Women U21 storm to NORCECA gold medal 2024

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 30, 2024) – The U.S. U21 women’s national team continued its dominant play throughout the tournament, winning the gold medal at the 2024 NORCECA Women’s U21 Continental Championship with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16) victory over Puerto Rico on Sunday in Toronto, Canada.

With the title, the US automatically qualified for the 2025 Women’s U21 World Championship.

“I think our team did a great job. Everyone was ready to play at all times. I thought our offense was great the entire tournament and it was exciting to see us play well,” said Heather Olmstead, U.S. Women’s U-21 Head Coach. “Congratulations to Puerto Rico. They had a great tournament and they have a great coaching staff. It was a fun game for us to play our best and I’m happy that the U-21 team won the gold and got a chance to go to the World Championships next summer. All of our players are eligible for next year’s U-21 and I think they just set a great tone for the U-21 age group. They worked hard and did everything we asked of them. I couldn’t be happier with how they performed and how committed they were to the team the entire time.”

Outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Best Spiker. Libero Ramsey Gary was named Best Receiver.

The US, which had not lost a set in five championship wins, finished the gold medal match with significant margins in kills (46-24), blocks (9-2) and aces (7-3).

“What a great tournament. NORCECA did a great job and Canada was a great host. We couldn’t be happier with the event this whole week. Everything was incredibly professional and we had a great time. It was very classy,” Omstead said of the championship.

Middle blocker Andi Jackson led all scorers with 14 points on 10 kills, a match-high three blocks and one ace. DeLeye and fellow outside player Julia Blyashov each reached double figures, registering seven kills. DeLeye led all players with four aces and finished with 11 points, while Blyashov contributed two blocks and an ace for 10 points.

Setters Bergen Reilly and Campbell Flynn led the US to an excellent hitting efficiency of .474 (46 kills, 9 errors, 76 total attacks). Reilly added two kills and a block. Gary had a total of 14 digs, more than twice as many as the next highest total.

Facing Kennedy, Martin scored eight points on six kills and a pair of blocks. Outside Blaire Bayless scored five points in the third set with three kills, a block and an ace. Middle blockers Favor Anyanwu (five) and Taylor Harvey (four) accounted for nine kills.

DeLeye served eight straight points with two aces in the first set as the U.S. turned a 9-7 lead into a 17-7 advantage. Martin led all scorers with six points on five kills and a block, followed by Blyashov, who scored five points on three kills and two blocks.

After losing the first three points of the second set, Puerto Rico scored 10 of the next 16 points to make it 10–9. The U.S. led by just two points, 16-14, before closing the set with a 9-2 run. Jackson scored three points in the series and DeLeye added two. DeLeye led the team with six points (four kills, two aces), Blyashov (four kills, one ace) and Jackson (three kills, one block, one ace) each scored five points.

The US took control of the third set with a 13-3 spurt to take an 18-7 lead, ending with a Bayless ace. The game went back and forth for the remainder of the set with Jackson scoring the penultimate US point and outside Abby Vander Wal scoring the gold medal-deciding point with a kill.

Puerto Rico won silver and the Dominican Republic defeated host Canada for bronze. All three medalists came from the same preliminary round.

2024 US Women’s U21 National Team
for the NORCECA Continental Championship Women U21

Name (Pos., Ht., Year of Birth, City of Residence, School, USAV Region)
3 Julia Blyachev (OH, 6-3, 2005, San Diego, California, Stanford University, Southern California)
4 Blaire Bayless (OH, 6-2, 2005, Plano, Texas, University of Pittsburgh, North Texas)
5 Prefer Anyanwu (MB, 6-2, 2006, Rowlett, Texas, Sachse HS, North Texas)
6 Campbell-Flynn (S, 6-3, 2006, Rochester Hills, Michigan, Mercy HS, Lakeshore)
7 Brooklyn DeLeye (OH, 6-2, 2005, Auburn, Kan., University of Kentucky, Heart of America)
8C Bergen Reilly (S, 6-1, 2005, Sioux Falls, SD, University of Nebraska, North Country)
10 Taylor Harvey (MB, 6-3, 2006, Bountiful, Utah, Bountiful HS, Intermountain)
11 Ramsey Gary (L, 5-7, 2005, Pendelton, Ind., Indiana University, Hoosier)
14 Andi Jackson (MB, 6-3, 2005, Brighton, Colorado, University of Nebraska, Rocky Mountain)
17 Teraya Sigler (OH, 6-2, 2006, Scottsdale, Arizona, Horizon HS, Arizona)
18 Kennedy Martin (OPP, 6-6, 2005, Fort Mill, SC, University of Florida, Badger)
19 Abby Vander Wal (OH, 6-3, 2006, Elmhurst, Illinois, Timothy Christian HS, Great Lakes)

Head coach: Heather Olmstead (BYU)
Assistant coach: Jaylen Reyes (Nebraska)
Assistant coach: Alex Dunphy (Stanford)
Performance Analyst: Virginia Pham (USC)
Athletics trainer: Rachel Menze (CSUN)
Team Leader: Courtney Smith (USAV NTDP)

Alternatives
1 Lizzy Andries (MB, 6-5, 2005, Ridgefield, Washington, Ridgefield HS, Columbia Empire)
2 Jaela Auguste (MB, 6-2, 2006, spring, Texas, Grand Oaks HS, Lonestar)
9 Taylor Andersen (S, 6-1, 2005, San Antonio Texas, Purdue University, Lone Star)
12 Olivia Mauch (L, 5-6, 2005, Bennington, Neb., University of Nebraska, Great Plains)
13 Kamryn Gibadlo (OH, 6-1, 2005, Cave Creek, Arizona, University of Utah, Arizona)
15 Abigail Mullen (OPP, 6-3, 2006, Kansas City, Mo., Liberty HS, Heart of America)
16 Logan Parks (OPP, 5-11,2006, Overland Park, Kansas, Blue Valley North HS, Heart of America)
20 Laney Choboy (L, 5-3, 2005, Raleigh, NC, University of Nebraska, Carolina)

American schedule
for the NORCECA Women’s U21 Continental Championship
(all times PDT)

All matches are streamed live on Volleyball Canada’s YouTube.

June 25 US final Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-18, 25-21, 25-11)
June 26 USA defeats Suriname, 3-0 (25-10, 25-5, 25-9)
June 27 US defeats Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-15)
June 28 Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
June 29 Semi-finals, USA final. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-20, 25-13, 25-12)
June 30 Gold Medal Match, USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-16)