Yes, we've made the team!

KCB's Mercy Moim celebrates during the Kenya Volleyball Federation playoffs. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

New faces have been included in the national men and women volleyball teams set for the East Africa Community games in Kigali, Rwanda.

Kenya Volleyball Federation President Charles Nyaberi named the teams on the final day of the Heroes Community tournament on Sunday, in Nandi.

Kenya Defence Force (KDF) outside hitter Moses Macharia and General Service Unit (GSU) libero Hudson Kipchumba landed their first call-up to the provisional team that starts residential camp in Nairobi on November 14 ahead of the regional sports extravaganza that runs from December 12-22 in Kigali.

In the women’s team, national champions KCB produced most of the players. The duo of Sarah Namisi and Mercy Iminza, both of Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), have the team, alongside KCB’s Linzy Jeruto and Pauline Ito from Kenya Prisons.

The teams have been blended with both experienced and young talented players. Malkia Strikers captain Mercy Moim, who was named the best receiver at the Africa Nations championship in Yaounde, Cameroon in August, is among the experienced players in the team.

Setter Esther Mutinda and outside hitter Juliana Namutira, both from KCB, have also been drafted in the team. Other experienced players retained in the squad are Leonida Kasaya of Kenya Pipeline, libero Elizabeth Wanyama of Kenya Prisons, who will be making her comeback to the national team after years of absence.

Kenya Pipeline’s libero Agripina Kundu, hard-hitting Pamela Adhiambo, Kenya Prison’s Pamela Masaisai and Pipeline ‘s opposite hitter Loice Simiyu have also been drafted in the team. In the men’s squad, Kenya Ports Authority’s captain Dennis Omollo, libero Sam Juma and Brian Kamonde, Brian Mely, Naftali Chumba, Nicholas Matui, middle blocker Shadrack Misiko, libero Hudson Kipchumba and opposite hitter Joshua Kimaru all from GSU, have made the cut.