Abbott, Tashima Selected to U.S. Volleyball Collegiate National Teams
5/1/2017 11:57:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
EVANSTON, Ill. — Rising seniors Symone Abbott and Taylor Tashima have been selected to participate a pair of U.S. Volleyball Collegiate National Teams, USA Volleyball announced.
Abbott was selected to the team that will play in the Europe Tour, July 5-16. She, along with 11 other athletes, will train and compete in Europe over the week and a half.
Abbott's team will compete in the 13th Annual European Global Challenge, July 11-14, in Pula, Croatia, after training and friendly matches in Europe. Prior to the Global Challenge, the CNT-Europe squad will tentatively train in Maribor, Slovenia, with friendly matches versus various National Teams.
Tashima is one of 36 athletes in the Collegiate National Team-Minneapolis program that will train and compete during the USA Girls' Junior National Championships (GJNC) from June 22 to July 1, 2017.
The program is considered a second tryout for the USA Women's National Team and is a part of USA Volleyball's High Performance pipeline.
"I am so proud of Symone and Taylor," said Northwestern head coach Shane Davis. "This selection is extremely deserved and will allow them to showcase their talents on a big scale. Any time you get to wear the red, white, and blue is a fantastic experience, and they both get that chance."
Abbott and Tashima's names are all over the Northwestern record books. With one season left to go in Evanston, Abbott is in third place with 3.63 kills per set and in 13th with 1,216 total kills. Tashima is in fifth-place with 3,044 career assists.
In Big Ten rankings, Abbott had the fourth-best kill per set mark at 4.1, which was her best since joining the 'Cats and the sixth-best single season mark in program history. She has improved year-over-year in kills, from 370 to 387 to 459 in her most recent campaign.
"It's amazing to be selected by the USA staff to participate as a member of the collegiate team this year," said Abbott. "I'm so excited to compete and represent the United States over the summer, to get to play with a set of talented girls, and make new friends."
Last season, Tashima notched a 9.0 assist per match clip, good for 11th-best in the Big Ten. She also led the 'Cats with 29 service aces.
Tashima continues her storied career with USA Volleyball. In 2012, she captained the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team that won gold at NORCECA Women's U18 Continental Championship in Mexico. In 2013, she also captained the 2013 Youth National Team that captured the silver medal at the FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship in Thailand. In 2014, she attended the U20 U.S. Women's Junior National Team tryout.
"There's so much pride that comes with representing the United States, and I'm so honored to be selected for this team," said Tashima. "I am beyond thankful for the next-level coaching I've gotten at Northwestern, as I might otherwise not be in this position. It's going to be a great opportunity to grow and compete. I can't wait to take what I learn back to Evanston for my senior season."
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The selection of Abbott and Tashima add a continued presence of USA Volleyball on the Northwestern squad. Associate head coach Erin Virtue recently accepted a position with the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team as the consultant assistant coach for the 2020 Olympic quadrennial.
Abbott was selected to the team that will play in the Europe Tour, July 5-16. She, along with 11 other athletes, will train and compete in Europe over the week and a half.
Abbott's team will compete in the 13th Annual European Global Challenge, July 11-14, in Pula, Croatia, after training and friendly matches in Europe. Prior to the Global Challenge, the CNT-Europe squad will tentatively train in Maribor, Slovenia, with friendly matches versus various National Teams.
Tashima is one of 36 athletes in the Collegiate National Team-Minneapolis program that will train and compete during the USA Girls' Junior National Championships (GJNC) from June 22 to July 1, 2017.
The program is considered a second tryout for the USA Women's National Team and is a part of USA Volleyball's High Performance pipeline.
"I am so proud of Symone and Taylor," said Northwestern head coach Shane Davis. "This selection is extremely deserved and will allow them to showcase their talents on a big scale. Any time you get to wear the red, white, and blue is a fantastic experience, and they both get that chance."
Abbott and Tashima's names are all over the Northwestern record books. With one season left to go in Evanston, Abbott is in third place with 3.63 kills per set and in 13th with 1,216 total kills. Tashima is in fifth-place with 3,044 career assists.
In Big Ten rankings, Abbott had the fourth-best kill per set mark at 4.1, which was her best since joining the 'Cats and the sixth-best single season mark in program history. She has improved year-over-year in kills, from 370 to 387 to 459 in her most recent campaign.
"It's amazing to be selected by the USA staff to participate as a member of the collegiate team this year," said Abbott. "I'm so excited to compete and represent the United States over the summer, to get to play with a set of talented girls, and make new friends."
Last season, Tashima notched a 9.0 assist per match clip, good for 11th-best in the Big Ten. She also led the 'Cats with 29 service aces.
Tashima continues her storied career with USA Volleyball. In 2012, she captained the U.S. Girls' Youth National Team that won gold at NORCECA Women's U18 Continental Championship in Mexico. In 2013, she also captained the 2013 Youth National Team that captured the silver medal at the FIVB Girls' Youth World Championship in Thailand. In 2014, she attended the U20 U.S. Women's Junior National Team tryout.
"There's so much pride that comes with representing the United States, and I'm so honored to be selected for this team," said Tashima. "I am beyond thankful for the next-level coaching I've gotten at Northwestern, as I might otherwise not be in this position. It's going to be a great opportunity to grow and compete. I can't wait to take what I learn back to Evanston for my senior season."
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The selection of Abbott and Tashima add a continued presence of USA Volleyball on the Northwestern squad. Associate head coach Erin Virtue recently accepted a position with the U.S. Women's National Volleyball Team as the consultant assistant coach for the 2020 Olympic quadrennial.
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