No, Jordan Thompson is not from around here. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find any connection to our local community… except for her name–Jordan. It just so happens that the name, Jordan, and volleyball are near synonymous in our broader community.
Women’s Volleyball Preliminary Match
USA v China
Watch: 9 AM on Peacock
This year marks the 27th season Coach Mike Jordan will have been with the New Mexico State University Volleyball program. This millennium has seen no other name associated with collegiate volleyball in our broader community. Having a “Jordan” playing volleyball and representing our nation in the Olympics is enough of a connection for us to root for her… and her (our) team.
It’s more than a name
Beyond the name, Jordan Thompson gives us, in the greater Las Cruces area, a goal to which to aspire. She is a collegiate athlete from the University of Cincinnati, a university boasting a handful of Gold Medal Olympians. Read the pride in this excerpt from the Cincinnati press release on Jordan’s selection this years Olympic team:
Thompson has been tabbed to her second consecutive Olympic roster. She was part of the 2020 U.S. team that won the gold medal in Tokyo, becoming the sixth Bearcat to earn a gold medal. She joined track and field athlete Mary Wineberg (2008), aquatics athlete Jennifer Kemp (1972) and soccer athlete Vanessa Giles (2020) as well as George Wilson (1964) and Oscar Robertson (1960) from the men’s basketball program.
What would it be like to have an Olympic Gold Medalist from our broader community. To be sure, we have had a few members of professional championship teams hail from our valleys: Roy Garela (football), Darius Holland (football), Carl Nicks (football), Randy Brown (basketball) and, most recently, Pascal Siakam (basketball). Rich Beem won the PGA Championship in 2002. Still, we have no Olympians to boast.
Jordan Thompson represents what we aspire to. She is someone we are sure current Aggies, and fellow Outside Hitters (Sidney McIntosh, Ashley Herman, Kacia Brown, Aleka Darko, Mari Sharp and Ryleigh Whitekettle), are watching. For this reason, Jordan Thompson, your name is enough for us root for you.
[As a bonus, the NMSU Aggies Volleyball will be hosting Cincinnati conference-mate, Arizona, this year. It’s a chance for us to shine against some Big XII competition. (See 2024 NM State Volleyball Schedule Unveiled)]
USA Volleyball write-up on this year’s Olympic Team:
USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12 players who will compete on the U.S. Women’s National Team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Source: USA Volleyball (Photo: Courtesy Cincinnati Athletics)
The roster includes eight players who won the gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and four players who will make their Olympic debuts in Paris.
Outside hitter Jordan Larson will compete in her fourth Olympic Games. She earned a silver medal from London 2012 and a bronze medal from Rio de Janeiro 2016 to go with her gold medal from Tokyo.
Outside hitter Kelsey Robinson Cook will make her third Olympic run. She competed in 2016 (bronze medal) and 2020 (gold medal).
Setter Jordyn Poulter, libero Justine Wong-Orantes, opposites Annie Drews and Jordan Thompson, and middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington will all compete in their second Olympics after winning the gold medal in Tokyo.
Setter Lauren Carlini, outside hitters Kathryn Plummer and Avery Skinner, and middle blocker Dana Rettke will make their Olympic debuts in Paris.
“We have so much for which to be grateful in our Women’s National Team: so many quality human beings who are dedicated, mindful and hard-working women. So many who have both people skills and volleyball skills at such a high level. Our core group of 25 Women’s National Teamers has done great work over the past months, preparing to help bring out the best in each person around her, with an eye toward the Paris Olympics.
“Roster selections like this bring both the bitter and the sweet. The bitter is that we cannot travel all 25 of these special women to Paris. But we will carry them in our hearts and thoughts, and they will continue to make us better until the last ball drops.
“The sweet is that our Olympic roster is now clear, and we are ecstatic for this group, and for our program. This group of athletes will be set to bring their best and be their most bulletproof, in what might be the deepest Olympic tournament ever. We can’t wait to watch them ‘Let It Rip’ in Paris!”
The five Olympic alternates for the U.S. Women are 2020 Olympic gold medalist Micha Hancock at setter, libero Morgan Hentz, outside hitter Sarah Wilhite Parsons, outside hitter/opposite Khalia Lanier, and middle blocker Anna Stevenson Hall.
The team will wait to name its official alternate, who will travel to Paris and can be subbed in for an injured player during the tournament.
“Our five alternates are a special group with difficult yet critical tasks,” Kiraly said. “They must bring a good version of themselves every day; do everything they can to make the team better; and stay ready in case of injury or illness. Nobody is more capable of exceeding in those tasks than these five women.”
The U.S. Women went into the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in the world. The team has competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. The U.S. Women qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, which the United States boycotted.
The U.S. Women have won one Olympic gold medal (2020), three silver medals (1984, 2008 and 2012) and two bronze medals (1992 and 2016).
The women’s Olympic competition schedule and pools will be revealed at the conclusion of the 2024 Volleyball Nations League preliminary rounds, which end on June 16. The U.S. Women play their final preliminary round of the Volleyball Nations League next week in Fukuoka, Japan.
Indoor volleyball at the 2024 Olympic Games will take place at South Paris Arena 1.
U.S. Women’s Roster for the Olympic Games Paris 2024
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Univ. of Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky, Lone Star)
4 Justine Wong-Orantes (L, 5-6, Cypress, Calif., Univ. of Nebraska, Southern California)
7 Lauren Carlini (S, 6-2, Aurora, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
10 Jordan Larson (OH, 6-2, Hooper, Neb., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Plains)
11 Annie Drews (Opp, 6-4, Elkhart, Ind., Purdue Univ., Hoosier)
12 Jordan Thompson (Opp, 6-4, Edina, Minn., Univ. of Cincinnati, North Country)
15 Haleigh Washington (MB, 6-3, Colorado Springs, Colo., Penn State Univ., Rocky Mountain)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Kathryn Plummer (OH, 6-6, Aliso Viejo, Calif., Stanford Univ., Southern California)
23 Kelsey Robinson Cook (OH, 6-2, Bartlett, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska, Great Lakes)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
Alternates
1 Micha Hancock (S, 5-11, Edmond, Okla., Penn State Univ., Oklahoma)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
13 Sarah Wilhite Parsons (OH, 6-2, Eden Prairie, Minn., Univ. of Minnesota, North Country)
14 Anna Stevenson Hall (MB, 6-2, Laurens, S.C., Univ. of Louisville, Palmetto)
29 Khalia Lanier (OH/Opp, 6-2, Scottsdale, Ariz., Univ. of Southern California, Arizona)
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coaches: Tama Miyashiro, Erin Virtue, Alfee Reft
Consultant Coach: Marv Dunphy
Physical Therapist/Athletic Trainer: Kara Kessans
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Brandon Siakel
Performance Analyst: Rianne Verhoek
Team Leader: Coley Pawlikowski
Mental Performance Coach: Katy Stanfill
Culture Consultant: Sue Enquist
Dietitian: Shawn Hueglin
Massage Therapist: Ricardo Brambila
Team Doctor: Dr. Lori Boyajian-O’Neill
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