Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, May 7, 2015
The Big Ten Conference announced its first-ever volleyball foreign tour roster on Thursday, with one volleyball student-athlete representing each of the conference?s 14 schools.
The tour will take place June 13-25, with the team traveling to Croatia, Slovenia and Italy.
The Big Ten Foreign Tour Team includes Illinois? Jocelynn Birks, Indiana?s Megan Tallman, Iowa?s Jess Janota, Maryland?s Hailey Murray, Michigan?s Adeja Lambert, Michigan State?s Halle Peterson, Minnesota?s Alyssa Goehner, Nebraska?s Justine Wong-Orantes, Northwestern?s Maddie Slater, Ohio State?s Taylor Sandbothe, Penn State?s Aiyana Whitney, Purdue?s Annie Drews, Rutgers? Meme Fletcher and Wisconsin?s Kelli Bates.
Northwestern?s Keylor Chan will serve as the head coach of the Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team. Indiana?s Paul Koncir and Rutgers Phuong Louong will travel as assistant coaches, while Michigan State athletic trainer Lianna Hadden will also accompany the team.
Specific details of the tour?s itinerary will be announced at a later date. In addition to competition on the court, the 14 student-athletes will have the opportunity to partake in community service initiatives, study foreign languages with local students and visit some of Europe?s most historic cities, including Ljubljana in Slovenia, Istra, Pula, Rovinj and Porec in Croatia, and Padova and Venice in Italy.
A complete Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team roster can be found below.
2015 Big Ten Volleyball Foreign Tour Team
Jocelynn Birks, Illinois, Outside Hitter, Sr.
Megan Tallman, Indiana, Setter, Jr.
Jess Janota, Iowa, Middle Blocker, So.
Hailey Murray, Maryland, Middle Blocker, So.
Adeja Lambert, Michigan, Outside Hitter, So.
Halle Peterson, Michigan State, Setter, Sr.
Alyssa Goehner, Minnesota, Outside Hitter, So.
Justine Wong-Orantes, Nebraska, Libero, Sr.
Maddie Slater, Northwestern, Middle Blocker, Jr.
Taylor Sandbothe, Ohio State, Middle Blocker, Jr.
Aiyana Whitney, Penn State, Outside Hitter, Sr.
Annie Drews, Purdue, Outside Hitter, Sr.
Meme Fletcher, Rutgers, Outside Hitter, So.
Kelli Bates, Wisconsin, Outside Hitter, So.
Head Coach: Keylor Chan, Northwestern
Assistant Coaches: Paul Koncir, Indiana; Phuong Louong, Rutgers
Athletic Trainer: Lianna Hadden, Michigan State
— BigTen.org
