COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The U.S. Women's Volleyball National Team named its 21-player preliminary roster for the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix with former Fighting Illini volleyball standouts Michelle Bartsch and Liz McMahon named to the team. By being selected to the preliminary roster, they are eligible to be one of 14 players selected to compete in the preliminary and Finals round.
Team USA opens up the World Grand Prix in Kunshan, China, with matches against Russia on July 7, Italy on July 8 and host China on July 9. The Americans remain in China the following weekend with contests against Turkey on July 14, Italy on July 15 and host China on July 16 in Macau. The U.S. finishes the preliminary rounds in Cuiaba, Brazil with matches against Netherlands on July 20, Belgium on July 21 and Brazil on July 23.
The U.S. can select 14 players from the preliminary roster to compete in each of the three group weekends and the Final Round, changing out players during each weekend phase. The top five teams through the preliminary phase plus Final Round host China will compete Aug. 2-6 for the World Grand Prix title.
Bartsch, a 2016 U.S. Olympic Team alternate, competed in last year's FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round and helped the U.S. win silver. In her first FIVB match, she scored 11 points in two sets against China on July 8, 2016.
Team USA will also announce its competition roster for the 16th Annual Pan American Cup that takes place June 17-25 in Lima, Peru next week, with both Bartsch and McMahon on the preliminary roster for that tournament.
The U.S. Women officially open their season on June 13 with a friendly match against Canada in San Juan Capistrano, California as both team prepare for the Pan American Cup. The USA-Canada match, which has first serve at 7 p.m. PT, will be streamed live and available on www.usavolleyball.org.
For the complete roster and more details on upcoming competitions, click HERE.
For more Fighting Illini volleyball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow the team on Twitter (@IlliniVBall), Instagram (@IlliniVBall) and like Fighting Illini Volleyball on Facebook.
