Samedy Makes Final Roster for FIVB World Championships

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fourteen U.S. Women’s National Team athletes are in Thailand this month for the 2025 FIVB World Championships, Aug. 22-Sept. 7.

Among the 14 athletes to make the finals workforce is former Gopher Stephanie Samedy. Samedy took residence 5 AVCA All-America honors on the ‘U’, serving to the workforce to a few Sweet 16’s, an Elite Eight and a Final Four.

The U.S. Women, at present ranked No. 7 on this planet, are in Pool D alongside Slovenia, Argentina and Czechia, and their opening match is ready for Aug. 22 at 5:30 a.m. PT in opposition to Slovenia. The workforce will play in Nakhon Ratchasima for pool play earlier than shifting to Bangkok for playoff rounds.

This would be the first World Championship below head coach Erik Sullivan, who took over this system earlier this yr. The World Championship is held each 4 years, and the U.S. Women completed fourth in 2022. Overall, this system has received 5 medals on the occasion, together with gold in 2014.

With a rotating lineup all year long and several other veterans taking the season off, the U.S. completed 7-5 in VNL and superior to the Finals, the place they fell to world No. 1 Italy within the quarterfinals.

The 2025 Worlds roster consists of the return of two-time Olympian Chiaka Ogbogu at center blocker. She joins 2024 Olympic teammates Avery Skinner, Jordyn Poulter and Dana Rettke.

Skinner is considered one of 4 exterior hitters on the roster, which additionally consists of Sarah Franklin, Logan Eggleston and Ali Frantti, who makes her first look for the U.S. Women this yr. Ogbogu and Rettke are joined within the center by Tia Jimerson and Amber Igiede. The opposites are Madisen Skinner and Stephanie Samedy, and Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres joins Poulter at setter. Morgan Hentz and Lexi Rodriguez are the liberos.

“This roster brings a mix of experienced Olympians and athletes eager for their first major world championship,” Sullivan mentioned. “Every match in this tournament is tough, and our pool will demand our best right from the start. We’ve used this season to test different lineups and grow our depth. Now the group is focused on competing together on the world stage and continuing to raise our level as we build toward Los Angeles in 2028.”

All matches might be watched with a subscription to VBTV or on the CBS Sports Network.

U.S. Women’s Finals VNL Roster

No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)

2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)

3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)

5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)

6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)

7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)

9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)

13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)

16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)

22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)

24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)

25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)

32 Saige Ka’aha’aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)

33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)

34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)

Coaches

Head Coach: Erik Sullivan

Assistant Coach: Mike Wall

Second Assistant Coach: Brandon Taliaferro

Second Assistant Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park

Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey

Pool Play-All occasions Central

Aug. 22: USA vs. Slovenia, 7:30 a.m.

Aug. 24: USA vs. Argentina, 7:30 a.m.

Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 a.m.