University of Minnesota Athletics
Samedy Makes Final Roster for FIVB World Championships
8/20/2025 9:31:00 AM | Volleyball
The five-time All-American played for Minnesota from 2017-21
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --Â Fourteen U.S. Women's National Team athletes are in Thailand this month for the 2025 FIVB World Championships, Aug. 22-Sept. 7.
Among the 14 athletes to make the finals team is former Gopher Stephanie Samedy. Samedy took home five AVCA All-America honors at the 'U', helping the team to three Sweet 16's, an Elite Eight and a Final Four.
The U.S. Women, currently ranked No. 7 in the world, are in Pool D alongside Slovenia, Argentina and Czechia, and their opening match is set for Aug. 22 at 5:30 a.m. PT against Slovenia. The team will play in Nakhon Ratchasima for pool play before moving to Bangkok for playoff rounds.
This will be the first World Championship under head coach Erik Sullivan, who took over the program earlier this year. The World Championship is held every four years, and the U.S. Women finished fourth in 2022. Overall, the program has won five medals at the event, including gold in 2014.
With a rotating lineup throughout the year and several veterans taking the season off, the U.S. finished 7-5 in VNL and advanced to the Finals, where they fell to world No. 1 Italy in the quarterfinals.
The 2025 Worlds roster includes the return of two-time Olympian Chiaka Ogbogu at middle blocker. She joins 2024 Olympic teammates Avery Skinner, Jordyn Poulter and Dana Rettke.
Skinner is one of four outside hitters on the roster, which also includes Sarah Franklin, Logan Eggleston and Ali Frantti, who makes her first appearance for the U.S. Women this year. Ogbogu and Rettke are joined in the middle by Tia Jimerson and Amber Igiede. The opposites are Madisen Skinner and Stephanie Samedy, and Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres joins Poulter at setter. Morgan Hentz and Lexi Rodriguez are the liberos.
"This roster brings a mix of experienced Olympians and athletes eager for their first major world championship," Sullivan said. "Every match in this tournament is tough, and our pool will demand our best right from the start. We've used this season to test different lineups and grow our depth. Now the group is focused on competing together on the world stage and continuing to raise our level as we build toward Los Angeles in 2028."
All matches can be watched with a subscription to VBTV or on the CBS Sports Network.
U.S. Women's Finals VNL Roster
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, College, USAV Region)
2 Jordyn Poulter (S, 6-2, Aurora, Colo., Illinois, Rocky Mountain)
3 Avery Skinner (OH, 6-1, Katy, Texas, Kentucky, Lone Star)
5 Ali Frantti (OH, 6-1, Spring Grove, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
6 Morgan Hentz (L, 5-9, Lakeside Park, Ky., Stanford Univ., Pioneer)
7 Lexi Rodriguez (L, 5-5, Sterling, Ill., Univ. of Nebraska Great Lakes)
9 Madisen Skinner (OPP, 6-2, Katy, Texas, Univ. of Kentucky and Univ. of Texas, Lone Star)
13 Amber Igiede (MB, 6-3, Baton Rouge, La., Univ. of Hawaii, Delta)
16 Dana Rettke (MB, 6-8, Riverside, Ill., Univ. of Wisconsin, Great Lakes)
22 Sarah Franklin (OH, 6-4, Lake Worth, Fla., Univ. of Wisconsin, Florida)
24 Chiaka Ogbogu (MB, 6-2, Coppell, Texas, Univ. of Texas, North Texas)
25 Tia Jimerson (MB, 6-3, Sugar Hill, Ga., Univ. of Ohio, Southern)
32 Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres (S, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Texas, Aloha)
33 Logan Eggleston (OH, 6-2, Brentwood, Tenn., Univ. of Texas, Southern)
34 Stephanie Samedy (OPP, 6-2, Clermont, Fla., Minnesota, Florida)
Coaches
Head Coach:Â Erik Sullivan
Assistant Coach:Â Mike Wall
Second Assistant Coach:Â Brandon Taliaferro
Second Assistant Coach:Â Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Second Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey
Pool Play-All times Central
Aug. 22: USA vs. Slovenia, 7:30 a.m.
Aug. 24: USA vs. Argentina, 7:30 a.m.
Aug. 26: USA vs. Czechia, 7:30 a.m.