Lauren Carlini is an American indoor volleyball player who represents both her home country and the Turkish Airlines Sports Club.

Carlini took up indoor volleyball when she was just five years old, and quickly made her way up through the junior ranks. In 2010 she was part of the US Girls Youth National Team at the FIVB Girls Under 18 World Championship, and was named National Volleyball Player of the Year in 2012. She went on to study at the University of Wisconsin and joined the world of collegiate volleyball, becoming the college’s first ever four-time AVCA All American. 2016 saw her make her international senior debut at the Pan American Cup, taking home the bronze medal alongside her teammates. The following year Carlini won gold at the competition, as well as another bronze at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup. Her winning streak continued, with another gold medal the year after at the 2018 Pan American Cup and the USA team’s best year yet in 2019. The stellar season saw them win the FIVB Volleyball Nations League, as well as the Tokyo Olympic Qualification event where Carlini was named as Player of the Pool.

As well as being part of one of the best international teams in the world, Carlini’s career has also seen her play for club teams around the globe, including in Turkey, Italy and Russia. Now that her and her team are heading to Tokyo, she hopes that 2020 could be the year they take that illusive Olympic gold.