2012 U.S. Men's Press Kit for FIVB World League

U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team 2012 World League Media Guide

Qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games Ranked No. 6 in the world 1984, 1988 and 2008 Olympic Champion 2008 World League Champion

Table of Contents Table of Contents......................................................................................................................................... 3 Fast Facts.................................................................................................................................................. 4-5 2012 U.S. World League Roster.................................................................................................................... 6 2012 Schedule and Results.......................................................................................................................... 7 2012 World League Preview..................................................................................................................... 8-9 2011 Rosters......................................................................................................................................... 10-11 2011 Season Review............................................................................................................................. 12-13 2011 USAV Male Indoor Player of the Year................................................................................................ 13 2011 Final Results................................................................................................................................. 14-15 2012 U.S. Men’s National Team Statistics (sponsored by DataProject)........................................................ 16 2011 U.S. Men’s National Team Statistics (sponsored by DataProject)........................................................ 17 Match Recaps for 2012 NORCECA Men’s Olympic Qualifier................................................................... 18-28 Photo Roster for 2011 FIVB World League.................................................................................................. 29 Match Recaps for 2011 FIVB World League........................................................................................... 30-59 Match Recaps for 2011 London International Invitational..................................................................... 60-62 Match Recaps for 2011 NORCECA Continental Championship............................................................... 63-65 Match Recaps for 2011 FIVB World Cup................................................................................................ 66-86 U.S. Men’s National Team Player Bios..................................................................................................87-111 U.S. Men’s National Team Staff Bios..................................................................................................112-115 Past Olympians.........................................................................................................................................116 U.S. Men’s National Team All-Time Results Versus International Competition...........................................117 International Volleyball Fact Sheet....................................................................................................118-120 USA Volleyball Fact Sheet.........................................................................................................................121 Credits: The 2011 U.S. Men’s National Team World League Media Guide is a copyrighted publication produced by USA Volleyball.

Content: B.J. Hoeptner Evans, USA Volleyball Commmunications Manager Design assistance: Bill Kauffman, USA Volleyball Communications Senior Manager USA Volleyball, 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80907 Phone: (719) 228-6800 E-Mail: info@usav.org Web Site: www.usavolleyball.org

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U.S. Men’s Team Fast Facts Headquarters: The American Sports Centers in Anaheim, Calif.

Address 1500 Anaheim Blvd., Suite. 200, Anaheim, CA 92805 Phone: (714) 917-3535 Fax: (714) 917-3536 Web site: USAVolleyball.org Head Coach: Alan Knipe Phone: (714) 783-0538 E-mail: Alan.Knipe@USAV.org World Ranking: Fifth 2011 Record: 26-15 2010 Record: 14-7 2009 Record: 16-6 Assistant Coach: Gary Sato Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson Certified Athletic Trainer: Aaron Brock Media Inquiries: B.J. Hoeptner Evans Phone: (719) 228-6800 E-mail: BJ.Evans@USAV.org USA Volleyball Fast Facts CEO: Doug Beal National Office: 4065 Sinton Road, Suite 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80907 (719) 228-6800 International Federation: The FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball — fivb.org) Regional Confederation: NORCECA (North, Central America and Caribbean — norceca. org) Sponsors: City of Anaheim, American Sports Center, Mizuno, Molten, Data Project Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball in the United States. USAV is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball.

USAV has more than 262,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide. With an annual budget in excess of $18 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams. USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success.

2011 Results (includes all senior level men’s teams) FIVB World League 5-27: Loss v Poland, 3-0 5-28: Win v Poland, 3-0 6-3: Won v Puerto Rico, 3-1 6-4: Won v Purto Rico, 3-1 6-12: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 6-13: Won v Brazil, 3-1 6-17: Loss v Poland, 3-1 6-18: Won v Poland, 3-1 6-24: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 6-25: Won v Brazil, 3-1 7-1: Won v Puerto Rico, 3-2 7-2: Won v Puerto Rico, 3-0 7-6: Loss v Russia, 3-1 (Final Round) 7-7: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 (Final Round 7-8: Win v Cuba, 3-2 (Final Round) Pan American Cup 6-13: Won v Bahamas, 3-0 6-14: Won v Panama, 3-0 6-15: Won v Argentina, 3-0 6-17: Won v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (Semifinals) 6-18: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 (Final) London International Invitational 7-20: Loss v Serbia, 3-2 7-21: Win v Egypt, 3-0 7-22: Win v Mexico, 3-0 7-23: Win v Great Britain, 3-0 7-24: Loss v Brazil, 3-2

USA Volleyball National Teams Center and The City of Anaheim Since 2006, the City of Anaheim, Calif., has been proud to serve as the Official Host City for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, followed by the Women’s Team in 2009. The teams train at the American Sports Centers.

Anaheim is the 10th largest city in California, and home to world class sports and entertainment such as Angels Baseball, the Anaheim Ducks, the LEED-certified Anaheim Convention Center, the largest convention center on the west coast, and the Disneyland Resort.

For more information about the City’s commitment to USAV, please visit www.anaheim. net/usav.

World University Games 8-12: Win v Mexico, 3-0 8-13: Win v Turkey, 3-0 8-15: Loss v Czech Republic, 3-2 8-16: Win v United Arab Emirates, 3-0 8-17: Loss v Thailand, 3-1 8-19: Loss v Japan, 3-2 8-20: Win v Sweden, 3-1 8-21: Win v Norway, 3-1 NORCECA Continental Championship 8-29: Win v Trinidad & Tobago, 3-0 8-30: Win v Costa Rica, 3-0 8-31: Win v Cuba, 3-1 9-2: Win v Puerto Rico, 3-0 (Semifinals) 9-3: Loss v Cuba, 3-2 (Final) Pan American Games 10-24: Win v Puerto Rico, 3-2 10-25: Loss v Canada, 3-2 10-26: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 10-27: Loss v Argentina, 3-2 10-28: Win v Venezuela, 3-2 10-29: Win v Canada, 3-2 FIVB World Cup 11-20: Win v China, 3-0 11-21: Loss v Brazil, 3-1 11-22: Loss v Russia, 3-0 11-24: Win v Egypt, 3-0 11-25: Loss v Italy, 3-1 11-27: Win v Iran, 3-0 11-28: Loss v Poland, 3-0 11-29: Win v Japan, 3-0 12-2: Win v Argentina, 3-2 12-3: Win v Cuba, 3-2 12-4: Loss v Serbia, 3-0

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U.S. Men’s Team Fast Facts FIVB Men’s Senior World Rankings as of Jan. 4, 2012 1. Brazil (252.5) 2. Russia (234.5) 3. Italy (191) 4. Poland (182) 5. Cuba (160.25) 6. USA (148) 7. Serbia (136.25) 8. Argentina (121.75) 9. Bulgaria (88.75) 10. China (57.25) 11. Egypt (55) 12. Iran (50.25) 13. Germany (46.5) 14. Cameroon (45.25) 15. Japan (41) 16. Venezuela (40.75) 17. Puerto Rico (38.5) 18. Canada (37.25) 18. Tunisia (37.25) 20. Republic of Korea (36.5) Key Dates for 2012 May 7-12: NORCECA Olympic Qualifier (Long Beach, Calif.)

May 18-20: First FIVB World League Weekend in Florence, Italy June 15-17: Second FIVB World League Weekend in Lyon, France June 22-24: Third FIVB World League Weekend in Gwangju, South Korea June 29-July 1: Fourth FIVB World League Weekend in Dallas, Texas July 4-8: FIVB World League Final Round in Sofia, Bulgaria July 27-Aug. 12: Olympic Games in London

Story ideas for the U.S. Men’s National Team 1. Setter Lloy Ball was a key force in the U.S. Men’s 2008 Olympic qualification and gold medal runs. Ball has since retired from the U.S. team and several athletes are looking to take his place in 2012. Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) made his case at the 2012 NORCECA Men’s Continental Qualification Tournament as he led the U.S. Men to a 5-0 record and an Olympic berth. Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.), who spent much of 2011 as the team’s starting setter looks to be the leading candidate to back up Suxho, but you cannot leave out 2008 Olympic gold medalist Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.).

2. Donald Suxho was the backup to U.S. starting setter Lloy Ball at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In 2007, Suxho tore his Achilles tendon while playing for an Italian professional team and could not try out for the 2008 Olympic Team. He had to watch as the U.S. Men won the gold medal. Now Suxho is back and wants his chance at gold.

3. Fatigue a Factor? Because there is no professional volleyball league in the United States, most players go overseas during the winter to play for club teams in countries that do have leagues. In 2012, many players returned from playing in league championship tournaments overseas and immediately started training for the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament. Less than a week after they won that tournament, they left for Italy to compete in World League.

4. Outside hitter Reid Priddy was hit in the face by a teammates elbow while coming down from a block during practice in August of 2011. A surgical team made an incision under his eyelid and used two titanium plates to piece the bones back together where they could.

Another area was left to heal on its own. He came back from the injury to compete in the World Cup and was the U.S. team’s third leading scorer.

5. Priddy is also a master of volleyball promotion. He was responsible for the highly popular “Short Shorts” video on YouTube in 2008. He also has a very popular web site and is involved in an Internet radio program about volleyball called The NET Live along with former teammate Kevin Barnett and others.

6. Outside hitter Matt Anderson was the 2008 AVCA Co-Player of the Year (along with teammate Paul Lotman) as he led Penn State to the NCAA men’s volleyball championship. He left Penn State early to play professionally in Korea. While playing for the U.S. Men in World League during the summer of 2009, Anderson contracted a serious case of pneumonia. He was able to return to the team and later to Korea. But in January of 2010, his father died unexpectedly. Anderson had another rough season with the U.S. Men in 2010, but started to turn things around in 2011 and was one of the top players in Italy during the 2011-12 winter season.

7. There are three backup opposites on the World League roster behind starter Clay Stanley.

David McKienzie, who got the call as the backup for the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament, has not played with the team since 2005. He briefly trained with the team at the end of 2011 and U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe invited him back for 2012. He brings a much different skill set to the team from Stanley.

8. U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe is on hiatus from his job as head coach of the Long Beach State men’s volleyball team to coach the U.S. Men’s National Team. What has the experience been like for him and where does he plan to go from here? His first hire for assistant coach was Gary Sato, who has been involved with the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Team for more than 20 years and is a member of a famous volleyball family. Among Knipe’s staff for the 2012 World League are Rob Browning (team leader), Ron Larsen (assistant coach) and John Speraw (assistant coach). All are top college coaches who were with the 2008 Olympic men’s volleyball team that won the gold medal.

9. U.S. outside hitter Riley Salmon was a key part of the 2008 U.S. Men’s Olympic gold medal team and some said he should have been a candidate for the Olympic MVP. Since Beijing, he has fought injuries and illness. In 2011, it looked as if he might be moved to libero. But in 2012, he is back at the outside hitter position and looking to go to his third Olympic Games.

10. Rich Lambourne has been the U.S. starting libero since 2005 and has been considered one of the best in the world. He played outside hitter at BYU and even won an NCAA National Championship there, but to play at the National Team level, he made the switch to defensive specialist. What have been the pros and cons of making the move?

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2012 U.S. World League Roster No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Name Matt Anderson Sean Rooney Evan Patak David Lee Rich Lambourne Paul Lotman Donald Suxho Reid Priddy Ryan Millar Riley Salmon Brian Thornton Russel Holmes Clay Stanley Kevin Hansen Gabe Gardner Jayson Jablonsky Maxwell Holt Scott Touzinksy Robert Tarr David Smith David McKienzie Taylor Sander Jeff Menzel Kawika Shoji Jonathan Winder

Pos. OH OH Opp MB L OH S OH MB OH S MB Opp S Opp OH MB OH L MB Opp OH OH S S

Age 25 29 27 30 37 26 34 33 32 35 26 27 34 30 36 26 25 30 28 27 32 20 23 24 26

Ht. 6-10 6-9 6-8 6-8 6-3 6-7 6-5 6-5 6-8 6-6 6-3 6-8 6-9 6-5 6-10 6-5 6-9 6-6 6-6 6-7 6-5 6-4 6-6 6-3 6-8

Wt. 210 220 250 231 198 225 219 196 216 196 187 210 230 205 227 205 198 190 200 190 210 180 210 194 216

Hometown West Seneca, N.Y. Wheaton, Ill. Pleasanton, Calif.

Alpine, Calif.

Tustin, Calif.

Lakewood, Calif.

Korce, Albania Richmond, Va. Alpine, Utah League City, Texas San Clemente, Calif.

Fountain Valley, Calif.

Honolulu, Hawaii Newport Beach, Calif.

San Clemente, Calif.

Yorba Linda, Calif.

Cincinnati,Ohio St. Louis, Mo. Cape Canaveral, Fla. Saugus, Calif.

Littleton, Colo.

Huntington Bch, Calif.

Santa Barbara, Calif.

Honolulu, Hawaii Irvine, Calif.

College Penn State Pepperdine UC Santa Barbara Long Beach State BYU Long Beach State USC Pepperdine Pepperdine Pierce College UC Irvine BYU Hawaii Stanford Stanford UC Irvine Penn State Long Beach State Long Beach State UC Irvine Long Beach State BYU UC Santa Barbara Stanford Pepperdine

Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Rob Browning (Newport Beach, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: John Speraw (Irvine, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: Mike Sealy (Santa Monica, Calif.)

Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)

Pronuciation Guide

3 Evan Patak ..................................................................................................... PAT-ek (sounds like attic, not attack) 7 Donald Suxho ......................................................................................................................................... SOO-show 9 Ryan Millar ...........................................................................................................................Mill-AR (not like Miller) 10 Riley Salmon ........................................................................................................................................ SAUL-mon 18 Scott Touzinsky................................................................................................................................... too-ZIN-skee 24 Kawika Shoji...................................................................................................................... ka-WEE-ka SHOW-gee 25 Jonathan Winder...................................................................................................... WIN-der (rhymes with cinder)

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2012 U.S. Schedule and Results NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.

Date 5/7 5/8 5/9 5/10 5/11

Opponent (Record) Trinidad & Tobago (1-0) Costa Rica (2-0) Mexico (3-0) Cuba (4-0) Canada (5-0)

Result W (25-9, 25-10, 25-14 W (25-14, 25-9, 25-9) W (25-23, 25-19, 25-14) W (28-26, 25-18, 25-20) W (28-26, 25-18, 25-20)

Points Leader Anderson/Lee (9) McKienzie (10) Stanley (14) Anderson (24) Stanley (15)

Attendance 1,325 1,200 1,550 3,000 4,700

Final Standings: 1. USA, 2. Canada, 3. Cuba, 4. Puerto Rico, 5. Mexico, 6. Dominican Republic, 7. Trinidad & Tobago, 8. Costa Rica FIVB World League Date and Time (PT) 5/18 at 8 a.m.

5/19 at 8 a.m.

5/20 at 11:30 a.m.

6/15 at 9:30 a.m.

6/16 at 8 a.m.

6/17 at 9 a.m.

6/22 at 12:30 a.m.

6/23 at 12:30 a.m.

6/24 at 12:30 a.m.

6/29 at 5:30 p.m.

6/30 at 5:30 p.m.

7/1 at 5:30 p.m.

Opponent (Record) France Korea Italy Italy Korea France France Italy Korea Korea France Italy

Result

City Florence, Italy Florence, Italy Florence, Italy Lyon, France Lyon, France Lyon, France Gwangju, Korea Gwangju, Korea Gwangju, Korea Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas Dallas, Texas

Points Leader

Attendance

Final Round: July 1-4 in Sofia Bulgaria (Four pool winners plus Bulgaria and best second-place team qualify) Olympic Games in London Date 7/29 7/31 8/2 8/4 8/8 8/10 8/12

Opponent Pool Play Pool Play Pool Play Pool Play Quarterfinals Semifinals Bronze and Gold Medal Matches

Result

Points Leader

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Attendance

2012 U.S. World League Preview Less than one week after qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team will begin its FIVB World League campaign in Florence, Italy.

The U.S. Men are happy to have the weight of Olympic qualification off their backs as they head into their second important tournament of the season.

“Olympic qualifying was our first goal for the season,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “With that out of the way, our coaches and players can focus on giving a strong World League performance heading into the Olympic Games.”

Due to the 2012 Olympic Games, World League will have a different format this year as all the teams in the pool will travel to each location for three matches per weekend for four weekends. The U.S. Men open in Florence where they will play France on May 18 (8 a.m. PT), Korea on May 19 (8 a.m. PT) and Italy on May 20 (11:30 a.m. PT).

After the Italy weekend, there will be an almost fourweek break before the next weekend on June 15-17 in Lyon, France. The break is for the FIVB World Olympic Qualification Tournaments, which will be the final opportunity for teams to qualify for London.

The Players The teams were allowed 25-player rosters for 2012, from which 14 players may be selected for each weekend and 12 are allowed to suit up each night.

The U.S. Men and Italy both qualified for London by winning their confederation qualification tournaments.

France and Korea will compete at the World Olympic Qualification Tournaments. So it is possible that by the second weekend of World League on June 15-17, the U.S. pool could include four Olympic qualifiers.

For the first weekend in Italy, Knipe is bringing the 12 players from the NORCECA Qualification roster, plus outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) and opposite Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.), who both won gold medals at the 2008 World League Final Round and the 2008 Olympic Games with the U.S. Men.

The U.S. Men will play their third weekend of World League on June 22-24 in Gwangju, Korea. They will complete pool play on June 29-July 1 at the Dallas Convention Center Arena in Texas.

“Many of our guys went straight from overseas teams to practices for the NORCECA Qualifier,” Knipe said. “So while we will take World League seriously, we will also take opportunities to rest our players when they need it. We have a deep pool of talent to pick from.”

