Gaining a spot in the 2017 FIVB World Championships due to their international ranking, Taiana will be seeking her second-straight podium placement in the event while Elize Maia will be playing in the worlds for the first-time.  After placing 17th in in the 2011 and 2013 world championships with Vivian Cunha and Talita Antunes, respectively, Taina and Fernanda Alves finished second in the 2015 worlds at The Hague.  Taina, who netted FIVB youth world championship gold medals with Juliana Felisberta (2002) and Carolina Salgado (2004), competed in her first FIVB World Tour event in 2005 and became a regular competitor in 2010.  Taiana and Talita Antunes finished the 2013 season as the top pair on the international circuit.  After starting a limited schedule on the FIVB World Tour in 2008, Elize Maia had a break-out season in 2016 as she and Eduarda “Duda” Lisboa won two gold medals, placed on the podium three times and competed in four “final fours”.