Inside The Panthers

Pitt Volleyball's Blaire Bayless Makes USA U21 Team

Pitt Panthers outside hitter Blaire Bayless will represent USA volleyball at the U21 level in a tournament this summer.

Dominic Campbell

Pitt Volleyball Outside Hitter Blaire Bayless
Pitt Volleyball Outside Hitter Blaire Bayless / Courtesy of Pitt Athletics

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers sophomore outside hitter Blaire Bayless will represent USA Volleyball this summer at the U21 level in a tournament this summer.

Bayless recently competed at training camp, June 14-22 in Anaheim, Calif., where she made the final 12 spots out of an initial 20 that will represent the United States at the 2024 Women’s U21 NORCECA Continental Championship from June 25-June 30 in Toronto, Canada.

Bayless replaced Big Ten Freshman of the Year in Nebraska outside hitter Harper Murray on the team, when the roster came out on April 30. Police cited Murray for a DUI, blowing a .169, twice the legal limit, back in early April. They also cited her for reckless driving, obstruction of a peace officer, minor in possession and carrying a false ID.

While the press release for the roster did not state that as the reason for Murray not joining the team, it is likely that it played a significant role in her missing out. 

Bayless played in 19 matches and 27 sets as a freshman last season, finishing with 47.0 points, 43 kills, 8.0 total blocks, while hitting .263. 

She had a season-high eight kills and hit .667 in a sweep against Syracuse at home on Oct. 1. Other matches where she excelled were against UMBC at home on Sept. 20, as she had six kills on seven attacks, hitting .857, and on the road against Montana on Aug. 26, where she had six kills in eight attacks, hitting .750, along with a season-high three blocks. 

Bayless has experience playing for the USA prior to coming to Pitt. Along with fellow sophomore in right side hitter Olivia Babcock, they led the USA to a gold medal in the U19 Pan American Cup last summer.

She earned MVP honors for her performance during the tournament making 22 kills, nine service aces and 3.0 total blocks for 34 points. She also dominated in the gold medal match against Mexico making seven kills, two service aces and a block for 10 points. 

Babcock will also represent the USA this summer, playing at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup, June 26-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Nebraska still has four players on the U21 roster, even with Murray's absence. This includes middle blocker Andi Jackson, setters Bergen Reilly and Campbell Flynn and outside hitter Teraya Sigler. Flynn and Sigler are Class of 2025 commits. Libero Laney Choboy also would've played in this tournament, but is out with a minor injury.

Bayless joins one other ACC player on this team in Stanford outside hitter Julia Blyashov. The other outside hitters include Kentucky's Brooklyn DeLeye, Utah's Kamryn Gibadlo, and Sigler.

The other players on this USA team are middle blockers in Favor Anyanwu from USC and Taylor Harvey from Texas, opposite hitter Kennedy Martin from Florida and libero Ramsey Gary from Indiana.

The USA will play the Dominican Republic at 1:30 p.m. on June 25, Suriname at 11:00 a.m. on June 26 and then Puerto Rico at 1:30 p.m. on June 27. The Quarterfinals take place on June 28, the Semifinals on June 29 and then the placement matches on June 30.

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Dominic Campbell

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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