the defending champion. The U.S. is 26-4 overall in 2018, including gold medals at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League and Pan American Cup.
FloVolleyball.tv, a subscription streaming service, will stream all FIVB World Championship matches in the United States per an exclusive rights deal signed with the FIVB. To sign-up for a discounted FloVolleyball.tv subscription, visit http://bit.ly/2Oe5HZj. To see the full World Championship schedule that FloVolleyball.tv will stream, visit http://bit.ly/2CLn1Dr.
U.S. Women's National Team Roster for FIVB World Championship
# - Player (Position, Height, College, Hometown)
1 – Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Penn State, Edmond, Oklahoma)
3 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, California, Bonsall, California)
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Texas, Cincinnati, Ohio)
6 – Tori Dixon (M, 6-3, Minnesota, Burnsville, Minnesota)
8 – Lauren Gibbemeyer (M, 6-2, Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota)
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Nebraska, Hooper, Nebraska)
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Florida, Wilmington, Illinois)
13 – Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Minnesota, Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
14 – Michelle Bartsch-Hackley (OH, 6-3, Illinois, Champaign, Illinois)
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Pepperdine, Portland, Oregon)
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Stanford, Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
17 – Megan Courtney (L, 6-1, Penn State, Dayton, Ohio)
23 – Kelsey Robinson (L, 6-2, Nebraska, Manhattan Beach, California)
24 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, UCLA, Rancho Santa Fe, California)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Luka Slabe, Tama Miyashiro
Technical Coordinator: Jeff Liu
Physiotherapist: Kara Kessans
Team Manager: Jimmy Stitz
Doctors: Dr. Christopher Lee and Lori Boyajian-O'Neill
Consultant Coaches: Marv Dunphy
Scout Coach: Giuseppe Vinci
Mental Performance Coach: Traci Statler
2018 FIVB World Championship Schedule for Team USA
First-Round Pool C at Kobe, Japan
Sept. 29: USA vs. Azerbaijan, 3:10 a.m. ET
Sept. 30: USA vs. Trinidad & Tobago, 12:40 a.m. ET
Oct. 2: USA vs. Korea, 6:20 a.m. ET
Oct. 3: USA vs. Thailand, 6:20 a.m. ET
Oct. 4: USA vs. Russia, 6:10 a.m. ET
Second Round at Osaka, Japan (Must finish top 4 in Pool C to advance)
Oct. 7-11
Third Round at Nagoya, Japan (Must finish top 3 in Second Round to advance)
Oct. 14-16 (two pools of three teams)
Semifinals and Medal Rounds in Yokohama, Japan (top two finishes in both Third Round Pools)
Oct. 19-20
