ACOG - Volleyball - IBM

Who to Watch in Volleyball - Women

BRAZIL (BRA)

With second place finishes at the 1994 world championships, 1995 World Cup and 1995 World Grand Prix, Brazil secured its place among the world's top teams and could add to its growing legacy with a first-ever Olympic medal. The only team to appear in each of the previous four Olympic tournaments, the Brazilians have gradually climbed up the rankings, finishing seventh in 1980 and 1984, sixth in 1988 and fourth in 1992. The team could continue its rise to the medal podium behind an experienced squad led by three-time Olympians Fernanda VENTURINI and Marcia CUNHA. In her second Olympic tournament, Ana MOSER earned honors as the top server at the World Grand Prix while newcomer Leila BARROS provides some left-handed power at the net.

CANADA (CAN)

An increasingly familiar presence at the top international events, ever-improving Canada continues to close the gap on some of the world's top teams. Quickly establishing a volleyball tradition of its own, Canada captured its first-ever medal in major international women's competition with a third-place finish at the 1995 Pan American Games. Brigitte SOUCY and Janis KELLY rank as the team's top hitters, with KELLY earning all-tournament honors at the 1994 Canada Cup. Christine STARK and Tara MACINTYRE lead the squad in blocks. Named the best serving team at the 1995 World Cup, Canada earned its place in the Games by defeating the Dominican Republic in the North America/Central America/Caribbean qualifying tournament.

CHINA (CHN)

In just its fourth appearance in the Games, the People's Republic of China is already accustomed to volleyball success after winning a gold medal in 1984 and a bronze medal in 1988. Although the names have changes, the 1996 team may be ready for another trip to the victory podium. The players on the new Chinese roster average just over 22 years of age but still have some experience with two-time Olympians SUN Yu, LI Yan, LAI Yawen and WANG Yi. SUN ranked among the top blockers and servers at the World Cup tournament while WU Yongmei ranked among the leaders in attacks. Hitter CUI Yongmei also helped power the team to a championship at the 94 Canada Cup and a third place finish at the 1995 World Cup.

CUBA (CUB)

With a line-up that rarely changes, Cuba has dominated international competition. In addition to the 1992 Olympic gold medal, Cuba captured the 1994 world championship, 1994 World Super Four title, 1995 Pan American Games championship and three consecutive World Cup crowns. Once again ranked number one in the world, the Cubans are led by World Cup most valuable player Mireya Luis and top blocker Magaly Carvajal. CARVAJAL also earned best blocker honors at the World Grand Prix. Olympic veterans Marlenis Costa, Lilia Izquierdo, Regla Bell and the team's youngest star, Ana Ibis Fernandez, round out the powerful lineup.

GERMANY (GER)

Playing under one flag for the first time in Olympic volleyball competition, Germany earned its trip to the Games as the European Continental champion. Competing separately at the Games from 1968 to 1988, the German Democratic Republic won a silver medal in 1980 in one of its three Olympic appearances while the Federal Republic of Germany earned a sixth-place finish in 1984 for the best of its two tournament finishes.

JAPAN (JPN)

Appearing in its eighth Olympic Tournament, Japan enters the Centennial Games as one of the most successful women's teams in Olympic volleyball history. Making more Olympic appearances than any other country, Japan won the very first Olympic volleyball gold medal in 1964 and earned a second championship in 1976. Appearing in her third Olympic Games, Mokoto OBAYASHI ranked as the number two scorer at the 1995 World Cup while Tomoko Yoshihara ranked among the top attackers. Chieko NAKANISHI led the World Cup field in setting and Mika SAIKI led the tournament in serving as Japan finished sixth in World Cup competition. Japan qualified for the Games as the first ranked team from the World Qualifying Tournament in Osaka, Japan in early June.

KOREA (KOR)

One of the original teams at the inaugural 1964 Olympic tournament, Korea earned its seventh trip to the Games through the Asian qualification tournament. Always among the tournament's top defensive teams, Korea finished fifth a the 1995 World Cup with CHANG Yoon-Hee ranking among the top diggers and CHUNG Sun-Hye rated among the best receivers. CHANG So-Yun leads the team in blocks while LEE Soo-Jung provides the sets. Korea went winless at the 1964 Games but could have been the tournament's most valuable team. After a team's last-minute withdrawal threatened to cancel of the 1964 tournament, Korea agreed to send its squad to the Games to complete the field and ensure the success of the first Olympic volleyball tournament.

THE NETHERLANDS (NED)

The second-ranked team at the World Qualifying Tournament in Osaka, Japan, the Netherlands makes its second straight Olympic appearance following a sixth place showing in 1988. Elles LEFERINK ranked among the 1995 World Cup's leaders in scoring, attacking and serving while Jerine FLEURKE ranked among the top blockers. The Dutch placed eighth in the 12-team World Cup competition. The Netherlands made its Olympic volleyball debut in 1992 and returns five veterans from its first Olympic squad including Sanda WIEGERS, Erna BRINKMAN, Irena MACHOVACAK, Marjolein de JONG and Henriette WEERSING.

PERU (PER)

Peru won the Olympic silver medal in 1988, but the latest version of the team bears little resemblance to the much-publicized Olympic runner-up. The youngest team in the tournament, the Peruvians average just over 20 years of age but continue to improve while gaining international experience. The South American continental qualifier, Peru finished tenth at the 1995 World Cup with F. Miragros CONTRERAS ranking among the tournament's top setters and Milagro MOY ALVARADO rated among the championship's top receivers. Making its sixth Olympic tournament appearance, Peru also features one of the competition's youngest athletes: sixteen-year old Diana SOTO DELFIN.

RUSSIA (RUS)

Although competing for their own country for the first time at the Games, Russian players have a long tradition of Olympic volleyball excellence. Russian-born athletes dominated the rosters of the former Soviet Union teams and helped that country win four gold and two silver medals between 1964 and 1988. A veteran of two previous Olympic tournaments, Valentina Oguienko could earn a medal under a third flag after winning a gold medal for the Soviet Union in 1988 and a silver medal playing for the Unified Team in 1992. Hard-hitting Yevgeniya Artamonova and Yelena Batukhtina also earend silver medals for the Unified Team along with 1994 Super Four's best digger, Marina NIKULINA. Russia won the bronze medal at the 1994 World Championships.

UKRAINE (UKR)

Appearing in its first Olympic volleyball tournament as an independent country, Ukraine earned its trip to the Games as the third-place team at the World Qualifying Tournament in Osaka, Japan. Although wearing their own country's uniform for the first time, Ukrainian athletes helped power the former the Soviet Union to gold medals in 1968, 1972, 1980 and 1988. The Ukrainian volleyball team, along with the country's water polo and women's basketball squads, represent Ukraine's hopes for a first-ever team medal in Olympic competition.

UNITED STATES (USA)

After winning its first major international title at the 1995 World Grand Prix, an experienced United States team returns to the Games with a chance to add to its growing medal collection. Eight players return from the 1992 Olympic bronze medal squad including three-time Olympians Caren Kemner, Paula Weishoff and Tammy Liley. The starting line-up remains virtually intact from Barcelona with Liley, setter Lori Endicott, Grand Prix Most Valuable Player Tara Cross-Battle, hitter Tonya "Teee" Williams and sisters Elaina ODEN and Bev Oden. In addition to the 1992 bronze medal, the U.S. team won a silver medal in Los Angeles in 1984.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Howard Thomas.


Olympic Factoid
More tickets were sold to the competitions of the 1996 Games than to any other Olympic Games or sports event in history. The 8.6 million ticket sales figures topped sales to the Los Angeles and Barcelona Games combined.