They will play Korea at 7:30 p.m. CT on June 29 (France will play Italy in the first match at 5 p.m. CT). The United States will take on France at 7:30 p.m. CT on June 30 (Italy will play Korea in the first match at 5 p.m. CT).

Starting opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii), the 2008 Olympic men’s volleyball most valuable player who had to have arthroscopic knee surgery in December after playing a half season in Russia, appears to be back to almost 100 percent. He was named the most valuable player of the NORCECA Tournament, finishing with 61 points on 40 kills (55.6 kill percent, .500 hitting efficiency), a team-leading 10 aces and 11 blocks.

The series finale will pit the U.S. Men against Italy at 7:30 p.m. CT on July 1 (France will play Korea in the first match at 5 p.m. CT).

Only the four World League pool winners, the best secondplace team and the host country of Bulgaria will qualify for the World League Final Round on July 4-8 in Sofia.

Starting outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), coming off a stellar winter season in Italy, led the team in scoring and was named the best spiker. He finished with 64

The winning World League team is awarded $1 million.

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2012 U.S. World League Preview The Teams

points on 52 kills (63.4 kill percent, .585 hitting efficiency), four blocks and eight aces along with 19 digs.

The U.S. Men are ranked No. 6 in the world by the FIVB. Its only World League title came in 2008. It has finished third in 2007 and 1992.

Starting outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), a 2008 gold medalist who won the league title with his Russian team over the winter, was the United States’ third-leading scorer with 47 points on 35 attacks (46,7 kill percent, .400 hitting efficiency), six blocks and six aces.

Italy is the top ranked team in the pool at No. 3. It has won World League eight times, the last time in 2000. It last medaled when it finished second in 2004. The U.S. Men have a record of 23-39 against Italy going back to 1981.

The U.S. went 3-1 against Italy in pool play during the 2009 World League, but fell to the Europeans at the 2010 World Championship.

Starting middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.), a 2008 gold medalist, also had a successful winter season in Russia and came home to help lead the U.S. Men to Olympic qualification. He was named the tournament’s best blocker as he finished with 43 points on 30 kills (81.1 kill percent, .784 hitting efficiency).

Korea is ranked No. 20 in the world and has never medaled at World League. The U.S. Men are 45-7 against Korea since 1981 and last faced the Asian side in 2007 when the U.S. Men defeated them in three sets at the FIVB World Cup.

At the other middle blocker spot, Knipe split time between 2008 gold medalist Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) and Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.). Holmes finished with 33 points on 21 attacks (75.0 kill percent, .714 hitting efficiency), eight blocks and four aces. Millar scored 11 points on eight kills and three blocks.

France is ranked No. 21 in the world. France won its only World League medal in 2006 when it finished second. The U.S. Men are 37-16 against France since 1981. The teams last met at the 2012 FIVB World Championship where the U.S. Men won in three sets.

Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania), a 2004 Olympian, had a good winter season in Italy and worked his way into the starting position for the Olympic Qualifier. He was credited with 87 assists and three faults for the tournament and set the team to a 58.8 kill percent and a .536 hitting efficiency.

Among teams in other pools, Russia, ranked No. 2 in the world, is the defending World League champion. It also won the 2011 FIVB World Cup. Brazil leads all countries with nine World League titles.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.), a 2008 gold medalist, finished the tournament with 38 digs (2.37 per set) and 58 receptions.

2012 World League on TV NBC Sports Network Dallas, Texas USA vs Korea (event June 29) July 4 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET

The other players on the 14-man roster for the first weekend include outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), opposite Dave McKienzie (Littleton, Colo.) and setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.).

USA vs France (event June 30) July 5 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs Italy (event July 1) July 6 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET Final Round in Sofia, Bulgaria (July 4-8) July 13 – 4:30-6 p.m. ET Universal Sports Florence, Italy USA vs. France (event May 18) May 29 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. Korea (event May 19) May 30 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. Italy (event May 20) May 31 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET

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Lyon, France USA vs. Italy (event June 15) June 26 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. Korea (event June 16) June 27 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. France (event June 17) June 28 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET Gwangju, South Korea USA vs. France (event June 22) June 29 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. Italy (event June 23) June 30 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET USA vs. Korea (event June 24) July 1 – 6:30-8 p.m. ET Final – Sofia, Bulgaria – July 4-8 July 14 – 6-7:30 p.m. ET (re-air NBC SN from July 13)

2011 Rosters 2011 FIVB World League 20-Player Preliminary Roster No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine) 3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State) 5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU) 6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 7 Donald Suxho (S, 6-5, Korce, Albania, USC) 8 Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount) 9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU) 10 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 11 Jonathan Winder (S, 6-8, Irvine, Calif., Pepperdine) 12 Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU) 13 Clay Stanley (OPP, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai’i, Hawaii) 14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 15 Gabe Gardner (Opp, 6-8, San Clemente, Calif., Stanford) 16 Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine) 17 Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) 18 Scott Touzinsky (OH, 6-6, St. Louis, Mo., Long Beach State) 19 Robert Tarr (OH, 6-6, Cape Canaveral, Fla., Long Beach State) 20 David Smith (MB, 6-7, Saugus, Calif., UC Irvine) Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Assistant Coach: John Speraw (Irvine, Calif.)

Therapist/Trainer: Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.)

Technical Coordinator: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa) 2011 FIVB World League 12-Player Roster for the Final Round July 6-10 in Gdansk and Sopot, Poland No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine) 3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State) 5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU) 6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 8 Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount) 9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU) 10 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 12 Russell Holmes (MB, 6-7, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU) 13 Clay Stanley (Opp, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai’i, Hawaii) 14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 17 Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) 18 Scott Touzinsky (OH, 6-6, St. Louis, Mo., Long Beach State)

2011 Pan American Cup June 13-18 in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada No. Name (Position, Height, Weight, Hometown, College) 1 Jeff Menzel (OH, 6-6, 210, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4 Garrett Muagututia (OH, 6-5, 225, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA) 6 Murphy Troy (OH, 6-8, 240, St. Louis, Mo., USC) 7 Jonathan Winder (S, 6-8, 216, Irvine, Calif., Pepperdine) 8 Andy Hein (MB, 6-11, 232, Carol Stream, Ill., Pepperdine) 9 Ryan Meehan (MB, 6-8, 209, Dana Point, Calif., Long Beach State) 11 Kawika Shoji (S, 6-3, 194, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford) 12 David Smith (MB, 6-7, 190, Saugus, Calif., UC Irvine) 16 C Robert Tarr (OH, 6-6, 200, Cape Canaveral, Fla., Long Beach State) 17 Will Price (Opp, 6-5, 207, Gaithersburg, Md., Penn State) 18 Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, 205, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine) 19 Dustin Watten (L, 6-0, 162, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State) Head Coach: Gordon Mayforth (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Assistant Coach: Jon Roberts Therapist/Trainer: Shawn Patchell Technical Coordinator: Jacob Schick Medical Support: Chad Eichten London Volleyball International Invitational July 20-24 at Earls Court in Great Britain No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1. Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 3. Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4. David Smith (MB, 6-7, Saugus, Calif., UC Irvine) 6. Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 9. Murphy Troy (Opp, 6-8, St. Louis, Mo., USC) 10. Riley Salmon (L, 6-6, League City, Texas, Pierce College) 12. Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU) 13. Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 14. Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 17. Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) 18. Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine) 19. Robert Tarr (OH, 6-6, Cape Canaveral, Fla., Long Beach State) Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Bill Neville Assistant Coach: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Therapist/Trainer: Mike Sealy Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)

Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Assistant Coach: John Speraw (Irvine, Calif.)

Therapist/Trainer: Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.)

Technical Coordinator: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)

10

2011 Rosters 2011 World University Games Aug. 12-23 in Shenzhen, China

2011 Pan American Games Oct. 24-29 in Guadalajara, Mexico

Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1 - Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford) 2 - Thomas Amberg (MB, 6-7, Westwood, Calif., UCLA) 3 - Tri Bourne (OH, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawaii, Southern California) 4 - Carson Clark (Opp, 6-5, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Irvine) 5 - Weston Dunlap (MB, 6-9, Newport Beach, Calif., UCLA) 6 - Brad Lawson (OH, 6-7, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford) 7 - Riley McKibbin (S, 6-2, Honolulu, Hawaii, Southern California) 8 - Ryan Meehan (MB, 6-8, Dana Point, Calif., Long Beach State) 9 - Jeff Menzel (OH, 6-6, Santa Barbara, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 10 - Murphy Troy (Opp, 6-8, St. Louis, Mo., Southern California) 11 - Kawika Shoji (S, 6-3, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford) 12 - Cory Yoder (OH, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine)

No Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 2 Tony Ciarelli (OH, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., USC) 3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 5 Eric Vance (OH, 6-4, Camarillo, Calif., Cal State Northridge) 6 Nick Vogel (MB, 6-9, El Cajon, Calif., UCLA) 8 Kyle Caldwell (S, 6-9, Newport Beach, Calif., UCLA) 9 Scott Slaughter (MB, 6-7, Newport Beach, Calif., UCSB) 10 Matt Rawson (MB, 6-7, Los Angeles, Calif., Hawaii) 11 Matt Stork (OH, 6-5, Topanga, Calif., Cal State Northridge) 12 Kirk Francis (L, 5-11, Torrance, Calif., Long Beach State) 14 Cody Loe (MB, 6-8, Chatsworth, Calif., Cal State Northridge) 15 Jordan DuFault (OH, 6-4, Lakewood, Calif., UC Irvine) 16 Tri Bourne (OH, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawai’i, USC, Aloha)

Head Coach: Gordon Mayforth (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Assistant Coach /Team Leader: Pete Hanson (Ohio State) Assistant Coach: JT Wenger (UCLA) Trainer: Larnie Boquiren

Head Coach: John Speraw (UC Irvine) Team Manager: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Assistant Coach: Jeff Nygaard (USC) Therapist/Trainer: Charlie Sullivan (Springfield College) Athletic Trainer: Aimee Miyazawa

Alternates Jim Baughman (Opp, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State) Kyle Caldwell (Opp, 6-9, Newport Beach, Calif., UCLA) Taylor Hughes (OH, 6-7, Fallbrook, Calif., Pacific) Matt Pollock (MB, 6-9, Orland Park, Ill., Pepperdine) Matt Rawson (MB, 6-7, Los Angeles, Calif., Hawaii) Rob Stowell (Opp, 6-7, San Juan Capistrano, Calif., BYU) 2011 NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship Aug. 29-Sept. 3 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-7, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine) 3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State) 5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU) 6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU) 10 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 13 Clay Stanley (Opp, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai’i, Hawaii) 14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 16 Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine) 17 Max Holt (MB, 6-8, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: John Speraw (Irvine, Calif.)

Therapist/Trainer: Frank Ciarelli Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa) Team Doctor: David Dyck

2011 FIVB World Cup Nov. 20-Dec. 4 in Japan No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1 Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 2 Sean Rooney (OH, 6-9, Wheaton, Ill., Pepperdine) 3 Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4 David Lee (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Calif., Long Beach State) 5 Rich Lambourne (L, 6-3, Tustin, Calif., BYU) 6 Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 8 Reid Priddy (OH, 6-5, Richmond, Va., Loyola Marymount) 9 Ryan Millar (MB, 6-8, Alpine, Utah, BYU) 10 Riley Salmon (L, 6-6, League City, Texas, Pierce College) 12 Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU) 13C Clay Stanley (OPP, 6-9, Honolulu, Hawai’i, Hawaii) 14 Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 15 Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 17 Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Assistant Coach: John Speraw (Irvine, Calif.)

Trainer: Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.)

Doctor: Scott Magness and William Stetson Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa) Massage Therapist: Eli Evette Scout Coach: Frank Ciarelli Scout Coach: Andy Read

11

2011 Season Review The U.S. Men’s National Team players and staff knew what an important season 2011 would be. While the year did not end as they had hoped it would, they plan on taking the lessons learned into 2012.

U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe took a mixed team of National Team and A2 players to the London Volleyball International Invitational on July 20-24 at Earls Court in Great Britain, which was an Olympic test event.

Riley Salmon made his debut as a libero at the event.

The season opened with a reception and scrimmage played at JSerra High School in San Juan Capistrano. Former national team players of all ages attended the reception with their families, eager to meet the current team of athletes and the staff.

The U.S Men opened with a loss to Serbia (16-25, 25-17, 25-16, 26-24) before sweeping Egypt, Mexico and Great Britain. However the United States fell to Brazil (25-21, 22-25, 25-27, 25-16, 18-16) in its final match and finished third.

Teams of players from the U.S. World League roster squared off, with the Red Team of outside hitters Reid Priddy and Matt Anderson , middle blockers David Lee and Ryan Millar, opposite Clay Stanley, setter Donald Suxho and libero Rich Lambourne coming out on top.

Missing from the scrimmage was 2008 Olympic gold medal setter Kevin Hansen, who had to have his appendix removed just days before the match and would see very limited playing time at World League.

The U.S. Men began the 2011 FIVB World League campaign on May 27-28 in Poland and went 1-1 against the Poles, losing the first night (25-20, 25-22, 25-19) and winning the second (2522, 25-19, 37-35).

The following weekend, the team swept Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico as setter Brian Thornton took over for previous starter Donald Suxho. The team traveled to Brazil on June 11-12. After losing to Brazil on Saturday (19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21), the U.S. handed Brazil its first 2011 World League loss on Sunday (25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 26-24) before a crowd of 17,836 in Belo Horizonte.

On Aug. 29, the U.S. Men competed in their first match of the NORCECA Continental Championship. The team needed to finish in the top two at NORCECA to qualify for the 2011 FIVB World Cup, which was the first 2012 Olympic qualifying tournament.

The team was without its captain, Reid Priddy, who had been seriously injured when a teammate elbowed him in the face while coming down from a block during a practice in Anaheim, Calif. Clay Stanley took over as team captain while Hansen started the majority of the tournament at setter.

The U.S. swept its first two pool play matches against Trinidad & Tobago and Costa Rica. The U.S. needed four sets to defeat Cuba in the third pool play match (24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17). It guaranteed itself a top-two spot by sweeping Puerto Rico in the semifinals, qualifying the United States for the World Cup. However, Cuba won the final match, 25-23, 29-27, 25-27, 19-25, 158. U.S. middle blocker David Lee was named the tournament’s Best Blocker.

Evan Patak was the only U.S. Men’s National Team player to compete on the Pan American Games team in Guadalajara, Mexico. Unfortunately, with the Games running Oct. 24-29, most National Team players had already gone to their overseas club teams.

Patak and Head Coach John Speraw led a team of current and former college standouts to a fifth-place finish. Five out of the six matches the team played went five sets, including a pool play loss to Canada that set a Pan Am Games record for points scored: 21-25, 25-23, 37-39, 35-33, 15-12. The U.S. finished with a record of 3-3.

The U.S. Men then split two matches with Poland in Hoffman Estates, Ill., and with Brazil in Tulsa, Okla.

On the final weekend in Long Beach, Calif., the U.S. won two matches against Puerto Rico to secure second place in the pool and a trip to the Final Round in Poland.

Due to the late dates of their final pool play matches, the U.S. Men were the last team to arrive in Poland and lost their first two matches to Russia and Brazil before beating Cuba in their final match for a seventh-place finish.

While the World League was going on, the U.S. Men’s A2 Team, coached by Gordon Mayforth, competed in the Pan American Cup in Quebec. The team won four straight matches before losing to Brazil in the final.

Just two weeks after the World League Final Round,

12

2011 Season Review The U.S. Men returned from their club teams to the American Sports Center in Anaheim to complete training for the FIVB World Cup on Nov. 7. The team traveled to Japan on Nov. 13 and played in some friendly matches with Japanese club teams before beginning the World Cup competition on Nov. 20.

The U.S. Men opened World Cup strong with a sweep of China (25-14, 25-23, 25-21).

But they followed that with two straight defeats to Brazil (25-17, 25-18, 16-25, 25-16) and Russia (25-18, 25-19, 26-24).

Hansen started the first two sets of the loss to Brazil before Thornton was brought in to replace him. Thornton started at setter the

rest of the tournament.

The U.S. Men came back with a three-set win over Egypt (25-19, 25-20, 25-20), but then lost to Italy (41-39, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21), setting a World Cup record for points in a 41-39 first-set loss.

The U.S beat Iran (25-15, 27-25, 25-14), but then fell to Poland (25-15, 25-20, 25-18), which ended the U.S. hopes for a top-three finish.

The U.S. concluded the tournament with three straight wins, including a five-set victory over Cuba (25-20, 14-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10), before losing to Serbia in the final match (25-23, 25-17, 25-19). The U.S. finished sixth overall.

Most of the U.S. players traveled to overseas teams shortly following the tournament. In April of 2012, the team will regroup in Anaheim to prepare for the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier, the winner of which will qualify for the Summer Games.

2011 USAV Indoor Male Player of the Year Clay Stanley (Honolulu) was named the 2011 USA Volleyball Indoor Male Player of the Year.

Stanley helped the U.S. Men’s National Team to a 26-15 record this season, including a silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship and a spot in the Final Round of the FIVB World League.

The 33-year-old opposite took over as the U.S. Men’s team captain after Reid Priddy (Richmond Va.) suffered a serious injury to his face prior to the NORCECA Championship.

“I am proud to be named USA Volleyball’s Men’s Indoor Player of the Year for 2011,” Stanley said. “But my teammates and I know that next year will be even more important as we work to qualify for and compete at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.”

“It’s the best I’ve seen him play. I’ve played with him 11 years now.

Hands down it’s the best I’ve seen him play,” Priddy said on The NET Live. “He was doing everything. He was serving well, playing defense, stuffing seven balls a match and showing tremendous range. He was exploding to the ball and hitting with a ton of range.

