USA NT 2013

    I would be very surprised to see Logan return since she already mentioned she's not interested in playing in Rio 2016.


    No more Davis!!! She's a bad libero period. Her reception leaves a lot to be desired and she even cannot pass the free ball.


    Both Richards and Hodge are not good receivers, and with Davis in the passing rotation, it will make things worse.


    I would like to see Webster develop as an opposite.


    USA is pretty deep in every position except the leftside and libero. Faucette probably will be moved to opposite.

    USA's reception could become a problem in the next years. Hodge, Klineman, Faucette all are bad there, and Larson is not as good as Tom. And it's a big question who will be the libero. I agree that Davis is done, she has never been good and she's too old to be given more chances. Miyashiro hasn't managed all season to become 1st libero in Lokomotiv, and Filipova who is in front of her is certainly not a world class player, so it's a bad sign Miyashiro can't take over her place. Banwarth played quite well the few months she was in Dresden, but then she left because she felt homesick and that's also not something that indicates she can have a great career...

    I think Richards is a good receiver, well...obviously not as good as Tom though.


    Actually Davis was the weakest part of the US team last year. If Sykora were healthy, she would have been there as main libero.


    So, what now? who can replace her space? Miyashiro? She probably has some japanese blood...so she must be good :lol:

    I wonder how's Barboza doing. Will she recover after the injury? I'd like to see her in the NT right beside Richards and Larson.


    I don't know if I can stand another season with Davis as a main libero. About setters, well Logan once said that she'd like to try herself as a setter, soo... :lol: She could probably easly play as libero too, heh.

    Quote from estranged

    I wonder how's Barboza doing. Will she recover after the injury? I'd like to see her in the NT right beside Richards and Larson.


    I don't know if I can stand another season with Davis as a main libero. About setters, well Logan once said that she'd like to try herself as a setter, soo... :lol: She could probably easly play as libero too, heh.


    So, she will be the second biggest libero in the future after Sokolova who is over 190cm :lol: Liubov Sokolova also said she would like to play as libero when she gets over 40 yo.

    Quote from Mapuan

    Banwarth is good. There is also this current NCAA player whose name slipt for a moment. They say that she can be the next Brenda Castillo.


    Berg and Davis are definitely out. Lloyd and Glass will take over.


    I think that libero is Huggland from USC. She has a future with USA NT, but she's not a good receiver. She will graduate in 2014 and it's very unlikely she will be ready for Rio.

    Quote from estranged

    I wonder how's Barboza doing. Will she recover after the injury? I'd like to see her in the NT right beside Richards and Larson.


    I don't know if I can stand another season with Davis as a main libero. About setters, well Logan once said that she'd like to try herself as a setter, soo... :lol: She could probably easly play as libero too, heh.


    I may be wrong but as far as I know, Barboza retires.

    Quote from estranged

    I don't know if I can stand another season with Davis as a main libero. About setters, well Logan once said that she'd like to try herself as a setter, soo... :lol: She could probably easly play as libero too, heh.


    I know you are only joking about it but Tom at libero could be very interesting. Give her one or two seasons to train at that position and opponents will not be laughing.

    Quote from emil_niklas

    So, she will be the second biggest libero in the future after Sokolova who is over 190cm :lol: Liubov Sokolova also said she would like to play as libero when she gets over 40 yo.


    Interesting! Tom has not said anything about her future plans (and I do not think Tom will do it) but if Sokolova plays libero, I will watch that match!

    Lindsey wants to return to the gym and practise with the others, but it's no guarantee that she will be selected to travel with them. Actually, I don't expect anything else from players like Davis, Berg and Tom. All of them had enough time to prove themselves and win the olympic gold medal. I just think it won't work anymore. Logan Tom was one of the best a few years ago, but this last quad I felt like she was someone else and didn't come back for complete. It felt like she didn't want to play anymore, at least not on the national team. Berg had a lot of miscommunication with several players, especially with the middle blockers, right at the moment she couldn't. That was one of the reasons why Hugh decided to use the backup players in the final round of the WGP so that Berg could improve on her set skills. Davis...it's needless to say anything!. Personally, I think players Alix Klineman and Juliann Faucette are not national team worthy and our libero will be Natalie Hagglund.

    Quote from lyp2004

    I may be wrong but as far as I know, Barboza retires.


    Really? Haven't heard about it. :S



    Quote from Zelo

    I know you are only joking about it but Tom at libero could be very interesting.


    I'm joking cause I'm still not ready to accept that she probably won't play in the NT anymore.

    Logan's attacking ability diminshes with age but I still think she has a lot to contribute to the national team. Her role in national team has been changed last quad and was not relied on to score the points. She would be the only veteran I want to see on the Nt.


    The reason why USA never won a gold in major tourmaments is because their poor ball handling. Even larson has been developed tremoudsly recently, I still think she's not at the same level as other best receives. Not to mention other players like Hodge, Klineman, etc.

    I like Berg, but I think USA NT has more talented setters for now. Glass and Lloyd are pretty good and they should be the main setters in the new olympic cicle.
    About Tom, she definitely can stay in NT. She doesn't have the attack power of some years ago, but she is a solid receiver and her experience can help the team in difficult moments. It all depends if she wants to play in NT one more cicle.
    In the other positions I don't see many problems. Larson, Richards and Hodge (withou passing) can do well in the next tournaments and Miyashiro can become a great libero, she is good a receiver.
    For now, I think the team could be:
    S: Glass, Lloyd, Spicer (?)
    OPP: Hooker, Fawcett
    OH: Larson, Richards, Hodge, Faucette, Tom (?)
    MB: Akinradewo, Harmotto, Crimes, Gibbemeyer
    L: Miyashiro

    Quote from estranged


    I'm joking cause I'm still not ready to accept that she probably won't play in the NT anymore.


    I understand and it's fun to speculate even for me.



    But I totally get how Bown, Tom, etc. can choose not to play anymore. And in Tom's case, she has played for USA for many years and has started every Olympic match in 4 Olympics. That is unreal. :white: I can't even remember many Olympians who do that. Maybe Gamova? I don't think Piccinini and I'm not sure about Lo Bianco. And in London, Tom had to play every point of every match. She's the only US player who did that, never getting to rest. So I'm glad she gets to rest now if she wants. :)