March 29, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – All-America libero Stephanie Klefot has been tabbed to the U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Program it was announced. Klefot is one of 48 athletes with collegiate eligibility to earn selection for participation in this summer’s program.
Klefot is the reigning two-time Southeastern Conference Libero of the Year after setting a single-season UK record with 608 digs while helping lead the Blue and White to a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament. She claimed second team All-America distinction after a tremendous junior campaign in which she averaged 4.38 digs per set.
The 48 U.S. Women’s National A2 Team Program players hail from 34 different collegiate programs. Eight liberos, 12 middle blockers, 14 outside hitters, six opposites and eight setters comprise the 48 athletes selected.
Klefot is the third Wildcat player under the direction of Craig Skinner to earn selection to the A2 team. Ashley Frazier was a member of the program in 2011 and former All-America setter Sarah Rumely played on the squad in the summer of 2009.
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.
“I feel that moving the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program to be in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships will be a very positive move for the program,” USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel said. “The exposure and impact that the program and its athletes will have at the GJNC will far surpass that experienced at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships with the adults competing. It will also be a `win’ for the GJNC event and its participants.”
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. Athletes in college and with collegiate eligibility remaining for the 2012 collegiate season not selected to join the U.S. Women’s National Team were eligible for the U.S. Women’s A2 program.
In addition to the new competition format, the U.S. Women’s National A2 Program expanded from 36 players to 48 players in 2012.
Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.
