Three MSU volleyball players will be heading to Colorado Springs, Colo. to tryout for the U.S. Women's National Team.
Freshman setter Rachel Minarick, freshman middle blocker Alyssa Garvelink and sophomore outside hitter Chloe Reinig will take part in an open tryout on Feb. 20-22 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for our players," head coach Cathy George said in a press release. "All three of them grew so much over the course of our season, and this is another chance for them to learn and improve."
238 volleyball players from approximately 93 colleges will compete for a roster spot on a team that will either play at the World University games or will tour China.
"It's so exciting, I'm very thankful for the opportunity to represent MSU," Reinig said in a phone interview. "It's quite comforting to have your sisters next to you, traveling with you knowing that they're there if you need there support, I'm there to support them."
Reinig earned All-Big Ten honors and along with Minarick was named an honorable mention to the AVCA All-America team.
"I came into this year trying to prove something," said Reinig, who missed the better portion of the non-conference schedule with mono her freshman year."I tried to be as much as a leader on the court and off the court as I could be this season, I think it showed with all of the awards."
The Spartans' star player may have garnered a lot of awards for her efforts this past season but the competition in Colorado will be tough.
Reinig said she's been getting in some extra gym time individually because of NCAA restrictions with practice times.
Reinig, Garvelink and Minarick, who are all underclassmen, don't have to look far for advice on what to expect during the three day tryouts.
Senior libero Kori Moster was selected to the U.S. Collegiate team, which toured China last summer and in January took part in team USA's Winter Training Block in Anaheim.
"Kori has talked about it many times, I've gotten some good advice from her," Reinig said.
This will not be Reinig's first experience with the national team, she was selected to the U.S Girls Select A1 Team in 2009 and 2010.
"I've been to Colorado Springs, I know those ropes," Reinig said.
Per the press release, selections for the U.S. Collegiate National Teams will be made by the end of March, while selected athletes for the U.S. Women's Junior National Team will be notified by April 31 with a public announcement expected by May 7.
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