Bittinger to Compete in European Global Challenge
7/6/2017 5:29:00โฏPM | Women's Volleyball
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KENT, Ohio โ Kent State volleyball senior Kelsey Bittinger will compete at the upcoming 2017 European Global Challenge, which is set for July 11-14 in Pula, Croatia. Bittinger is part of the Bring It Promotions' U23 Midwest Team that will compete against teams from the Czech Republic, Iran, Israel, Italy and Slovenia.
In its 13th year, the European Global Challenge is designed to give American players experience playing against international teams with FIVB rules.
"I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be part of the European Global Challenge," Bittinger said. "This tournament will be my first international competition and trip to Europe, and I can't wait to learn as much as possible. Being able to meet, travel and play with other college players has me really excited for this trip."
Bittinger's 12-day trip began on Wednesday (July 5) as she flew to Prague, Czech Republic, where her team will practice and play a pair of friendly matches on July 7-8. The Midwest Team will then travel to Maribor, Slovenia for another friendly contest on July 9 before making its way to Pula for the opening ceremony on the evening of July 10.
Preliminary round matches of the European Global Challenge will be played July 11-12 with the opening round of the championship tournament beginning July 12. Each team is guaranteed at least three tournament matches with the championship being played on July 14.
The team will stop in Venice, Italy, on July 15 for a sightseeing tour and then return to the USA on July 16.
Bittinger was selected to participate in this year's tournament through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 3-5 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Recent Kent State graduate Drew Norberg represent the Northern California Volleyball Association (NCVA) at the 2014 European Global Challenge.
The 6-0 outside hitter enters her senior year as one of the most decorated players in Kent State volleyball history. Bittinger and classmate Challen Geraghty are the program's only players ever to earn multiple selections to the All-MAC First Team. In last year's MAC Tournament match against Toledo, Bittinger became just the fourth Kent State player to total 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, and is the only player to accomplish both milestones prior to her senior year. An applied physics major with a 3.976 cumulative grade point average, she was selected to the 2016 CoSIDA Academic All-Americaยฎ Third Team.
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