Florida Gators

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Florida volleyball sensation Kelly Murphy is a first-time Olympian. The four-time Gator All-American and 2010 SEC Player of the Year was named to USA Volleyball's 12-player Olympic Team Roster Tuesday morning, becoming the volleyball program's first ever USA Olympian.
 
"Kelly's life-long dream of playing in the Olympics has come to fruition," exclaimed Florida volleyball head coach Mary Wise. "The Gator Volleyball Family couldn't be more thrilled for her!"
 
Murphy will join former Gator Great Aury Cruz in Rio as the duo will represent Florida Volleyball on the world's biggest stage. Cruz made history in guiding Puerto Rico to its first-ever Olympic Games berth earlier this spring, while Murphy will look to make Gator history with USAV, ranked No. 1 in the world heading into Rio.
 
Murphy, one of two opposites on the U.S. Olympic Roster, scored a team-high 157 points to lead USA Volleyball to Gold in the 2014 World Championship  and most recently led USAV to a silver-medal finish at the 2016 FIVB Grand Prix in Bangkok Sunday. Murphy led the U.S. women in scoring in both 2013 and 2014 and was named the MVP of the 2013 NORCECA Women's Continental Championship after leading USA to gold that year. More on Kelly Murphy from USA Volleyball.
 
U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly and his staff have selected a roster with four Olympic veterans and eight players who will be making their first appearances on the grandest sporting stage. All told, the roster will have three outside hitters, three middles, three setters, two opposites and one libero.
 
Complete USA Volleyball Release
 
"We aspire to be a team that adds up to far more than the sums of our parts," Kiraly said. "We are extremely fortunate to have so many great people and great players who give us so much passion and effort to this program – and we will look to honor their contributions by competing our hardest in Rio. Ultimately, we have assembled a group that we believe is capable of embracing the challenges a tournament like the Olympics will surely present."
 
2016 U.S. OLYMPIC GAMES ROSTER
1 – Alisha Glass (S, 6-0, Leland, Michigan, Penn State University) - Media Downloads
2 – Kayla Banwarth (L, 5-10, Dubuque, Iowa, University of Nebraska) - Media Downloads
3 – Courtney Thompson (S, 5-8, Kent, Washington, University of Washington) - Media Downloads
5 – Rachael Adams (M, 6-2, Cincinnati, Ohio, University of Texas) - Media Downloads
6 – Carli Lloyd (S, 5-11, Bonsall, California, University of California-Berkeley) - Media Downloads
10 – Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Nebraska, University of Nebraska) - Media Downloads
12 – Kelly Murphy (OPP, 6-2, Wilmington, Illinois, University of Florida) - Media Downloads
13 – Christa Dietzen (M, 6-2, Hopewell Township, Pennsylvania, Penn State University) - Media Downloads
15 – Kim Hill (OH, 6-4, Portland, Oregon, Pepperdine University) - Media Downloads
16 – Foluke Akinradewo (M, 6-3, Plantation, Florida, Stanford University) - Media Downloads
23 – Kelsey Robinson (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Illinois, University of Nebraska) - Media Downloads
25 – Karsta Lowe (OPP, 6-4, Rancho Santa Fe, California, UCLA) - Media Downloads
 
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Jamie Morrison, Tom Black, David Hunt
Technical Coordinator: Joe Trinsey
Scout Coaches: Marv Dunphy, JJ Van Niel
Therapist/Trainer: Jill Wosmek
Elite Performance Psychologist: Dr. Michael Gervais
Doctor: Dr. Andrew Gregory
Strength Coach: James Stitz
Team Manager: Denise Sheldon
Team Journalist: Bill Kauffman
 
FOLLOW THE OLYMPIC GATORS IN RIO
Gators Competing at the 2016 Olympic Games
Previous Gator Olympic Rosters
Gators History at the Olympic Games (PDF)
 
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