The red, white and blue of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team added a little green and white for its upcoming exhibition season.
Former Spartan outside hitter Erin Hartley and assistant coach Todd Dagenais will represent America on April 18-20 as the national team begins the exhibition season with three games against China’s Tianjin.
“Ever since I was little I wanted to play for the U.S. national team,” Hartley said. “To be able to play with the best players in the country is a great honor and compliment for me, (MSU head coach Chuck Erbe) and Michigan State.”
Hartley and the rest of the U.S. training team will compete against China. The U.S. national team enters the 2002 season ranked No. 5 in the world.
Hartley, a 2001 All-Big Ten honoree and second-team All-American, will play the right hitter position for the national team. She led MSU with 412 kills, 3.96 per game, and hit .337 for the season. Hartley was second on the team with 0.64 assists per game.
The games begin April 18 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. The second game, on April 19, will be played at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and the third game, on April 20, will be at The Palace of Auburn Hills.
Paul Soriano, manager of public relations and publications for the team, said which athletes make the regular-season roster depends on several factors.
“Some members of the training team will continue to play with the team throughout the summer and into the fall,” Soriano said. “It depends on how many of the established players come back and how well they perform.”
Soriano said the roster is constantly changing and the established players usually return mid- to late May.
“I don’t think (the established players) really affect my position right now,” Hartley said. “I don’t look at the older players as a threat, because I’m just learning. I kind of look at myself as a trainee.”
Hartley said she chose to play with the national team instead of playing professionally because the U.S. team gives her a better chance to play in the Olympics.
