USA NT 2016

    S: Glass - Thompson


    OPP: Fawcett - Murphy


    OH: Easy - Larson - Hill - Robinson


    MB: Dietzen - Akinradewo - Adams


    L: Banwarth


    Does US team have a good blocking MB? Akinradewo is really more of an attacking MB, while I think the level of Dietzen's game has dropped? This is the one area US can improve.. I think this is where Brazil comes out on top of other NTs Fabiana-Thaisa couldn't get better than that.

    Quote from inc0gnito


    Does US team have a good blocking MB? Akinradewo is really more of an attacking MB, while I think the level of Dietzen's game has dropped? This is the one area US can improve.. I think this is where Brazil comes out on top of other NTs Fabiana-Thaisa couldn't get better than that.


    Rachael is a really good blocker.. also Dietzen, she is doing a good job blocking in CL. Dixon is good in both

    I like Thompson was the second setter, she is very good at floor defense and is the most experience. I like Murphy but I don't think she will be going to Rio. For OH, there is really no one else to take and you take Robinson as a DS or Libero in the event Banwarth gets hurt. I wonder if Dietzen can go the distance? So do you take a 4th middle and only 3 OH? I thought when the USA won the WCH, they could win the Gold in Rio, now I don't think so.

    for Olympic Games You can take only 2 players, so the most sensible is to take 2 S, 2 OP, 4 OH, 3 MB and 1 L; some teams prefer to take DS instead of 4th OH, sometimes it pays off, sometimes You lack of reliable scorer...


    I'm not surprised that Hooker probably won't be there, but having her in good shape can help a lot :!: what about Dixon ?( will she recover from injury on time or not :?: Americans have quite a lot of MBs, too little space to have Akinradewo, Dietzen, Adams, DIxon, Paolini and Gibbemeyer all together...


    Murphy has been playing worse than she did in previous seasons, when she appeared in NT, so Lowe can be instead of her, having both Murphy and Lowe makes no sense because they're similar types of hitters, so Fawcett must be here


    for setters, Glass and Thompson should be ok, has ever Lloyd played for senior NT ?( Hagglund is too weak to be there


    OHs are obvious choice, any other player would be rather surprise, Klinemann can't receive, so no place for her, while Hildebrand is too weak and it's probably too early for Vansant


    Banwarth should deal with tasks of main libero, playing quite a lot on high level


    the last position - MBs... Dixon would have gone there, but now I don't know... Akinradewo is a must, Dietzen is IMHO so fragile player, Adams deserved to be there and space ends, so probably no Gibbemeyer or Paolini


    I won't be surprised seeing:
    S: Glass, Thompson
    OP: Fawcett, Lowe
    OH: Robinson, Larson-Burbach, Easy, Hill
    MB: Dietzen, Akinradewo, Adams
    L: Banwarth


    Murphy can be there instead of Lowe, but only in good shape
    S, OHs and L will probably be like that
    maybe Dixon can kick someone out of 12... I'm worrying that it can be Adams, not Dietzen...

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    If there is no Destinee Hooker. The best opp right know. I wish that they don't win gold or any other medal. :mad:


    She got baby before10 days and I think that She can be ready for Olympics.
    She can go back to gym for 2 months or before, being in gym 1 month and She can show Karch Is she ready for training with team.


    She with 80% can show more than other players. Sorry.

    It isn't a problem about who can block, it's the whole system block-difence which isn't anymore on high level for the USA team.
    With McCutcheon Harmotto and Akinradewo were 2 monsters both as spikers and as blockers.

    Quote from ravens#7

    It isn't a problem about who can block, it's the whole system block-difence which isn't anymore on high level for the USA team.
    With McCutcheon Harmotto and Akinradewo were 2 monsters both as spikers and as blockers.


    That's true I agree.. And the sad part is, that hurt some players like Foluke for example who barely makes one block in a match with her club

    Dietzen will go because the staff thinks highly of her. She was good leading up to the Olympics 2012 and earned her spot. But during the Games, she didn't play well and I think she has been on the decline after getting hurt. But many disagree with me. I like Gibby now that Dixon may not be going. I think Lowe and Fawcett will be fine. The Hooker era is over and we need to move on. I think the 2020 USA Team will be better than this one.

    For me Serbia has the best duo right now - Rasic/Stevanovic

    Quote from inc0gnito


    Does US team have a good blocking MB? Akinradewo is really more of an attacking MB, while I think the level of Dietzen's game has dropped? This is the one area US can improve.. I think this is where Brazil comes out on top of other NTs Fabiana-Thaisa couldn't get better than that.

    You got the roster 100% right. That will change only if somoene gets hurt.


    Only problem for me is Kim Hill, the way she is playing right now is not the level of player you will see in the Olympics, but on the other hand there`s nobody else to replace her that I can think of.


    Paolini is a horrible blocker, she can`t even block at the Japanese League, and she can`t really make "smart" plays on the net.
    Only time ive seen Rachel Adams playing was at the WCH, back then she was still really green.
    Gibbymayer, I like her, but I just don`t get any personality from her and I cant see her as a starter for the NT.


    That leaves only AKinradewo and Deitzen.

    I think Dietzen is pretty much done as a player. Too many injuries causing her game to decline over the past years; it showed especially during World Cup. I'm hoping for at least Adams in the lineup but I think every position besides setter and libero is questionable.

    agree, she got that spot before this severe injury :(

    Gold medal - World League 2013 Prediction Game
    Bronze medal - World League 2012 Prediction Game

    No official list yet, but some players are already training in Anaheim.


    S: Courtney Thompson
    OPP: Nicole Fawcett, Karsta Lowe, Kelly Murphy
    MB: Christa Dietzen, Tori Dixon (injuried), Lauren Paolini
    OH: Falyn Fonoimoana, Cassidy Lichtman
    L: Kayla Banwarth, Tamari Miyashiro


    USA will play Grand Prix, Pan-American Cup and Olympic Games this year.