MADISON, Wis. – Dana Rettke, a sophomore-to-be on the Wisconsin volleyball team, has been named to the U.S. Women's Collegiate National Team China Tour (CNT-China) roster comprised of current collegiate players who will train and compete in China from May 20-31.
 
Rettke was one of 12 players and three middles selected to the team. She will be making her first appearance in a USA uniform.
 
The 6-8 Rettke was named the 2017 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Freshman of the Year. She was also named the AVCA Northeast Regional Freshman of the Year and the Big Ten Conference Freshman of the Year.

Rettke led the Badgers and ranked third nationally with a .443 hitting percentage. She also led the team and ranked 10th in the Big Ten with 3.42 kills per set. The freshman had a team-best 1.37 blocks per set, which ranked third in the Big Ten and 23^rd nationally. Rettke also ranked second on the team with 25 service aces (0.22 per set).

The Riverside, Illinois, native set UW season records for hitting percentage, breaking the all-time mark of .422 set by Haleigh Nelson in 2015. Rettke also set school season records under 25-point rally scoring for blocks per set (1.37) and points per set (4.39). In Big Ten play, she set conference-only season records for kills (254), kills per set (3.39), hitting percentage (.433), block assists (94), total blocks (102), points (328.0) and points per set (4.37).

Chris Tamas, head coach of the University of Illinois volleyball team, will serve as the CNT-China head coach.
 
"I appreciate the opportunity to coach with USA after both my wife (Jen (Joines) Tamas) and I wore the jersey for 14 years," Tamas said. "As part of our USA Volleyball High Performance pipeline, I believe our university system helps develop some of the top players in the world. It will also help introduce and adjust our players to international rules and competition environment for their post-collegiate careers, which may be with our U.S. Women's National Team. We look forward to compete in China at the end of May with a top level U.S. Collegiate National Team."
 
Athletes were selected through the U.S. Women's National Team Open Tryouts held March 2-4 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
 
Name (Position, School, Height, College Eligibility Remaining, Hometown)
T'ara Ceasar (OH, Georgia, 6-1, 3, Panama City, Florida)
Thayer Hall (OH Florida, 6-3, 4, Moore, South Carolina)
Taryn Kloth (OH, Creighton, 6-4, 1, Sioux Falls, South Dakota)
Rachael Kramer (M, Florida, 6-8, 2, Phoenix, Arizona)
Rebecca Latham (OPP, Denver, 6-4, 1, Austin, Texas)
Madison Lilley (S, Kentucky, 5-11, 3, Overland Park, Kansas)
Carlyle Nusbaum (OH, Lipscomb, 5-10, 1, Overland Park, Kansas)
Julia Patterson (S, Arizona, 5-11, 2, Los Alamitos, California)
Dana Rettke (M, Wisconsin, 6-8, 3, Riverside, Illinois)
Jenna Rosenthal (M, Marquette, 6-6, 1, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin)
Stephanie Samedy (OPP, Minnesota, 6-2, 3, Clermont, Florida)
Molly Sauer (L, Louisville, 5-11, 1, Louisville, Kentucky)
 
Staff
Head Coach: Chris Tamas (head coach, University of Illinois)
Assistant Coach: Joe Trinsey (USA Volleyball High Performance)
Assistant Coach: Natalie Morgan (assistant coach, Loyola Marymount University)
Technical Coordinator: Jessica Rae Aschenbrenner (director of operations, University of Denver)
Athletic Trainer: Margaret Marion (University of Illinois)
Head of Delegation: Erin Leaser