Volleyball Sends Three to US National Team Tryouts

From February 19-21, 2016, around 240 athletes are expected to converge on Colorado Springs with hopes of earning a spot on one of the U.S. Women's National Team Programs. Athletes who have come out of the tryout include Kim Hill, the 2014 FIVB World Championship most valuable player. Athletes will be bidding for spots not only in the Women's National Team gym, but also positions on the U.S. Collegiate National Team Programs, both domestic and international.

The University of Louisville Cardinals are sending Tess Clark, Molly Sauer and Janelle Jenkins.

Tess Clark , an AVCA All East Regional selection, was named to the ACC's second team. She is 4th in the nation in Hitting % (.442) and was named All-Active Ankle Challenge after helping UofL to wins over Utah, Seton Hall and Ohio. She was the ACC Player of the week when she led the Cardinals to two conference victories, including a five-set win over No. 20 Florida State. The sophomore had a 15-kill, five-block outing in the Cardinals' 3-1 win over Miami before finishing with 14 kills and four blocks against the Seminoles. Clark scored 35.5 points in the two matches. She leads the team in blocks with 112 and is third in kills with 249 (2.28/set). She hits .396 vs. regionally ranked teams. She hit a season high .760 vs. Ohio with five other matches hitting better than .650. She was last year's AVCA Region Freshman of the Year.

Molly Sauer ,an AVCA All East Regional selection, became the first player in ACC Volleyball history to earn both Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors in the same season. The Cardinals ranked 2nd in the ACC in digs behind her defensive leadership and helped Louisville clinch a share of the 2015 ACC title. Sauer also earned ACC Freshman of the Week honors twice. Once for the Miami/Florida State swing where she finished with 44 digs – 25 against UM and 19 against FSU – and committed just one receiving error while being served 51 times. Sauer also recorded 6 assists and 3 service aces . The other ACC Freshman of the Week honor came when she was named to the All-Active Ankle Challenge after helping Louisville post a 3-0 record She had 61 digs, including 30 digs in UofL's win over Ohio and 31 total digs in 2 three-set wins over Utah and Seton Hall. She also recorded 9 aces and 7 assists. She was a member of the 2015 Women's Junior National Team that represented the United States at the Global Challenge in Pula, Croatia.

Janelle Jenkins , an AVCA All East Regional selection, was voted second team All-ACC. She was named to the All-Illini Classic team after leading UofL to a 2-1 mark for the Classic. Janelle had 46 kills, hit .430, three aces and 11 blocks. The junior had nine double-doubles, including ones against Minnesota, Wisconsin, Miami and Florida State. She had 17 matches of 12 or more kills and 11 double digit dig matches. She is one of the main reasons that the Louisville offense is second in the conference in hitting percentage and first in kills per set. She plays all six rotations, hits equally effectively from the back row and is quick and long on defensive digs.

University of Louisville Athletics

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Tess Clark

Janelle Jenkins

Molly Sauer

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