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Pepperdine University Athletics

Team
Morgan Davenport

Women's Volleyball by Athletic Communications

Seven Waves Invited to U.S. Women's National Team Open Program

MALIBU, Calif. — The Pepperdine women's volleyball team had an impressive number of Waves invited to the U.S. Women's National Team Open Program at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Running from February 25-27. 
 
Representing the Waves are graduate student Riley Patterson, juniors Emma Ammerman, Meg Brown and Birdie Hendrickson, sophomore Grace Chillingworth and freshmen Rosemary Archer and Emily Hellmuth.  This is the first tryout of its kind for these seven.
 
The Women's National Team Open Program (WNTOP), formerly known as the Open Tryout, is a part of the selection process for the U.S. Women's National Team, NCAA Elite Athlete List and 2022 Collegiate National Team.  It is led by U.S. Women's National Team Head Coach Karch Kiraly, the women's national team staff and volleyball coaches from around the country, as athletes participate in skill-specific activities and match play throughout the program.
 
Spectators are not allowed in the gym, but fans may watch online on https://www.ballertv.com/.
 
More than 200 athletes from around the country are registered for the three-day event, including nine from West Coast Conference opponent BYU, five from San Diego and Santa Clara and four from LMU in addition to the seven Waves.
 
Waves have won Olympic medals in 17 different competitions since 1964, with totals of eight gold, eight silver and six bronze.  In women's volleyball, Linda Chisholm helped the Americans to a 1984 silver medal, becoming the second female Pepperdine alumna to do so.  The first had been Marilyn White in the 4x100 relay in 1964.
 
Kim Hill then won a bronze in the 2016 Olympic Games and a gold in the 2020 Olympic Games, the third and fourth medals by a female Wave and first since Chisholm.  The Waves have had a solid presence on previous national teams, including most currently Hill, who was invited to the 2013 open tryout and asked to train with the national team in May 2013.  She had been a mainstay on the court for the Americans for eight years, but in January 2022 announced her retirement from the red, white and blue.
 
Follow the Waves all season on social media @WavesVolleyball on Facebook and Twitter and @peppvolley on Instagram.
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Emma Ammerman

#11 Emma Ammerman

OH/OPP
6' 3"
Junior
Meg Brown

#12 Meg Brown

MB
6' 3"
Junior
Grace  Chillingworth

#1 Grace Chillingworth

OH/OPP
6' 3"
Sophomore
Rosemary Archer

#9 Rosemary Archer

S
6' 0"
Freshman
HS
Emily Hellmuth

#10 Emily Hellmuth

OH
6' 3"
Freshman
HS
Riley Patterson

#19 Riley Patterson

L/DS
5' 7"
Graduate Student
TR
Birdie Hendrickson

#7 Birdie Hendrickson

S
6' 2"
Junior
TR

Players Mentioned

Emma Ammerman

#11 Emma Ammerman

6' 3"
Junior
OH/OPP
Meg Brown

#12 Meg Brown

6' 3"
Junior
MB
Grace  Chillingworth

#1 Grace Chillingworth

6' 3"
Sophomore
OH/OPP
Rosemary Archer

#9 Rosemary Archer

6' 0"
Freshman
HS
S
Emily Hellmuth

#10 Emily Hellmuth

6' 3"
Freshman
HS
OH
Riley Patterson

#19 Riley Patterson

5' 7"
Graduate Student
TR
L/DS
Birdie Hendrickson

#7 Birdie Hendrickson

6' 2"
Junior
TR
S