Three SMU volleyball players competed for Team USA in the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup over the summer.

Senior setter Averi Carlson won gold for the U23 team in Mexico, while middle blocker Favor Anyanwu and outside hitter Jadyn Livings, both sophomores, helped the U21 team win gold in Costa Rica.

"Representing USA is a huge honor and privilege for our players and program," SMU head coach Sam Erger said. "Not only that, but to be at a place where some of the best in the country are coming out of SMU volleyball, that is a dream come true. Our hope is to continue to be a top destination for top players that are chosen to play for the red, white and blue!"

It was the first time Carlson and Livings represented the United States.

"It was amazing. It was really surreal," Carlson said. "We trained for a week in Anaheim, and it was really fun getting to play with the girls we're competing against all the time. It was cool to hang out with them off the court. The coaching staff was amazing. They really poured into us for the training."

The volleyball community is a tight-knit one, especially when it comes to the elite players. They are used to being around each other at various tournaments, showcases and other things. Training camp, and the eventual tournament team, brought them together in a different way.

It was still a collection of the best of the best, all together in one place. They were just all wearing the same jersey, practicing together.

"I'm friends with all the girls that were there, so it was extremely fun on and off the court, for starters," Livings said. "But I think my favorite part would have to be when we would play sixes. Everyone is so good. Everyone's insanely good, so just that level of competition and going hard every single point was really fun."

No matter the teams or tournaments players have played in, there is something different about representing your country on an international level. 

"It was so amazing. Putting on the jersey and wearing USA, I've never felt a feeling like it," Carlson said. "It was amazing. I don't really have any words to describe it. It was such a huge honor. We were in Mexico, we played Mexico in the semifinals, and the gym was so loud. It was packed. It was so much fun getting to compete against other countries. … We got to play six matches. It was back-to-back. Every day we had a match. Got to bring home the gold medal. It was amazing."

It was the third time for Anyanwu. She won gold at the 2023 U19 FIBA World Championships and again at the 2024 U21 NORCECA Continental Championships.

With those experiences under her belt, she added some goals for this time. She achieved that by being named Second Best Middle Blocker for the entire tournament.

"It's been really cool. This was my third go-round," Anyanwu said. "It was just getting to experience different cultures again. … That definitely was one of my goals. I feel like in my third round, I wanted to put a little something on there."

Throughout high school, club and college matches, many of these players have been on the opposite side of the net. 

This was a chance for them to be working together for a common goal.

"It's always a great experience. It's great. Amazing girls," Anyanwu said. "We've all been around each other since we were younger in the club scene, or we've been teammates in high school, or played against each other in high school. It's really cool that we've all been tethered to each other throughout the years, but then getting to play on the same team together was really nice."

There was one difference for Anyanwu this time around though — one of those teammates was Livings. The two have been interconnected for a long time, but this was the first time they were together with Team USA.

"It was really cool. It was my first time, and I got to do it with my best friend, Favor Anyanwu, so that was pretty sick," Livings said. "Me and Favor's relationship is one of the most important things to me. I've known her since I was 12. We've been playing on the same club team all the way up until 18s, come to find out that we go to the same school for college at USC and then transferring to SMU. It's really special."

There is pressure that comes with representing your country at the international level. Livings tried to keep that in perspective, appreciating how special and rare of an opportunity it was.

Now Livings, Carlson and Anyanwu have the ability to bring those experiences back with them to SMU.

"Definitely how gritty you have to be and especially the environments that they put you in. It's very loud," Anyanwu said. "They infuse a lot of horns and sirens, which you don't hear a lot in college. Getting to have those sounds and those type of barriers to try to go over was nice, and I can definitely apply it when I'm in college."