June 20, 2012

COLORADO SPRINGS, Co. – Senior libero Stephanie Klefot is one of 48 athletes set to train with the United States Women’s National A2 Team Program beginning June 26 in Columbus, Ohio.

The 2012 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team program was selected through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 10-12 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. A record 207 athletes participated in the tryout.

In addition to the new competition format, the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program expanded from 36 players to 48 players in 2012.

The 48 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Program players hail from 34 different collegiate programs. The A2 program includes eight liberos, 12 middle blockers, 14 outside hitters, six opposites and eight setters.

Training begins June 26 at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, while the matches will be held June 30 to July 4 during the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships (GJNC) at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. During the pre-tournament training session, the 48 athletes will be divided into four teams of 12 players that will play one match per day during the GJNC. All matches will be A2 competing against each other in a round-robin format followed by a semifinal and final round.

Klefot garnered second-team All-America accolades after a record-setting junior campaign in which she broke the single-season Kentucky digs record with 608. She is the reigning two-time Southeastern Conference Libero of the Year after pacing the league in digs per set in each of the past two seasons. In just three seasons of action she already ranks third among UK’s all-time performers in career digs.

The Wildcats begin their 2012 season playing host to the Kentucky Classic and welcoming North Carolina for the lid lifter on August 24 at 7 p.m. ET in Memorial Coliseum.

Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.