Chausee enjoying domestic opportunity as AU heads into third week

Claire Chaussee has yet to play a minute in the USA women’s national team’s gym, but aspires to do so.

Eye-popping performances in the first two weeks of Athlete Unlimited’s volleyball season certainly haven’t hurt her odds of getting on the radar of coach Karch Kiraly and his national-team staff. Perhaps word might even filter down to Karch through the six members of his program playing with AU — Sydney Hilley, Morgan Hentz, Brooke Nuneviller, Danielle Hart, Nia Reed and Kendall White – that Chausee just could be worth a look.

“I haven’t been in (the gym with the national team) and I haven’t been asked, so we will wait and see,” Chaussee said. “But playing with these girls (on the national-team roster) here is definitely going to help me. Just being able to hear about their experiences, I’m definitely intrigued, and I believe that would be a great opportunity for me.”

Less than a year out of college after a spectacular career that lifted Louisville’s program to dizzying new heights, she has gained meaningful professional repetitions as an AU rookie while ringing up big numbers and quickly earning the respect of her pay-for-play peers. On Tuesday, Chaussee was the first player picked in the AU draft — for the second week in a row — and she has been voted first MVP in three of her six AU matches.

Athletes Unlimited’s third-week round-robin will be held Friday, Sunday and Monday at Legacy Park in Mesa, Arizona. Three matches will be streamed on ESPN+, and the two on Sunday and the nightcap on Monday will air on cable ESPNU. The captains this week are Hilley, Hentz, Leah Edmond and Jenna Rosenthal.

Week 3 schedule

Friday, October 20
Team Hilley vs. Team Hentz, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Team Edmond vs. Team Rosenthal, 9:30 p.m., ESPN+
Sunday, October 22
Team Rosenthal vs. Team Hentz, 7 p.m., ESPNU
Team Hilley vs. Team Edmond, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU
Monday, October 23
Team Rosenthal vs. Team Hilley, 7 p.m., ESPN+
Team Hentz vs. Team Edmond, 9:30 p.m., ESPNU
(All times Eastern)

Golden opportunity for Chaussee

The first middle blocker to wear the captain’s mantle in Athletes Unlimited, Rosenthal selected Chaussee first overall, no doubt hoping for the same explosive point scoring on the pins that has moved the 6-0 outside hitter from 11th in the standings after Week 1 to sixth place after Week 2, two spots out of a potential captaincy.

“I’m…