Utah volleyball: Shelby Dalton, Beth Launiere to join Pac-12 trip to China

Utah sophomore Shelby Dalton and Ute coach Beth Launiere are scheduled to take part in plans by the Pac-12 to send an all-star women's volleyball team to China in June 2013.

Leading the trip will be USC women's volleyball coach and 2011 Pac-12 Coach of the Year Mick Haley.

The summer all-star team – made up of 12 Pac-12 student-athletes – will play at least six matches against Chinese Professional Club Teams over two weeks in Beijing and Shanghai.

In addition to the matches, the student-athletes will visit the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace and other attractions.

"This type of tour can be a transformative moment for our student-athletes," said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. "In addition to the competition on the court, they will return to their teams with a meaningful life experience of visiting another country and learning more about another culture."

This summer's All-Star team was selected by the coaching staff and Pac-12 liaison and includes two setters, one libero, three middle blockers, and six outside hitters, including USC's Natalie Hagglund, who was voted the Conference's Libero of the Year for the second year in a row.

Dalton, a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Moab, averaged 1.79 kills a set in 2012 as the Utes went 14-19.