OLATHE, Kan. – USA Athletes International has selected Warner University senior Orlando Catalan Jr. and sophomore Brad Connors as two of 10 men’s volleyball players from the United States to play in the 2010 DKV International Volleyball Tournament in Groningen, Holland being held June 7-15, 2010.
This year’s tournament is the 27th edition of the DKV Tournament and has 97 teams registered; it is the largest tournament in the Northern Netherlands. It is organized by all three student volleyball clubs in Groningen: Donitas, Kroton and Veracles and will be held at the Sports Center (ALCO) at the Zernike Complex in Groningen. The tournament hosts about 1200 participants yearly from all parts of the country and will have teams from Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom, and Italy.
The tournament is broken up into different levels of play with indoor play representing the top level and outdoor play for the beginners; there will be different levels in between the two levels. Team USA will play in the highest level of indoor play.
Catalan, Connors and the rest of the USA Team will have two days of intense action. The first day of play is the Round Robin portion and the second day will be more Round Robin play in the morning before the Finals in the afternoon. The team will be coached by Doug Porrell of NCAA-III Mount Ida College (Mass.)
Catalan, a middle blocker from Coburg, Germany and Connors, a setter from Chicago, Ill. were redshirts for the Royals in the 2010 season. Catalan, was the Royals 2009 hitting percentage leader with a .352 hitting percentage and second on the team in blocks with 72 total blocks to go along with 162 kills. Connors joined the Royals this season after transferring to Warner from Cardinal Stritch University (Wis.)
Established in 1992, USA Athletes International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving amateur athletes the opportunity to experience the competition, history, and culture of other countries on an international level.