“He’s wearing the captain’s bar now…. I’m really seeing a concerted effort from him to step up in that role. He’s very vocal and a great leader for all of us. It’s great to see that.”

Stanley finished the season second on the team in scoring with 373 points (3.85 points per set), kills with 265 (2.73 kills per set/42.4 kill percentage/.344 hitting efficiency), blocks with 55 (.57 blocks per set) and digs with 138 (1.42 digs per set). He led the team in aces with 53 (.55 per set).

At the 2011 FIVB World League, Clay was one of three players to compete in all 58 sets for the U.S. He was the team’s second-leading scorer with 208 points on 152 kills (39.2 kill percent), 28 blocks and 28 aces. He finished pool play first among all servers with 25 aces.

Stanley suffered an ankle injury in the first set of the first match of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, but came back to help the United States defeat Cuba in pool play and started against Puerto Rico in the semifinals and Cuba in the final. He ended up scoring 40 points in 13 sets played on 28 successful attacks (44.4 kill percent), five blocks and seven aces.

Stanley (6-foot-9, 230 pounds) had his best tournament of the season at the FIVB World Cup, where the U.S. Men finished sixth. Even though he missed the last three matches, Stanley led the team in aces (18/.69 per set) and blocks (22/.85 per set). He was second on the team in attacks (85/48.6 kill percentage/.429 hitting efficiency), digs (43/1.65 per set) and total points (125/4.81 per set).

He was just a few percentage points from winning the Best Server title.

13

2011 Final Results (26-15) FIVB World League Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

City

Points Leader

Attendance

5/27

at Poland (0-1)

L (25-20, 25-22, 25-19)

Lodz

Priddy (16)

8,100

5/28

at Poland (1-1)

W (25-22, 25-19, 37-35)

Lodz

Priddy (17)

9,178

6/3

at Puerto Rico (2-1)

W (24-26, 29-27, 25-17, 25-17)

San Juan

Stanley (20)

4,132

6/4

at Puerto Rico (3-1)

W (25-23, 26024, 22-25, 25-12)

San Juan

Anderson (23)

4,512

6/12

at Brazil (3-2)

L (19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21)

Belo Horizonte

Priddy/Stanley (13)

14,800

6/13

at Brazil (4-2)

W (25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 26-24)

Belo Horizonte

Anderson (21)

17,836

6/17

Poland (4-3)

L (25-22, 25-19, 25-20)

Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Priddy (13)

4,700

6/18

Poland (5-3)

W (25-21, 15-25, 25-18, 25-22)

Hoffman Estates, Ill.

Anderson (20)

6,000

6/24

Brazil (5-4)

L (25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 25-19)

Tulsa, Okla.

Priddy (15)

4,000

6/25

Brazil (6-4)

W (25-20, 25-23, 22-25, 25-23)

Tulsa, Okla.

Priddy (17)

3,500

7/1

Puerto Rico (7-4)

W (25-27, 25-22, 25-12, 25-27, 15-8)

Long Beach, Calif.

Priddy (21)

3,000

7/2

Puerto Rico (8-4)

W (25-13, 25-22, 25-19)

Long Beach, Calif.

Priddy (15)

3,100

7/6

Russia (8-5)

L (29-31, 25-16, 25-21, 25-22)

Gdansk, Poland

Anderson (17)

2,284

7/7

Brazil (8-6)

L (15-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-15)

Gdansk, Poland

Anderson (16)

3,480

7/8

Cuba (9-6)

W (23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 15,13)

Gdansk, Poland

Anderson (29)

3,445

Final Standings: 1. Russia, 2. Brazil, 3. Poland, 4. Argentina, 5. Bulgaria, 6. Italy, 7. USA, 8. Cuba, 9. Serbia, 10. Finland, 11. Germany, 12. France, 13.

Korea, 14. Portugal, 15. Japan, 16. Puerto Rico Pan American Cup at Gatineau, Quebec, Canada Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

Points Leader

Attendance

6/13

Bahamas (10-6)

W (25-14, 25-12, 24-12)

Jablonsky (10)

500

6/14

Panama (11-6)

W (25-14, 25-14, 25-11)

4 players w/ 7 pts

243

6/15

Argentina (12-6)

W (25-15, 25-21, 25-19)

Tarr (14)

425

6/17

Puerto Rico (13-6)

W (25-18, 25-17, 25-14)

Price/Jablonsky (10)

679

6/18

Brazil (13-7)

L ( 25-23, 21-25, 25-17, 28-26)

Price/Tarr (17)

1,325

Final Standings: 1. Brazil, 2. USA, 3. Canada, 4. Puerto Rico, 5. Mexico, 6. Venezuela, 7. Argentina, 8. Dominican Republic London Volleyball International Invitational at Earls Court in London Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

Points Leader

Attendance

7/20

Serbia (13-8)

L (16-25, 25-17, 25-16, 26-24)

Patak (22)

Not available

7/21

Egypt (14-8)

W (25-23, 25-17, 25-21)

Patak (15)

NA

7/22

Mexico (15-8)

W (25-19, 25-17, 25-18)

Patak/Jablonsky (12)

NA

7/23

Great Britain (16-8)

W (25-23, 25-10, 27-25)

Patak/Anderson (15)

NA

7/24

Brazil (16-9)

L (25-21, 22-25, 25-27, 25-16, 18-16)

Anderson (18)

NA

Final Standings: 1. Serbia, 2. Brazil, 3. USA, 4. Egypt, 5. Great Britain, 6. Mexico

14

2011 Final Results (26-15) World University Games at Shenzhen, China (Record is not included in overall U.S. record) Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

Points Leader

Attendance

8/12

Mexico (1-0)

W (25-17, 25-23, 25-15)

Menzel (15)

1,800

8/13

Turkey (2-0)

W (25-18, 25-9, 25-20)

Amberg (16)

1,370

8/15

Czech Republic (2-1)

L (23-25, 25-23, 23-25, 25-27, 15-13)

Menzel (28)

2,500

8/16

United Arab Ems. (3-1)

W ( 25-21, 25-13, 25-20)

Troy (12)

300

8/17

Thailand (3-2)

L (25-15, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23)

Lawson (15)

1,350

8/19

Japan (3-3)

L (25-20, 23-25, 28-30, 25-21, 15-11)

Troy (23)

1,341

8/20

Sweden (4-3)

W (25-21, 24-26, 25-10, 27-25)

Clark (18)

1,335

8/21

Norway (5-3)

W (25-19, 23-25, 25-16, 25-14)

Clark (21)

1,350

Final Standings: 1. Russia, 2. Ukraine, 3. Brazil, 4. Canada, 5. Korea, 6. Thailand, 7. Czech Republic, 8. Switzerland, 9. Japan, 10. Israel, 11. Australia, 12. USA, 13.

Norway, 14. Sweden, 15. Mexico, 16, Turkey, 17. Oman, 18. China, 19. Hong Kong, 20 United Arab Emirates, DQ Iran Men’s NORCECA Continental Championship at Mayaguez, Puerto Rico Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

Points Leader

Attendance

8/29

Trinidad & Tobago (17-9)

W (25-15, 25-7, 25-12)

Lee/Patak (12)

100

8/30

Costa Rica (18-9)

W (25-16, 25-12, 25-9)

Patak (12)

100

8/31

Cuba (19-9)

W (24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17)

Anderson (23)

2,654

9/2

Puerto Rico (20-9)

W (25-14, 25-15, 26-24)

Anderson (15)

1,950

9/3

Cuba (20-10)

L (25-23, 29-27, 25-27, 19-25, 15-8)

Anderson (18)

1,200

Final Standings: 1. Cuba, 2. USA, 3. Canada, 4. Puerto Rico, 5. Mexico, 6. Trinidad & Tobago, 6. Costa Rica, 7. St. Lucia 2011 Pan American Games at Guadalajara, Mexico (Record is not included in overall U.S. record) Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

Points Leader

Attendance

10/24

Puerto Rico (1-0)

W (22-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, 15-13)

Patak (27)

2,400

10/25

Canada (1-1)

L (21-25, 25-23, 37-39, 35-33, 15-12)

Ciarelli (29)

3,500

10/26

Brazil (1-2)

L (18-25, 25-17, 25-14, 25-18)

Patak/Vogel (9)

3,011

10/27

Argentina (1-3)

L (25-17, 19-25, 25-18, 17-25, 15-11)

Patak (21)

3,400

10/28

Venezuela (2-3)

W (21-25, 25-17, 21-25, 25-18, 15-13)

Patak (25)

3,100

10/29

Canada (3-3)

W (22-25, 25-15, 25-19, 21-25, 19-17)

Patak (25)

3,100

Final Standings: 1. Brazil, 2. Cuba, 3. Argentina, 4. Mexico, 5. USA, 6. Canada, 7. Puerto Rico, 8. Venezuela FIVB Volleyball World Cup Japan 2011 Nov. 20-Dec. 4 at Japan Date

Opponent (Record)

Result

City

Points Leader

Attendance

11/20

China (21-10)

W (25-14, 25-23, 25-21)

Kagoshima

Stanley (17)

4,000

11/21

Brazil (21-11)

L (25-17, 25-18, 16-25, 25-16)

Kagoshima

Anderson (19)

3,000

11/22

Russia (21-12)

L (25-18, 25-19, 26-24)

Kagoshima

Stanley (17)

4,000

11/24

Egypt (22-12)

W (25-19, 25-20, 25-20)

Kumamoto

Priddy/Stanley (14)

1,500

11/25

Italy (22-13)

L (41-39, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21)

Kumamoto

Stanley (22)

3,000

11/27

Iran (23-13)

W (25-15, 27-25, 25-14)

Fukuoka

Stanley (25)

1,700

11/28

Poland (23-14)

L (25-15, 25-20, 25-18)

Fukuoka

Stanley (10)

900

11/29

Japan (24-14)

W (39-37, 25-16, 25-15)

Fukuoka

Anderson (19)

5,200

12/2

Argentina (25-14)

W (27-29, 25-14, 25-17, 20-25, 15-12)

Tokyo

Anderson (25)

550

12/3

Cuba (26-14)

W (25-20, 14-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-10)

Tokyo

Anderson (25)

850

12/4

Serbia (26-15)

L (25-23, 25-17, 25-19)

Tokyo

Rooney (10)

900

Final Standings: 1. Russia, 2. Poland, 3. Brazil, 4. Italy, 5. Cuba, 6. USA, 7. Argentina, 8. Serbia, 9. Iran, 10. Japan, 11. China, 12. Egypt

15

2012 U.S. Men’s Statistics

Sets Played 52 40 35 30 21 12 8 2 1 3 0

Total Kills

0.00

3.47 2.67 2.50 2.14 1.62 1.00 0.80 0.20 0.06 0.75 0.00

Kills Per Set

58.8

00.0

63.4 55.6 46.7 81.1 75.0 85.7 61.5 16.7 12.5 50.0 00.0

Kill Pct.

18

0

4 4 5 1 1 0 2 0 1 0 0

347

00

82 72 75 37 28 14 13 12 8 6 00

0.536

0.000

0.585 0.500 0.400 0.784 0.714 0.857 0.462 0.167 0.000 0.500 0.00

42

0

8 10 6 2 4 5 0 4 3 0 0

Service Aces

2.63

0.00

0.53 0.67 0.43 0.14 0.31 0.42 0.00 0.40 0.20 0.00 0.00

Aces Per Set

46

0

4 11 6 11 8 0 3 0 3 0 0

Stuff Blocks

2.88

0.00

0.27 0.73 0.43 0.79 0.62 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.00

126

38

19 17 18 2 3 1 0 4 22 2 0

Blocks Digs Per Set

7.88

2.38

1.27 1.13 1.29 0.14 0.22 0.08 0.00 0.40 1.47 0.50 0.00

292

0

64 61 47 43 33 17 11 10 7 3 0

Digs Points Per Set

18.25

0.00

4.27 4.07 3.36 3.07 2.54 1.42 1.10 1.00 0.47 0.75 0.00

Points Per Set

(DataVolley statistics based on the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament )

15 15 14 14 13 12 10 10 15 4 1 0 12.75

Total Hitting Attempts Eff.

ANDERSON STANLEY PRIDDY LEE HOLMES MCKIENZIE MILLAR LOTMAN SUXHO SALMON THORNTON 16 204

Hitting Errors

1 13 8 4 12 21 9 6 7 10 11 LAMBOURNE 16

No. Name

5 TOTALS

Total Attempts

5.44 2.67

Assists Per Set

No. Name Sets Assists Faults Played 265 15

SETTING STATISTICS (as determined by NORCECA)

SUXHO 15 87 3 THORNTON 1 8 0

7 11

16

2011 U.S. Men’s Statistics LAMBOURNE SALMON WATTEN 107 34 16

1 ANDERSON 115 13 STANLEY 97 8 PRIDDY 88 4 LEE 104 9 MILLAR 97 3 PATAK 92 6 LOTMAN 85 15 HOLMES 71 16/18 JABLONSKY 31 17 HOLT 39 10 SMITH 32 PRICE 15 17 2 ROONEY 16 6 HEIN 16 16 TARR 20 9/6 TROY 16 MENZEL 6 3 4 MUAGUTUTIA 7 9 MEEHAN 3 5 THORNTON 99 14 HANSEN 44 WINDER 15 7 7 SUXHO 10 11 SHOJI 11

No. Name

110

1,358

0 0 0

420 265 262 140 95 104 107 77 64 49 37 43 43 26 48 21 12 0 1 4 9 3 2 1

Total Kills

12.35

0.00 0.00 0.00

3.65 2.73 2.98 1.35 0.98 1.13 1.26 1.08 2.06 1.26 1.16 1.25 2.69 1.63 2.40 1.31 2.00 0.00 0.33 0.04 0.20 0.20 0.20 0.09

Kills Per Set

48.6

00.0 0.00 0.00

48.7 42.4 47.7 53.0 45.7 44.4 48.9 55.4 54.2 54.4 57.8 50.6 49.4 53.1 55.2 70.0 52.2 00.0 100.0 21.1 60.0 75.0 40.0 100.0

Kill Pct.

214

0 0 0

63 50 39 17 17 10 17 7 7 8 5 8 5 3 6 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 0

Hitting Errors

2,792

0 0 0

862 625 549 263 208 234 219 139 118 90 64 85 87 49 87 30 23 4 1 19 15 4 5 1

0.410

0.00 0.00 0.00

0.414 0.344 0.406 0.468 0.375 0.402 0.411 0.504 0.483 0.456 0.500 0.412 0.437 0.469 0.483 0.467 0.435 0.000 1.000 0.211 0.600 0.750 0.200 1.000

Total Hitting Attempts Eff.

161

0 0 0

34 53 18 8 12 26 13 5 6 6 9 2 0 2 1 2 1 0 0 14 3 5 0 1

Service Aces

1.46

0.00 0.00 0.00

0.30 0.55 0.20 0.08 0.12 0.28 0.12 0.07 0.19 0.15 0.28 0.13 0.00 0.13 0.05 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.00 0.14 0.07 0.33 0.00 0.09

Aces Per Set

310

0 0 0

39 55 31 82 50 10 10 27 7 21 19 7 2 3 5 1 2 2 1 15 11 4 2 2

Stuff Blocks

2.82

0.00 0.00 0.00

0.34 0.57 0.35 0.79 0.52 0.12 0.12 0.38 0.23 0.54 0.59 0.47 0.13 0.19 0.25 0.06 0.33 0.29 0.33 0.15 0.25 0.27 0.20 0.18

751

180 47 23

125 138 105 30 21 35 39 11 31 7 13 9 16 3 7 5 2 3 0 116 44 5 20 0

Blocks Digs Per Set

6.83

1.68 1.38 1.44

1.09 1.42 1.19 0.29 0.22 0.38 0.46 0.15 1.00 0.18 0.41 0.60 1.00 0.19 0.35 0.31 0.33 0.43 0.00 1.17 1.00 0.33 2.00 0.00

1,803

0 0 0

493 373 311 230 157 140 130 109 77 76 65 52 45 31 27 24 15 2 2 33 23 12 4 4

Digs Points Per Set

16.39

0.00 0.00 0.00

4.29 3.85 3.53 2.21 1.62 1.52 1.53 1.53 2.48 1.95 2.03 3.47 2.81 1.94 1.35 1.50 2.50 0.29 0.67 0.33 0.52 0.80 0.40 0.36

Points Per Set

(DataVolley statistics based on the following 2011 events: FIVB World League, Pan American Cup, London International Invitational, NORCECA Continental Championship and the FIVB World Cup)

5 10 19 TOTALS

Sets Played

Total Attempts

Assists Per Set

SETTING STATISTICS (as determined by the FIVB and/or NORCECA. Does not include London International Invitational) No. Name Sets Assists Faults Played

5.19 3.30 5.93 6.70 3.64

99 44 15 10 11

1,799 502 217 173 85

THORNTON HANSEN WINDER SUXHO SHOJI

514 17 145 6 89 0 67 1 40 0

5 14 7 7 11

17

1 2 3 USA 25 25 25 TRI 25 25 25 U.S. Men Top Trinidad & Tobago to Open Qualifier LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 7, 2012) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team had little trouble winning their first match of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament as they swept Trinidad & Tobago on Monday, 25-9, 25-10, 25-14 at the Pyramid in Long Beach.

The winner of the eight-team tournament will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The U.S. Men open tournament pool play with a 1-0 record and will play Costa Rica (0-1) at 8 p.m. PT on Tuesday. Trinidad & Tobago will play Mexico at 3 p.m. PT. The U.S. dominated Trinidad & Tobago, leading 12-0 in aces, 7-2 in blocks and 33-14 in attacks.

