Mizzou Central

Mizzou Libero joins USA Volleyball's U23 National Team: The Buzz

Your daily briefing on what's going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.
Brady Shanahan|
Mizzou Athletics

Team USA extended an invitation to Mizzou standout Libero, Maya Sands, to join the U23 team in preparation for the 2025 NORCECA Pan-American Cup in Leon, Mexico.

The two-time SEC Libero of the Year, Sands, captained the Tigers to a 22-9 record in 2024, their best record since 2019, when they went 22-8. Sands' efforts helped Mizzou to a Sweet Sixteen run in the NCAA Volleyball National Tournament. The highlight of the Tigers' tournament was a second-round 3-1 series victory over No. 2 seed SMU in which Sands recorded a game-high 14 digs.

During her collegiate career, Sands has amassed a remarkable 1,489 career digs, including leading the Tigers with 542 and 535 digs in 2023 and 2024, respectively. She approaches her senior year with the Tigers, boasting Preseason All-SEC honors, with plenty left to accomplish, but first, Sands has the opportunity to represent her country.

Sands' stellar play has drawn the attention of U23 coach and DePaul head coach Marie Zidek, who will instruct 17 other athletes alongside Sands as Team USA gears up for competition in Mexico from July 25 to August 2.

The star libero will return to suit up for the Tigers as the 2025 Mizzou Women's Volleyball season kicks off against Stanford on Sep. 9 in Columbia.

Did you notice?

  • Former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III signed his rookie deal with the Chicago Bears, cashing a fully-guaranteed deal. All rookies for the Bears report for training camp Saturday.
  • Former Mizzou wrestler, Hall of Famer and MMA legend Ben Askren provided his most recent health update as he is a week removed from a double lung transplant procedure after a scary battle with pneumonia and infection. Friday marked Askren's 41st birthday, and he shared that he hopes to be released from the hospital soon.
  • Mizzou basketball head coach Dennis Gates welcomed YouTuber star All Hail Cullen to join the Tigers' coaching staff and spend a day in his shoes. A behind-the-scenes look into the offseason grind at Mizzou will be featured on Cullen's YouTube channel at 12 p.m. on Sunday.

Countdown to Mizzou Football's 2025 Football Season Opener:

40

Mizzou Quote of the Day

"He would get his DVD cutups and joke that he was going to use them as coasters when he got home. That was Justin. Everyone knew he didn't have to know everything, because he was going to go out there and play hard and make plays anyway.”
John Thornton on Justin Smith

Check out our social media:

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Published
Brady Shanahan
BRADY SHANAHAN

Brady Shanahan is a journalism student at the University of Missouri, and covers baseball and softball for Missouri Tigers On SI. He's from the St. Louis area and has contributed to The Maneater student newspaper, Columbia Missourian, KOMU 8, and KCOU as a beat reporter.

Home/All Things Mizzou