USA beats China in World Cup despite struggles at setter

No UW alums on roster | HS volleyball surpasses basketball | Beach tourney at Alki

USA players celebrate a point during a 3-0 World Cup win over co-favorite China
-FIVB

The 2015 World Cup, hosted by Japan, is a big deal. That’s because the top two teams in the 12-team round-robin earn the first two berths for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Yesterday, USA defeated co-favorite China 3-0, overcoming passing and setting problems that led to an earlier 3-2 loss to Serbia. Three Washington alums were left off the World Cup roster: setter Courtney Thompson, libero Tama Miyashiro and outside hitter Krista Vansant. All three are still in the running for an Olympic roster spot next summer.

See much more in our online report for Volleyball Magazine. And once you’ve read the report, feel free to add your comments.

VOLLEYBALL PASSES BASKETBALL TO BECOME MOST POPULAR HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS TEAM SPORT

As we’ve been charting for years, girls’ and women’s volleyball has been on a trajectory to overtake basketball as the most popular team sport in America.

Now, at the high school level, that landmark has been reached. According to the latest National Federation of High Schools Participation Survey, volleyball passed basketball in total female participants this year. 432,176 girls played high school volleyball last year, compared to 429,504 for basketball. In Washington State, volleyball has long been #1, and continues to widen the gap, 10,593 to 8,591. Ten years ago, volleyball led 9,099 to 8,863. Twenty years ago, basketball was tops, 10,586 to 10,280.

As always, this means that parents, players and coaches need to constantly remind those who manage gymnasiums—especially in schools and public recreation centers—that basketball hoops should not always be the default setup in their gyms. There are huge numbers of girls, boys, women and men who are eager to walk into gyms where volleyball nets aren’t buried in the back of the storage closet.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT AT ALKI

The National Volleyball League, one of two competing professional sand volleyball circuits, is coming to Seattle’s Alki Beach this weekend.

The NVL’s Seattle Championships are this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Alki, running throughout the morning and afternoon all three days. Sunday’s women’s finals are at 2:30; the men’s are at 4:00. The complete schedule is here.

On Sunday, NVL is offering a free clinic on basic beach volleyball fundamentals for students 6-18 years old. Register here.

A competing tour, the AVP, had a stop in our region earlier this month at Lake Sammamish.

JENNI NOGUERAS HONORED

Former Washington setter Jenni Nogueras is currently playing professionally for Cayey in Puerto Rico.

Alert Volleyblog Seattle reader Rex Andrew points out that Nogueras was named Rookie of the Year for Puerto Rico’s Premiere League this past season. Thanks, Rex, and congratulations Jenni.