“It was our first match,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “I thought it was important that we play with the right mentality and a good sense of urgency.”

Matt Anderson digs the Molten as Reid Priddy (8) and Rich Lambourne watch. (Matt A. Brown photo)

U.S. middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) led all scorers on Monday with 11 points on a match-high eight attacks (72.7 kill percent, .636 hitting efficiency), two blocks and one ace.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added nine points on six attacks, one block and two aces. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who started only the third set, totaled seven points on five kills and two aces.

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) finished with six points on two kills, one block and a match-high three aces. Opposite and team captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) totaled six points on six attacks.

“We did a great job behind the service line,” Stanley said. “Our block was good and it put a lot of pressure on Trinidad.”

Opposite Dave McKienzie (Littleton, Colo.) scored five points on four kills and one ace. Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) finished with four points on two blocks and two aces. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) added three points on one kill, one block and one ace.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) finished with one point on one attack.

Suxho set the U.S. Men to a 67.3 kill percent and a .571 hitting efficiency.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led in digs with 11 and was credited with four excellent serve receptions. Anderson led the team in excellent receptions with eight.

Trinidad team captain Nolan Tash paced the Caribbean team with six points on six attacks.

U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Suxho at setter, Stanley at opposite and Lambourne at libero.

18

Russell Holmes attacks from the middle against Trinidad & Tobago.

(Matt A. Brown photo)

Donald Suxho (7) sets against the block of Trinidad & Tobago. Matt A. Brown photo

19

Donald Suxho (7) sets for the U.S. in front of Trinidad’s block. (Matt A. Brown)

1 2 3 USA 25 25 25 CRC 14 9 9 U.S. Men Cruise Past Costa Rica at Qualifier LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 8, 2012) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team coasted past Costa Rica, 25-14, 25-9, 25-9 on Tuesday at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.

The winner of the tournament will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Clay Stanley (13), Russell Holmes and Matt Anderson (1) block against Costa Rica. (Matt A. Brown photo)

The U.S. Men improved to 2-0 in pool play. They will try to secure the pool victory on Wednesday when they play Mexico (2-0) at 8 p.m. PT at the Pyramid. Costa Rica (0-2) will play Trinidad & Tobago (0-2) at 3 p.m. PT. The U.S. Men dominated the match, leading in kills, 38-18, in blocks, 8-2 and in aces, 11-0.

“We subbed a little more freely tonight and the guys did a good job keeping their focus,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said.

“We stressed a lot about continued pressure on the end line.”

U.S. opposite David McKienzie (Littleton, Colo.) led all scorers with 10 points on a match-high eight kills (80.0 kill percent, .700 hitting efficiency) and two aces. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added eight points on three attacks (75.0 kill percent, .750 hitting efficiency), a match-high three blocks and two aces.

“I thought our team controlled the game behind the service line,” Stanley said. “We had a pretty nice control block giving them pressure and having it hard (for Costa Rica) to side out.”

Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) totaled seven points on four kills and a match-high three aces. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added seven points on five attacks and two blocks.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) scored six points on six attacks. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled five points on three kills, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) scored five points on three attacks and two aces. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) added five points on three kills and two blocks.

Outside hitter Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) contributed three points on three attacks and setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) scored a point with a kill. Setters Suxho and Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) combined to help the U.S. Men to a 69.1 kill percent and a .600 hitting efficiency.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) had six of the United States’ 26 digs while Suxho had five. Lambourne was also credited with 12 excellent receptions.

Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Suxho at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Holmes started the second and third sets for Lee. Lotman started the third set for Priddy. Thornton started the third set for Suxho. McKienzie started the third set for Stanley.

20

Matt Anderson (1) hits against Costa Rica. (Matt A. Brown photo) Dave McKienzie celebrates during the match against Costa Rica. (Matt A. Brown photo)

Brian Thornton receives the Molten. (Matt A. Brown photo)

21

1 2 3 USA 25 25 25 MEX 23 19 14 U.S. Men to Play Cuba in Semifinals LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 9, 2012) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team will advance to the semifinals of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament after beating Mexico on Wednesday, 25-23, 25-19, 25-14.

Matt Anderson (1) hits against Costa Rica. (Matt A. Brown photo)

The winner of the tournament will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The U.S. Men won their pool with a 3-0 record and will await their opponent for Friday‘s semifinal. Mexico (2-1) will play Puerto Rico (1-2) in one of Thursday’s quarterfinals while Cuba (2-1) will play Trinidad & Tobago (12) in the other.

Canada (3-0), which scored an upset over Cuba in their final pool play match on Wednesday, will play in the other semifinal on Friday.

The U.S. Men got off to a slow start on Wednesday, but accelerated and finished the match leading Mexico in kills (40-31), blocks (8-4) and aces (6-3).

“I would like to congratulate Mexico for coming out ready to play,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “They put pressure on us early and often. We haven’t allowed teams to earn many points that teams don’t earn. I think we have room for improvement and things on video we can clean up on our day off tomorrow.”

Matt Anderson (1) hits against Costa Rica. (Matt A. Brown photo)

U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) led all scorers with 14 points on 10 kills (58.8 kill percent, , three blocks and one ace.

“Mexico did a great job,” Stanley said. “They are really scrappy and made a lot of great plays. We made a lot of little plays in the beginning that kept the game close especially in the first set with over passes and free balls. In the third set we opened that set up with service to put them in trouble spots.”

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 12 points on 10 attacks and two aces. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) totaled 10 points on nine attacks and one block.

Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added seven points on four attacks and three blocks. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored six points on six kills.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored two points on one kill and one block. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) and opposite Dave McKienzie each scored one point with an ace. Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) added one point with a block.

Suxho set the team to a 49.4 kill percent and a .370 hitting efficiency.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) had 13 of the team’s 43 digs. Stanley had nine. Lambourne was credited with 11 excellent receptions while Priddy led with 12.

Mexico’s Carlos Guerra produced a team-high 12 points and captain Gerardo Contreras added nine points.

22

Reid Priddy (8) slaps hands with Ryan Millar (9). (Matt A. Brown photo)

Rich Lambourne passes the Molten (Matt A. Brown photo)

23

1 2 3 4 USA 21 25 25 25 CUB 25 18 17 16 U.S. Men to Play Canada for Olympic Berth LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 11, 2012) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team will play Canada for a berth at the 2012 Olympic Games on Saturday after beating Cuba on Friday, 21-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-16 at the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.

Alan Knipe and his players listen to the National Anthem before the match. (Matt A. Brown photo)

The United States (4-0) will play Canada (4-0) at 8 p.m. on Saturday at the Pyramid with the winner taking the Olympic berth. Cuba (3-2) will play Puerto Rico (2-3) in the bronze-medal match, which begins at 5 p.m.

The U.S. block came up big against Cuba with the United States holding a 14-5 blocking advantage. Four U.S. players finished with three blocks each.

The U.S. also led in aces, 10-5, while Cuba held the edge in attacks, 4946. The U.S. scored 26 points on Cuban errors while giving away only 17.

U.S. outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led all scorers with 24 points on a match-high 17 kills (70.8 kill percent, .708 hitting efficiency), three blocks and a match-high four aces. Opposite Clay Stanley added 13 points on seven attacks, three blocks and three aces.

The U.S. Men kept the first set close, but were never able to take a lead and pull away. In the next three sets, they took early leads and pulled away from Cuba.

Russell Holmes (12) goes for the kill of the set by Donald Suxho (left in white). (Matt A. Brown photo)

“We didn’t start off the way we wanted to, but some of that credit goes to Cuba,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “I want to give a lot of credit to our passers tonight because (Wilfredo) Leon and (Fernando) Hernandez can put a lot of pressure on you. I was extremely proud of that effort as the match went on, but more importantly of the group because they stayed together and kept focus.”

“I don’t know what happened in the first set, Cuba put some pressure on us, but I am really proud of my team,” Stanley said. “Matt Anderson served his butt off tonight and he played great offense. Russell Holmes did a great job. We passed the ball pretty good. As a team we played an all-around good match.”

Wilfredo Leon paced Cuba with 15 points on 13 attacks and two aces.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) finished with 11 points on eight attacks and three blocks. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) totaled 11 points on six kills, three blocks and two aces.

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) contributed eight points on seven attacks and one block. Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) totaled two points on one kill and one block and opposite David McKienzie (Littleton, Colo.) had one point on a service ace.

Suxho set the U.S. Men to a 52.3 kill percent and a .477 hitting efficiency.

Cuba had a 45.4 kill percent and a .370 hitting efficiency.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with eight digs as was Anderson. The U.S. had 23 digs total.

24

Clay Stanley (13) and David Lee (4) go up for the block against Cuba.

(Matt A. Brown photo)

Clay Stanley attacks against Cuba (Matt A. Brown photo)

25

1 2 3 USA 25 25 25 MEX 23 19 14 U.S. Men Book Ticket to London 2012 LONG BEACH, Calif. (May 12, 2012) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team qualified for its eighth straight Olympic Games on Saturday with a 28-26, 25-18, 25-20 victory over Canada at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament at the Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.

The eight-team tournament awarded the winner berth into the Olympic Games later this summer in London. The U.S. Men finished the tournament with a 5-0 record. Canada finished second at 4-1. Cuba defeated Puerto Rico, 25-20, 25-21, 25-15, to win the bronze.

Matt Anderson receives the Molten. (Matt A. Brown photo)

The United States, ranked sixth in the latest FIVB World ranking compared to Canada’s No. 18 ranking, has now qualified for each of the last four Olympic Games through the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament. However the 2012 event marks the first time the Americans have qualified on U.S. soil as a sell-out crowd watched the gold-medal match.

“I’ve never played in such an important match on U.S. soil with as much significance an as much support as this one,” U.S. outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) said.

“Being in the twilight of my career, this is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Thank you to UPS, USA Volleyball, the City of Anaheim and everyone who made it possible.”

U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) was named the tournament’s most valuable player. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) was named best spiker. U.S. middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) was named best blocker.

From left, Donald Suxho, Reid Priddy and Matt Anderson celebrate.

(Matt A. Brown photo)

Stanley led the United States with 15 points as his team used a balanced offense. Stanley scored on 12 kills, one block and two aces.

Lee provided 13 points on seven attacks and a match-high five blocks.

Anderson contributed 13 points on 13 attacks Priddy contributed 12 points on 10 kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored nine points on five kills and four aces.

Canada was led by Dallas Soonias’ 19 points, followed by Fred Winters’ 12 points.

The U.S. Men managed a 47-37 advantage in attack points, in addition to an 11-5 margin in blocks and a 4-3 lead in aces.

“Now we can prepare for teams qualified for the Olympics and not just teams trying to qualify,” U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “And we can prepare our guys. We only had eight practices to prepare for this tournament and team did a great job.”

Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) helped the U.S. Men to a 52.2 kill percent and a .467 hitting efficiency. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with seven while Anderson added six. Lambourne was credited with 17 receptions (65 percent positive). Anderson led the team in receptions with 18 (67 percent positive). Priddy also had 17 receptions (59 percent positive).

26

From left, Ryan Millar, Riley Salmon with son Lincoln and Brian Thornton. (Matt A. Brown photo)

27

David Lee attacks against Canada (Matt A. Brown photo)

Courtesy of NORCECA

28

Preliminary Roster - 2011 FIVB World League

#1 Matt Anderson Outside Hitter * 6-10 West Seneca, New York

#2 Sean Rooney Outside Hitter * 6-9 Wheaton, Illinois

#3 Evan Patak Opposite * 6-8 Pleasanton, California

#4 David Lee Middle Blocker * 6-8 Alpine, California

#5 Rich Lambourne Libero * 6-3 Tustin, California

#6 Paul Lotman Outside Hitter * 6-7 Lakewood, California

#7 Donald Suxho Setter * 6-5 Korce, Albania

#8 Reid Priddy Outside Hitter * 6-5 Richmond, Virginia

#9 Ryan Millar Middle Blocker * 6-8 Alpine, Utah

#1 Brian Thornton Setter * 6-3 San Clemente, Calif.

#11 Jonathan Winder Setter * 6-8 Irvine, California

#12 Russell Holmes Middle Blocker * 6-8 Fountain Valley, California

#13 Clay Stanley Opposite * 6-9 Honolulu, Hawaii

#14 Kevin Hansen Setter * 6-5 Newport Beach, California

#15 Gabe Gardner Opposite * 6-10 San Clemente California

#17 Max Holt Middle Blocker * 6-9 Cincinnati, Ohio

#18 Scott Touzinsky Outside Hitter * 6-6 St. Louis, Missouri

#19 Robert Tarr Outside Hitter * 6-6 Cape Canaveral, Florida

#20 David Smith Middle Blocker * 6-7 Saugus, California

#16 Jayson Jablonsky Outside Hitter * 6-5 Yorba Linda, California

Alan Knipe Head Coach

Gary Sato Assisant Coach

Chris Jackson Technical Coordinator

29

Aaron Brock Medical Support

1 2 3 USA 20 22 19 POL 25 25 25 Poland Pushes Past U.S. Men in World League Opener LODZ, Poland (May 27, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team did not get off to the start it hoped for at the 2011 FIVB World League as it fell to Poland 25-20, 25-22, 25-19.

Team USA group photo from the opening weekend of the 2011 FIVB World League. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. led Poland in aces 3-1, but Poland out-hit the U.S. Men, 47-33.

The United States’ hitting efficiency was .185 and its kill percent was 35.9.

Poland’s hitting efficiency was .350 and its kill percent was 48.5. Poland also out-blocked the U.S., 11-6.

Poland was credited with 55 digs and 14 errors while the United States had 31 digs and 13 errors. Poland was credited with 24 excellent receptions on 54 attempts with three errors. The U.S. Men were credited with 22 excellent receptions and two errors on 63 attempts.

“This is certainly not how we wanted to start this tournament,” U.S. Team Captain Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.), who was also the team’s leading scorer. “We made a lot of errors, while Poland played well. It is always very difficult to win the game on this level with these two things happening.”

Priddy paced the U.S. Men with 16 points on 13 kills, one block and a match-high two aces. Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 10 points on eight kills, one block and one ace.

Poland’s Bartosz Kurek led all scorers with 23 points on a match-high 20 kills and a match-high three blocks. Zbigniew Bartman added 15 points on 12 kills, two blocks and one ace.

“We were obviously disappointed in the outcome of the match tonight,” U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We were beaten in every major statistical category.”

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Matt Anderson scored five points on four kills and one block. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled four points on three kills and one block. Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who substituted for Anderson in the third set, scored four points on four kills.

Donald Suxho and David Lee block against Polane. (FIVB photo)

Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored two points on one kill and one block.

Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania), who was pulled in the third set for Brian Thornton (San Clement, Calif.) score one point with a block. Suxho was credited with 21 running sets and no errors on 49 attempts. Thornton was credited with eight running sets and no errors on 21 attempts.

Libero Rich Lambourne was credited with nine digs and two faults on 20 attempts. He also had eight excellent receptions and one fault on 22 attempts. Priddy was credited with eight digs and two faults on 15 attempts. He also finished with eight excellent receptions and no faults on 16 attempts.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Suxho at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Lotman started the third set for Anderson and Thornton replace Suxho early in the third set. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and opposite Gabe Gardner (San Clemente, Calif.) also played as substitutes.

Donald Suxho (7) sets for David Lee. (FIVB photo)

30

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe, left, talks with David Lee (4). 31 (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 25 25 37 USA 22 19 35 RUS U.S. Men Bounce Back with Sweep of Poland LODZ, Poland (May 28, 2011) – U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team Head Coach Alan Knipe showed confidence in his starting lineup and it paid off as the U.S. Men defeated Poland, 25-22, 25-19, 37-35 to earn their first victory in the Continental (pool play) Round of the 2011 FIVB World League.

The U.S. Men improved their record in Pool A to 1-1 as they head to San Juan, Puerto Rico for their next two matches on June 3-4. Poland (1-1) will travel to Rio de Janeiro to face Brazil on June 4-5.

Gabe Gardner (15), Ryan Millar (9) and Matt Anderson (1) block against Poland. (FIVB photo)

Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) made no changes to his starting lineup despite its poor performance against Poland on Friday, when it was swept.

His confidence paid off as four players scored in double figures and the U.S. Men improved all aspects of their game.

In a third-set battle, the U.S. Men held leads of 15-10 and 16-12, but Poland fought back and tied the match at 21-21. Poland took its first set point at 24-22 and went on to hold seven more set points while the U.S. took match point five times before finally getting the victory.

Donald Suxho (7) sets for Ryan Millar.

(FIVB photo)

“We were a more focused team tonight; focusing intently on each and every play and taking the game one point at a time,” U.S. Assistant Coach Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.) said. “We developed a much better rhythm tonight and the guys showed a lot of heart and character to bounce back and win the serve and pass battle. Donald Suxho executed the game plan perfectly.”

For the second night, outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) led the United States with 17 points on 15 kills and two aces. He was named the match’s Most Valuable Player.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) had a much better night on Saturday, scoring 16 points on 13 kills, two blocks and one ace.

Zbigniew Bartman led all scorers for a second night with 21 points on a match-high 19 kills and two blocks. Poland also used the same starting lineup as Saturday, but made many more changes throughout the match.

The teams were tied in kills, 42-42. However, the United States’ hitting efficiency was 0.333 and its kill percent was 46.7 while Poland’s hitting efficiency was 0.189 and its kill percent was 39.6.

The United States out-blocked Poland 15-6 and had eight aces while Poland scored on three.

Poland led in digs 66-63, but was hurt by 28 errors, while the United States had 15. The U.S. was credited with 28 excellent receptions and four faults while Poland had 21 excellent receptions and seven faults.

