Ava Falduto, Izzy Starck Make Final U.S. U19 Pan American Cup Roster

Posted on by Ethan Kasales

Penn State women’s volleyball commits Ava Falduto and Izzy Starck made the United States’ final 12-player roster for the 2023 NORCECA U19 Pan American Cup May 9-14 in Ciudad de Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico.

Starck, who will likely be the team’s starting setter, and incoming Stanford freshman Julia Blyashov, an outside hitter, touched on next week’s event alongside head coach Keegan Cook, who’s entering his first season at Minnesota after eight years at Washington, once the roster became official.

Starck and Blyashov are the only returners from last year’s team that went 5-0 and won gold in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to secure an invite to the 2023 FIVB U19 World Championship August 1-11 in Croatia and Hungary.

Starck was on the floor for championship point against Brazil and saw ample playing time in Tulsa, sharing setter duties with Nebraska freshman Bergen Reilly. Next week’s competition in Puerto Rico will be Falduto’s first time representing her country on the international stage.

The defending-champion U.S. squad is among eight teams vying for gold next week. Falduto, Starck, and their teammates will begin competition on Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET against the U.S. Virgin Islands. The U.S. will play Costa Rica Wednesday at 2 p.m. and Mexico Thursday at 4 p.m. to wrap up preliminary-round action.

Tournament host Puerto Rico, Canada, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic are the other participating nations. Brazil and Peru are not in this year’s field after competing last July in Tulsa.

Falduto is the only libero on the roster, earning the starting job over Purdue commit Ryan McAleer, a fellow rising senior who is among eight alternates who also trained last week in Anaheim, California. Falduto became the first member of Penn State’s 2024 recruiting class on June 19, 2022, two days before Starck joined her and verbally committed to the Nittany Lions.

Starck and 2025 prospect Logan Parks are the only setters on the team, though Parks is also listed as an opposite hitter. After wearing No. 6 last year in her youth national team debut, Starck will don No. 18 next week, while Falduto will wear No. 9.

The Penn State commits graciously agreed to share their thoughts on how training went in Anaheim and their excitement to play together in Puerto Rico.

“It was so great and fun to play with the best people in the country,” Starck told DigNittanyVolleyball. “I got wonderful coaching the whole time, and really felt like I grew as a player in four days. It’s so cool I get to play with Ava, because this is the first time we get to play together in a real game. It’s going to be such a fun experience.”

Starck, the reigning Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year and an Under Armour All-American, will play her senior season for Viera High School in Melbourne, Florida, before enrolling a semester early at Penn State in January 2024 alongside Falduto. They discussed their decision to enroll early in a pair of exclusive interviews published on April 28.

Starck is having an impressive final club campaign for the Colorado Juniors this spring, while Falduto recently played up a level with 1st Alliance VBC’s 18 Gold team at the USA Volleyball Girls 18s Junior National Championship in Columbus, Ohio.

Falduto, a standout for IC Catholic Prep in Elmhurst, Illinois, will be teammates with good friend and fellow 1st Alliance VBC product Abby Vander Wal in Puerto Rico, who made the team as an outside hitter.

“This past week was a such a surreal experience,” Falduto said. “Playing with the top 20 athletes from around the country was an incredible experience, and I loved getting coached by an amazing staff. I have enjoyed every minute of it. It means everything to represent USA with Izzy. She is such a talented player, and getting the chance to compete with her before college is insane.”