Miron selected for USA volleyball collegiate national team

 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.  – North Dakota State freshman middle blocker Emily Miron was one of 36 athletes selected by USA Volleyball to participate in this summer’s U.S. Collegiate National Team program, it was announced Tuesday, April 8.

 The U.S. Collegiate National Team (CNT) program will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships from June 22 to July 1 in Minneapolis.

 “This is a great opportunity for Emily to continue her development as a player and to play against some of the best in the nation at this level,” said NDSU head volleyball coach Kari Thompson.

 “It’s also great for us as a program for her to be a part of this,” Thompson added. “For Emily to get this competitive experience during the summer and then bring that back to our team this fall, that should help our team in the right direction. It’s very valuable for her to get this experience at such a young age.”

The U.S. Collegiate National Team program is the same program that former Bison Megan Lambertson participated in following her junior season in 2012. It was formerly known as the U.S. Women’s National A2 Team program.

This year’s CNT program includes nine middle blockers, nine outside hitters, six opposites, six setters and six liberos.

 The CNT program will be instructed by lead coaches Mike Hebert and Bill Neville, who are both retired college head coaches. Both Hebert and Neville have extensive coaching experience not only at the collegiate level, but also at the international level. Neville has served as head coach for both the men’s and women’s U.S. National Teams as well as assistant on the U.S. Men’s National Team. Hebert has contributed to the U.S. Women’s National Team as an assistant coach.

For the third consecutive year, USA Volleyball will have its U.S. Collegiate National Team program (formerly known as U.S. Women’s National A2 Team) represented at the USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships.

After the training portion of the program, the 36 athletes will be divided into three equal teams which will compete in a round-robin event June 27-30. The round-robin event may add an international team to increase the field to four teams that would compete June 26-30. This program is considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

Athlete selections for the U.S. Collegiate National Team programs are determined based on evaluations from the U.S. Women’s National Team open tryouts held Feb. 21-23 in Colorado Springs, Colo., or based on past performances within the CNT program.

U.S. Collegiate National Team – USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships

Athlete (Position, College, Hometown, College Years Remaining)

Breanna Atkinson (OH, Duke University, Ashburn, Va., 2)

Mercedes Binns (MB, Arizona State University, South Pasadena, Calif., 2)

Jianna Bonomi (S, University of San Diego, Huntington Beach, Calif., 1)

Mary Helen Boyle (OH, LSU, Eureka, Mo., 1)

Katie Brand (S, Kansas State University, Grand Island, Neb., 3)

Kelli Browning (MB, Creighton University, Waukesha, Wis., 1)

Rachel Brummitt (L, Texas Tech, Plano, Texas, 1)

Delaney Clesen (L, University of Pittsburgh, Evanston, Ill., 1)

Abby Cole (Opp, University of Michigan, Grand Haven, Mich., 3)

Mackenzie Dagostino (S, University of Florida, Tampa, Fla., 2)

Hannah Deede (Opp, Western Oregon University, Silverton, Ore., 1)

Julia Doyle (S, University of Oklahoma, Plymouth, Minn., 2)

Aubrey Edie (S, University of Mississippi, Fayetteville, Ark., 3)

Jennifer Hamson (Opp, BYU, Lindon, Utah, 1)

Chelsey Harris (Opp, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 3)

Cassie House (OH, University of New Mexico, Rio Rancho, 3)

Litara Keil (OH, Loyola Marymount University, Long Beach, Calif., 1)

Kendall Kritenbrink (OH, University of South Dakota, Gretna, Neb., 1)

Veronica Lewis (L, University of Arizona, San Jose, Calif., 1)

Leah McNary (OH, Creighton University, Tarpon Springs, Fla., 1)

Sarah Meister (L, University of Missouri, San Diego, Calif., 1)

Emily Miron (MB, North Dakota State University, Wadena, Minn., 3)

Katie Mitchell (OH, Ohio State University, The Woodlands, Texas, 2)

Katie Mosher (L, Florida State University, Fort Myers, Fla., 1)

Jacqueline Napper (L, University of Kentucky, Louisville, Ky., 1)

Rachel Rhoades (MB, University of Arizona, San Diego, Calif., 1)

Chantale Riddle (Opp, University of New Mexico, Roswell, N.M., 1)

Sara Rishell (MB, UAB, Smithsburg, Md., 1)

Elise Ruddins (Opp, University of Southern California, Laguna Nigel, Calif., 3)

Hannah Schraer (MB, University of Southern California, Arcadia, Calif., 1)

Paige Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Stewartville, Minn., 3)

Dominique Thompson (MB, University of Wisconsin, Plymouth, Minn., 1)

Mercedes Vaughn (MB, Florida State University, Folcroft, Pa., 2)

Sarah Wickstrom (S, Florida State University, Stuart, Fla., 1)

McKenzie Willey (OH, Arizona State University, Highland, Utah, 3)

Emily Wilson (OH, University of Missouri, Omaha, Neb., 1)

Lead Coaches: Mike Hebert and Bill Neville