U.S. Women's National Team

MADISON, Wis. – Former Badger Lauren Carlini was a member of the United States Women's National Volleyball team that won gold at the Pan American Cup in Canete, Peru, on Sunday.

"I'm so grateful to have been a part of the team that brought home the first gold of the new quad," said Carlini. "I'm even more proud of how we handled adversity and the many challenges that we encountered throughout the trip, both on and off the court. It really speaks to our grit and character. I'm looking forward to being back in the practice gym and getting better every day."

The U.S. team went 5-0 in pool play with wins over Venezuela (3-0), Colombia (3-0), Puerto Rico (3-2), Mexico (3-0) and Argentina (3-1). Winning the pool put the U.S. directly into the semifinals where it defeated Peru 3-0 to advance to the gold-medal match. The Americans faced reigning champion Dominican Republic in the championship, winning 3-1. It was the fifth overall Pan Am Cup title for the U.S., including four championships in the last six years.

The U.S. team returned to Anaheim, California, where it will train for the FIVB World Grand Prix in China, on July 7 through Aug. 6. The Americans will open the tournament on July 7, taking on Russia in Kushan, China. The U.S. is currently ranked second in the world behind the Chinese.