Creighton’s Martin & Sis Named To Train With USA Volleyball's U23 National Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Two members of the 2024 Creighton Volleyball team are part of the training pool of 18 women who will train with the 2025 Women's U23 National Team for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup, which will be held July 25-August 2 in Leon, Mexico.  

The selected athletes will gather for a training block at the National Team Training Center in Anaheim, Calif., from July 18-25. From this pool, 12 athletes will be chosen to represent the United States in Mexico.  

DePaul University women's head coach Marie Zidek will lead the team, assisted by five-time Olympian Danielle Scott (LOVB) and Olympian Kayla Banwarth (PVF). 

"This is a well-balanced group, deep with skill and talent in every position, and it's capable of producing many points in a variety of ways," Zidek said. "They will work diligently this summer to become an organized team. My staff and I are excited for this unique program responsibility. We will strive to develop a strong team game that continues to represent USA Volleyball with competitive pride."  

Last summer Martin was one of 19 women's collegiate athletes to be selected for the 2024 Women's Collegiate National Team, which trained in Anaheim, Calif., alongside the U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team. Sis won gold medals with the Women's U21 National Team in both 2022 and 2023 at the Pan Am Cup, earning "Second Best Spiker" honors following her second competition.

Last season at Creighton, the duo formed once of the most formidable outside hitting tandems in the nation to help the Bluejays finish 32-3 and reach its first Elite Eight since 2016. Both women were unanimous All-BIG EAST selections and named AVCA All-Americans in 2024. Martin will return for her senior year in August looking to help Creighton win a 12th consecutive BIG EAST Conference title, while Sis won the Pro Volleyball Federation title with the Orlando Valkyries earlier this month and looks to carry that momentum into her second professional season next spring.
 
Creighton has had several women play internationally with USA Volleyball in recent seasons, as Brittany Witt (Thailand), Jaali Winters (Croatia), Taryn Kloth (China) and Sis (Mexico) have all represented Team USA at one time or another in the past decade. Sis was part of back-to-back gold medal-winning teams at the U21 Women's NORCECA Pan American Cup, while Kloth became Creighton's first female student-athlete to compete in the Olympics last summer when she tied for ninth in Beach Volleyball along with partner Kristen Nuss.

As the countdown to LA 2028 continues, the U23 Pan American Cup provides a vital opportunity for elite player development and international experience within USA Volleyball's national team pipeline.

USA Volleyball Women's U23 Roster 
Name, (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region) 
Merritt Beason (OPP, 6-3, 2003, Gardendale, Ala., Pro Volleyball Federation, Southern)  
Lauren Briseño (L, 5-7, 2003, San Antonio, Texas, Baylor Univ., Lone Star) 
Brooke Bultema (MB, 2004, Cincinnati, Ohio, Univ. of Kentucky, Ohio Valley) 
Averi Carlson (S, 5-11, 2003, Lucas, Texas, SMU, North Texas) 
Chloe Chicoine (OH, 5-10, 2004, Lafayette, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier) 
Raven Colvin (MB, 6-1, 2003, Indianapolis, Ind., Pro Volleyball Federation, Hoosier) 
Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (MB, 6-2, 2004, Flower Mound, Texas, Texas A&M, North Texas) 
Cara Cresse (MB, 6-6, 2003, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Louisville, Hoosier) 
Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, 2004, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Univ. of Kentucky, Hoosier) 
Devin Kahahawai (OPP, 6-4, 2004, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha) 
Caroline Kerr (S, 5-11, 2004, Champaign, Ill., Univ. of Tennessee, Great Lakes) 
Emmy Klika (L, 5-7, 2003, Novelty, Ohio, Pro Volleyball Federation, Ohio Valley) 
Ava Martin (OH, 6-1, 2004, Overland Park, Kan., Creighton Univ., Heart of America) 
Jurnee Robinson (OPP/OH, 6-1, 2004, Simpsonville, S.C., LSU, Palmetto)  
Lauren Rumel (OH, 6-2, 2003, Tucson, Ariz., Oregon State Univ., Arizona) 
Marianna Singletary (MB, 6-4, 2004, Charleston, S.C., N/A, Southern) 
Norah Sis (OH, 6-2, 2003, Papillion, Neb., Pro Volleyball Federation, Great Plains)  
Ella Swindle (S, 6-2, 2004, Columbia, Mo., Univ. of Texas, Heart of America)  

Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul)  
Assistant Coach: Kayla Banwarth (PVF, Olympian) 
Assistant Coach: Danielle Scott (LOVB, Olympian) 
Performance Analyst: Matthew Andrews (Michigan) 
ATC: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare) 
Team Lead: Taylor Marten (Ozark Juniors)