Millar finished the match with 11 points on five kills, five blocks and one ace. Among the other U.S. starters, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) also scored 11 points on five kills, five blocks and one ace. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) totaled nine points on three kills, three blocks and a match-high three aces.

Setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) scored one point with a kill, and was also credited with 32 running sets and one fault on 65 attempts.

32

Reid Priddy, right, is congratulated for being named the match’s most valuable player. (FIVB photo)

Clay Stanley (13) blocks against Poland. (FIVB photo)

33

1 2 3 4 5 24 29 25 25 USA 26 27 17 17 PUR U.S. Men Come Back to Beat Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (June 3, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team took their second 2011 FIVB World League victory, out-blocking Puerto Rico 14-0 in a 24-26, 29-27, 25-17, 25-17 victory.

With the victory, the U.S. Men improve to 2-1 in Pool A in the Continental Round while Puerto Rico falls to 0-3. The two teams will play again on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PT in San Juan.

After a lackluster first-set loss, the U.S. Men battled to win the second set as Puerto Rico fought off three set points. The U.S. Men cruised to victory in the third and fourth sets.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) was brought in for Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) in the second set while outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) started the third and fourth sets for Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.).

Matt Anderson hits against Puerto Rico. (Jose Jimenez)

“Both sides made more errors than they wanted,” U.S. Men’s Team Captain Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) said. “I am really glad to win after a tough battle. Our guys from the bench Paul Lotman and Brian Thornton stabilized our game with key production.”

U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) led all scorers with 20 points on 15 kills (0.500 hitting efficiency), three blocks and two aces. Priddy, at outside hitter, added 19 points on 14 kills (41.2 kill percent) three blocks and two aces.

“First of all I am happy to get the win,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach) said. “We didn’t start the first set very well and had some problems finding our rhythm. Lotman and Thornton did a good job and Stanley was very good tonight. Thornton got significant playing time and he did well.”

Puerto Rico out-hit the U.S. Men 56-47. The U.S. Men’s hitting efficiency was 0.292 while their kill percent was 41.6. Puerto Rico’s hitting efficiency was 0.261 while its kill percent was 41.8.

U.S. Men’s team captain Reid Priddy, left, and Puerto Rico captain Hector Soto, right, pose with the event mascot. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. Men had seven aces while Puerto Rico had four. Puerto Rico also had 20 service errors while the U.S. was charged with 13.

Puerto Rico led in digs 40-36, but also led in digging errors, 46-32.

Opposite Hector Soto led Puerto Rico with 16 points on a match-high 16 kills (0.196 hitting efficiency). Middle blocker Enrique Escalante added 13 points on 11 kills (0.250 hitting efficiency) and two aces.

Among other U.S. scorers, Lotman finished with eight points on six kills and two aces. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) scored seven points on three kills, three blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added seven points on four kills and three blocks.

Anderson scored six points on five kills and one block. Thornton finished with one point on a block.

Thornton was credited with 13 running sets and one fault on 50 attempts.

Suxho finished with 10 running sets and no faults on 32 attempts.

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Brian Thornton sets against Puerto Rico. (Jose Jimenez)

Rich Lambourne makes a dig. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 25 26 22 25 USA 23 24 25 12 PUR U.S. Men Dominate 4th Set; Beat Puerto Rico SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (June 4, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team dominated the fourth set to defeat host Puerto Rico, 25-23, 26-24, 22-25, 25-12.

The U.S. Men improved their 2011 World League record to 3-1 and took second place in Pool A behind Brazil (3-0), which will play its second match against Poland (1-3) on Sunday. Puerto Rico falls to 0-4 and is in fourth place in the pool.

The U.S. Men will return to their home base at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim, Calif., before heading to Belo Horizonte, Brazil for two matches on June 11-12 (both at 6 a.m. PT). Puerto Rico will host Poland on June 10-11.

Ryan Millar, right, looks to get the ball over Puerto Rico’s block.

(FIVB photo)

The U.S. Men were leading 2 sets to 1 on Saturday when they took control of the fourth set, jumping out to a 5-1 lead. Later in the set, U.S. opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) served four straight aces to give his team an 18-9 lead. But Puerto Rico was truly deflated when outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) hit the ball and Puerto Rico blocked it back at him. The ball ricocheted off Anderson’s shoulder and fell on Puerto Rico’s side, giving the United States a 20-12 lead. Puerto Rico did not score again.

“It was a very tough match with Puerto Rico touching a lot of balls, making it very difficult for us,” U.S. Team Captain Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) said.

“A lot of up and downs in our game, but we remained patient. I think that was the key for us.”

“In the fourth set, a lot of things happened,” Puerto Rico Team Captain Hector Soto said. “I don’t know if it was lack of gas or lack of concentration but it was a disaster. At the end we couldn’t get any points and it was a painful loss.”

Anderson led the U.S. Men with 23 points on a match-high 22 kills (56.1 kill percent) and one block. Stanley had 17 points on 11 kills (36.6 kill percent), one block and a match-high five aces. Priddy, at outside hitter, added 16 points on 12 kills (60.0 kill percent) and four blocks.

The U.S. Men gather for a timeout against Puerto Rico. (FIVB photo)

Soto led all scorers with 24 points on 20 kills, one block and three aces.

Victor Rivera added 16 points on 14 kills, one block and one ace.

For a second night, Puerto Rico out-hit the U.S. Men 55-52. The U.S. Men’s hitting efficiency was 0.368 while their kill percent was 45.6. Puerto Rico’s hitting efficiency was 0.276 while its kill percent was 44.7.

But the U.S. out-blocked Puerto Rico 13-6 and had nine aces to Puerto Rico’s seven. The U.S. was credited with 39 digs and 29 faults. Puerto Rico had 40 digs and 38 faults. Puerto Rico was credited with 37 excellent receptions and 10 faults. The U.S. Men had 38 excellent receptions and eight faults.

Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) scored 10 points on three kills, a match-high five blocks and two aces. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) totaled seven points on four kills, one block and two aces.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.), making his first World League start, scored one point on a block. He was credited with 10 running sets and one fault on 93 attempts.

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Reid Priddy goes for the kill against a block

by Puerto Rico.

(FIVB photo)

David Lee attacks against Puerto Rico. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 25 21 19 21 USA 19 25 25 25 BRA Brazil Shows Why it is Leading Pool A BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (June 11, 2011) – For one set, the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team played like it was 2008. But it didn’t take long for Brazil to remind everyone which team is reigning in 2011.

After losing the first set, Brazil came back to defeat the U.S. Men, 19-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 in an FIVB World League match before a crowd of 14,800 enjoying breakfast at World League.

Brazil, the two-time defending World League champion ranked No. 1 in the world, improved its record to 5-0 in Pool A. The U.S. Men, ranked No. 5, fell to 3-2, but held on to second place in Pool A. The two teams will play again on Sunday.

“We have been fighting during World League to play at the same level during the entire match,” U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We will watch the tape from the game and we will see that we played some excellent volleyball and was also made a lot of mistakes. Brazil is a great team and we can´t help them like we did today.”

Brazil out-hit the U.S. Men 47-46. Brazil’s hitting efficiency was 0.237 and its kill percent was 39.8. The U.S. Men’s hitting efficiency was 0.180 while their kill percent was 37.7.

Reid Priddy and David Lee go up to block against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

Brazil out-blocked the United States 11-10 and had four aces as compared to two for the U.S. Men. The U.S. was hurt by 23 blocking errors and 14 serving errors.

The U.S. Men had more digs than Brazil, 52-47 and Brazil had more digging errors, 29-27. The U.S. Men were credited with 43 excellent receptions and four errors. Brazil totaled 42 excellent receptions and two errors.

The U.S. Men got 13 points each from opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) and outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.). Stanley, the MVP of the 2008 Olympic Games where the U.S. Men won the gold medal, beating Brazil in the final, scored on 12 kills (35.3 kill percent) and one block. Priddy scored on a match-high 13 kills (40.6 kill percent).

“I think that today we play some good and bad volleyball,” Priddy said. “We had ups and downs during the match. We need to have more consistency.

Also, our number of unforced errors was greater than the normal after the first set.”

Brazil opposite Leandro Vissotto led all scorers with 14 points on 11 kills (34.4 kill percent) and three blocks. Pereira Bravo added 12 points on nine kills (42.9 kill percent) and three blocks.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled 10 points on eight kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added nine points on seven kills, one block and one ace.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored seven points on three kills and a match-high four blocks.

Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored two points on two kills. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) had one point on one kill. Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored one point on a block.

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Rich Lambourne makes a dig as Reid Priddy (8) and Matt Anderson watch him. (FIVB photo) Brazilian fans show their true colors for their team.

(FIVB photo)

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe monitors the situation 39 in Brazil. (FIVB photo)

1 2 3 4 5 25 25 16 26 USA 21 22 25 24 BRA U.S. Men Hand Brazil First ‘11 World League Loss BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (June 12, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team handed Brazil its first 2011 FIVB World League loss with a 25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 26-24 victory in front of 17,836 yellow-clad fans.

David Lee looks to get the ball over Brazil’s block. (FIVB photo)

The victory means the U.S. Men will return to the United States with a 4-2 record as they get set for three World League weekends at home (June 17-18 against Poland at Hoffman Estates, Ill.; June 24-25 against Brazil in Tulsa, Okla., and July 1-2 against Puerto Rico in Long Beach, Calif.).

Brazil falls to 5-1, but is still in first place in Pool A. It will host Puerto Rico (0-6) on June 18-19.

Blocking was the name of the game for the U.S. Men, who out-blocked Brazil 15-9, led by middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) with a matchhigh five stops. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) and outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) each added four blocks apiece.

Brazil led the U.S. in kills, 59-50. The U.S. Men’s hitting efficiency was 0.267 while their kill percent was 41.7 Brazil’s hitting efficiency was 0.256 and its kill percent was 44.4.

The teams tied in aces 1-1 and each had 12 service errors. Brazil led in digs, 59-38 and had 26 digging errors while the U.S. Men had 38. Brazil also led in excellent receptions, 57-47. Each team was charged with one reception error.

“I am very pleased with the way my team played today,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “I think we did not make as many errors during the important moments. Yesterday I told my team that we could not give away so many errors and it did not happen today.

“Brazil has an amazing environment for volleyball. We have some young guys on the team like Anderson and I think that they learned a lot with these matches.”

Brazil Head Coach Bernardo Rezende was not happy with the timing of his team’s errors.

“The difference between this match and the last game was when the errors happened,” he said. “We made a lot of mistakes at important moments of the game. We have to play with more intelligence.”

Paul Lotman congratulates Brian Thornton for the win. (FIVB photo)

Anderson led all scorers with 21 points on 17 kills (0.500 hitting efficiency; 56.7 kill percent) and four blocks. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) added 16 points on 15 kills (0.400 hitting efficiency; 50.0 kill percent) and one block. Lee finished with 10 points on six kills and four blocks.

Brazil Team Captain Murilo Endres paced his club with 20 points on 18 kills and two blocks. Wallace Martins added 12 kills, one block and one ace.

Among other U.S. players, opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) scored nine points on eight kills and one ace. Millar finished with seven points on two kills to go with his five blocks.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored one point with a block and opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.), who played as a substitute, scored on a kill.

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Clay Stanley celebrates. FIVB photo

Brian Thornton (10) sets against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

41

1 2 3 4 5 22 19 20 USA 25 25 25 POL Poland Sails Past U.S. Men, 3-0 HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (June 17, 2011) – As a sea of 4,700 mostly Polish fans did “The Wave” around the Sears Centre Arena, Poland defeated the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team, 25-22, 25-19, 25-20.

The two teams are now both have 4-3 records and 12 points each, but Poland has the edge thanks to the points ratio. The United States and Poland will play again Saturday.

Despite the heavily pro-Poland crowd, U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) refused to make excuses for his team.

“It was a great volleyball atmosphere,” he said. “It had nothing to do with our performance.”

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) paced the U.S. Men with 13 points on 11 kills (50.0 kill percent), one block and one ace. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 11 points on eight kills (36.0 kill percent) and three aces for the U.S. Poland’s Zbigniew Bartman led all scorers with 16 points on a match-high 14 kills and two blocks. Bartosz Kurek added 12 points on eight kills, one block and three aces.

Poland out-hit the U.S. Men 52-43. Poland’s hitting efficiency was 0.451 and its kill percent was 52. The United States’ hitting efficiency was 0.301 and its kill percent was 41.

David Lee warms up before the match.

(FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

Poland out-blocked the U.S. 10-5 and had five aces to four for the U.S. Poland was credited with 25 digs (6 errors) and the U.S. Men were credited with 29 digs (5 errors).

“We practiced the same way we played tonight,” Priddy said. “It was a good job by Poland, but the problem is on our side.”

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) totaled seven points on seven kills. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) finished with six points on two kills and a match-high four blocks.

Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who played as a substitute, scored four points on four kills. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.), who also played as a substitute, scored two points on two kills.

U.S. libero Rich Lambourne was credited with 15 digs and one fault on 16 attempts. Priddy had eight digs and two faults on 15 attempts. Starting setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) was credited with 12 assists.

Backup setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania), who played the last part of the third set, had two.

Knipe started Priddy and Anderson at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Holmes started the third set for Millar. Lotman, outside hitter Scott Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.), setter Donald Suxho (Korce, Albania) and opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) all played as substitutes.

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Evan Patak passes the ball.

(FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

Rich Lambourne saves the ball as Matt Anderson watches. (FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

Rich Lambourne saves the ball as Matt Anderson watches. (FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

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1 2 3 4 5 25 15 25 25 USA 21 25 18 22 POL U.S. Men Grind Out Victory Over Poland HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (June 18, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team found a way to win and took a 25-21, 15-25, 25-18, 25-22 victory over Poland in front of 6,000 fans in an FIVB World League match on Saturday at the Sears Centre Arena.

The United States regained its hold on second place in Group A and improved its record to 5-3. Poland falls to 4-4. The U.S. will travel to Tulsa, Okla., for its next two matches against world No. 1 Brazil on June 24-25.

Poland led in kills, 49-39. Poland’s hitting efficiency was 0.284 and its kill percent was 45.9. The United States’ hitting efficiency was 0.282 and its kill percent was 37.9.

But errors proved to be Poland’s undoing, as the U.S. scored on 36 Poland errors while committing 21. Poland had 18 attack errors while the U.S. had 10. Poland had 15 service errors while the U.S. had 11.

“I don’t think either team looked fresh,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “I think we did a good job of grinding it out. It was not very pretty.”

“We made a lot of mistakes, especially in the fourth set,” Poland Head Coach Andrea Anastasi said. “It’s terrible really.”

In the fourth set, the teams were tied at 19-19 when the U.S. Men went up by two on a Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) kill and Poland’s hitting error. Poland called timeout, but had two more hitting errors to give the U.S. a 23-19 lead. Poland called timeout again and the U.S. served into the net. A kill by David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) gave the U.S. match point at 24-20.

Poland came back with two points before hitting it out of bounds to give the U.S. Men the win.

Reid Priddy serves against Poland during their match in Hoffman Estates, Ill. (FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

Anderson, who started at outside hitter, led all scorers with 20 points on 16 kills, three blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) added 10 points on six kills, two blocks and two aces.

Zbigniew Bartman led Poland with 19 points on a match-high 18 kills and one block. Piotr Nowakowski added 15 points on 12 kills, one block and two aces.

The teams were tied in blocks 11-11 and Poland led in kills 49-39. Poland also led in aces 5-4. The teams were tied in digs 43-43.

Among other U.S. scorers, opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) scored nine points on eight kills and one block. Lee at middle blocker finished with eight points on four kills, three blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.), who started instead of Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah), scored five points on four kills and one block.

Reid Priddy gets the ball through Poland’s block.

(FIVB photo/Rob Grabowski)

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored two points on a kill and a block. He was credited with 17 assists and no errors. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with 11 digs on 14 attempts. Stanley was credited with 10 digs on 14 attempts.

Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) played libero.

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Matt Anderson hammers the ball past Finland’s block. (FIVB photo/ Rob Grabowski) Reid Priddy looks at the crowd during the U.S. victory 45 over Poland (FIVB Photo/Rob Grabowksi)

1 2 3 4 5 21 20 25 19 USA 25 25 21 25 BRA U.S. Men Unable to Duplicate Efforts Against Brazil TULSA Okla. (June 24, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team was unable to duplicate its feat of nearly two weeks ago as it fell to Brazil 25-21, 25-20, 21-25, 25-19 Friday evening during an FIVB World League match at the Reynolds Center.

Brazil is ranked No. 1 in the world by the FIVB, while the U.S. is ranked fifth. The two teams, which split a pair of matches in Brazil on June 11-12 with the Americans handing the Brazilians their only defeat of 2011 World League, meet again Saturday evening at 7 p.m. Central Time in Tulsa.

David Lee fakes the attack as Reid Priddy gets ready to go up during their match agaisnt Brazil in Tulsa. (FIVB photo/David Polanski) Ryan Millar gets the ball past Brazil’s block. (FIVB photo/David Polanski)

Brazil leads Pool A with an 8-1 record and 24 points, while the U.S. drops into a second-place tie with Poland with identical 5-4 records and 15 points.

Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) paced the U.S. Men with 15 points on 14 kills and a block, while Clay Stanley (Honolulu) chipped in 10 kills, two aces and a block for 13 points. Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) contributed nine kills and two blocks in the loss.

Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) totaled six kills and team-high three blocks for nine points, while David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added eight points. Russell Homes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) rounded out the U.S. scoring with a single point.

“I thought Brazil played hard. They dug a lot of balls and got a lot of points in transition,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said.

“We have a quick turnaround. We will see what adjustments we can make for tomorrow.”

