Hendrickson Selected To Train With U.S. Women’s Junior National Team
Photo: Ozark Sports Zone
Big news, major honor. Birdie Hendrickson of Logan-Rogersville High School will have some additional training this summer being selected as one of 20 athletes to train with USA Volleyball with the Junior National Team. The Florida Gator commit will be one of three setters. The group of 20 will train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center from July 6 – July 12, where the team will be chosen where 12 athletes will compete in the World Championships July 12-21 in Mexico.
Hendrickson was named the 2019 Gatorade Player of the Year (for the 2018 season) for the state of Missouri. She led her high school team to a Class 3 state championship and will be back for one more year to defend the title with her teammates. Hendrickson plays for Springfield Jrs. for her club ball. As a high school player Hendrickson is primarily an outside hitter where she has eclipsed over 1,000 kills in her career so far. However, with Team USA she will be training as a setter.
Who else is on this elite list? Hendrickson is one of five athletes from the Class of 2020 which include Taylor Landfair (Minnesota) out of the Chicago area, Mia Tuaniga (Long Beach State) out of So Cal, and two teammates from TAV in Jenna Wenaas (MInnesota) and Madison Williams (Texas).
Who else will be training as setters with Hendrickson? Ella May Powell who just finished her Freshman year at Washington and played her club ball at Ozark Juniors in Arkansas as well as Mia Tuaniga for Long Beach and will be a Senior this upcoming fall. Powell ran a 5-1 for Washington and was named to the PAC-12 All Freshman Team in 2018 as the Huskies made it to the Sweet Sixteen. Tauniga is one of the top setters out of California and staying close to home and playing at Long Beach State.