NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State volleyball standouts Stef Jankiewicz and Kaylee Martin will spend Feb. 21-23 attending the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The three-day event takes place at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center (OPTC).
The tryout will evaluate athletes for both the U.S. Women's National Team and the U.S. Collegiate National Team program for athletes who have remaining eligibility after the 2019-20 season. Jankiewicz and Martin will have four sessions over the course of the three-day tryout, directed by national team head coach Karch Kiraly and his staff.
Jankiewicz, a junior from Farmington Hills, Michigan, collected All-Missouri Valley Conference honors for the third-straight year in 2019, landing a spot on the first team for the second time. The setter finished in the top 25 in all of NCAA Division I in total assists (1,329) and assists per set (11.08), respectively, while finishing second in the conference in both categories. The two-time AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention selection has accumulated 4,079 assists in her career – moving into No. 5 all-time at Illinois State – after becoming the second-fastest setter to reach the top 10 as a sophomore.
Martin, a junior from Sterling, Illinois, was placed on the All-MVC First Team for the second-consecutive year in 2019. The outside hitter tallied double-digit kills in 31 of Illinois State's 34 matches, turning in an impressive seven 20-plus kill performances. The three-time MVC Player of the Week finished second in the league in kills (526) and third in kills per set (3.98). Martin's team-leading 526 kills were the most by a Redbird in a single season since 1996.
Selected athletes for the U.S. Women's National Team may begin their training in Anaheim, California, as early as the spring of 2020, or when an athlete's scholastic or professional club season has concluded. Athletes selected to one of the two U.S. Collegiate National Team programs will have the opportunity to participate either against foreign opponents at dates to be determined or in a week-long training program June 21-27 with Red-Blue matches. Both CNT programs, comprising 28 athletes each, will take place in Anaheim.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
