Pac-12 | Huskies playing volleyball around the globe

Current and former Huskies competing in Slovenia, China and Peru

As summer begins, there is Washington volleyball news the world over …

Maribor, Slovenia

The current Huskies team is 3-0 on its two week tour of Slovenia and Italy.

• Tuesday, Washington defeated a Croatian U-23 team 3-1.
• Wednesday, it was a 3-2 victory against Nova KBM Branik, a local professional team.
• Thursday, the Huskies swept the Solvenian Youth National Team, 3-0

Although UW has a member of its Sports Information staff on the trip, reports (Twitter, Facebook and gohuskies.com) have been few and far between. We found set scores from the first match, but nothing so far on the most recent two.

Washington volleyball team in Maribor, Slovenia (with their local hosts)
-photo by Washington Athletics

The matches might be best described as scrimmages, played in a training gym in front of friends and family travelling with the team. Daytime temperatures have been in the 90s; we’re hearing it’s tough to sleep at night. The schedule has the team heading to Venice next.

Shanghai, China

The Pac-12 assembled a team of players from eleven of its schools—including Washington senior Kelcey Dunaway—for a made-for-TV series of matches in Huaian City (Northwest of Shanghai) and Beijing.

• On Wednesday, the Pac-12 lost to Zhejiang 0-3 (22-25, 18-25, 14-25)
• On Thursday, the Pac-12 lost to Jiangsu 0-3 (26-28, 24-26, 16-25)

Yet again, there are few reports from China on the Pac-12 site, and no official stats that we can find. These matches are, however, being played in arenas in front of larger crowds. USC’s Mick Haley is the head coach, assisted by WSU’s Jen Greeny and Utah’s Beth Launiere. The next scheduled match is Friday in Huaian City (where the temperatures are also in the 90s.)

Lima, Peru

Washington alumni Jenna Hagglund was on the roster as Team USA won the first international tournament of the Rio Olympics quad.

Team USA celebrates winning the 2013 Pan Am Cup in Lima, Peru. UW alum Jenna Hagglund is at far left
-photo by USA Volleyball

Hagglund shared setting duties with Alicia Glass as the USA swept past five teams (Trinidad & Tobago, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Brazil and Dominican Republic) to repeat as Pan Am Cup champions. Hagglund appeared in most of the matches; she started the first two sets of a 3-0 sweep against Trinidad & Tobago, and the first two of a 3-2 nailbiter against Puerto Rico. Her best match was a 3-0 sweep of defending Olympic champion Brazil; she started the final two sets, delivering 30 excellent sets (the international term for set assists) in 61 attempts.

Team USA, ranked #1 in the world, next faces #3 Japan in a series of three matches in Southern California. Washington alumni (and 2012 Olympians) Courtney Thompson and Tama Miyashiro are both candidates for the USA vs. Japan roster.