The 2004 Paralympians on this year’s World Championship roster include: Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.), Lori Daniels (Roanoke, Texas), Kendra Lancaster (Sheridan, Ind.), Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.) and Lora Webster (Cave Creek, Ariz.).

Newcomers to the squad include Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.), Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.), Kari Miller (Champaign, Ill.), Sarah Panzau (Belleville, Ill.) and Tatiana Rivera Torres (Bayamon, Puerto Rico).

USA head coach Mike Hulett (Des Plaines, Ill.), the 2004 USOC National Paralympic Coach of the Year, will be aided by assistant coaches Denise Van De Walle (Bowling Green, Ohio) and Karey Kleinhenz (Louisville, Ky.).

The World Championship, scheduled for June 18-26 in Roermond, the Netherlands, will be the first event for the USA Women since the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Team USA made history on Sept. 27, 2004 when they captured the bronze medal at those Games with a 3-1 win over Slovenia. The medal was the first of any kind at the Paralympics for any of the disabled volleyball programs (sitting or standing, men's or women's). Webster scored a team-high 19 points in the 25-20, 10-25, 25-18, 25-20 victory for the United States, which finished the tournament with a record of 4-3.

After earning that podium placement in Athens, the team has its sights on another Paralympic medal at the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China.

"The World Championships give us a serious chance to qualify for Beijing as the top four teams – assuming China, as host country, also does well at the Worlds – earn spots," said Hulett.

"While we have not had any competition in 2005, the core of the team is the same; all played extensively in Athens, including Lora Webster, Brenda Maymon, Kendra Lancaster, Allison Aldrich and Lori Daniels," he added.

Team USA, which has been training for the World Championship since February in places like Northridge, Calif., Denver, Colo., and Atlanta, Ga., still has training camps planned April 27-30 in Reno, Nev., and May 27-June 3 in New Orleans, La.

The schedule for the 2006 Women’s Sitting Volleyball World Championship was announced on April 18. Team USA will be a member of Pool B along with 2004 Paralympic silver medalist the Netherlands, Brazil and Ukraine. Pool A consists of 2004 Paralympic gold medalist China, Japan, Lithuania and Slovenia.

The Americans will begin play on Monday, June 19 with a match against Ukraine, followed by a June 20 match against Para Pan American rival Brazil. The United States will then conclude pool play on Wednesday, June 21 against the Netherlands.

The championship round gets underway on Thursday, June 22. The bronze and gold-medal matches are scheduled for Saturday, June. 24.

2006 USA Women’s Sitting World Championship Roster

Allison Aldrich (Schuyler, Neb.)
Lori Daniels (Roanoke, Texas)
Katie Holloway (Lake Stevens, Wash.)
Kendra Lancaster (Sheridan, Ind.)
Brenda Maymon (Sellersburg, Ind.)
Nichole Millage (Champaign, Ill.)
Kari Miller (Champaign, Ill.)
Sarah Panzau (Belleville, Ill.)
Tatiana Rivera Torres (Bayamon, Puerto Rico)
Lora Webster (Cave Creek, Ariz.)

Head Coach: Mike Hulett (Des Plaines, Ill.)
Assistant Coaches: Denise Van De Walle (Bowling Green, Ohio) and Karey Kleinhenz (Louisville, Ky.)

2006 Women’s Sitting Volleyball World Championship Schedule

Pool A – China, Japan, Lithuania, Slovenia

Pool B – Brazil, Netherlands, Ukraine, United States

USA Matches

Sunday, June 18
Opening Ceremonies (No Match Scheduled)

Monday, June 19
Ukraine vs. USA

Tuesday, June 20
Brazil vs. USA

Wednesday, June 21
Netherlands vs. USA

Thursday, June 22
Quarterfinals

Friday, June 23
Consolation Semifinals
Championship Semifinals
Seventh-Place Match
Fifth-Place Match

Saturday, June 24
Bronze Medal Match
Gold Medal Match

About Sitting Volleyball

Sitting volleyball is played with athletes sitting on the floor. All team members have some type of disability to their lower body such as paralysis from polio, or single- or double-amputation. The net is about three feet high and the court is 10 meters by 6 meters with a 2-meter attack line. The only major differences between the standing game and sitting game besides the smaller court and lower net are: 1) players can block the serve; and 2) one "cheek" must be in contact with the floor when a person makes contact with the ball.