Fresno State Athletics
Doyle enjoys USA Volleyball experience
3/2/2022 11:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State Volleyball junior Grace Doyle embarked on a weekend journey to the USA Olympic Training Center to compete in USA Volleyball's Women's National Team Open Program.
One of nearly 200 players selected from Division I programs across the country, Doyle became the first Bulldog in program history to be selected to try out for the program that will be dwindled down to the Collegiate National Team that will compete this summer.
With the program running from last Friday through Sunday, Doyle was able to get on the court for four sessions as each session included serve and pass followed by hitting warmups and then playing 6-on-6.
Broken up into three waves, Doyle played with different players in her wave throughout the weekend so getting familiar with different playing styles and players proved eye-opening.
"It was crazy," Doyle said. "I thought we had good talent here and in the Mountain West, but to see and play against teams from every conference and some big schools, you got to see how different parts of the country play volleyball. The level of play was great, there was so many people and they were all really good, everyone certainly should have been there."
Head Coach Jonathan Winder, a former member of the U.S. National Team and an alternate on the 2012 Summer Olympics team, knows what it is like to play at the highest level and was glad Doyle got that experience, "Grace is fantastic and she has gotten better each year. She was ready for another challenge and an opportunity to play with some other high-level players and be exposed to what the highest level of volleyball in our country looks like so it was a neat opportunity for her to get around (head coach) Karch Kiraly and his staff and she has really shown progress in the last few years."
Jumping at the opportunity to compete at an elite level and get to go to the Olympic Training Center, Doyle found it easy to mesh with everyone since they were all there to play volleyball and got more comfortable as the weekend went along.
Taking what she learned from three full days of high-level volleyball, Doyle will look to use her experience back at Fresno State as the 'Dogs enter the spring and take it into next season, "One thing that coach Kiraly preached is volleyball is not easy and volleyball is a process and you have to take it day-by-day and you are not going to be good on the very first day. It is a weird game and is hard sometimes so just take it day-by-day and if it is a bad day, then tomorrow will be a good day and not hold onto it for too long."
"Anytime you can play against some other high-level players, it is a good learning opportunity and be exposed to that and now she gets to work on it. Maybe she picked up on a few things other players were doing and now she can try and mimic them here during the spring and this is her first offseason with our team. This was a great opportunity to be exposed to some stuff and not just hear it from me," Winder added.
The pool of players will be trimmed down for a training camp in Anaheim in mid-June before starting play in the summer.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley"" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateVB
Instagram:Â FresnoStatevball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateVB
One of nearly 200 players selected from Division I programs across the country, Doyle became the first Bulldog in program history to be selected to try out for the program that will be dwindled down to the Collegiate National Team that will compete this summer.
With the program running from last Friday through Sunday, Doyle was able to get on the court for four sessions as each session included serve and pass followed by hitting warmups and then playing 6-on-6.
Broken up into three waves, Doyle played with different players in her wave throughout the weekend so getting familiar with different playing styles and players proved eye-opening.
"It was crazy," Doyle said. "I thought we had good talent here and in the Mountain West, but to see and play against teams from every conference and some big schools, you got to see how different parts of the country play volleyball. The level of play was great, there was so many people and they were all really good, everyone certainly should have been there."
Head Coach Jonathan Winder, a former member of the U.S. National Team and an alternate on the 2012 Summer Olympics team, knows what it is like to play at the highest level and was glad Doyle got that experience, "Grace is fantastic and she has gotten better each year. She was ready for another challenge and an opportunity to play with some other high-level players and be exposed to what the highest level of volleyball in our country looks like so it was a neat opportunity for her to get around (head coach) Karch Kiraly and his staff and she has really shown progress in the last few years."
Jumping at the opportunity to compete at an elite level and get to go to the Olympic Training Center, Doyle found it easy to mesh with everyone since they were all there to play volleyball and got more comfortable as the weekend went along.
Taking what she learned from three full days of high-level volleyball, Doyle will look to use her experience back at Fresno State as the 'Dogs enter the spring and take it into next season, "One thing that coach Kiraly preached is volleyball is not easy and volleyball is a process and you have to take it day-by-day and you are not going to be good on the very first day. It is a weird game and is hard sometimes so just take it day-by-day and if it is a bad day, then tomorrow will be a good day and not hold onto it for too long."
"Anytime you can play against some other high-level players, it is a good learning opportunity and be exposed to that and now she gets to work on it. Maybe she picked up on a few things other players were doing and now she can try and mimic them here during the spring and this is her first offseason with our team. This was a great opportunity to be exposed to some stuff and not just hear it from me," Winder added.
The pool of players will be trimmed down for a training camp in Anaheim in mid-June before starting play in the summer.
"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley"" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateVB
Instagram:Â FresnoStatevball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateVB
Players Mentioned
MB
/ Women's VolleyballVB: 2025 Preseason Practice Highlight
Friday, August 15
VB: Addison Haluska, MW Preseason Player of the Year
Wednesday, August 13
VB: 2025 Adidas Gear Reveal
Wednesday, August 13
VB: 2025 First Day of Practice
Monday, August 04