UMBC

Christine Skala is currently representing UMBC on the USA Select Team.

UMBC sophomore Christine Skala along with Marian Weidner from the University of Wisconsin were the co-authors of the latest postcard on Volley Central’s website of the 2004 USA Select Team’s trip to the Czech Republic to play in the European Spring Cup.  Skala and Weidner weighed in on the team’s latest happenings including their 3-1 win over England.  To read the postcard and to access all the postcards at volleycentral.com click on the link inside the full story.

The USA Select team lost to the Finland 3-1 before bouncing back to defeat England 3-1.  The team plays one more game when they take on Austria before heading back to Prague, Czech Republic and concluding their trip home. 

Skala and UMBC Head Volleyball Coach Greg Giovanazzi are both representing the Retrievers on the USA Select Team.  Skala was chosen as a player while Giovanazzi is one of three college coaches selected to coach the elite squad. 

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.