June 30, 2015
- YANCY WITH U.S. CNT PHOTO GALLERY
NEW ORLEANS, La. - UIC senior middle blocker Stephenee Yancy made a good impression on her U.S. CNT (Collegiate National Team) Red squad by registering 14 points over two matches Monday. Yancy trained and competed with USA Volleyball in conjunction with the USA Volleyball Girls' Junior National Championships (June 21-29).
Yancy was one of 36 athletes who began training with USA Volleyball on June 21 in New Orleans. The athletes were split into three teams - CNT Blue, Red and White - for a round-robin tournament. The program connects current collegiate stars with young athletes dreaming to play collegiately in the future.
The CNT program was considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women's National Team. This CNT program included nine middle blockers, nine outside hitters, six setters, six opposites and six liberos.
"It was a great experience because I competed against the best players in the country," said Yancy. "I was able to evolve my game, travel to a new place and learn more about the game both mentally and physically."
In late February, Yancy traveled to Colorado Springs for women's national team tryouts. The tryout evaluated over 230 athletes from 93 colleges from across the country. Yancy was then selected to participate in the CNT program in early April.
According to USA Volleyball Senior Director Tom Pingel, who oversees the High Performance program, the quality of the athletes rising to the top is only getting better.
"I would say, based on what I have heard from the coaching staff that has had experience with this group and what I have seen this week, this was probably one of the strongest if not the strongest College National Team groups that we have had at this event," Pingel said. "I think it will only bode well for the future for USA Volleyball and cause some really hard, but good decisions to be made by our National Team staff down the road."
Yancy was selected as the 2014 Horizon League Co-Player of the Year after ranking 24th nationally with 512 kills. She also ranked 20th nationally in kills per set (4.38) and 56th in attack percentage (.358). Following the season, Yancy received AVCA Honorable Mention All-Region honors.
Yancy is the fifth player in program history to put down 500 kills in a single season and her .358 attack percentage broke the single-season program record. She put down double-digit kills in all 31 matches and had seven 20-plus kill performances. Yancy also ranked eighth in the Horizon League with 106 blocks.
OFFICIAL USA VOLLEYBALL PRESS RELEASE
1st Place Match: CNT Blue def. CNT Red 25-21, 25-20, 19-25, 25-23
CNT Blue Scoring: Tiana Dockery (Kansas) 12, Kelsie Payne (Kansas) 10, Kia Bright (UCF) 9, Alicia Ostrander (Nebraska) 9, Krystalyn Goode (Michigan) 5, Morgan Bergren (Kentucky) 4, Cody Dodd (Tennessee Tech) 4, Alyssa Garvelink (Michigan State) 4, Nakeyta Clair (Mississippi) 3, Cassandra Strickland (Washington) 2.
CNT Red Scoring: Erin Fairs (Louisville) 20, Chelsey Harris (Rice) 19, Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette) 8, Alexis Austin (Colorado) 6, Katie Horton (Florida State) 6, Katie Brand (Kansas State) 5, Stephenee Yancy (UIC) 5, Kaitlyn Oliver (Boise State) 3, Amanda Neill (Purdue) 2.
Semifinals: CNT Red def. CNT White 25-12, 25-19, 27-25
CNT Red Scoring: Erin Fairs (Louisville) 17, Katie Horton (Florida State) 16, Stephenee Yancy (UIC) 9, Chelsey Harris (Rice) 8, Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette) 7, Katie Brand (Kansas State) 4, Kaitlyn Oliver (Boise State) 1, Amanda Neill (Purdue) 1.
CNT White Scoring: Melanie Crow (Mississippi) 11, Sarah Livingston (Southern California) 7, Tyler Richardson (Ohio State) 5, Gabrielle Simpson (Colorado) 4, Taylor Treacy (North Carolina) 4, Ainise Havili (Kansas) 3, Lauren Schad (San Diego) 3, Kayla Haneline (Northern Iowa) 2, Hayley McCorkle (North Carolina) 2, Cierra Simpson (Colorado) 1.
