April 23, 2008

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - BGSU Volleyball Head Coach Denise Van De Walle and the USA National Sitting Team are traveling to Egypt to compete in the first ever World Organization Volleyball for the Disabled Intercontinental Cup. The WOVD Intercontinental Cup is a pre-paralympic event bringing both men and women of nine nations together, Netherlands, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine, Russia, Iran and host Egypt.

Six of the teams competing in the WOVD International Cup have already qualified for the 2008 Paralympic Games in Beijing, China USA, Netherlands, Lithuania, Slovenia, Latvia, and Ukraine. China and Japan have also qualified for the 2008 Paralympic Games.

The USA National Sitting Team has qualified for their second appearance in the Paralympics after finishing fifth at the 2006 Sitting Volleyball World Championship.

After their return from Egypt the USA National Sitting Team will travel to Atlanta, Georgia May 24-31 for the 2008 USA Open Volleyball Championships.

Van De Walle is in her fifth year as the assistant coach of the USA National Sitting Team. Both Van De Walle and Head Coach Mike Hulett have been with the team since it was started in February 2003, leading the team to a 2004 bronze medal in Athens.

For more updates on Coach Van De Walle's travels with the USA National Sitting Team visit www.BGSUFalcons.com as Van De Walle reports back on her travels.