The U.S. Women’s Sitting National Team is looking for its third straight gold medal in Paris.
Eleven of the 12 team members are gold medalists, including seven who were on both gold-medal winning teams. The U.S. has won a medal in every Paralympics since women’s sitting volleyball was added to the slate in 2004, including one bronze and two silver medals to go with their two golds. Middle blocker Lora Webster competed in each of those Games and will be a six-time Paralympian in Paris.
Katie Holloway Bridge and Heather Erickson will be five-time Paralympians, and Kaleo Kanahele Maclay and Monique Matthews are competing in their fourth Paralympics. Bethany Zummo and Lexi Shifflett-Patterson will be three-time Paralympians. Whitney Dosty, Tia Edwards, Nicky Nieves and Emma Schieck all return for their second Paralympics. Sydney Satchell is making her Paralympic debut in Paris.
The U.S. is currently ranked third in the world after choosing not to attend the 2023 World ParaVolley Championships. This year at the World ParaVolley Super 6 tournament, the U.S. defeated both No. 1 ranked Brazil and No. 2 Canada en route to the gold medal.
Athletes to Watch:
Heather Erickson: The five-time Paralympian was the MVP at the recent Super 6 tournament and the MVP and Best Receiver at the 2016 Paralympic Games.
Katie Holloway Bridge: Also a five-time Paralympian, Holloway Bridge took some time away from the team after Tokyo to have her first child. She returned in 2023 without missing a beat and was named Best Blocker at the 2024 Super 6 tournament. She was the MVP at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
Kaleo Kanahele Maclay: The four-time Paralympian was the Best Setter at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the Best Setter at the 2024 Super 6.
Bethany Zummo: Zummo, a three-time Paralympian, was best libero at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and the 2024 Super 6.
Monique Matthews: Four-time Paralympian Monique Matthews was the Best Blocker at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics.
U.S. Women’s Sitting Volleyball Roster for the Paralympic Games Paris 2024
No., Name, Pos., Height, Hometown, USAV Region
1 Lora Webster (MB, 5-11, Point Lookout, N.Y., Garden Empire)
2 Bethany Zummo (L, 5-3, Dublin, Calif., Northern California)
3 Lexi Shifflett-Patterson (S/L, 5-4, Waseca, Minn., North Country)
5 Katie Holloway Bridge (OH, 6-3, Lake Stevens, Wash., Puget Sound)
6 Heather Erickson (OPP, 6-0, Fayetteville, N.C., Carolina)
7C Monique Matthews (MB/OH, 6-0, Ardmore, Okla., Oklahoma)
8 Whitney Dosty (OH/OPP, 6-3, Tucson, Ariz., Arizona)
9 Tia Edwards (OH/MB, 5-7, Skiatook, Okla., Oklahoma)
10 Sydney Satchell (L, 5-2, Windsor, Conn., New England)
12 Emma Schieck (OH, 5-7, Statesville, N.C., Carolina)
14 Kaleo Kanahele Maclay (S, 5-6, Honolulu, Hawaii, Oklahoma)
16 Nicky Nieves (MB/OH, 5-10, Kissimmee, Fla., Florida)
For inquiries: Laura Fawcett - laura.fawcett@usav.org