Courtesy: Stanford Athletics
STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford junior setter Kelsey Humphreys will join 11 other Pac-12 players on a conference all-star team heading to China June 18-July 1, the conference announced today. Leading the trip will be UCLA women's volleyball coach Mike Sealy.
Humphreys has backed-up three-time Pac-12 Setter of the Year Madi Bugg for the past three seasons for the Cardinal. In 2015, she appeared in all 30 matches as a serving specialist. The science, technology and society major was a 2015 Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention selection.
The tour is another milestone for Pac-12 Global, an initiative to promote goodwill and transformative life experiences through student-athlete exchanges and sport, and to showcase the Conference and its member institutions in China. Student-athlete tours have been organized in the sports of men's and women's basketball, as well as women's volleyball. Coaching clinics have also been organized with Pac-12 coaches sharing their knowledge of sport with Chinese groups both abroad in China and at member campuses, as well as hosting exhibition games with some of China's top teams in women's volleyball and women's soccer. This past November, the Conference hosted the Pac-12 China Game in Shanghai, becoming the first ever league - college or professional - to host a regular season basketball game in China.
The 12-member all-star volleyball team includes a player from 11 of the Pac-12 institutions and will play six matches while in China from June 19-July 1 against Chinese club and national teams. In addition to the matches, the student-athletes will enjoy cultural and sightseeing visits to Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing. Previous all-star teams have made visits to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and other attractions.
The 12-member all-star volleyball team includes a player from 11 of the Pac-12 institutions and will play six matches while in China from June 19-July 1 against Chinese club and national teams. In addition to the matches, the student-athletes will enjoy cultural and sightseeing visits to Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing. Previous all-star teams have made visits to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and other attractions. Joining Sealy on the coaching staff are Pac-12 assistants Charita Stubbs of Arizona and Malia Shoji of Utah.
“I am honored and excited to have the opportunity to coach the Pac-12 All Star team,” said UCLA's Sealy Sealy. “I am looking forward to spending time with a great group of athletes and coaches and accepting the challenge of coming together in a very short period of time to play against very talented opponents in a place that celebrates and supports volleyball. It is going to be an amazing life experience.”
Below is the schedule for the Pac-12 All-Star team with opponents being announced at a later date.
June 18 - Team meets in Los Angeles for practice June 19 - Team departs Los Angeles for Shanghai
June 21-22 - Practice and sight-seeing in Shanghai
June 23-25 - Team will be in Nanjing; Games vs. Opponents (TBD)
June 26-July 1 - Team will be in Beijing; Sight-seeing and games vs. opponents (TBD)
July 1 - Return to the U.S.
2016 Pac-12 Volleyball All-Star Team Roster
Kalie Mau, outside hitter (Arizona)
McKenzie Jacobson, middle blocker (Arizona)
BreElle Bailey, outside hitter (Arizona State)
Janelle Jordan, middle blocker (California)
Gabby Simpson, setter/opposite (Colorado)
Sumeet Gill, middle blocker (Oregon)
Kelsey Humphreys, setter (Stanford)
Reily Buechler, outside hitter (UCLA)
Taylor Whittingham, libero (USC)
Adora Anae, outside hitter/opposite (Utah)
Bailey Tanner, outside hitter/setter (Washington)
Kyra Holt, outside hitter (Washington State)
Head Coach: Michael Sealy, UCLA
Assistant Coaches: Charita Stubbs, Arizona and Malia Shoji, Utah