ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio's Female Senior Athlete of the Year and Mid-American Conference Volleyball Player of the Year Briana Adamovsky (Solon, Ohio) will compete in the 17th World Maccabiah Games in Tel Aviv, Israel, July 10-21 as a member of the United States team.

The World Maccabiah Games are a two-week, Olympic-style sporting competition held every four years in Israel. Among the top international sporting events in the world, the Maccabiah Games attract some of the top Jewish athletes from a host of competing nations.

"I'm really looking forward to participating, I think this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience," Adamovsky said. "Although my career isn't ending, just to continue playing and competing against teams from all over the world is going to phenomenal."

Adamovsky put a wrap on one of the more distinguished careers of any athlete in Ohio history this past fall, leading the Bobcats to a school record 29 wins, the first-ever national ranking in the program's history, and a victory over Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The setter compiled a school record 4,767 career assists and holds a total of six season and career Ohio records. In addition to the MAC honors she received following her senior campaign, Adamovsky was named AVCA All-Mideast Region, Honorable Mention AVCA All-American, and the Collegiate Volleyball Update National Setter of the Year.

The USA squad currently has eight players committed to compete and they will be led by Ian Blanchard, who was named head coach of the Maryland-Baltimore County program this past February after two seasons as an assistant at Towson.

Adamovsky faced international competition before when she participated in the Junior Maccabi Games stateside, but this will be her first overseas experience.

"We competed against other countries in the Junior Maccabi Games, but it was nothing compared to what this is going to be," Adamovsky said. "I'm just so excited for this."

Maccabi USA/Sports for Israel sponsors U.S. participation in this athletic, cultural, and educational extravaganza. Maccabiah Games alumni include swimmers Mark Spitz, gymnasts Mitch Gaylord and Kerri Strug, National Basketball Association stars Ernie Grunfeld, Dolph Schayes and Danny Schayes, golfer Bruce Fleisher, and tennis pros Brad Gilbert and Dick Savitt.

"I'm looking forward meeting and playing with other athletes," Adamovsky said. "I think it will be neat to form some new friendships and make some more connections over in Israel."

Once her participation is over at the Maccabiah Games, Adamovsky will continue to prepare for a transition from amateur to professional status. She has been in communication with a number of coaches overseas about the prospect of joining an organization this fall.

"Right now I'm just talking to coaches," Adamovsky said. "It's just a matter of waiting for an offer or for a tryout."

Adamovsky credits former teammate Laura Hageman with peaking her interest in playing pro ball. The two-time MAC Player of the Year competed professionally in Europe this past year after completing her career at Ohio.

"Her decision to go over there definitely influenced me," Adamovsky said. "I had never even though about it (playing professionally). I thought my career would just be done after college."

The two stayed in touch throughout the season and it was Hageman's experiences that convinced Adamovsky to pursue the opportunity.

"I made sure to communicate with her through e-mail and when she got back we got together and talked about it," Adamovsky said. "She told me I should do it and that I could definitely play over there. That really got me excited."

Adamovsky should find out within the next few weeks if she will get a contract offer or whether she will be invited to the tryout sessions in August. The season runs from September through March.