Keene to train, compete with U.S. Collegiate national team

Posted on April 9, 2016

*Keane to train with U.S. team. (WJBC File Photo)*

By Matt Wing, ISU

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Illinois State rising junior Jaelyn Keene has been selected to train and compete as part of the U.S. Collegiate National Team-Indianapolis, USA Volleyball announced Friday.

Keene was one of 36 players named to the squad, which is part of USA Volleyball’s High Performance pipeline and is considered a second tryout for the U.S. Women’s National Team.

The group will train and compete from June 21-30 in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the program is divided into three 12-player rosters from the training portion, the competition phase involving a round-robin tournament of the three squads will take place June 26-29 under the same roof as the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.

“It feels awesome and I am so grateful to be chosen. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I am really excited,” Keene said. “It will be a great experience getting to play with other great volleyball players. I’m looking forward to those days in Indy and I can’t wait to make some amazing memories.”

A two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference First-Team and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region selection, Keene has been a key member of the Illinois State volleyball team the past two years.

Keene registered 336 kills (2.82 per set) and 99 blocks (0.83 per set) during the 2015 season, while starting every match for the Redbirds.

In 2014, Keene tallied 364 kills (2.94 per set) and 127 blocks (1.02 per set) as a freshman. She helped guide Illinois State to Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles before the team advanced to the NCAA Tournament’s second round. Keene was named the 2014 AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year.

Keene has added totals of 47 aces and 171 digs over the past two seasons. She has averaged 3.64 points per set over her two seasons, and is the career hitting percentage leader for both Illinois State and the MVC, with a career .384 mark.

Keene was one of 231 collegiate players to compete at the USA Volleyball Women’s National Team Tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in February.

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