Three members of the Nebraska volleyball team will represent USA Volleyball at the NORCECA Women's Final Six Pan American Cup this week in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Libero Lexi Rodriguez, opposite hitter Merritt Beason and outside hitter Taylor Landfair were three of the 14 players selected to the team.
The 14 players on the roster are all current collegians who will compete for the United States while the senior Women’s National Team prepares for the Paris Olympic Games.
“We are treating NORCECA Final Six as the first tournament of the new Olympic cycle that eventually leads to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “We are really excited about the future possibilities and potential of the athletes on this roster who will represent our women’s senior national team. Many of these athletes have the potential to have a real impact with our U.S. National Team on the international level in years to come."
The U.S. will open play on Wednesday at 4 p.m. (CT) against Mexico. They will also play Canada on Friday at 2 p.m. (CT). The semifinals are on Saturday, June 29 and the medal matches will be played on Sunday, June 30.
The U.S. Women are the defending Final Six champions, having won in 2023. The U.S. Women took silver in 2022.
No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Olivia Babcock (Opp, 6-4, Los Angeles, Calif., Pitt, Southern California)
2 Merritt Beason (Opp, 6-3, Gardendale, Ala., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern)
3 Carter Booth (MB, 6-7, Englewood, Colo., Univ. of Wisconsin, Rocky Mountain)
4 Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6 Fort Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier)
6 Sophie Fischer (MB, 6-5, Fort Mill, S.C., Univ. of Georgia, Palmetto)
7 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
8 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Fort Wayne, Ind., Purdue, Hoosier)
9 Taylor Landfair (OH, 6-4, Plainfield, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
10 Khori Louis (MB, 6-3, Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State, Florida)
11 Kami Miner (S, 6-0, Redondo Beach, Calif., Stanford, Southern Cal)
12 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-2, Livonia, Mich., Penn State, Lakeshore)
13 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
14 Elena Scott (L, 5-9, Louisville, Ky., Univ. of Louisville, Pioneer)
19 Mia Tuaniga (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California)
Alternates
5 Rachel Fairbanks (S, Pitt)
15 Anna Dodson (MB, UCLA)
16 Lauren Briseño (L, Baylor University)
17 Chloe Chicoine (OH, Purdue University)
18 Anna DeBeer (OH, University of Louisville)
20 Kate Georgiades (L, University of Houston)
21 Megan Wilson (Opp, University of Kentucky)
22 Sami Francis (MB, Stanford University)
23 Jordan Iliff (Opp, University of Missouri)
24 Kate Lang (S, University of Hawaii)
Team Manager: James Lundgren
Head Coach: Brad Rostratter
Assistant Coach: Jonathan Charette
2nd Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Physiotherapist: Mandolyn Peterson
Statistician: T.J. Read
U.S. Schedule for the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup
(All times CT)
June 26 - USA vs Mexico (4 p.m. CT)
June 28 - USA vs Canada (4 p.m. CT)
June 29 - Semifinals
June 30 - Medal matches