Brazil’s Theo Lopes led all scorers with 24 points on 20 kills, three blocks and one ace. Gilberto “Giba” Godoy added 17 points on 11 kills, three blocks and a match-high three aces.

“I thought we played better than we played against the U.S. in Brazil,” Brazil Head Coach Bernardo Rezende said. “We need to learn (from mistakes) from the third set. The U.S. is a good team and they don’t need our help to win.”

Knipe started Priddy and Anderson at outside hitter, Millar and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite and Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) at setter. Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was the American libero.

Holmes was a reserve in all four sets, while Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) came off the bench as a serving substitute in the first three sets. Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) was a reserve in the fourth set.

Brazil held a 60-46 advantage in kills and a 5-2 margin aces. The South Americans edged their North American counterparts in blocks, 10-9. The U.S. Men took advantage of 28 Brazilian errors and limited its mistakes to 21.

Brazil’s defense led in digs, 58-37 and had 12 faults as compared to 15 for the U.S. Priddy led the U.S. in digs with 14. Lambourne added seven.

Thornton was credited with 21 assists and no errors on 90 attempts. .

The U.S. Men listen to the U.S. National Anthem prior to their match against Brazil in Tulsa.. (FIVB photo/David Polanski)

46

Brian Thornton (10) back sets for a host of possible hitters.

(FIVB photo/David Polanski)

47

1 2 3 4 5 25 25 22 25 USA 20 23 25 23 BRA U.S. Upsets Brazil; Stays in World League Final Chase TULSA, Okla. (June 25, 2011) – For the second time in less than two weeks, the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team upset top-ranked Brazil, 25-20, 2523, 22-25, 25-23, in an FIVB World League match at the Reynolds Center.

The U.S. Men, ranked fifth in the world by the FIVB, improve to 6-4 with 18 points in the World League Pool A of the Intercontinental Round. The U.S., tied for second with Poland in Pool A, closes out pool play on July 1-2 against Puerto Rico (0-10) at the Walter Pyramid on the Long Beach State University campus in Long Beach, Calif.

Brazil, which sits atop Pool A with two matches remaining in Poland (6-4) next week, falls to 8-2 during World League action. Both of Brazil’s losses are to the United States as the Americans also defeated it 3-1 on June 12 at Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe complimented his team in posting another second-night upset of Brazil.

“We don’t want to continue to be a second-night team,” he said. “Although I think it takes considerable character to be able to do it.”

Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) led the U.S. with 17 points on 13 kills, three blocks and one ace. Clay Stanley (Honolulu) had a match-high four aces to go with 12 kills for 16 points. Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) contributed 14 kills, while David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) had a match-high six blocks as part of a 14-point effort.

Priddy said the U.S. Men benefited from a good week of practice.

A patriotic volleyball fan shows his colors. (FIVB photo/David Polanksi)

“We had a great week of practice. Probably the best week we’ve had so far,” he said.

Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) charted six points, while Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) tallied two kills. Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) rounded out the American scoring with an ace as a serving substitute.

Team USA out-blocked Brazil 10-6 and held a 6-3 margin in aces to offset the South Americans’ slim 58-55 edge in kills. The USA committed 24 errors in the match to Brazil’s 26.

Brazil held the edge in digs, 27-25. The U.S. got five digs each from Thornton, Stanley and Lambourne. Thornton was credited with eight assists.

Murilo Endres paced Brazil with 17 points on 15 kills and two blocks, while Theo Lopes contributed 14 points. Lucas Saatkamp and Gilberto “Giba” Godoy added 13 and 12 points respectively.

Knipe started Priddy and Anderson at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite and Thornton at setter. Lambourne was the U.S. libero for the match.

Team USA celebrates the match victory. (FIVB photo/David Polanski)

Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) and Patak played as serving substitutes and Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) also substituted.

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David Lee during the post-match press conference. (FIVB photo) The U.S. Men huddle in victory. (FIVB photo/ David Polanski)

49

1 2 3 4 5 25 25 25 25 15 USA 27 22 12 27 8 PUR U.S. One Win Away from World League Final Round LONG BEACH, Calif. (July 1, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team rallied after Puerto Rico won the fourth set and defeated the side, 25-27, 25-22, 25-12, 25-27, 15-8 at the Walter Pyramid.

Rich Lambourne goes for the dig. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

Thanks to losses by Bulgaria and Serbia on Friday in other pools, the United States (7-4) is one win away from a berth in the World League Final Round as one of the three best second-place teams in pool play. The U.S. and Puerto Rico (0-11) will play again on Saturday (7 p.m. PT) at the Pyramid in the final match of the Intercontinental (pool play) Round.

With the 3-2 final score, Puerto Rico gained its first point of World League.

After falling behind 2-1, Puerto Rico came back to win the fourth set. But the U.S. jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the tiebreaker and Puerto Rico couldn’t rally. Among the adjustments made by Puerto Rico Head Coach Carlos Cardona was pulling Hector Soto, the opposite who has been his leading scorer until this weekend, in favor of Steven Morales.

“I thought we pressed a little early,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We wanted to be perfect and we’re not going to be perfect. Puerto Rico is a good team.”

The U.S. out-blocked Puerto Rico 20-3, led by middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) with six and David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) with five.

“The big difference is that they out-blocked us 20-3,” Puerto Rico Head Coach Carlos Cardona said. “In my mind, that was the match.”

United States outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) led all scorers with 21 points on a match-high19 kills and two blocks. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 17 points on 11 kills, four blocks and two aces.

Millar posted 16 points on nine kills, six blocks and one ace. Lee totaled 12 points on seven kills and five blocks.

Juan Figueroa led Puerto Rico with 18 points on 18 kills. Jose Rivera added 12 points.

The U.S. Men out-attacked Puerto Rico 82-67. The U.S. hitting efficiency was 0.442 while its kill percent was 51.3. Puerto Rico’s hitting efficiency was 0.341 while its kill percent was 45.9.

The U.S. had four aces as compared to two for Puerto Rico. The U.S. was struck with 17 service errors while Puerto Rico had 14. Puerto Rico led in digs 48-39.

Matt Anderson receives the ball. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who started the third, fourth and fifth sets, finished with seven points on six kills and one ace. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who started the first and second sets, scored six points on six attacks.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored on two blocks and middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.), who played as a substitute, scored on a block.

Thornton was credited with 33 assists. U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with 14. Priddy added nine.

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Paul Lotman celebrates. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown

David Lee leaves Puerto Rico in the dust. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown) 51

1 2 3 4 5 25 25 25 USA 13 22 19 PUR U.S. Men Punch Ticket to World League Finals LONG BEACH, Calif. (July 2, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team wasted no time in punching its ticket to Poland and the FIVB World League Final Round with a 25-13, 25-22, 25-19 sweep of Puerto Rico on Saturday at the Walter Pyramid.

Rich Lambourne, left, and Reid Priddy both go for the ball.

(FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

The U.S. finishes the Intercontinental (pool play) Round with an 8-4 record, good enough for second place in Pool A behind Brazil (10-2), which the U.S. defeated twice.

The other teams that have advanced to the final round are Brazil, Russia, Argentina and Italy as pool winners, Cuba and Bulgaria as the two other second-place teams and Poland as the host country. The U.S. Men will leave for Gdansk, Poland on Sunday. The Final Round takes place on July 6-10.

Puerto Rico finishes World League with a 0-12 record.

U.S. outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) led all scorers on Saturday with 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu Hawaii) added 12 points on six kills, four blocks and two aces.

Stanley helped the U.S. get off to a fast start in the first set with two straight aces in a serving run that carried the team to a 6-1 lead.

“Clay has the ability to affect any set when he goes back to serve,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Hunting Beach, Calif.) said. “We didn’t get a huge run of points, but we sided out when we needed to.

Volleyball superfan Matt Garthoff celebrates Independence Weekend.

(FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

“We’re happy to be moving on,” he added. “Our goal at the beginning of World League was to get better every match and qualify for the Final Round and we’ve done that.”

Puerto Rico, playing without leading scorer and team captain Hector Soto, was led by Carlos Ortiz with 12 points on eight kills and four blocks.

The U.S. out-attacked Puerto Rico 35-30 and Puerto Rico was hurt by eight hitting errors as compared to four for the United States. The U.S. Men outblocked Puerto Rico 16-8 and had four aces while Puerto Rico had none.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) finished with nine points on four kills, four blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added nine points on five kills and four blocks.

Clay Stanley, left, and David Lee put up a block. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) had six points on six kills. Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) contributed four points on one kill and three blocks.

The U.S. had the edge in digs, 34-30, led by Anderson and Stanley who had nine each. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) added five as did Priddy.

Thornton was credited with 15 assists and no faults.

A young fan with thundersticks. (FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

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Brian Thornton (10) and Ryan Millar celebrate.

(FIVB photo/Matt Brown)

53

1 2 3 4 5 USA 31 16 21 22 29 25 25 25 RUS U.S. Men Fall to Russia in Opening Round GDANSK, Poland (July 6, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team put up a fight, but in the end Russia, led by opposite Maxim Mikhaylov, was too tough and defeated the United States, 29-31, 25-16, 25-21, 25-22 on Wednesday in an FIVB World League Final Round match.

The U.S. Men (0-1) will play Brazil in their second Pool F match of the Final Round. The top two teams from both Pool F and Pool E will advance to Saturday’s semifinals.

After fighting their way back from set point in the first set at 24-22 to win 31-29, the United States struggled to score points in transition and its block could not stop Russia.

Russia, meanwhile, found its passing rhythm and went to a quicker offense.

From left, Clay Stanley, Dave Lee and Reid Priddy block against Russia during the World League Final Round. (FIVB photo)

In the fourth set, the U.S. led 18-15 and 21-19, but could not shut the door on Russia.

“Russia applied a lot of pressure on us,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We had opportunities and point-scoring situations that we didn’t take advantage of throughout the match. And there were a few runs that we gave up on serve receive that ultimately we could not overcome.

“This team has shown a lot of character and resiliency throughout World League and I have a lot of faith that we will be able to do that again and play a better match tomorrow.”

Russia only led in kills 56-53, but out-blocked the United States 16-7, as Mikhaylov and Dimitriy Muserskiy each finished with five. Each team scored on five aces. Russia scored on 26 U.S. errors while the United States scored on 25 Russian miscues.

Mikhaylov led all scorers with 29 points on a match-high 21 kills, five blocks and a match-high three aces, including two straight in the fourth set.

The U.S. Men huddle during their match against Russia. (FIVB photo)

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led the U.S. with 17 points on 14 kills, one block and two aces. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 15 points on a team-high 15 kills. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) had 10 kills and a team-high four blocks for 14 points.

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored nine points on eight kills and one block. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) totaled seven points on five kills, one block and one ace and opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.), who played as a serving substitute, scored on two aces and a kill.

The U.S. led in digs 91-72, led by Priddy and libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.), who each had 18. Stanley and setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) each had 15. Thornton was credited with 35 assists.

Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Lee and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite and Thornton at setter. Lambourne was the U.S. libero. Patak and outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) played as serving substitutes while middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) also played as a substitute.

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Clay Stanley looks to go over Russia’s triple block during their World League Final Round match. (FIVB photo)

Reid Priddy attacks against Russia. (FIVB photo)

55

1 2 3 4 5 25 22 22 15 USA 15 25 25 25 BRA Brazil Adjusts to Defeat U.S. Men at Final Round GDANSK, Poland (July 7, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team could not build on a successful first set and fell to Brazil, 15-25, 25-22, 2522, 25-15 in an FIVB World League Final Round match.

Brazil (2-0 in final round) will move on to Saturday’s World League semifinals along with Russia (2-0) after the two teams play each other on Friday. The U.S. (0-2) will play Cuba (0-2) on Friday, but neither team will advance.

Ryan Millar (9) and Reid Priddy (8) block against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

Brazil made the right adjustments following a first set that saw setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) connect with his hitters on 14 kills, including opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) with five and middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) with four.

David Lee gives a signal during the U.S. Men’s Final Round match against Brazil.

(FIVB photo)

“We are disappointed,” U.S. Team Captain Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) said. “We have one more match to play here against Cuba and we want to take as much experience from that match as we can.”

“For us, it’s about keeping sustained pressure on the teams that we play,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “After winning the first set, the next three sets we were down fast - by the first technical - and came back in all three of those sets and made it close by the second technical. Our slow starts in those games really affected the outcome.”

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led the U.S. in scoring with 16 points on 12 kills, two blocks and two aces. Anderson left the match toward the end of the third set and was seen grabbing his shoulder after an attack attempt. But he returned to start the fourth.

Stanley finished with 15 points on 12 kills, one block and two aces. Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored nine points on nine kills. Lee totaled eight points on five kills and a team-high three blocks.

The U.S. finished with 48 kills and 20 errors on 108 attempts for a hitting efficiency of 0.259 and a kill percent of 44.4. Brazil had 53 kills and 16 errors on 104 attempts for a hitting efficiency of 0.356 and a kill percent of 51.0. Brazil led in blocking 12-9 while the U.S. scored on five aces while Brazil had three.

Brazil led in digs 72-65. Priddy led the U.S. in digs with 15 while libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) and Stanley each added 14.

Thornton was credited with 38 assists. Setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.), who substituted for Thornton in the fourth set, had seven assists.

Brazil outside hitter and team captain Gilberto “Giba” Godoy went on to lead all scorers with 21 points on a match-high 18 kills, three blocks and one ace.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored five points on three kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.), who saw his first 2011 World League action as a substitute for Anderson, scored on three kills. Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) and middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) each had two kills playing as substitutes.

Rich Lambourne receives the ball against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

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Matt Anderson looks to get the ball past Brazil’s block. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 23 25 25 21 15 CUB 25 21 18 25 13 Cuba Can’t Stop Anderson, U.S. Men GDANSK, Poland (July 8, 2011) – Matt Anderson led all scorers with 29 points and Paul Lotman added 18 as the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team claimed a final victory in the 2011 FIVB World League, 23-25, 25-21, 25-18, 21-25, 15-13.

The victory meant the U.S. finished third in Pool F of the Final Round, but it did not advance to the semifinals. The U.S. concluded World League with a 1-2 record in the Final Round and a 9-6 record overall. It finished seventh overall. Cuba finished eighth at 0-3 and 8-7.

U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) chose to leave team captain and veteran outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) along with veteran middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) off the 12man roster for Thursday to give some of his newer players an opportunity against their key NORCECA zone rival.

Paul Lotman, left, attacks against Cuba’s triple block. (FIVB photo)

”We played some guys tonight that haven’t played in the tournament.

I thought they played very well. Their numbers were good, but more importantly, I thought they showed a lot of composure,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “I thought there were some opportunities in set 4, particularly early, to make it easier on ourselves that we didn’t capitalize on.”

Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who has started at outside hitter for the U.S. throughout World League, scored on a match-high 23 kills (0.625 hitting efficiency; 71.9 kill percent), four blocks and two aces. He even led the U.S. in digs with 14.

Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who started for Priddy, added 18 points on 15 kills (0.481 hitting efficiency; 55.6 kill percent), two blocks and one ace.

The U.S. led Cuba in attacks, 62-58, and had a 0.422 hitting efficiency and a 56.9 kill percent while Cuba had a 0.339 hitting efficiency and a 53.2 kill percent. The U.S. led Cuba in blocks, 15-11 and in aces 5-3. Each team was credited with 52 digs.

Outside hitter Henry Bell paced Cuba with 21 points on 20 kill and one block. Outside hitter Wilfredo Leon, the team captain and still a month shy of his 18th birthday, had 20 points on 17 kills and three blocks. Opposite Fernando Hernandez finished with 16 points, including 12 kills, one block and three aces. Veteran middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added 11 points for the U.S. on eight kills, two blocks and one ace while veteran opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) contributed 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.

“Ultimately, I’m pretty disappointed with our performance overall in the final eight,” Lee said. “I’m glad that we beat a good team tonight. Cuba is a young team, but it is very, very good. At the same time, I think our team needs to play a little more consistent and at a higher level to really compete at this level with Brazil, with Russia, with Poland and Bulgaria.”

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.), who started for Millar, scored seven points on three kills and four blocks. Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio), who substituted in the fourth set and started the fifth for Holmes, scored four points on four kills.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored two points on one block and one ace.

Russell Holmes attacks against Cuba off a set from Brian Thornton during their World League Final Round match. (FIVB photo)

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Matt Anderson attacks against Cuba. (FIVB photo)

59

2011 London International Invitational Roundup SERBIA TAKES 3-1 WIN OVER U.S. MEN IN LONDON

U.S. MEN TO HELP LONDON TEST VOLLEYBALL FACILITIES LONDON (July 19, 2011) – Members of the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team will help London get ready for the 2012 Olympic Games this week when they compete at the London Volleyball International Invitational on July 20-24 at Earls Court in Great Britain.

Earls Court in west London is where the indoor volleyball tournament at the 2012 Olympic Games will take place.

The team includes two members of the 2008 Olympic men’s volleyball team that won the gold medal – setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas), a former outside hitter who will be making his debut at libero.

Other players making the trip “across the pond” include outside hitters Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) and Robert Tarr (Cape Canaveral, Fla.); middle blockers David Smith (Saugus, Calif.), Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) and Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio); opposites Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Murphy Troy (St. Louis, Mo.) and setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.).

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said the focus in picking the team was playing time.

“Part of the team is guys who have traveled with us a lot for World league but didn’t end up playing a lot or starting a lot,” Knipe said. “For some other guys, maybe they’ve been on the roster but haven’t made the final 12 or 14.”

The other teams competing at the tournament will be Brazil, Egypt, Great Britain, Mexico and Serbia. Each team will play every other team once.

Salmon, who last played with the U.S. team as an outside hitter at the 2010 World Championship in Italy, is hoping his new position will give him some longevity with the team.

