UF coach Wise takes bronze with Team USA

Posted Jun 27, 2010 by Aaron Oberlin

Updated Jun 28, 2010 at 03:14 PM

Even though the 2010 Florida volleyball season begins Aug. 28, head coach Mary Wise already has some big victories this year.

The most notable win came June 26.

Wise, team leader of the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Team, helped direct Team USA to a 25-15, 25-20, 25-17 sweep of Cuba in the bronze-medal match of the IX Pan American Cup held in Tijuana, Mexico. The Dominican Republic beat Peru 25-17, 30-28, 25-22 in subsequent games, taking gold.

“Our main goal was to qualify to the World Grand Prix, but it was good to see our team coming back strong after the loss of last night (to Dominican Republic),” said U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Hugh McCutcheon. “We are happy with the victory and happy about going to the Grand Prix next year.”

Team USA earned its first medal at the Pan American Cup since 2004. The team had a decent run prior to the five-year drought. The U.S. medaled in the first three Women’s Pan American Cups, starting with a bronze in the inaugural event in 2002, then a gold in 2003 and a silver in 2004.

Megan Hodge (Durham, N.C.) scored 16 points to lead the U.S. Other than Hodge’s dominant performance, the U.S.‘s seven errors compared to Cuba’s 27 and an 11-6 blocking edge were deciding factors.

The U.S. Women’s National Team’s next tournament will be the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix from Aug. 6 to 29, but it will take part in two Red vs. Blue exhibition matches in July.