In Her Words - Rachel Krabacher
"This was a wonderful experience for me to be able to play with the best players in the country. It's great to know that Dayton Volleyball is deservedly among the top-ranked programs in the country. I also enjoyed getting to know players from other teams on a personal level; especially becoming friends with players I had previously considered our team's rivals.
"It means a lot to be able to represent Dayton Volleyball. The players, current and former, have worked so hard to make Dayton Volleyball what it is today and to know that we are continuing to move to higher levels each year really means a lot to the program."
On how the A2 experience helped her game... "From this experience, I will bring the offense that I have improved on as well as my increased confidence to the team. With a pretty young team this year, I believe this confidence will be key in creating leadership and unity.
"I learned a lot from this experience. One of the most important things was the confidence that I gained. Dayton Volleyball really is an elite program and being on the A2 team made me realize that we can go places we still have not yet achieved. I also learned to use a wider assortment of shots and swings when it comes to offense in order to hit around the huge blocks that were put up."
On UD’s upcoming season... "I have high hopes for the upcoming UD season. We obviously graduated a lot of talented players, but we have many good players remaining as well as five incoming freshman that we have high hopes for. We have big goals for this season and have already been working hard this summer in preparation for an amazing year!"
June 3, 2011
DALLAS, Texas – Dayton volleyball Head Coach Kelly Sheffield led the U.S. Women’s National A2 White Team to a bronze medal and outside hitter Rachel Krabacher led the U.S. A2 Red Team to a silver medal at the USA Volleyball Open National Championships, May 23-June 1.
The 2011 U.S. Women’s National A2 Program roster of 36 players was divided into three teams – Red, White and Blue – which competed in the USA Volleyball Open National Championships at the Dallas Convention Center.
As the head coach of USA A2 White, Sheffield was one of three head coaches in the A2 Program with Ohio State’s Geoff Carlston and LSU’s Fran Flory. Krabacher, a 6-foot-4 rising junior for the Flyers, was an alternate selection to the 36-player A2 Program which was selected from a record 204 athletes who participated in a three-day tryout at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., in February.
USA A2 Blue captured the gold medal at the championships in dramatic fashion, coming up through the consolation bracket, revenging an earlier loss to Krabacher’s USA A2 Red in the first title match and then rallying to defeat USA A2 Red, 26-24, in the single Golden Set playoff. Coach Sheffield’s USA A2 White team earned a bronze medal after finishing the tournament with a 4-4 record.
@DaytonVBHead Coach Kelly Sheffield May 31: “Players were warriors. Weiler w/ leg injury,Adams dislocated finger, Black running off court to get sick. Enjoyed coaching fun & tough group”
The USA A2 Teams, consisting of players with collegiate eligibility remaining, have been competing in the Open Division since 2003. Its only other championship titles in the event were in 2004, 2008 and 2010. Three-time All-American and recent UD graduate Lindsay Fletemier competed in 2009 and 2010 with the A2 Program – helping her 2010 A2 Blue team win the gold medal in Tempe, Ariz.
Additional information on the U.S. Women's National A2 Team program and the USA Volleyball Adult Open Championships can be found at http://www.usavolleyball.org.
USA Volleyball A2 Program Rosters
USA A2 Red
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Ht, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
5 - Kelli Fiegen (South Dakota State, MB, 6-3, 2, Parkston, S.D.)
8 - Kelsey Robinson (Tennessee, L, 6-2, 3, Bartlett, Ill.)
12 - Madison Kingdon (Arizona, OH, 6-0, 4, Phoenix, Ariz.)
13 - Correy Johnson (California, MB, 6-4, 2, Winter Park, Fla.)
14 - Kayla Jeter (Tennessee, OH, 5-11, 1, Solon, Ohio)
16 - Natalie Hagglund (Southern California, L, 5-9, 3, Encinitas, Calif.) 22 - Rachel Krabacher (Dayton, OH, 6-4, 2, Cincinnati, Ohio)
23 - Kelly Murphy (Florida, S, 6-2, 1, Wilmington, Ill.)
24 - Alexis Mathews (Michigan State, MB, 6-4, 3, Detroit, Mich.)
25 - Kristy Jaeckel (Florida, OH, 6-2, 1, Littleton, Colo.)
32 - Lauren Plum (Oregon, S, 5-9, 3, Poway, Calif.)
35 - Allegra Wells (Mississippi, OPP, 6-1, 2, Garland, Texas) Head Coach: Geoff Carlston (Ohio State University) Assistant Coaches: Kim Jagd and Ben Lee (Arizona State)
USA A2 White
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Ht, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
1 - Carly Cramer (Purdue, L, 5-6, 2, Martinsville, Ind.)
3 - Carly Thomas (Missouri State, S, 5-11, 3, Swansea, Ill.)
6 - Ashley Frazier (Kentucky, OH, 6-1, 2, Oregon, Ohio)
10 - Monique Mead (Georgia Tech, OPP, 5-9, 2, Newnan, Ga.)
11 - Michelle Kocher (Texas, S, 5-10, 1, Wheaton, Ill.)
15 - Cursty Jackson (Arizona, MB, 6-1, 1, Los Angeles, Calif.)
18 - Kelsey Black (Texas A&M, OH, 5-11, 1, Amarillo, Texas)
19 - Rachael Adams (Texas, MB, 6-2, 1, Cincinnati, Ohio)
20 - Carli Weiler (Michigan State, L, 5-4, 1, Oak Lawn, Ill.)
21 - Colleen Ward (Illinois, OH, 6-3, 1, Naperville, Ill.)
28 - Alaina Bergsma (Oregon, OH, 6-3, 2, Chandler, Ariz.)
31 - Cassandra Anderson (Florida, MB, 6-1, 1, Bakersfield, Calif.) Head Coach: Kelly Sheffield (University of Dayton) Assistant Coaches: Michelle Chatman (Central Florida) and Daniel Jones (Utah)
USA A2 Blue
Jersey – Name (School, Position, Ht, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
2 - Francesca Silva (Notre Dame, L, 5-3, 1, Laguna Nigel, Calif.)
4 - Taylor Brauneis (Louisville, S, 5-10, 3, Crystal Lake, Ill.)
7 - Gwen Rucker (Louisville, MB, 6-2, 1, Lexington, Ky.)
9 - Ashley Rhoades (New Mexico, MB, 5-11, 1, Rio Rancho, N.M.)
17- Jennifer Bonilla (Illinois, L, 5-9, 3, Reseda, Calif.)
26 - Morgan Broekhuis (Nebraska, OPP, 6-5, 3, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
27 - Brittney Brimmage (Missouri, MB, 6-3, 1, East St. Louis, Ill.)
29 - Brianne Barker (Oklahoma, S, 5-9, 1, Amarillo, Texas)
30 - Ashley Bannister (Texas, OH, 6-1, 3, Sugar Land, Texas)
33 - Michelle Bartsch (Illinois, OPP, 6-4, 1, Maryville, Ill.)
34 - Ariel Turner (Purdue, OH, 6-1, 2, Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
36 - Tarah Murrey (California, OH, 6-3, 1, El Cerrito, Calif.) Head Coach: Fran Flory (LSU) Assistant Coaches: Brian Hosfeld and Diego Castaneda (North Texas)
