Marie Zidek, head coach of DePaul volleyball, has been named a head coach for the USA Volleyball U17 National Team, leading the U17 Pan American Cup squad. This marks the team's initial foray into the Pan American Cup and the U17 World Championship. Zidek previously led the U23 National Team to gold at the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup. She will be supported by assistant coaches Heather Olmstead and Baylor's Joshua Walker, alongside performance analyst Joe Skinner. The tournament is set to take place from May 24鈥揓une 1 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

By the Numbers
  • This is the U17 National Team's first participation in the Pan American Cup.
  • Zidek has coached for the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program for 15 years.
State of Play
  • The U.S. team will train at Rice University from May 17鈥�23 prior to the tournament.
  • The team will face opponents Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela in their pool.
What's Next

The U17 team aims to build a cohesive and competitive unit in preparation for their historic participation in the Pan American Cup and the upcoming U17 World Championship.

Bottom Line

Zidek's leadership at this level exemplifies her commitment to nurturing volleyball talent in the U.S. and creating a competitive team environment, setting a positive standard for future participation in international tournaments.