COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Washington State's McKenna Woodford is one of 12 players chosen for the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Volleyball Team - Thailand Tour (CNT-Thailand) roster competing this summer, USA Volleyball announced Monday.
Woodford, a rising junior, will train and compete May 19-30. The CNT-Thailand match schedule will include contests against the Thailand National Team, the Thailand U23 Team and Bangkok Glass, the top team in the Thai professional league. The CNT-Thailand team will also play against two other teams yet to be confirmed. The team training and competition matches will be at the FIVB Development Center in Bangkok, one of only four such centers in Asia.
Woodford is a 6-4 outside hitter from Chandler, Ariz., was a member of the 2016 CNT-Europe squad that won the 12th Global Challenge Championship in Pula, Croatia last summer. Woodford was named to the 2016 Pac-12 All-Academic First Team where WSU had the most first team members among the conference schools. She was named to Cougar Challenge All-Tournament team after tallying 23 kills, hit .333, served two aces, had 14 digs and three blocks as WSU had a trio of sweeping wins. In Pac-12 opening matches, Woodford tallied 20 kills, 10 digs and nine blocks in upsets at No. 4 Washington and No. 9 UCLA. In 2016 statistics, Woodford's 2.41 kills per set was second-best on the team and her 2.80 points per set were third-best on the team. In career statistics, Woodford's 658 kills is 31st-best, 2.76 kills per set average is 22nd-best, and her 1,884 total attacks is 26th-most.
Texas Head Coach Jerritt Elliott will serve as the CNT-Thailand head coach. He will be assisted by Concordia University Irvine Head Coach Paula Weishoff, a three-time U.S. Olympian who earned silver in 1984 Olympics and bronze in 1992 Olympics, and University of Dayton assistant coach Alyssa D'Errico.
The CNT-Thailand roster includes has seven players with experience within USA Volleyball's Collegiate National Team Program: Kaz Brown (Kentucky), Madison Rigdon (Kansas) and Jordan Thompson (Cincinnati) were members of last year's CNT-China Tour roster, while Taylor Hughes (Ohio State) and Woodford were part of the CNT-Europe Tour roster.
2017 U.S. Collegiate National Team - Thailand Tour
Name (Position, School, 2017 College Year, Height, Hometown)
Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (OPP, University of Texas, 6-4, 2, Los Angeles, Calif.)
Kaz Brown (M, University of Kentucky, 6-4, 1, Waterloo, Iowa)
Ashley Dusek (L, University of Kentucky, 5-7, 1, East Bernard, Texas)
Taylor Hughes (S, Ohio State University, 2, 6-1, Carroll, Ohio)
Lily Johnson (OH, Missouri State University, 5-11, 1, Wildwood, Mo.)
Morgan Johnson (M, University of Texas, 6-3, 2, DeSoto, Texas)
Taylor Nelson (S, Cal Poly, 1, 6-0, Granite Bay, Calif.)
Chiaka Ogbogu (M, University of Texas, 6-2, 1, Coppell, Texas)
Madison Ridgon (OH, University of Kansas, 6-0, 1, Pflugerville, Texas)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 2, 6-4, Edina, Minn.)
Micaya White (OH, University of Texas, 6-1, 3, Frisco, Texas)
McKenna Woodford (OH, Washington State University, So., 6-4, Chandler, Ariz.)
Woodford, a rising junior, will train and compete May 19-30. The CNT-Thailand match schedule will include contests against the Thailand National Team, the Thailand U23 Team and Bangkok Glass, the top team in the Thai professional league. The CNT-Thailand team will also play against two other teams yet to be confirmed. The team training and competition matches will be at the FIVB Development Center in Bangkok, one of only four such centers in Asia.
Woodford is a 6-4 outside hitter from Chandler, Ariz., was a member of the 2016 CNT-Europe squad that won the 12th Global Challenge Championship in Pula, Croatia last summer. Woodford was named to the 2016 Pac-12 All-Academic First Team where WSU had the most first team members among the conference schools. She was named to Cougar Challenge All-Tournament team after tallying 23 kills, hit .333, served two aces, had 14 digs and three blocks as WSU had a trio of sweeping wins. In Pac-12 opening matches, Woodford tallied 20 kills, 10 digs and nine blocks in upsets at No. 4 Washington and No. 9 UCLA. In 2016 statistics, Woodford's 2.41 kills per set was second-best on the team and her 2.80 points per set were third-best on the team. In career statistics, Woodford's 658 kills is 31st-best, 2.76 kills per set average is 22nd-best, and her 1,884 total attacks is 26th-most.
Texas Head Coach Jerritt Elliott will serve as the CNT-Thailand head coach. He will be assisted by Concordia University Irvine Head Coach Paula Weishoff, a three-time U.S. Olympian who earned silver in 1984 Olympics and bronze in 1992 Olympics, and University of Dayton assistant coach Alyssa D'Errico.
The CNT-Thailand roster includes has seven players with experience within USA Volleyball's Collegiate National Team Program: Kaz Brown (Kentucky), Madison Rigdon (Kansas) and Jordan Thompson (Cincinnati) were members of last year's CNT-China Tour roster, while Taylor Hughes (Ohio State) and Woodford were part of the CNT-Europe Tour roster.
2017 U.S. Collegiate National Team - Thailand Tour
Name (Position, School, 2017 College Year, Height, Hometown)
Yaasmeen Bedart-Ghani (OPP, University of Texas, 6-4, 2, Los Angeles, Calif.)
Kaz Brown (M, University of Kentucky, 6-4, 1, Waterloo, Iowa)
Ashley Dusek (L, University of Kentucky, 5-7, 1, East Bernard, Texas)
Taylor Hughes (S, Ohio State University, 2, 6-1, Carroll, Ohio)
Lily Johnson (OH, Missouri State University, 5-11, 1, Wildwood, Mo.)
Morgan Johnson (M, University of Texas, 6-3, 2, DeSoto, Texas)
Taylor Nelson (S, Cal Poly, 1, 6-0, Granite Bay, Calif.)
Chiaka Ogbogu (M, University of Texas, 6-2, 1, Coppell, Texas)
Madison Ridgon (OH, University of Kansas, 6-0, 1, Pflugerville, Texas)
Jordan Thompson (OPP, University of Cincinnati, 2, 6-4, Edina, Minn.)
Micaya White (OH, University of Texas, 6-1, 3, Frisco, Texas)
McKenna Woodford (OH, Washington State University, So., 6-4, Chandler, Ariz.)