WATERLOO - Waterloo East junior-to-be Haley Eckerman has been named to USA Volleyball's 12-player Girls' Youth National team.

The squad will play in the 2009 FIVB World Youth Championships July 3-12 in Nakhonratchsima, Thailand.

Eckerman was named to the team following a national team training camp held May 16-19 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.

There were 19 players at the camp, but that number was whittled to 12 by head coach Jim Stone, former Ohio State head coach, and his assistants Melissa Wolter, head coach at the University of West Florida, and Chuck Erbe, the former head coach at Michigan State.

"It is a big honor to be representing Iowa by going to Thailand to play for Team USA at the World Youth Championships," Eckerman said. "I'm excited and looking forward to it."

Eckerman made the final 12 after first surviving a regional tryout. Between 1,500 and 1,800 girls with birthdates in either 1992 or 1993 tried out for the team at several regional tryouts throughout the United States.

Eckerman returned from the final tryout camp Tuesday - the day coach Stone informed her she made the team.

"I was shocked when he (coach Stone) was reading the list of the team members and said my name. I remember thinking, 'Hey, I'm on the United States National team that will be representing the USA at the World Championships,'" Eckerman said. "It was thrilling."

The 6-foot-3 Eckerman, who is being recruited by all of the Division I powerhouse programs, is a two-time all-state performer for the Trojans. She has previously worked out at the training center in Chula Vista with the USA Volleyball High Performance team. Eckerman attended her first USA volleyball developmental camp in 2006.

East head coach Ali Rahnavardi believes Eckerman is the first Iowan to play for the U.S. Youth National team.

"It's a big honor for her," Rahnavardi said.

Eckerman is still coming to terms with the magnitude of her selection to the U.S. National Team.

"We will be playing the best of every country," she said. "It's the best of the best. It's exciting. I'm looking forward to the competition, going to Thailand … not so much the long plane ride."

Eckerman will leave for a team training camp June 16 and will workout in Chula Vista until the U.S. team departs for Thailand in early July.

Team USA has been placed in Pool D with Mexico, Belguim and Japan.

The team plays Mexico on July 3, Belgium on July 4 and Japan on July 5.

U.S. Team roster

Player Hometown Pos.

Hannah Allison Siloam Springs, Ark. S

Katherine Bell Mesquite, Texas MB

Jennifer Bonilla Reseda, Calif. L

Eric Denney Centennial, Colo MB

Haley Eckerman Waterloo OH

Anna Dorn Munster, Ind. MB

Andrea McHugh Yorba Linda, Calif. OH

Madelyn Hutson Brentwood, Tenn. MB

Olivia Okoro Carrollton, Texas MB

Carly Thomas Swansea, Ill. S

Samamtha Wopat Goleta, Calif. OH

Carly Wopat Goleta, Calif. OH