MALIBU, Calif. ­Â— Pepperdine’s Lilla Frederick has been named to the U.S. Women’s Junior National Team that will compete at the FIVB World Championships in July, USA Volleyball recently announced.

 

Frederick (Huntington Beach, Calif./Cornelia Connelly HS), who will be a sophomore in the fall, was also a member of the U.S. team in 2008 that won a gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Championships. That result qualified the U.S. for this year’s FIVB World Championships, which will be contested in Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico, from July 16-25.

 

“It’s an honor,” Frederick said. “It’s a great opportunity to further my volleyball career, to play against a lot of top-of-the-line athletes, and to represent Pepperdine.”

 

The U.S. team is coached by Paula Weishoff-Hanold (head coach at UC Irvine). She is assisted by Denise Corlett (associate head coach at Stanford University) and John Corbelli (associate head coach at Texas A&M University).

 

An outside hitter for the Waves, Frederick is expected to compete for the starting libero position with the U.S. She made the West Coast Conference’s All-Freshman team in 2008, averaging 2.39 kills (third on the team) and 2.80 digs (second on the team and ninth in the WCC). She appeared in 100 of a possible 101 sets.

 

She also previously competed for the U.S. at the youth national team level.

 

“I know Lilla is really excited about playing and training with the USA team,” Pepperdine Coach Nina Matthies said. “She loves to compete at the international level. It’s wonderful that she’ll be able to play this summer against a high-caliber level of opponent.”

 

Earlier this spring, Frederick partnered with teammate Kiah Fiers to win the first-ever USA Volleyball Collegiate Challenge, a one-day sand volleyball event held in Long Beach.