BATON ROUGE — LSU libero Elena Martinez and middle blocker Brittnee Cooper were named to the USA Volleyball 2008 Women’s senior A2 National Team, it was announced by USA Volleyball’s Managing Director of High Performance Indoor Programs Tom Pingel on Thursday.
A total of 22 players, all with remaining collegiate eligibility, were selected for the program. Two teams of 11 athletes each will train prior to competing in the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships from May 24-31 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
USA Volleyball held two tryouts at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to assist in the selection of the A2 Team. The first tryout session was an invitation-only event Jan. 7-11, while the second tryout was an open event held Feb. 22-24. Both tryouts doubled as evaluation periods for the A2 program as well as the U.S. Women’s National Team which will compete at the Olympic Games.
The 2007 Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Martinez, earned honorable mention AVCA All-America honors. The New Orleans native broke the 21-year old conference record for digs in a single season and recorded the 11th most digs in a single season in NCAA history. Averaging 5.61 digs per game, Martinez led the conference and ranked 35th nationally. Recording 20 or more digs in 21 of LSU’s 33 matches, she broke the school record with 43 digs against Alabama.
Ranked fourth in the SEC and 31st nationally in blocks per game as only a sophomore, Cooper recorded four double-doubles on the season. Against Notre Dame, the Houston native recorded a career high 31 blocks to go along with a career best 21 kills. Finishing the year with 1.42 blocks per game, Cooper ranked 10th in single-season blocks per game in LSU history. Also posting 152 block assists, Cooper tied for the fifth most single-season block assists in school history.
The 2008 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team includes four setters, seven outside hitters, six middles, three opposites and two liberos. The players come from 14 different collegiate programs. In addition, USA Volleyball announced the coaching staff for the U.S. Women’s National A2 Teams. Texas head coach Jerritt Elliott and Michigan State head coach Cathy George will serve as head coaches for the program, while Virginia assistant coach Jill Pape-Kramer and Georgia Tech assistant coach Ben Bodipo-Memba will serve as assistant coaches.
2008 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Selections
Sarah Ammerman Outside Hitter 2008 Junior Texas A&M Parker, Colo.
Sydney Anderson Setter 2008 Sophomore Nebraska Salt Lake City, Utah
Kylie Atherstone Opposite 2008 Senior Cal Poly Chico, Calif.
Lori Baird Middle Blocker 2008 Senior Utah Murray, Utah
Kelsey Bowers Middle Blocker 2008 Senior Florida Gainesville, Fla.
Brittnee Cooper Middle Blocker 2008 Junior LSU Houston, Texas
Zoe Garrett Middle Blocker 2008 Sophomore USC Laguna Beach, Calif.
Ellen Herman Outside Hitter 2008 Junior Ohio Toledo, Ohio
Alli Hillgren Libero 2008 Junior USC Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Jamie Houston Outside Hitter 2008 Senior Hawai’i Huntsville, Ala.
Kristy Jaeckel Outside Hitter 2008 Freshman Florida Littleton, Colo.
Talisa Kellogg Outside Hitter 2008 Senior Georgia Tech Westerville, Ohio
Carli Lloyd Setter 2008 Sophomore California Bonsall, Calif.
Elena Martinez Libero 2008 Senior LSU New Orleans, La.
Jessica Nyrop Setter 2008 Senior San Diego Harrison, Idaho
Dominique Olowolafe Middle Blocker 2008 Sophomore Cal Poly Lansing, Mich.
Callie Rivers Outside Hitter 2008 Sophomore Florida Winter Park, Fla.
Kimmee Roleder Outside Hitter 2008 Sophomore USC Pasadena, Calif.
Am’ra Solomon Opposite 2008 Junior California Los Angeles, Calif.
Maria Taylor Opposite 2008 Senior Georgia Alpharetta, Ga.
Nicole Vargas Setter 2008 Senior Long Beach State Seal Beach, Calif.
Lauren Williams Middle Blocker 2008 Sophomore USC Houston, Texas
2008 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Coaching Staff
Head Coaches: Jerritt Elliott (University of Texas) and Cathy George (Michigan State University)
Assistant Coaches: Jill Pape-Kramer (University of Virginia) and Ben Bedipo-Memba (Georgia Tech)