SEAN ROONEY | USA Volleyball Most Inspirational Player
Rooney has been playing with the U.S. Men’s National Team since 2006, and made major contributions with his play and leadership dur- ing the 2014 season. The U.S. captain was the team’s fourth leading scorer during its gold-medal FIVB World League performance despite
playing with a back injury that eventually kept him out of the World Champi- onship tournament in Poland. Rooney hopes to be healthy enough to rejoin the team in 2015. “My biggest goal is to do whatever I can to prepare the team for the World Cup (in 2015),” Rooney said.
APRIL ROSS | USA Female Beach Player of the Year
ERIC DUDA | USA Volleyball Male Sitting Volleyball Player of the Year
Duda last competed in the Paralym- pics in 2004 and is working hard to help the U.S. Men’s National Sitting Volleyball Team qualify for the 2016 Paralympics in Brazil. One of the team’s primary attackers, Duda averaged 3.25 kills per set during the 2014 season and head coach Quinton Kraeer also credited Duda’s strong passing, serving and vol- leyball knowledge. Qualifying for the Paralympics “would mean the world to me,” said Duda. “I cannot wait for the chance to represent my country again.”
Ross showed she was ready for the big-time in 2014, her first full season playing with three- time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings. In interna- tional competition, the pair won four gold medals on the FIVB World Tour and finished as the third-ranked team in the world. On the domestic front, Ross and Walsh Jennings won all seven AVP events without losing a match, and Ross led all AVP players in aces with 94. Ross’s stellar serv- ing, defense, and sideout game provided a steadying influence as she and Walsh Jennings worked out the kinks in their new partnership.
PHIL DALHAUSSER & SEAN ROSENTHAL | USA Volleyball Beach Team of the Year
KIM HILL | USA Volleyball Female Indoor Most Improved Player
In just her second season playing with the U.S. Women’s National Team, Hill started 24 matches at outside hitter and was named most valuable player of the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship. Head coach Karch Kiraly praised Hill’s dedication to becoming a better player. “Kim’s focused improvement, making strides in several facets of her game even late in the season, helped lead our team to World Championship vic- tory — right down to her kill on the final play.”
Dalhausser and Rosenthal finished 2014 as the top American men’s beach team and the No. 2 team in the world. On the FIVB World Tour, the pair won three gold medals, one silver and one bronze to go with a third-place finish on the AVP Tour. During one stretch of the season the duo reached the finals in four straight FIVB World Tour grand slams. Among the goals for Dalhausser and Rosenthal are the FIVB World Championship gold medal and claiming the AVP points title.
TAYLOR SANDER | USA Volleyball Men’s Indoor Rookie of the Year
Sander made an instant impact on the U.S. Men’s National Team not long after playing his final collegiate match for Brigham Young University. Two weeks after leading the Cougars to the NCAA National Colle- giate Men’s Volleyball Championship semi- finals and winning the AVCA Player of the Year Award, Sander was in uniform for the U.S. in a NORCECA World Championship
Qualification Tournament in Colorado Springs, where he would win the Best Server award and finish fourth on the team in scoring. After an injury to outside hitter Reid Priddy, Sander started every set of FIVB World League for the U.S. and was the third-leading scorer overall during pool play and second-best scorer in the Final Round, a performance that earned him FIVB World League Most Valuable Player honors. Sander finished the season as the U.S. Men’s second leading scorer (463 points) and also placed second in aces (35).
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PHOTO: FIVB
PHOTO: USAV PHOTO: USAV
PHOTO: FIVB
PHOTO: FIVB PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET
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