Five Selected for US Collegiate National Teams
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Five Wildcats – Gabby Curry, Leah Edmond, Madison Lilley, Brooke Morgan and Avery Skinner – will wear the Red, White and Blue this summer for various U.S. Women’s Collegiate National Teams. Lilley made the CNT – China Tour squad, Edmond and Skinner are on the CNT – Europe team, while Morgan and Curry made the CNT – Detroit team.
“The opportunities for these five athletes are outstanding,” head coach Craig Skinner said. “The chance to compete with and against players here and abroad who are the best in their age group around the world is hard to duplicate. We don’t take the USA invitations for granted, and our players will take full advantage to develop their game. They have high aspirations to be elite and this summer will give them a chance to see how they are progressing.”
All athletes were placed on teams through the U.S. Women’s National Team Open Tryouts held March 2-4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Lilley’s CNT – China team will be led by Illinois head coach Chris Tamas, while Joe Trinsey and Natalie Morgan will assist. This is Lilley’s fourth time appearing on a national team, as she participated in the 2017 Women’s U20 Pan Am Cup, the 2015 Youth National Team and the 2016 Youth National Team. The team will train and compete in China from May 20-31. More information and the full China Tour roster can be found here.
Edmond’s and Skinner’s CNT – Europe team will be led by Louisville head coach Dani Busboom Kelly. 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. Edmond played on the FIVB Women’s U20 World Championship team for the USA last season, while this will be the first time Skinner represents her country. More information and the full Europe roster can be found here.
The CNT-Detroit squad that Curry and Morgan are on, which is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline, will train from June 22-26 at the University of Michigan. Afterward, the athletes will be assigned to one of two 12-member teams that will play three exhibition matches against each other at the Cobo Center in Detroit from June 27-30. The matches are being held in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships under the same roof. More information and the full Detroit roster can be found here.
As a team, Kentucky finished the 2017 season 29-4 and won a share of the Southeastern Conference Championship. UK also advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in the modern era. The Wildcats climbed to No. 6 in the rankings, and beat the No. 1 team in the nation for the first time in school history.
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