Incoming freshman setter Jordyn Poulter will join the Fighting Illini volleyball team next month, but this summer she spent traveling and playing overseas with the U.S. Women's Junior National Team. After leading Team USA to gold at the 2014 NORCECA Championships in Guatemala last summer, Poulter was once again selected to set for the team this year. This time, the Aurora, Colorado, native travelled with the United States to Europe to participate in the European Global Challenge. After playing four exhibition matches in Italy and Slovenia, Poulter led Team USA to claim the European Global Challenge title in Croatia on July 16. (Read More)
We caught up with Poulter after she returned to the United States to reflect on her trip:
Q: What was the highlight of the trip on the court? Off the court?
A: The highlight of the trip was definitely winning the Gold and finally beating Italy. Off the court, going down to the beach everyday for a couple hours and also enjoying all of the delicious cappuccinos.
Q: You've played with national teams before, but what's one thing that stood out to you about this specific trip? Did anything surprise you?
A: One thing that stood out to me moreso than previous years was how much we grew as a team over the course of two weeks.
Q: How do you think your experience with the Junior National Team will help you prepare for this fall at Illinois?
A: My experience with the Junior National Team will help me in the sense that international volleyball is so physical, much like the college game is. Hopefully that will make the transition smoother.
Q: You will only have a few weeks to train with the Illini before opening day…how do you think your background with national teams will help you adjust during training camp?
A: With the Junior National Team there is always a short window to bond with your teammates, so I think coming into a situation where I will have to make connections with people in such a short amount of time will be easier due to my experience with Team USA.
Q: What are you most looking forward to when you get to campus?
A: I'm looking forward to getting to know and spend time with my teammates.
Q: What was going through your head during the Championship match? How does it feel to win a huge tournament like this?
A: Throughout the match, whether we were winning or losing, I just had a feeling it was going to end in five sets and be a battle every single point. Those are the matches that make me love the game the most. It feels incredible to win in the way that we did, it was a full team effort, but its always sad having to part ways with teammates you've become very close with.
