Taryn Kloth Named to USA Volleyball China Tour Roster

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (March 21, 2018) – Creighton volleyball's Taryn Kloth is one of 12 women on U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team China Tour (CNT-China) roster which is comprised of current collegiate players who will train and compete in China from May 20-31.

Last season, Kloth was part of the CNT-Minneapolis delegation that USA Volleyball sent to Minnesota. Creighton's Jaali Winters and Brittney Witt also made U.S. Collegiate National Teams during 2017. Winters was one of 36 players who trained and competed as part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team-Indianapolis program, then last summer went to Croatia for two weeks with USA Volleyball and helping her team to the European Global Challenge title. Witt was on USA Volleyball's top team last spring, which trekked to Thailand.

A rising senior outside hitter from Sioux Falls, S.D., Kloth earned a spot on the All-East Region team by the AVCA, garnered MVP honors at the BIG EAST Championships and claimed all-BIG EAST accolades last season. She ranked 12th in the BIG EAST in kills per set (3.00), 14th in points per set (3.37) and 15th in hitting percentage (.270). Kloth was an Honorable Mention All-America pick during 2016.

Middles selected to the elite CNT-China squad are Rachael Kramer (University of Florida, Phoenix, Arizona), Dana Rettke (University of Wisconsin, Riverside, Illinois) and Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette University, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin). The outside hitters named to the roster are T'ara Ceasar (University of Georgia, Panama City, Florida), Thayer Hall (University of Florida, Moore, South Carolina), Taryn Kloth (Creighton University, Sioux Falls, S.D.) and Carlyle Nusbaum (Lipscomb University, Overland Park, Kansas).

The two opposites selected to the CNT-China Tour are Rebecca Latham (University of Denver, Austin, Texas) and Stephanie Samedy (University of Minnesota, Clermont, Florida) The setters are Madison Lilley (University of Kentucky, Overland Park, Kansas) and Julia Patterson (University of Arizona, Los Alamitos, California). The libero will be Molly Sauer (University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky).

Chris Tamas, head coach of the University of Illinois women's volleyball team, will serve as the CNT-China head coach.

"I appreciate the opportunity to coach with USA after both my wife (Jen (Joines) Tamas) and I wore the jersey for 14 years," Tamas said. "As part of our USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline, I believe our university system helps develop some of the top players in the world. It will also help introduce and adjust our players to international rules and competition environment for their post-collegiate careers, which may be with our U.S. Women's National Team. We look forward to compete in China at the end of May with a top level U.S. Collegiate National Team."

Joe Trinsey and Natalie Morgan will serve as assistant coaches. Trinsey was technical coordinator for the U.S. Women's National Team that won bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games, and Morgan is an assistant coach at Loyola Marymount University. Jessica Rae Aschenbrenner, the director of volleyball operations at University of Denver, will serve as the CNT-China Tour technical coordinator. Erin Leaser with Bring It Promotions will serve as head of delegation.

A quarter of the CNT-China roster was part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team program last year. Nusbaum and Rosenthal were part of the 2017 CNT-Thailand Tour roster. Further, Kloth was a member of the 2017 CNT-Minneapolis roster. Rosenthal has made her third CNT team as she was part of the 2016 CNT-China Tour roster.

The CNT-China roster boasts several athletes who have already worn the red, white and blue Team USA jersey in international competitions. Hall, Kramer and Sauer all have played at the FIBA Women's U20 World Championships, while Lilley was a U.S. Women's Junior National team member who participated in the 2017 Women's U20 Pan Am Cup along with Hall. Samedy represented the U.S. at the 2016 NORCECA Women's U20 Continental Championship.

Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 2-4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

USA Volleyball will announce in the coming weeks rosters for the CNT-Europe and CNT-Detroit teams.

Complete CNT-China Roster
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown, Youth Club)
T'ara Ceasar (OH, University of Georgia, 6-1, 3, Panama City, Florida, Prostyle Tallahassee Volleyball Club/Team Florida)
Thayer Hall (OH, University of Florida, 6-3, 4, Moore, South Carolina, Upward Stars)
Taryn Kloth (OH, Creighton University, 6-4, 1, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kairos Elite)
Rachael Kramer (M, University of Florida, 6-8, 2, Phoenix, Arizona, Aspire Volleyball Club)
Rebecca Latham (OPP, University of Denver, 6-4, 1, Austin, Texas, Austin Juniors)
Madison Lilley (S, University of Kentucky, 5-11, 3, Overland Park, Kansas, KC Power)
Carlyle Nusbaum (OH, Lipscomb University, 5-10, 1, Overland Park, Kansas, ASICS MAVS)
Julia Patterson (S, University of Arizona, 5-11, 2, Los Alamitos, California, Seal Beach Volleyball Club)
Dana Rettke (M, University of Wisconsin, 6-8, 3, Riverside, Illinois, 1^st Alliance Volleyball Club)
Jenna Rosenthal (M, Marquette University, 6-6, 1, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, West Bend Volleyball Club)
Stephanie Samedy (OPP, University of Minnesota, 6-2, 3, Clermont, Florida, Top Select Volleyball Academy)
Molly Sauer (L, University of Louisville, 5-11, 1, Louisville, Kentucky, KIVA)

Head Coach: Chris Tamas (head coach, University of Illinois)
Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey (USA Volleyball High Performance)
Assistant Coach: Natalie Morgan (assistant coach, Loyola Marymount University)
Technical Coordinator: Jessica Rae Aschenbrenner (director of operations, University of Denver)
Athletic Trainer: Margaret Marion (University of Illinois)
Head of Delegation: Erin Leaser

Taryn Kloth Named to USA Volleyball China Tour Roster

Players Mentioned

Taryn Kloth

Jaali Winters

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