JORDAN LARSON | USA Volleyball Female Indoor Player of the Year
Jordan Larson was a big part of the U.S. Women’s National Volley-
ball Team’s success in 2015. The team won four tournament titles and compiled a 41-6 overall record with Larson anchoring the team’s offense from the outside hitter position. Head coach Karch Kiraly praised Larson’s ability to make others around her better. “As the season wore on, she probably did more to make the team and her teammates better than she’s ever done before - which is even more impressive considering how long and how hard she’s been working for USA,” Kiraly said. Larson also experienced success playing profession- ally for the Turkish club Eczacibasi in 2015, winning Most Valuable Player honors in the FIVB Club World Championship and European Champions League.
PHIL DALHAUSSER & NICK LUCENA
| USA Volleyball Beach Team of the Year
Dalhausser and Lucena spent the first half of 2015 playing with different partners, but once they teamed up they went on an impressive international run that left the team in position to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. The duo teamed up in August at the FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam and won silver, start- ing a string of impressive finishes (three firsts and two seconds) over the remain- der of the 2015 international season. Dalhausser and Lucena feel good about their prospects for the 2016 Olympic qualification run. “We’re going to be a good team,” said Lucena. “We will compete every tournament.” Dalhausser/Lucena currently sit third in the U.S. international rankings with 3,600 points, trailing Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson (4,620 points) and Tri Bourne/John Hyden (4,060 points).
APRIL ROSS | USA Volleyball Female Beach Player of the Year
Ross has now won the
J. DEE MARINKO | USA Volleyball Male Sitting Volleyball Player of the Year
Marinko was an outside hitter on the U.S. Men’s Sitting Volleyball Team, and played a key role in helping the squad qualify for the 2016 Paralympics Games — its first trip to the premier event since 2004. Marinko averaged 3.19 points per set for the team at the 2015 Parapan American Games, leading the team to a silver medal.
Female Beach Player of the Year award five times. In 2015 Ross had to adjust to a season in which her partner, Kerri Walsh Jennings, battled a shoulder injury, but kept her level of play high to keep the team’s chance of an Olympic berth in 2016 afloat. The pair took a silver at the FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam, and Ross also had top fin- ishes on the American domestic tour with Jennifer Fopma and
Lauren Fendrick when Walsh couldn’t play due to injury. “I feel like I’m playing my best volleyball,” Ross said. “We’re going to be as prepared as we possibly can for 2016.”
JOHN KREMER | USA Volleyball Male Sitting Most Improved Player
Kremer, who was
MOLLY KREKLOW | USA Volleyball Female Indoor Most Improved Player
Kreklow rose to the occasion in just her second season with the U.S. Women’s National Indoor Volleyball Team. After an injury to starting setter Alisha Glass early in the season, Kreklow took over the setting duties, starting 20 matches and leading the team to the 2015 FIVB World Grand Prix title. Head coach Karch Kiraly was impressed with Kreklow’s ability to rise to the challenge. “We threw Molly into the deep end this season,” Kiraly said. “There’s so much setters have to learn to compete at the highest international level; she continues to attack that sometimes daunting task.”
part of the U.S. Men’s Sitting Team A2 program in 2014, was elevated to the top team in 2015 after serving as captain of the U.S. silver-medal winning team at the 2014 Invictus Games in London. Kremer, who served nine years in the U.S. Navy as an explo- sive ordinance technician first class, lost both his legs below the knee after stepping on a land mine in Afghanistan. In 19 sets with Team USA in 2015, Kremer averaged 1.26 digs per set and contributed a 37 positive reception percent on 133 chances with just eight errors.
USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG | 11
PHOTO: USA VOLLEYBALL
PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET
PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET PHOTO: RICK ATWOOD
PHOTO: USA VOLLEYBALL
PHOTO: FRANK GOROSZKO
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