USA Women's NT 2021

    Larson, Hill, MBH, and Kelsey have definitely locked their positions. The only question is Kelsey enters as OH or libero. If she enters as libero, Wilhite/Courtney might have a chance. However, I don't think Courtney is suitable to play as libero.


    Setters are probably gonna be Carlini and Poulter. Hancock has a very low chance to replace either of them. Bringing 3 setters is definitely not a good option.


    Libero: JWO or Kelsey

    OPP: I think Drews + Thompson is the best choice


    MB choices are tricky. I think Karch trusts veterans, so Foluke will be there. Besides, her performance was not bad in Japan. My current guess that the 2nd and 3rd will be Ogbogu and Washington. However, if Adams and Dixon have good performances during VNL, they may still get a chance.

    I don't think we'll see Kelsey as libero unfortunately (although I think our best medal shot is with her at libero) I'd rather have JWO than Courtney.


    If Adams is healthy, my trio is Foluke/Adams/Chi.... but I don't think we'll want to repeat Rio so I think Washington will be there

    Quote from Padar

    McCage>Adams and Dixon, period!

    Seriously? Have you watched adams playing in Turkey before she went back to the gym? She maybe had some minor injury but she is training with the tram now. And mccage? You've only seen her in AU. Basically a very low level of competition. No offence but against adams and tori?

    Quote from avid

    I don't think its completely unfair. Middles are probably the easiest to gauge from AU, since their lateral movement isn't really dependent on who is around them.


    Plus Dixon isn't healthy and Adams has probably played less than Molly this year lol

    But questioning vets how they perform with the setter is okay? Lol let's be consistent here. Experience is very important with this kind of competition. This is not like AU playing against some not so elite players. This is Olympic, the opponents are well trained and experienced and you well bring a new player who literally just played in AU?


    Foluke, adams, tori, chi and Washington. Two of them won't make it and I'm afraid kiraly will bring vets.

    Quote from MyNameIst.

    But questioning vets how they perform with the setter is okay? Lol let's be consistent here. Experience is very important with this kind of competition. This is not like AU playing against some not so elite players. This is Olympic, the opponents are well trained and experienced and you well bring a new player who literally just played in AU?


    Foluke, adams, tori, chi and Washington. Two of them won't make it and I'm afraid kiraly will bring vets.

    I'm not saying bring McCage. I think she should be invited to the Anaheim or the VNL (on the same basis as Adams and Dixon)


    Dixon hasn't played at all this year. She had a fiasco in China and was hurt for AU.

    Adams played all of 10-15 games in Turkey before she quit.


    I think McCage offers something different and could be of use if it translate to the national team.


    Sometimes too many vets can be a bad thing. Look at Harmotto and Thompson in Rio.

    Quote from KVB

    Hope Thompson & Ogbogu will have enough time to heal their injuries, their current form is really worrying but both are very important to the NT.


    I prefer to bring 3 MBs & 2 liberos to Tokyo, as Foluke, Ogbogu & Washington should be more than enough if all of them are healthy. Plus Adams & Dixon didn’t play much in these 2 seasons, their form is a big question mark.


    The libero position is the weakest, neither JWO nor Courntey is the best candidate, but Robinson isn’t likely to be back to L. In this case bring 2 liberos would be better. When one is not working, at least there’s another one can help.


    But the biggest problem is Karch, maybe he will end up bringing 3 setters again. Also when things aren’t going according to his plan in the match, he’d just tell the girls to “Go! Usa!”, and his assistant would tell the team to “watch out No.2 (Zhu)” during timeout. Best tactics and most effective way to waste your timeout.:whistle:

    Bring 2 liberos? It's a 12-person team you can only have 1 libero. Not sure if you can switch in between matches though.


    The assistant coach was actually better than that. I remember he told the girls to trap Zhu and asked the MB to go with her, first ball or in transition whatsoever. Except it only ended up a free net for Yan Ni lol

    Quote from jt1267

    Bring 2 liberos? It's a 12-person team you can only have 1 libero. Not sure if you can switch in between matches though.


    The assistant coach was actually better than that. I remember he told the girls to trap Zhu and asked the MB to go with her, first ball or in transition whatsoever. Except it only ended up a free net for Yan Ni lol

    I remember some teams did bring 2 liberos to the Olympics, but maybe one of them was registered as “normal” players if there’s such a regulation for 12-person team? If so there’s no point to include both JWO & Courtney in the squad then.

    Quote from KVB

    I remember some teams did bring 2 liberos to the Olympics, but maybe one of them was registered as “normal” players if there’s such a regulation for 12-person team? If so there’s no point to include both JWO & Courtney in the squad then.

    Hugh McCutcheon had Davis as libero and Miyashiro as normal player in London. It was absolutely useless haha

    IF kiraly only bring jwo or Courtney as libero and didn't perform well during pool play krob has no choice but to wear that Jersey in qf/semis/finals.


    Is that possible changing position or coaches should register her name as "normal or oh/lib"?


    If not and she really doesn't want to do that did USA will have to deal with that and say goodbye to gold.

    Quote from Kostlich

    IF kiraly only bring jwo or Courtney as libero and didn't perform well during pool play krob has no choice but to wear that Jersey in qf/semis/finals.


    Is that possible changing position or coaches should register her name as "normal or oh/lib"?


    If not and she really doesn't want to do that did USA will have to deal with that and say goodbye to gold.

    Do they even need to register her? Or is there some rule that you have to designate who the libero is before each match? (that would be dumb)