Colorado State University Athletics
Hillyer, Oleksak Named to U.S. Collegiate National Team Europe
3/30/2018 2:14:00 PM | Volleyball
COLORADO SPRING, Colo. – Colorado State middle blocker Kirstie Hillyer and setter Katie Oleksak have been named to the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team Europe Tour roster, USA Volleyball announced on Thursday.
The pair will train among 12 of the some of the top collegiate players in the nation, July 4-15. The squad will land in Venice, Italy, on July 5. After training and friendly matches at a location to be announced, CNT-Europe will compete in the Global Challenge July 10-13 in Pula, Croatia.
Dani Busboom Kelly, head coach of the University of Louisville women's volleyball team, will serve as the CNT-Europe head coach. Assisting Busboom Kelly will be Branden Higa and Marie Zidek, head coaches of California Baptist University and DePaul University, respectively.
For more information on the U.S. CNT program and USA Volleyball, click here.
Hillyer was part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team programs last season with the CNT-Minneapolis. Hillyer and Oleksak are the fourth and fifth CSU players to participate in the program since 2010. Deedra Foss (2013), Brieon Paige (2012) and Evan Sanders (2010) all took part in what was previously known as the U.S. National A2 team program.
Katie Oleksak, the 2017 Mountain West Player of the Year, finished her sophomore season for the Green and Gold leading the Mountain West in assists and assists per set, while also ranking No. 8 in the nation in assists per set. She reached 40-plus assists 19 times in the 2017 season and ranks No. 9 all-time at Colorado State in assists and No. 8 in assists per set. The Phoenix, Ariz., native has been named the AVCA All-Region and All-America teams in both of her seasons.
Kirstie Hillyer was selected as a participant in 2017 with the U.S. Collegiate National Team in the CNT-Minneapolis program. Hillyer was the fourth player from Colorado State since 2010 to be selected as a participant. The Bayfield, Colo., native finished the 2017 season fourth on the team in kills per set, while hitting second on the team with a .383 mark. The middle blocker averaged a team-best 1.46 blocks per set, which ranked No. 17 in the nation and 130 total blocks during the season.
Hillyer and Oleksak were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 2-4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Hillyer is one of three middles selected, while Oleksak is one of two setters.
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown, Youth Club)
Alexis Dirige (L, Washington State University, 5-2, 2, San Francisco, California, Vision Volleyball Club)
Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, 2, Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington United)
Audriana Fitzmorris (OPP, Stanford University, 6-6, 1, Overland Park, Kansas, MAVS)
Amanda Green (OH, University of Louisville, 6-1, 2, Skokie, Illinois, Wildcat Juniors Volleyball Club)
Danielle Hart (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-4, 4, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Coastal Virginia VBC)
Kirstie Hillyer (M, Colorado State University, 6-6, 2, Bayfield, Colorado, Four Corners)
MacKenzie May (OH, UCLA, 6-3, 3, Dubuque, Iowa, Iowa Juniors)
Taylor Mims (OPP, Washington State University, 6-3, 1, Billings, Montana, Montana Juniors)
Berkeley Oblad (M, University of Utah, 6-4, 1, Henderson, Nevada, Vegas Encore)
Katie Oleksak (S, Colorado State University, 5-10, 2, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Storm)
August Raskie (S, Oregon, 6-0, 1, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Front Range Volleyball Club)
Avery Skinner (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-1, 3, Katy, Texas, Houston Skyline Volleyball Club)
The pair will train among 12 of the some of the top collegiate players in the nation, July 4-15. The squad will land in Venice, Italy, on July 5. After training and friendly matches at a location to be announced, CNT-Europe will compete in the Global Challenge July 10-13 in Pula, Croatia.
Dani Busboom Kelly, head coach of the University of Louisville women's volleyball team, will serve as the CNT-Europe head coach. Assisting Busboom Kelly will be Branden Higa and Marie Zidek, head coaches of California Baptist University and DePaul University, respectively.
For more information on the U.S. CNT program and USA Volleyball, click here.
Hillyer was part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team programs last season with the CNT-Minneapolis. Hillyer and Oleksak are the fourth and fifth CSU players to participate in the program since 2010. Deedra Foss (2013), Brieon Paige (2012) and Evan Sanders (2010) all took part in what was previously known as the U.S. National A2 team program.
Katie Oleksak, the 2017 Mountain West Player of the Year, finished her sophomore season for the Green and Gold leading the Mountain West in assists and assists per set, while also ranking No. 8 in the nation in assists per set. She reached 40-plus assists 19 times in the 2017 season and ranks No. 9 all-time at Colorado State in assists and No. 8 in assists per set. The Phoenix, Ariz., native has been named the AVCA All-Region and All-America teams in both of her seasons.
Kirstie Hillyer was selected as a participant in 2017 with the U.S. Collegiate National Team in the CNT-Minneapolis program. Hillyer was the fourth player from Colorado State since 2010 to be selected as a participant. The Bayfield, Colo., native finished the 2017 season fourth on the team in kills per set, while hitting second on the team with a .383 mark. The middle blocker averaged a team-best 1.46 blocks per set, which ranked No. 17 in the nation and 130 total blocks during the season.
Hillyer and Oleksak were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 2-4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Hillyer is one of three middles selected, while Oleksak is one of two setters.
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown, Youth Club)
Alexis Dirige (L, Washington State University, 5-2, 2, San Francisco, California, Vision Volleyball Club)
Leah Edmond (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-2, 2, Lexington, Kentucky, Lexington United)
Audriana Fitzmorris (OPP, Stanford University, 6-6, 1, Overland Park, Kansas, MAVS)
Amanda Green (OH, University of Louisville, 6-1, 2, Skokie, Illinois, Wildcat Juniors Volleyball Club)
Danielle Hart (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-4, 4, Virginia Beach, Virginia, Coastal Virginia VBC)
Kirstie Hillyer (M, Colorado State University, 6-6, 2, Bayfield, Colorado, Four Corners)
MacKenzie May (OH, UCLA, 6-3, 3, Dubuque, Iowa, Iowa Juniors)
Taylor Mims (OPP, Washington State University, 6-3, 1, Billings, Montana, Montana Juniors)
Berkeley Oblad (M, University of Utah, 6-4, 1, Henderson, Nevada, Vegas Encore)
Katie Oleksak (S, Colorado State University, 5-10, 2, Phoenix, Arizona, Arizona Storm)
August Raskie (S, Oregon, 6-0, 1, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Front Range Volleyball Club)
Avery Skinner (OH, University of Kentucky, 6-1, 3, Katy, Texas, Houston Skyline Volleyball Club)
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