Wikipedia

Jordan Larson

For the soccer player, see Jordan Larsson.

Jordan Quinn Larson (born October 16, 1986) is an American professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for the United States women's national volleyball team. A four-time Olympian, Larson earned the USA its first-ever gold in women's volleyball at the 2020 Summer Olympics. She also has two silver medals from the 2012 and 2024 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal from the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Jordan Larson
Larson in 2022
Personal information
Full nameJordan Quinn Larson
NicknameGovernor[1]
Born (1986-10-16) October 16, 1986 (age 38)
Fremont, Nebraska, U.S.
HometownHooper, Nebraska, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight165 lb (75 kg)
Spike119 in (302 cm)
Block116 in (295 cm)
College / UniversityUniversity of Nebraska
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Current clubUnited States LOVB Omaha
Career
YearsTeams
2009
2009–2014
2014–2019
2019–2022
2021
2022
2024–present		Puerto Rico Vaqueras de Bayamón
Russia Dynamo Kazan
Turkey Eczacıbaşı VitrA
China Shanghai
United States Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball
Italy Vero Volley Monza
United States LOVB Omaha
National team
2009–2024United States United States
Medal record
Women's volleyball
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team
Silver medal – second place 2012 London Team
Silver medal – second place 2024 Paris Team
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2014 Italy Team
World Cup
Silver medal – second place 2011 Japan Team
Silver medal – second place 2019 Japan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Japan Team
World Grand Champions Cup
Silver medal – second place 2013 Japan Team
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Japan Team
World Grand Prix
Gold medal – first place 2010 Ningbo Team
Gold medal – first place 2011 Macau Team
Gold medal – first place 2015 Omaha Team
Silver medal – second place 2016 Bangkok Team
FIVB Nations League
Gold medal – first place 2018 Nanjing Team
Gold medal – first place 2019 Nanjing Team
Gold medal – first place 2021 Rimini Team

With a career spanning more than 15 years, Larson is considered one of the best players in the history of USA volleyball.[2]

Early life

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Larson was born in Fremont, Nebraska to Kae and Kevin Larson.[3] Her parents separated when she was three years old, and she and her mother subsequently moved to Hooper to move in with her stepfather. She began playing volleyball in eighth grade.[4] She was named to the Super-State first team in her last three seasons. In 2003, she had 15.08 kills per game to set a Class C1 state record and led LVHS to the state finals. In 2004, as a senior, she set a C1 record with 501 kills, and Logan View made it to the Class C1 state semifinals. She was named Nebraska Gatorade High School Player of the Year.[5]

Larson played for the Nebraska Juniors at the USA Junior Olympic Girls' Volleyball Championship in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She was an All-American selection all three years.[5]

When Larson was in high school, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died seven years later in 2009.[6]

College career

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Larson started her college volleyball career at the University of Nebraska in 2005. That year, she was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Central Region Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year. She also helped the Huskers finish second in the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. In 2006, she led the Huskers to the national title and was named to the AVCA All-America First Team. In 2007, she made the AVCA All-America Third Team. In 2008, as a senior, she was named to the AVCA All-America First Team. She was also chosen as the Big 12 Player of the Year and the league's defensive player of the year; it was the first time that a player achieved both in the same year. Over her four-year college career, Larson had a total of 1,600 kills and 1,410 digs.[5][7]

Professional career

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Larson has played extensively for various clubs in Europe and North America. She began her professional career in Puerto Rico before joining Russian team Dinamo Kazan.[8] With Dinamo Kazan, she won gold at the 2014 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship and the 2014 CEV Champions League.[9]

Larson joined Eczacibasi in Turkey and played with the team until 2019. While with Eczacibasi, she won the 2015 and 2016 World Championships and earned bronze in 2018. Larson was named MVP of both the continental and world competitions in 2015.[9]

From 2019 to 2022 she played for Shanghai in China.[9] In 2021, she played in the inaugural Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball season, where she became the first-ever champion.[10] In 2022, she played for Vero Volley Monza.[11]

Larson is a founding athlete for League One Volleyball (LOVB)'s inaugural Omaha team, which is set to launch in November 2024.[12]

National team career

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Larson joined the United States women's national team in 2009.[13] With the team, she has earned medals at several major international competitions, including gold medals at the FIVB World Grand Prix (2010, 2011, and 2015), the FIVB World Championship (2014), and the FIVB Volleyball Nations League (2018, 2019, 2021). She became the team's captain in 2017.[14]

