UMBC

UMBC's Christine Skala led the USA Select Team with a team-high nine kills in their 3-1 win over Denmark.

The USA Select Team, which is represented by UMBC’s head coach Greg Giovanazzi as one of three coaches and student-athlete Christine Skala, have got off to a solid start in the 2004 European Spring Cup in Brno, Czech Republic.  Skala in the first game recorded 23 receptions as the libero against a tough Azerbijan squad and recorded a team-high nine digs against Denmark.  For photos and journals on the trip visit the volleyball central link a top the full story. 

The USA Select Team is 2-1 so far with an opening round loss to Azerbijan before defeating Slovakia and Denmark, both three games to one.    

Sanctioned by the USAV and organized by Bring It Promotions, the USA Select Team is participating from May 6 to 16, 2004 in the European Spring Cup for the 5th consecutive year. This year's competition is again in Brno, Czech Republic and has a field of 15 other European National Teams including: Czech Republic (A and B Teams), *Slovakia, Slovenia (recently added when Romania dropped out), Estonia, Turkey, *Denmark, England, Finland, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, *Azerbijan, Belarus, and Sweden ("*" teams are in the USA Select Team's pool to start the tournament).

Azerbijan recently beat the USA National Team in the Yeltsin Tournament in Russia and is the Spring Cup favorite entering competition. Turkey won the European Championships last summer and is another threat to this summer's title.

The USA Select Team comprises top collegiate players, including many women that are considered part of the USAV "pipeline" of potential National Team atheltes. Coaching the team are veteran Spring Cup Gurus Reed Sunahara (University of Cincinnati) and Matt Darling (Auburn University), and former USA National Team Coach and Player Greg Giovanazzi (UMBC).