Marshall University Athletics
MCGILL: Debell gets opportunity to compete for USA Volleyball spot
2/21/2020 12:48:00 PM | Volleyball, Word on the Herd
The collegiate national team has two teams of 28 players each
By Chuck McGill
HerdZone.com
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Early Thursday morning, Marshall senior volleyball player Ciara Debell boarded a plane bound for Colorado Springs, Colorado. Once there, the native of Ocala, Florida, would begin competing for a spot on USA Volleyball's Women's National Team.
It's a massive opportunity for the Conference USA first team all-conference selection. According to the Team USA website, there are 45 liberos, 36 middles, 24 opposites, 62 outside hitters and 37 setters who will compete Friday through Sunday at U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center (OPTC).
"We are proud and excited for Ciara for this amazing opportunity to represent Marshall and showcase her skills among the top talent and coaches in the country," said Ari Aganus, Debell's head coach at Marshall.
It was Aganus who asked Debell if she'd be interested in the open tryouts, and the 6-foot-2 Debell had a quick answer in response.
"Who wouldn't?" Debell said.
Debell played in all 28 of Marshall's matches this season, helping the Herd to an 18-10 overall record – an eight-game improvement in the win column from the previous season. Debell ranked third in C-USA in kills with 4.18 per game, and was part of a team that was voted to finish 10th in the league in the C-USA preseason poll, but entered the conference tournament as the No. 4 seed after an impressive regular season.
Now Debell receive a boost ahead of her senior season at Marshall, competing with and against some of the best players in the United States, while also receiving exposure and coaching from some of the sport's best.
Debell doesn't sugarcoat it. Prior to her arrival at Marshall, where she instantly became one of the program's to players, she said she didn't bring the effort necessary to compete on a stage like the one in Colorado Springs. She reached this point, she said, because she evolved as a player and person and took the coaching from Aganus and her assistants.
"I was one of the kids who, before I got here, I just showed up," Debell said. "I clocked in and clocked out. Marshall changed that for me. I wanted to do more. I wanted to go bigger and expand what I'm doing. I never loved my sport this much until I came to Marshall. Being able to do this and go play with these girls who want to compete just as bad as I do, they want the spot as bad as I do, it's going to be a completely different ballgame."
At the Women's National Team tryouts, athletes will compete in three waves: red, white and blue. The "red" wave started competing first Friday afternoon, followed by the white and the blue.
Debell began Friday's tryouts with the "white" wave, competing in the Sports Center II – the main gym for tryouts. Debell will wear the number "W40" and compete with and against players from all over the country. Other outside hitters in her wave were from WKU, Washington, Missouri, Georgia Tech, Utah, Kennesaw State, Florida, UNLV, South Dakota, Creighton, Rice, Purdue, Maryland, Santa Clara, Kentucky, North Texas and Marquette.
USA Volleyball is in search of athletes to compete in two separate U.S. Women's Collegiate National teams training periods, while also scouting candidates for the Senior National Team. Both collegiate national teams consist of 28 players.
Overall, there are 214 competitors from 94 colleges.
"It's an exciting opportunity," Debell said. "It's a blessing."
Chuck McGill is the Assistant Athletic Director for Fan/Donor Engagement and Communications at Marshall University and a eight-time winner of the National Sports Media Association West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year award. In addition to HerdZone.com's Word on the Herd, McGill is the editor of Thundering Herd Illustrated, Marshall's official athletics publication. Follow him on Twitter (@chuckmcgill) and Instagram (wordontheherd).