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Larson earned a silver medal with the United States. The team, which was ranked number one in the world going into the competition, was undefeated in pool play, but fell to Brazil in the gold medal match.[15]

Larson played with the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The team was once again undefeated in pool play, but lost to Serbia in the semi-finals. In the bronze medal match against the Netherlands, Larson led the team to victory with 13 kills.[16]

On June 7, 2021, U.S. National Team head coach Karch Kiraly announced Larson would be part of the 12-player Olympic roster for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, making her the fifth oldest volleyball player in U.S. history to be named to an Olympics roster.[17][1] The team went on to win America's first-ever women's Olympic volleyball gold medal, with Larson scoring the final point in a straight-sets victory over Brazil in the gold medal match.[18]

Though Larson had intended for 2020 to be her last Olympics, she came out of retirement in the spring of 2023 and was named to the roster for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.[19]

Coaching career

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Larson joined her alma mater, the University of Nebraska, as an Assistant Coach in June 2023.[20]

Personal life

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Larson graduated from the University of Nebraska in 2008 with a degree in communication studies.[21] She has been married twice, first from 2009 to 2015 to Luke Burbach, and then from 2021 to 2023 to Pepperdine men's volleyball coach David Hunt.[4]

Awards

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Individual

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Clubs

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College

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  • Two-time First Team AVCA All-American (2006, 2008)
  • Third Team AVCA All-American (2007)
  • Two-time NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team (2006, 2008)
  • Two-time NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team (2006, 2008)
  • Three-time First Team AVCA All-Central Region (2006, 2007, 2008)
  • 2005 AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year
  • AVCA National Player of the Week (September 23, 2008)
  • Three-time First Team All-Big 12 (2006, 2007, 2008)
  • 2008 Big 12 Player of the Year
  • Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2006, 2008)
  • 2005 Big 12 Freshman of the Year
  • Two-time Big 12 Player of the Week
  • Three-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 (2006, 2007, 2008)

National team

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Jordan Larson preps for her last Olympics, one year later than expected". NBC Sports. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  2. ^ Staff, V. B. M. (April 9, 2024). "Jordan Larson, 37, chooses to train instead of play as she makes last USA Olympic run". Volleyballmag.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  3. ^ Hersom, Terry (August 10, 2010). "Former Western Christian, Huskers star back in action". Sioux City Journal. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Love and Volleyball: The golden but lonely road of Jordan Larson". ESPN.com. July 28, 2024. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Jordan Larson" Archived August 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. teamusa.org. July 1, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  6. ^ Larson, Jordan. "My Mom's Battle With Breast Cancer Showed Me What True Strength Is". www.refinery29.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  7. ^ "Jordan Larson" Archived February 2, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. huskers.com. Retrieved August 5, 2012.
  8. ^ "Jordan Larson on FB Live – FIVB". Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c volleyballworld.com. "Year in Review: Superlatives only for Jordan Larson". volleyballworld.com (in Dutch). Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  10. ^ Athletes (March 30, 2021). "Jordan Larson becomes inaugural Athletes Unlimited Volleyball Champion". Athletes Unlimited. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  11. ^ volleyballworld.com. "Jordan Larson returns to Vero Volley". volleyballworld.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  12. ^ Dorn, Nolan (April 16, 2024). "Husker legend Jordan Larson joining pro volleyball team in Omaha". KLKN-TV. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  13. ^ Mitchell, Anthony (April 18, 2024). "Nebraska native Jordan Larson embracing opportunity to play in fourth Olympics". Siouxland Proud. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Henry, Kaleb. "Jordan Larson Added to Nebraska Volleyball Staff". KLIN - News/Talk 1400. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Chodos, Ben. "Olympic Volleyball 2012 Results: American Women Lose Gold Medal to Brazil". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Wells, Adam. "Olympic Indoor Volleyball 2016: Women's Medal Winners, Scores and Results". Bleacher Report. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  17. ^ "USAV Announces U.S. Olympic Women's Volleyball Team". USA Volleyball. June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  18. ^ Reiner, Olivia. "U.S. women's volleyball team beats Brazil 3-0 to win first Olympic gold medal". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  19. ^ Schnell, Lindsay. "Why USA Volleyball's Jordan Larson came out of retirement at 37 to prove doubters wrong". USA TODAY. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
  20. ^ "Jordan Larson". University of Nebraska - Official Athletics Website. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  21. ^ "Jordan Larson". huskers.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
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