University of Minnesota Athletics
Paige Tapp Named to USA's World University Team
3/31/2015 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
USA Volleyball Release
USA Volleyball has selected University of Minnesota middle blocker Paige Tapp (Stewartville, Minn.) as one of 12-players to compete on their 2015 World University Games roster, announced today by the organization. Tapp and Team USA will compete in Gwangju, South Korea, July 2-12.
The World University Games squad will come together June 28 in Los Angeles before traveling to South Korea for the competition. The roster was selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held Feb. 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., along with an invitation-only training block held in January in Anaheim, Calif.
Tapp is one of eight 2014 NCAA All-Americans named to the World University Games roster and is one of five of the 12-person roster to enter her junior year in 2015. This is the second-straight year Tapp has competed on a USA Volleyball team as she was a member of the U.S. Collegiate National Team that trained and competed in conjunction with the 2014 USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships.
After seeing action in 21 sets as a freshman in 2013, Tapp broke through during her sophomore campaign last year. The All-Big Ten selection played in 110 of 111 sets and started in all 31 matches this season. Averaging 1.55 blocks per set and 171 total blocks, Tapp ranks second in school history for total blocks and blocks per set in a single season. The two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week finished the regular season as the nation's third-best blocker and led the Big Ten Conference in blocks per set. Offensively, Tapp hit over .400 in 14 matches and had four contests where she recorded over 10 blocks. On the season, she had 222 kills and hit .354, which ranked in the Big Ten's top 10.
The U.S. Collegiate National Team program also includes a China Tour roster that will be announced later this week, along with a 36-player group that will train and compete in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships in June.
U.S. Women's World University Games Roster
Name (Position, School, 2015 College Year, Hometown)
Khat Bell (OPP, University of Texas, Grad, Mesquite, Texas)
Jordan Burgess (OH, Stanford University, Sr., Fort Myers, Fla.)
Lexi Dannemiller (S, University of Michigan, Grad, West Chester, Ohio)
Nia Grant (MB, Penn State University, Grad, Warren, Ohio)
Micha Hancock (S, Penn State University, Grad, Edmond, Okla.)
Briana Holman (MB, University of Nebraska, Jr., DeSoto, Texas)
Alex Holston (OPP, University of Florida, Jr., Olney, Md.)
Carly Kan (OH, University of Missouri, Jr., Honolulu, Hawaii)
Laura Larson (L, University of Arizona, Jr., Lakeville, Minn.)
Andi Malloy (OH, Baylor University, Sr., Allen, Texas)
Paige Tapp (MB, University of Minnesota, Jr., Stewartville, Minn.)
Nicole Walch (OH, Florida State University, Sr., Stuart, Fla.)
