National Team | Olympian Courtney Thompson featured in New York Times

Profile of USA setter as she wows Brazilian teammates and fans in Rio

Thompson also featured in Volleyball Magazine story 

College | Washington volleyball's Lianna Sybeldon honored (twice)

UW senior is First Team All-American for both AVCA and Volleyball Magazine 

• Tonight | 4:30PM (Pacific) | #3 Texas vs. #4 Nebraska | National Championship 

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.

College | Stanford volleyball All-American Inky Ajanaku injured; 2015 season in question [VOLLEYBLOG SEATTLE EXCLUSIVE]

Stanford coach John Dunning says knee injury “very hard to deal with”

National Team | Courtney Thompson & Tama Miyashiro bringing USA Teammates to Seattle

Unique clinics launch “Give it Back” effort by American Olympians

• Give it Back Foundation clinics | August 1-2, 2015 | Kentlake HS
  Registration opens April 15, 2015 | psrvb.org
• The Volleyball Camps at the University of Washington | July 6-22, 2015 | www.macsportsvb.com
• James Finley Volleyball Camps @ Seattle U | July 17-19, 2015 | www.goseattleu.com 
  Nike Volleyball Camp @ Seattle U | July 20-August 2, 2015 | www.ussportscamps.com
• SPU Falcon Volleyball Camps | July 19-28, 2015 | www.spufalcons.com
• Western Washington U Volleyball Camps | July 5-18, 2015 | www.wwuvikings.com

College | Volleyball video replay challenges on the horizon?

NCAA volleyball rules committee recommends experiment by Big 12 schools; What do you think about the idea?

NCAA | Vansant, Nelson, Sybeldon, Mussie and scenes from volleyball's Final Four

Notes from Oklahoma City 

College | Washington volleyball has plenty to be thankful for in win over Stanford

Huskies “on cloud nine” after knocking off #1 Cardinal before 8,646

#5 Washington def. #1 Stanford 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20)

• #5 Washington @ Washington State | Fri, Nov 28 | 5PM
• NCAA Selection Show | Sun, Nov 30 | 5:30PM | ESPNU

College | After Showdown in Seattle, Washington volleyball climbs in polls

Huskies now ranked in the top 4; Vansant and Scambray named Pac-12 Players of the Week

• Washington State @ #4 Washington | Wed, Sept 24 | 7:30PM
• #4 Washington @ California | Fri, Sept 26 | 8PM

NCAA | Media, coaches, RPI all concur: Washington volleyball close to a top NCAA seed

RPI and standings could favor Huskies in bid to be one of four #1 seeds

• next Oregon State @ #3 Washington | November 27 | 6PM

NCAA | Washington volleyball escapes media poll scramble

Check out which teams remain in rankings despite recent lack of success

• next #3 Washington @ #5 Stanford | November 20 | 7:30 PM | Pac 12 Networks

NCAA | Where have all the middles gone?

The latest issue of Volleyball Magazine features a story by Volleyblog Seattle’s Jack Hamann

NCAA | Washington volleyball among elite in media poll

Huskies in top 3 of all national polls and RPI

• next: UCLA @ #3 Washington | November 13 | 6PM | Pac 12 Networks

NCAA | Washington volleyball still among elite of weekly RPI and polls

Huskies remain among top four in all rankings

NCAA | Washington volleyball remains high in media poll

Huskies in top 4 of all national polls and RPI

see also: Washington volleyball stays near top of weekly RPI and coaches’ rankings

NCAA | Washington volleyball vaults in media poll and RPI

Huskies remain among the elite ahead of showdown with UCLA & USC

NCAA | Pac-12 teams slip in weekly media poll

Huskies rank high but Big Ten teams look overrated

NCAA | Volleyball media poll keeps Washington among elite

Huskies stay near the top of Volleyball Magazine’s weekly poll

NCAA | Volleyball media agree with coaches: Washington is #1

Huskies move to the top of Volleyball Magazine’s weekly poll

NCAA | Media poll also ranks Washington volleyball #2

Volleyball Magazine media poll closely tracks AVCA coaches’ poll