The rich volleyball tradition in the area just got a little richer, as Lakewood setter Megan Moenoa has been named to the US Women’s Junior National Training Team, an honor bestowed on just 20 other athletes.  Moenoa, a junior this season, has committed to play for the UCLA Bruins after her senior season; she is rated as among the best setters in the class of 2011, which being named to the Junior National Team certainly speaks to.  She’s one of four setters on the roster, and one of just 10 juniors named to the team.

Here’s the full release from USA Volleyball:

The USA Volleyball Indoor High Performance Department has named 21 athletes to comprise the U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team for the 2010 season.

The 21 athletes were selected through tryouts held between February and April of this year. The players will take part in a second tryout held May 20-23 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. At the conclusion of the second tryout camp, the top 12 players will be selected to compete at the 2010 NORCECA Women’s Junior (U-20) Continental Championship set for July 4-12 at Tijuana, Mexico.

“I am excited about the prospects of this group,” USA Volleyball Managing Director of Indoor High Performance Tom Pingel said. “It is a nice blend of experienced players, along with some athletes that have yet to wear ‘USA’ in an international competition. The second tryout will be very competitive.”

Serving as head coach for the 2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team is Rob Browning, the head women’s volleyball coach at St. Mary’s College (Calif.). Matt McShane, head coach at Air Force, will serve as assistant coach and Jennifer Carey, director of volleyball operations at University of California-Berkeley, will serve as assistant coach/technical coordinator. Pingel will serve as the team leader for the team at the NORCECA Women’s Junior Continental Championship.

Kreklow is the only player currently enrolled in college as she enrolled early the University of Missouri. Both Wopat sisters, Carly Thomas, Okoro, McHugh and Bonilla competed last year for the U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team at the FIVB Girls’ Youth World Championship. Bonilla, Kreklow, Reeves, Carly Thomas and Carly Wopat were members of the 2008 U.S. Girls’ Youth National Team that won gold at the NORCECA Girls’ Youth Continental Championship.

2010 U.S. Women’s Junior National Training Team

Name (Position, Height, Hometown, HS Grad Year, Club/School, Region)

Jennifer Bonilla (Lib, 5-9, Reseda, Calif., 2010, Sport Shack, Southern California)

Samantha Cash (MB, 6-3, San Diego, Calif., 2011, Coast, Southern California)

Jane Croson (OH, 6-0, Lakewood, Calif., 2011, Sport Shack, Southern California)

Crystal Graff (OH, 6-4, Madison, Wis., 2011, Capital Volleyball Acad., Badger)

Haleigh Hampton (OPP/MB, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., 2010, Cal Juniors, Southern California)

Stephanie Holthus (Lib/OH, 6-0, Elgin, Ill., 2010, Fusion, Great Lakes)

Madison Kamp (S, 6-1, Orland Park, Ill, 2011, Ultimate, Great Lakes)

Molly Kreklow (S, 6-0, Hamlake, Minn., 2010, University of Missouri)

Madison Mahaffey (MB, 6-4, Vestavia Hills, Ala., 2011, Team Sting, Southern)

Andrea McHugh (OH, 5-10, Yorba Linda, Calif., 2010, Laguna Beach, Southern California)

Elizabeth McMahon (OPP/MB, 6-6, Liberty Township, Ohio, 2011, Team Z, Ohio Valley)

Megan Moenoa (S, 5-9, Long Beach, Calif., 2011, Mizuno Long Beach, Southern California)

Olivia Okoro (MB, 6-1, Carrollton, Texas, 2011, Dallas Premier, North Texas)

Kelly Reeves (OH, 6-0, San Diego, Calif., 2010, Encinitas WAVE, Southern California)

Taylor Simpson (OH, 6-2, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2011, Colorado Juniors, Rocky Mountain)

Carly Thomas (S, 5-11, Swansea, Ill., 2010, Southwest Illinois Juniors., Gateway)

Courtney Thomas (S, 6-0, DeKalb, Ill., 2011, Sports Performance , Great Lakes)

Elise Walch (OH, 6-4, Palm City, Fla., 2010, TCVB, Florida)

Rachel Williams (OH, 6-0, Los Gatos, Calif., 2010, Vision, Northern California)

Carly Wopat (MB, 6-2, Goleta, Calif,. 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)

Samantha Wopat (OH, 6-1, Goleta, Calif., 2010, Santa Barbara VBC, Southern California)