Colorado University Athletics
Gabby Simpson Selected To Pac-12 All-Star Team
April 12, 2016 | Volleyball
BOULDER — University of Colorado junior Gabby Simpson is going to have a very busy and exciting summer as she has been picked to represent the Buffs on the Pac-12 All-Star Team which will tour China.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for Gabby and we are excited for her to represent CU and the Pac-12 on this trip,” head coach Jesse Mahoney said. “The volleyball experience she will gain is impactful, but the total cultural experience for her will be just as important.”
The 12-member all-star volleyball team includes a player from 11 of the Pac-12 institutions and will play six matches while in China from June 19-July 1 against Chinese club and national teams. In addition to the matches, the student-athletes will enjoy cultural and sightseeing visits to Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing. Previous all-star teams have made visits to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and other attractions.
The tour is another milestone for Pac-12 Global, an initiative to promote goodwill and transformative life experiences through student-athlete exchanges and sport, and to showcase the Conference and its member institutions in China. Student-athlete tours have been organized in the sports of men's and women's basketball, as well as women's volleyball. Coaching clinics have also been organized with Pac-12 coaches sharing their knowledge of sport with Chinese groups both abroad in China and at member campuses, as well as hosting exhibition games with some of China's top teams in women's volleyball and women's soccer. This past November, the Conference hosted the Pac-12 China Game in Shanghai, becoming the first ever league - college or professional - to host a regular season basketball game in China.
Simpson won't have much down time since last month she was tabbed to the USAV CNT - Europe roster, which will train and compete from July 6-16. The team will have training matches against an Italian Federation Team July 7, July 8 and July 9 near Milan, Italy, before heading to Pula, Croatia, to play in the Global Challenge July 11-14.
