volleyball history - life after lmu GO PASS • GO SET • GO HIT • GO LIONS
Heather Hughes: National Team After “growing up” in the U.S. Women’s National Team system, serving as a U.S. Women’s National A2 Team alternate in 2007, a USA Volleyball Junior National Team alternate in 2006 and U.S. Girls’ Youth A2 alternate in 2003 and 2004, Heather Hughes finally received her shot to show her talent on one of volleyball’s highest stages. The native of Fallbrook, Calif. competed in a 13-player tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team from January 7-12 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Playing alongside the U.S. Women’s National Training Team, the tryout participants were put through a rigorous week of drills and conditioning culminating with morning six-on-six scrimmages on Jan. 11 and Jan. 12. Upon completion of the tryout, the coaching staff evaluated the talent and asked several players, including Hughes, to return to Colorado Springs and train full-time during the spring with the U.S. Women’s National Training Photo Courtesy of USA Volleyball Team. When asked about the selection, Hughes said, “I am very excited to have this opportunity to play with some of the world’s best players, and after always being on the border of making the team and being selected as an alternate for the A2 squad the past few years, I finally made the team. I always knew that playing volleyball at such a high level was what I wanted to do.”
Photo Courtesy of NORCECA
Following successful showings in practices and scrimmages, Hughes was named to the U.S. Women’s National Training Volleyball Team travel squad that took a three-week training tour of China, leading the team to four different locations for training sessions and exhibition matches against Chinese club teams. In those matches, Hughes scored 68 points as the primary opposite hitter, tallying 60 kills, four blocks and four aces as Team USA won five of eight matches with a young squad. Hughes continued to make headlines as a part of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball squad, this time earning a spot to play in the Pan American Cup from May 30 to June 7 at Mexicali and Tijuana, Mexico. The Pan American Cup was used primarily to evaluate young talent for Team USA. Continuing to improve with every day, Hughes was singled out amongst the group of players who earned a bid to train with the National Team. “You take this group that has been training since January, Heather Hughes is one that definitely sticks out,” U.S. National Team Assistant Coach Tom Hogan said. “She has impressed her teammates and coaching staff, while her level of play continues to elevate. It is important for players like her to gain this international experience at the Pan American Cup.” Seizing every opportunity to impress the coaching staff, Hughes compiled 35 points in 27 sets at the Pan American Cup, including averages of 1.04 kills, 0.15 aces, 0.14 blocks and 1.30 points per set. Showing versatility at an extremely high level of competition, Hughes took over at the libero position due to illness, playing her first-ever match at the position in the fifth-place match of the Pan American Cup, and received 46 of the 95 service chances compiling an 83 positive percent.
Photo Courtesy of NORCECA
2009 LMU volleyball
Photo Courtesy of USA Volleyball
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