“I like it a lot,” he said of playing libero. “I like playing with the guys. That’s something that I’ve always enjoyed.

“The position is not that much different for me. I was always a defensive specialist.

Any offensive output we got from me, we considered it extra.”

Salmon is hoping his years of experience can help the team continue to improve.

“I think our goal is just to be a little more cohesive as a team,” he said “I think my job will be to bring cohesiveness back to where it was in 2008. If we can get better in between the time we get there and the time we leave, the results will speak for themselves.”

London Volleyball International Invitational July 20-24 at Earls Court in Great Britain U.S. Men’s National Team Roster No. Name (Position, Height, Hometown, College) 1. Matt Anderson (OH, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State) 3. Evan Patak (Opp, 6-8, Pleasanton, Calif., UC Santa Barbara) 4. David Smith (MB, 6-7, Saugus, Calif., UC Irvine) 6. Paul Lotman (OH, 6-7, Lakewood, Calif., Long Beach State) 9. Murphy Troy (Opp, 6-8, St. Louis, Mo., USC) 10. Riley Salmon (L, 6-6, League City, Texas, Pierce College) 12. Russell Holmes (MB, 6-8, Fountain Valley, Calif., BYU) 13. Brian Thornton (S, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., UC Irvine) 14. Kevin Hansen (S, 6-5, Newport Beach, Calif., Stanford) 17. Max Holt (MB, 6-9, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State) 18. Jayson Jablonsky (OH, 6-5, Yorba Linda, Calif., UC Irvine) 19. Robert Tarr (OH, 6-6, Cape Canaveral, Fla., Long Beach State)

USA..................................25 17 16 24 Serbia...............................16 25 25 26 LONDON (July 20, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team fell to Serbia, 16-25, 25-17, 25-16, 26-24 in its first match of the London Volleyball International Invitational at Earls Court in Great Britain.

The U.S. Men will play Egypt in their second m a t c h o n T h u r s d a y.

The tournament is a test event for the 2012 Olympic Games, where the volleyball tournament will also be held at Earls Court.

U.S. opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) led all scorers with 22 points on a match-high 18 kills, two blocks and a team-high two aces. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 13 points on 11 kills, one block and one ace.

Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) added 11 points on 10 kills and one block.

Milos Nikic led Serbia with 19 points on 17 kills, one block and one ace. Nikola Kovacevic and Sasa Starovic each added 16 points.

The U.S. never trailed in the first set, but fell behind early in the second and could not catch up. In the third set it came back from an 8-5 deficit at the first technical timeout (TTO) and took a 10-9 lead. However Serbia quashed that with a run of point to regain the lead. In the fourth set, the U.S. Men led 16-12 at the second TTO and led 21-19 before Serbia came back to win the set and the match.

The United States won the serving battle with five aces while Serbia had four.

However, Serbia finished with 60 kills on a 0.452 hitting efficiency and a 52.2 kill percent. The U.S. scored on 49 kills and had a 0.377 hitting efficiency and a 43.0 kill percent. Serbia also led in blocks, 11-6.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) had eight points on six kills and two blocks. Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) added four points on three kills and one ace. Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) finished with one point on an ace and outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) had one point on a kill.

U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Holmes and Holt at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Thornton at setter and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) at libero.

Jablonsky, middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) and setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) all played as substitutes.

Head Coach: Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.)

Team Manager: Bill Neville Assistant Coach: Gary Sato (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Therapist/Trainer: Mike Sealy Technical Coordinator: Chris Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Medical Support: Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa)

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2011 London International Invitational Roundup U.S. MEN HIT EGYPT HARD AT LONDON TEST EVENT

MEXICO NO MATCH FOR U.S. MEN IN LONDON

USA..................................25 25 25 Egypt................................23 17 21

USA..................................25 25 16 24 Mexico..............................19 17 25 26

LONDON (July 21, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team improved its record to 1-1 at the London Volleyball International Invitational with a 25-23, 25-17, 25-21 victory over Egypt on Thursday at Earls Court in Great Britain.

LONDON (July 22, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team got scoring from nine different players as it took down Mexico, 25-19, 25-17, 25-18 at the London Volleyball International Invitational at Earls Court in Great Britain.

The U.S. Men will play Mexico (0-2) on Friday.

Egypt (0-2) will face Serbia (2-0).

The U.S. Men improved their record to 2-1 while Mexico fell to 0-3. The U.S. will play host Great Britain on Saturday.

Setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) and middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) made their first starts of the year for the U.S. Men. Smith finished with five points on three kills and two blocks.

The U.S. got another great hitting performance on Saturday as Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) started at setter. The U.S. had 43 kills and six errors on 71 attacks (0.521 hitting efficiency, 60.1 kill percent) while Mexico had 28 kills and six errors on 68 attempts (0.235 hitting efficiency, 41.2 kill percent).

Hansen scored two points on a block and a kill and set the team to a 0.590 hitting efficiency and a 62.1 kill percent.

The U.S. out-blocked Mexico 6-3 and had 10 aces while Mexico scored on three.

The U.S. finished with 44 kills on 66 attempts and had just two errors. Egypt totaled 37 kills on 78 attempts with 11 errors. The U.S. had seven aces while Egypt had five and the U.S. Men out-blocked Egypt, 6-5.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) led the U.S. Men in scoring with 15 points on 11 kills (0.409 hitting efficiency, 50.0 kill percent) and four aces. Outside hitter Matt Anderson totaled 12 points on nine kills (0.563 hitting efficiency and 56.3 kill percent), one block and two aces.

one block and one ace.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) and outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) each had 12 points for the United States to lead all scorers. Patak (0.316 hitting efficiency, 31.6 kill percent) scored on nine kills and a match-high three aces.

Jablonsky scored with a match-high 10 kills (0.389 hitting efficiency, 55.6 kill percent),

Outside hitter Paul Lotman finished with 11 points on 10 kills (0.833 hitting efficiency and 83.3 kill percent) and one ace. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored nine points on seven kills (0.778 hitting efficiency and 77.8 kill percent) and two blocks.

Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) added 11 points on seven kills (0.778 hitting efficiency, 77.8 kill percent), two blocks and two aces.

Egypt’s Ahmed Abdelhay led all scorers with 16 points on 15 kills and one ace.

However, no other Egyptian players scored in double digits.

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) finished with seven points on six kills and one ace. Middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) totaled five points on two kills, two blocks and one ace. Opposite Murphy Troy (St. Louis, Mo.) added five kills on five attempts.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Smith and Holmes at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Hansen at setter and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) at libero.

Gerardo Contreras paced Mexico with seven points on seven kills.

Outside hitter Robert Tarr (Cape Canaveral, Fla.) scored four points on four kills.

Thornton had two points on a block and an ace and setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) scored with an ace.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Jablonsky and Lotman at outside hitter, Smith and Holt at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Thornton at setter and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) at libero.

Troy, Hansen and Tarr all played as substitutes.

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2011 London International Invitational Roundup U.S. MEN’S TEAM GOBSMACKS GREAT BRITAIN IN LONDON

U.S. MEN FALL TO BRAZIL IN LONDON FINALE

USA..................................25 25 27 Great Britain.....................23 10 25

USA..................................21 25 27 25 16 Brazil................................25 22 25 16 18

LONDON (July 23, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team defeated host Great Britain on Saturday, 25-23, 25-10, 27-25 and will prepare for a final showdown with a young Brazilian team at the London Volleyball International Invitational at Earls Court in Great Britain.

LONDON (July 24, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team took Brazil to the limit, but ended up with a loss, 25-21, 22-25, 25-27, 25-16, 18-16 in the finale of the London Volleyball International Invitational at Earls Court in Great Britain.

The U.S. Men improved their record to 3-1 while Great Britain fell to 1-3. The U.S. team is tied for the lead in the standings with Brazil and Serbia, as all have 3-1 records. However the U.S. holds the edge by having won the most sets.

The U.S. finished the tournament in third place at 3-2 with 10 points. Serbia won with a 4-1 match record and 12 points. Brazil finished second with a 4-1 match record and 11 points.

Outside hitter Matt A n d e rs o n ( We st S e n e ca , N .Y. ) l e d the U.S. Men with 18 points on 15 kills and three blocks.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) added 14 points on 14 kills. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) finished with 10 points on 10 attacks

Serbia plays Mexico on Sunday, while Brazil and the United States will meet in the tournament finale.

The U.S. Men were led by opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) and outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who each finished with 15 points.

Both Patak and Anderson had 12 kills. Patak also had a match-high three aces. Anderson added two blocks and one ace.

Outside hitter Robert Tarr (Cape Canaveral, Fla.) added 11 points on nine kills and two blocks.

Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) started at setter and helped the United States to a 0.528 hitting efficiency and a 62.8 kill percent. Great Britain’s hitting efficiency was 0.444 and its kill percent was 50.0. The U.S. out-blocked Great Britain, 9-5 and had seven aces to Great Britain’s three.

Great Britain, as the 2012 Olympic host, is guaranteed a spot in the Games.

Oluwadamilola Bakare led all scorers with 16 points on 12 kills, two blocks and two aces. Christopher Lamont added 13 points on 11 kill and two blocks.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) finished with seven points on five kills and two blocks. Middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.) totaled six points on three kills, one block and two aces.

Hansen finished with three points on one kill, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) had two points on one kill and one block.

Murphy Troy (St. Louis, Mo.) scored one point with a kill.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe started Anderson and Tarr at outside hitter, Smith and Holmes at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Hansen at setter and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) was the U.S. libero.

Jablonsky, Troy, Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) and Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) all played as substitutes.

After losing the first set, the U.S. Men came back to take a 2-1 set lead. Brazil rebounded and ran away with the fourth set, taking the match to a tie-breaker.

In the fifth set, the U.S. held leads of 6-3, 8-5 and 9-7 before Brazil tied the score at 9-9. The U.S. held match point at 14-13 and 15-14, but each time Brazil fought it off with a kill. The U.S. took match point at 16-15 on a kill from middle blocker David Smith (Saugus, Calif.). However a U.S. service error tied the score and an attack error gave Brazil its first match point. Brazil won the match on a block.

The two teams were close in kills with Brazil leading 62-59. The U.S. had a hitting efficiency of 0.343 and kill percent of 42.1. Brazil had a hitting efficiency of 0.411 and a kill percent of 50.0.

Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) started the match at setter, but Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) substituted for him in the first set and started the rest of the match.

Brazil led in blocks, 16-9 and in aces, 4-2.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored eight points on six attacks, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Calif.) scored eight points on six kills and two blocks.

Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored four points on four kills.

Smith finished with four points on three kills and one block. Hansen had three points on one kill, one block and one ace.

Brazil’s Wallace de Souza led all scorers with 27 points on a match-high 19 kills, a match-high seven blocks and one ace. Luiz Fonteles added 18 points on 17 kills and one block. Outside hitter Robert Tarr (Cape Canaveral, Fla.) scored one point with a block.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Holmes and Holt at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Thornton at setter and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) was the U.S. libero.

Besides Hansen substituting at setter, Smith also subbed in at middle blocker and started the fifth set for Holt. Jablonsky played as a substitute and started the fifth set for Lotman. Tarr and opposite Murphy Troy (St. Louis, Mo.) also played as substitutes.

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2011 NORCECA Championship Roundup U.S. TOPS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO AT NORCECA CHAMPIONSHIP

U.S. MEN COAST PAST COSTA RICA AT NORCECA CHAMPIONSHIP

USA..................................25 25 25 Trinidad & Tobago.............15 7 12

USA..................................25 25 25 Costa Rica.........................16 12 9

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (Aug. 29, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team opened the 2011 Men’s NORCECA Continental Championship with a 25-15, 25-7, 25-12 victory over Trinidad & Tobago on Monday in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (Aug. 30, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team had little trouble defeating Costa Rica, 25-16, 25-12, 25-9 at the 2011 Men’s NORCECA Continental Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Men begin the NORCECA Championship – the qualifying tournament for the FIVB World Cup, which is the first qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games – with a 1-0 record in Pool B. On Tuesday, they will play Costa Rica at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. Men (2-0) will play Cuba (2-0) on Wednesday to determine the winner of Pool B. The winner of that match will have a bye into the semifinals on Friday.

Costa Rica (0-2) will play Trinidad & Tobago (0-2) to determine the third-place pool finisher.

According to a NORCECA press release, U.S. starting opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) went down with an injury in the first set. Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) substituted for him and led in in scoring with 12 points on five successful attacks, one block and a match-high six aces.

Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) also scored 12 points on seven kills (0.778 hitting efficiency) and a match-high five blocks.

“First of all, I feel disappointed for Clay’s injury, I hope he can make it back,” U.S. setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) said. “We didn’t know what to expect of Trinidad. They played very well at the beginning. Our serving was more disciplined and we hope to continue to improve in all areas.”

The U.S. Men finished with a team hitting efficiency of 0.569 and a kill percent of 60.8. Trinidad & Tobago had a hitting efficiency of kill percent of 0.074 and a kill percent of 38.2. The United States led in blocks (10-2) and in aces (8-0).

The U.S. scored 26 points on T&T errors while committing just six of its own.

“I believe we played fairly balanced,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We knew very little of Trinidad and they did a wonderful job in the first set putting pressure on my team that instantly made us take care of details, which is our system: think about every point, every set and every match.”

Team Captain Nolan Tash led Trinidad & Tobago with nine points on a match-high nine kills.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored seven points on six kills (0.667 hitting efficiency) and one block. Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored five points on five successful attacks (0.714 hitting efficiency). Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) totaled four points on three kills and one block. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) scored three points on three kills.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) had two points on one block and one ace and outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) totaled two points on two kills.

Hansen was credited with 13 assists. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with four. Lotman led in receptions with eight while Lambourne added five.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) paced the U.S. Men on Tuesday with 12 points on a match-high 10 kills (0.500 hitting efficiency), one block and one ace.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added 10 points on five attacks, two blocks and three aces.

The United States out-attacked Costa Rica 41-19 and had a 0.500 hitting efficiency and successfully completed 60.3 percent of its kill attempts. It out-blocked the Central Americans 10-2 and scored on eight aces while Costa Rica had one.

“My team put pressure on Costa Rica and executed the game plan very well,” said U.S. Team Captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu), who suffered an ankle injury on Monday and is questionable for Wednesday’s match against Cuba. “Costa Rica also played really well.”

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) and middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) each totaled nine points on seven kills and two blocks. Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) scored eight points on six attacks and two blocks.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) scored seven points on three kills and a match-high four aces. Setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) amassed four points on three attacks and one block.

Costa Rica was led by Team Captain Richard Smith, who had seven points on six attacks and one ace.

Hansen and setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) were each credited with 11 assists.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with 11 and receptions with nine. Anderson had seven receptions.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Rooney at outside hitter, Millar and Holt at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Hansen at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Jablonsky substituted for Anderson in the second set and started the third. Thornton substituted for Hansen in the second set and started the third.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Lee and Holt at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Hansen at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Patak substituted for Stanley in the first set and started the rest of the match.

Jablonsky substituted for Anderson in the second set and started the third. Millar started the third set for Lee. Rooney played as a substitute.

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2011 NORCECA Championship Roundup U.S. MEN FIGHT BACK TO BEAT CUBA AT NORCECA CHAMPIONSHIP

U.S. MEN QUALIFY FOR WORLD CUP WITH WIN OVER PUERTO RICO

USA..................................24 25 25 25 Cuba.................................26 23 23 17

USA..................................25 25 26 Puerto Rico.......................14 16 24

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (Aug. 31, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team fought back from a difficult first-set loss to defeat Cuba, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17 at the 2011 Men’s NORCECA Continental Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (Sept. 2, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team qualified for the 2011 FIVB World Cup on Friday with a 25-14, 25-16, 26-24 victory over host Puerto Rico at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship in Mayaguez.

The United States (3-0) wins Group B and will have Thursday off while the quarterfinals are played. It will play again in Friday’s semifinals (3 p.m. or 5 p.m. PT).

Cuba (2-1) will play in Thursday’s quarterfinals. The top two finishers at NORCECA will qualify for the 2011 FIVB World Cup, which is the first qualifier for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Men looked to have the first set well in hand when they took a 20-11 lead and reached set point at 24-15.

However Cuba came back to score 11 straight points, on four blocks, three attacks, two aces and two U.S. errors, to win, 26-24. The United State pushed the loss aside and won the next two sets in tight matches. They won the fourth set more easily, although Cuba did not give up at the end.

The United States (4-0) will play a rematch against Cuba (4-1) for the gold medal at 5 p.m. PT on Saturday. Cuba won its semifinal against Canada on Friday, 23-25, 25-17, 24-26, 25-17, 15-9. The U.S. defeated Cuba in its final pool play match on Wednesday, 24-26, 25-23, 25-23, 25-17. The match between the United States and Puerto Rico began an hour late due to two five-set matches that preceded it.

No matter who wins on Saturday, both Cuba and the U.S. have qualified for the World Cup in November and December in Japan, which is the first chance for teams to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“At this stage every team is invested in the match and that’s what we saw today,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “You must finish a set and not lose the momentum. Cubans resolved to win the first set and I believe it’s a good lesson for both teams.”

The U.S. Men got eight points (seven kills and one ace) from Team Captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii), who came back from an ankle injury suffered on Monday to start the third and fourth sets at opposite.

“Both teams are competing this summer and the next to qualify for the Olympics head-to-head and we both tried to win tonight,” Stanley said. “It is a lesson for us to know how to close a set as the Cubans do.”

U.S. outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led all scorers with 23 points on a match-high 22 kills (0.529 hitting efficiency) and one ace. Anderson led the U.S. Men’s comeback with nine points in the second set and nine more in the third.

Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) added 13 points on 10 attacks, one block and two aces.

The U.S. Men led in successful attacks 56-51. They had a hitting efficiency of 0.384 and completed 50 percent of their attack attempts. Cuba’s hitting efficiency was 0.299 and its kill percent was 43.6.

The U.S. led in blocks (10-7) and in aces (8-5). The U.S. scored on 25 Cuban errors while committing 26.

Cuba was led by 18-year-old Team Captain Wilfredo Leon, who had 19 points on 17 attacks and two blocks.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished with 11 points on six kills, three blocks and two aces. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) had 10 points on seven attacks and three aces.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) finished with seven points on three kills, two blocks and two aces and setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) had two points on one block and one ace. Hansen was also credited with 21 assists.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin Calif.) led the United States in digs with seven and was also credited with 10 receptions. Anderson led the team in receptions with 20.

U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Lee and Holt at middle blocker, Patak at opposite, Hansen at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Stanley played as a substitute in the first two sets and replaced Patak to start at opposite in the third and fourth. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) also played as a substitute.

The U.S. got through the first two sets on Friday with relative ease before Puerto Rico challenged it in the third set. With the score tied 2424, the U.S. got the final two points on outside hitter Matt An d erson ’s 13th kill and middle blocker Max Holt’s seventh block of the match.

“I think we came prepared and our mind set to win and qualify for the World Cup,” U.S. Team Captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) said. “Puerto Rico made us work for it.”

Holt led a U.S. block party as it stopped Puerto Rico attacks 21 times. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added six blocks and outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) had three. Puerto Rico had just two blocks.

The U.S. led Puerto Rico in kills, 35-33. It had a hitting efficiency of 0.354 and a kill percent of 44.3. Puerto Rico’s hitting efficiency was 0.076 and its kill percent was 35.9.

The United States also led the Caribbean nation in aces 6-1. Puerto Rico scored on 18 U.S. errors while giving up 14 points on faults.

Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led all scorers with 15 points on a match-high 13 successful attacks (0.500 hitting efficiency; 54.2 kill percent), one block and one ace.

Lotman added 14 points on nine kills (0.470 hitting efficiency; 52. 9 kill percent), three blocks and two aces. Lee totaled 11 points on five attacks and six blocks.

Puerto Rico was led by Victor Rivera with 11 points on 10 kills and one block.

Among other U.S. scorers, opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) scored 10 points on six attacks, two blocks and two aces. Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished with eight points on one attack and his seven blocks. Setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) totaled three points on one ace and two blocks. Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) played as a substitute and had an ace.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the United States in digs with five.

Lambourne also led in receptions with 14. Anderson had 13 receptions.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Lee and Holt at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Hansen at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Patak and middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) played as substitutes.

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2011 NORCECA

2011 Volleyball Fans

Clay Stanley attacks versus Mexico.

U.S. COMEBACK AGAINST CUBA COMES UP SHORT (FIVB photo)

All photos courtesy of FIVB

USA..................................23 27 27 25 8 Cuba.................................25 29 25 19 15 MAYAGUEZ, Puerto Rico (Sept. 3, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team’s valiant comeback came up short on Saturday and it fell to Cuba, 25-23, 29-27, 25-27, 19-25, 15-8 in the final of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship.

The U.S. Men (4-1) won their 10th NORCECA Championship silver medal while Cuba (5-1) took its 15th NORCECA gold medal and second in a row. Both teams have qualified for the FIVB World Cup in November and December. The top three teams at the World Cup will qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

U.S. middle blocker Dave Lee (Alpine, Calif.) won the tournament’s Best Blocker award.

However one night after a 21-block performance against Puerto Rico, the U.S. Men struggled to stop Cuba’s prolific hitters, particularly Team Captain Wilfredo Leon, who led all attackers with 28 kills, including seven in the tie-breaking fifth set.

The U.S. effort was led by outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) who finished with 18 points on 16 attacks and two blocks. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 16 points on 11 kills, one block and four aces.

Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) scored 13 points on eight kills, four blocks and one ace.

Cuba led the U.S. in successful attacks, 68-54. The United States held the 11-10 edge in blocking and the teams were tied in aces, 6-6. The United States scored 39 points on Cuba’s errors while giving up only 29 on its own errors.

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) finished with seven points on four kill and three blocks. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) added six points on five attacks and one ace. Outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky (Yorba Linda, Calif.) had five points on five attacks. Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled four points on four kills.

Setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) scored two points on one kill and one ace.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Lotman at outside hitter, Lee and Holt at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Hansen at setter and Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) at libero.

Millar started the final three sets for Holt. Jablonsky started the last three sets for Lotman. Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) played as a substitute.

Cuban libero Keibel Gutierrez was elected the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and also won Best libero, Best receiver and Best digger.

Leon received the awards for Best spiker and Best Scorer. Cuba’s Fernando Hernandez was the Best server.

Canada’s Dustin Schneider the Best setter. The “Jim Coleman Award” was received

by Cuban Orlando Samuels, as the best coach.

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 25 25 CHN 14 23 21 U.S. Men Open 2011 World Cup with Sweep of China KAGOSHIMA, Japan (Nov. 20, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team opened the 2011 FIVB World Cup with a 25-14, 25-23, 25-21 sweep of China on a Sunday morning in Kagoshima.

Opposite and team captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) led all scorers with 17 points on 12 kills, a team-high four blocks and one ace. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) was named the match’s Most Impressive Player in scoring 14 points on a match-high 13 attacks and one ace. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 14 points on 11 attacks and a match-high three aces.

Kevin Hansen, right, and David Lee, second from right, block against China. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. Men took a 14-9 lead in the first set. China battled back to within two points, but Anderson served for the final five points, including two aces, as the U.S. cruised to the 25-14 win. In the second set, the U.S. Men had to battle back from an 18-13 deficit, but put together several small runs of points to tie the score at 22-22 and 23-23 before scoring twice for the victory. China again held an advantage in the third set, although the U.S. Men kept them closer. China’s lead was 8-6 at the first technical timeout and 16-15 at the second. With China leading 20-19, Anderson scored with a kill, giving setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) the serve. Hansen served the U.S. to match point, getting blocks from Stanley and Priddy and a kill from middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) along the way. China scored with a block before Anderson won the match with a kill.

“I thought our winning the first set was due largely to Matt Anderson’s serving and I thought we played well around that run,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “In set 2, China played better, and we had some errors. But the good thing was how much composure we showed, not panicking; chipping away, and putting ourselves in a position to win.

“The third was closer from start to finish and at the end we didn’t just score on stuff blocks but had some good scores, good blocking and defense. They served a lot to [Matthew] Anderson and [Richard] Lambourne, and gave us an opportunity to side out.”

The U.S. led China in attacks, 43-31, in blocks, 9-8 and in aces, 5-1. Hansen was credited with 56 assists and no errors and set the team to a kill percent of 51.2 and a hitting efficiency of 0.369 (43-12-84). China had a kill percent of 38.8 and a hitting efficiency of 0.213 (21-14-80).

Reid Priddy holds his award for being named most important player. (FIVB photo)

“China plays fast, with good ball control and great defense,” Priddy said.

“It was difficult, but we’re glad to get momentum on our side in many phases of the game. It’s a good to start to a tournament like this. I’m looking forward to getting back to hotel and resting.”

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled five points on two kills and two blocks. Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Ohio) added four points on three attacks and two blocks. Hansen scored two points on blocks and Millar scored his one point on a kill.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with 12 and Anderson led in excellent receptions with 23. Lambourne added nine.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Lee and Holt at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Hansen at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Millar and Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) played as substitutes.

U.S. players celebrate the victory over China. (FIVB photo)

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Clay Stanley hits against China’s block. (FIVB photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 17 18 25 16 USA BRA 25 25 16 25 Brazil Hands U.S. Men First World Cup Loss KAGOSHIMA, Japan (Nov. 21, 2011) – A strong third set wasn’t enough as the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team suffered its first loss of the 2011 World Cup, falling to Brazil 25-17, 25-18, 16-25, 25-16 in Kagoshima, Japan.

The four-set loss evened the United States’ record at 1-1 while Brazil, ranked No. 1 in the world, is 2-0.

The U.S. Men struggled to defend against Brazil’s hitters on Monday. Brazil out-attacked the U.S., 48-32, and out-blocked it 16-10. Brazil also had the edge in aces 5-4.

Reid Priddy receives the ball against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led the U.S. Men with 19 points on a match-high 17 kills, one block and one ace. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added seven points on three attacks and four blocks. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) scored seven points on three spikes, one block and a match-high three aces.

From left, U.S. coaches Alan Knipe, John Speraw and Ron Larsen. (FIVB photo)

The score was tied 12-12 in the first set when Brazil used a 3-0 run to take the first significant lead. The U.S. pulled back to within one at 15-14, but Brazil scored two more straight points and the U.S. did not answer. Brazil led 13-10 in kills, 3-0 in blocks and 1-0 in aces. The score was tied 10-10 in the second set when Brazil used a four-point run to take the lead that it would not give up. Brazil out-attacked the U.S. 17-8 in the set.

The U.S. found its blocking and serving in the third set and Anderson and Stanley provided the majority of the offense. With the score tied 4-4, a Brazil error followed by an Anderson kill and Stanley ace gave the U.S. a 7-4 lead. Brazil never got closer than two points. Anderson scored eight points for the U.S., which out-attacked Brazil 10-8 and out-blocked it 6-3.

However the comeback came up short. With the U.S. leading 5-4 in the fourth set, Brazil scored on a U.S. serving error and two straight aces to lead 7-5. The U.S. could not put together a run to challenge and Brazil took the match victory.

“Brazil served well, and caused problems in the first two sets,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We got something going in third and in the beginning of the fourth set, but ultimately we needed to pass the ball better.

“As aggressive as Brazil was tonight, we need to be able to manage those situations where we don’t have good passing. It’s not the match we wanted to play.”

Among other U.S. hitters, outside hitter Reid Priddy had six points on five kills and one block. Ryan Millar (Alpine, Calif.) added five points on two attacks and three stuffs. Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) and middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Calif.) each scored one point with an attack. U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the U.S. in digs with eight and was also credited with three excellent receptions. Priddy led in receptions with 11.

Thornton, who substituted for starting setter Kevin Hansen (Newport Beach, Calif.) in the second set, was credited with eight assists, as was Hansen. The U.S. kill percent was 36.0 and the hitting efficiency was 0.124.

Brazil’s kill percent was 50.0 and its hitting efficiency was 0.323.

“I thought we came out throughout the whole match a little nervous, with too much energy, and maybe we lost focus,” said Stanley, the U.S. team captain. “They kept us pressure from the service line, and throughout the match I found myself struggling offensively also. We had a nice rhythm in the third getting them in trouble from the service line.”

Clay Stanley serves against Brazil. (FIVB photo)

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The U.S. Men huddle before their match against Brazil. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 18 19 24 USA RUS 25 25 26 U.S. Men Can’t Stop Russia at World Cup KAGOSHIMA, Japan (Nov. 22, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team fell to a powerful Russian squad 25-18, 25-19, 26-24.

The U.S. Men finished the first round of the World cup with a record of 1-2.

Russia, which is ranked No. 2 in the world, kept up the pressure on the fourth-ranked U.S. Men, out-attacking the U.S., 43-28 and out-blocking it 14-9. The U.S. led in aces 3-2, and also took advantage of 20 Russia team errors while committing 17.

Sean Rooney hits against Russia’s block. (FIVB photo)

Opposite and Team Captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) was the only U.S. player in double figures with 17 points on 12 kills, two blocks and three aces. His kill percent was 66. 7 and his hitting efficiency was 0.667 (12-0-18).

The U.S. Men listen to the National Anthem prior to the match.

(FIVB photo)

Stanley’s three aces came in the third set and helped the United States take its first significant lead over Russia.

Russia led the first set 16-15 when it put together a four-point run on three kills and a block and the U.S. could not recover. Russia’s lead was 9-8 in the second set when it got a 5-1 run, which the U.S. could not overcome.

In the third set, Russia led 12-11 when the U.S. tied the score on a service error. Stanley followed with an ace straight at Russian libero Alexander Solokov. Russia called timeout, but Stanley responded with another ace at Solokov. Stanley’s third ace gave the U.S. a 16-12 lead at the second technical timeout. The U.S. increased its lead to six at 19-13 before Russia began its comeback. The U.S. eventually took set point at 24-22, but Russia fought it off with a kill and block. Out of system, the U.S. was called for a lift to give Russia match point and Russia’s Maxim Mikhaylov ended the match with a kill.

“We didn’t have good balance tonight,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “We had lots of success by Clay [Stanley] and not much help, which was similar to last night when we were heavy with Matt [Anderson]. We’d like to work to get balance and consistency; we passed better tonight and got in position after fighting, were in position to win set three.”

Stanley added: “As far as the game goes, we showed up little late. I thought we struggled from the left side and struggled to get our offense going in the middle of the court. It’s disappointing that in third with the lead we had, that we couldn’t finish and continue the match longer.”

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) was held to seven points on six attacks and a block. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added six points on four kills and two blocks.

Outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.), who took over for a struggling Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) in the second set, scored three points on kills. Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.), who started the third set for Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah), scored three points on blocks. Millar scored three points on two attacks and one block.

Anderson, the United States’ leading scorer against Brazil on Monday, finished with one point on a kill.

U.S. setter Kevin Hansen was credited with 13 assists. The U.S. Men’s kill percent was 36.8 and its hitting efficiency was 0.132 (28-18-76). Russia’s kill percent was 49.4 and its hitting efficiency was 0.333 (43-14-87).

The U.S. Men gather after a great play. (FIVB photo)

U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with 12 excellent receptions to lead the U.S. He also had two digs.

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Rich Lambourne receives the ball from Russia.

(FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 25 25 25 USA 19 20 20 EGY U.S. Men Get Their Groove Back with Win over Egypt KUMAMOTO, Japan (Nov. 24, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team got its groove back, sweeping Egypt, 25-19, 25-20, 25-20.

The U.S. Men gained three points in the World Cup standings and improved their record to 4-4. Team USA went into Thursday’s match in eighth place while Egypt was ninth.

The U.S. Men, ranked No. 4 in the world, had suffered two straight losses prior to their match against No. 12 Egypt. But the U.S. opened the match with two straight aces from opposite and team captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) and never looked back.

Clay Stanley signs autographs after the match. (FIVB photo)

“We had better distribution with more players involved today,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “There was good passing, and [Brian] Thornton did a good job getting others involved. When Clay [Stanley] serves well it gives a big advantage on blocking and defense.”

After winning the first two sets fairly easily, the U.S. Men and Egypt battled to a 12-12 tie in the third set. However middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored with a kill, then took the serve and got and ace to spark a 4-0 U.S. scoring run. Egypt came back with an attack, but Priddy used a block and kill to lead 18-13 and put the set and match out of reach.

The U.S. Men served the African zone champion out of the arena with an 8-3 lead in aces. It also out-attacked Egypt, 38-36 and out-blocked it 7-4.

The U.S. also took advantage of 22 Egyptian team errors, including 19 service errors, while committing only 16.

Stanley was named the match’s Most Impressive Player with 14 points on his match-high four aces and 10 attacks (hitting efficiency of 0.438).

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) led the U.S. in scoring with 15 points on 14 kills (hitting efficiency of 0.684) and one block.

Matt Anderson hits against Egypt’s block. (FIVB photo)

“We put pressure on them with our serve, and got their passing in some trouble,” Stanley said. “We took advantage of their missed serving, and offensively we were more balanced. We got good numbers from all our hitters.”

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) contributed eight points on five kills and three blocks. Holmes finished with seven points on three kills, two blocks and two aces. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added six points on five attacks and two blocks.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored one point on a block.

He was also credited with 14 assists and set the U.S. team to a kill percent of 54.4 and a hitting efficiency of 0.456 (37-6-68). Egypt’s kill percent was 50.0 and its hitting efficiency was 0.361 (36-10-72). Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) added one point with a spike and opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) had one point on an ace.

Reid Priddy and David Lee block against Egypt. (FIVB photo)

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team with seven digs and also had four excellent receptions. Anderson finished with six excellent receptions.

Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Lambourne at libero. Lotman started the third set for Anderson. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah), outside hitter Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) and Patak played as substitutes.

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Clay Stanley serves against Egypt. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 39 22 25 21 ITA 41 25 22 25 U.S. Men Suffer Tough Loss to Italy KUMAMOTO, Japan (Nov. 25, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team fought back from a tough first-set loss, but could not overcome Italy, falling 41-39, 25-22, 22-25, 25-21.

The lost drops the United States’ record to 2-3 and it sits in eighth place in the standings at the end of the second round. Italy, ranked third in the world, improved to 4-1.

The first set was the highest scoring set in World Cup history as the U.S. took set point at 24-23 before Italy came back to score on two kills to take its first set point. The U.S. would fight off two more before taking its second advantage at 28-27. The U.S. took four more set points. But at 33-32, Italy scored on a kill and ace to regain the advantage. Team USA fought Italy off five more times before Michal Lasko got a kill off the block and Cristian Savani followed with an attack to give Italy the 41-39 victory.

“I thought tonight both teams sided out well; both offenses sided out a high number,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said.

“The first game was a marathon. Both teams had opportunities, and we’ll look back at opportunities we had and see what we could do better.”

The second set saw Italy take the first significant lead at 14-11. The U.S. pulled to within one at 22-21, but Italy held it off for the win. In the third set it was the U.S. that took the significant lead at 18-15. Italy pulled to within one at 22-21, but the U.S. attack held off the Europeans. The U.S. lead 8-4 at the first TTO of the fourth set and continued to lead 13-10 before Italy tied it at 13-13. The score was still tied at 17-17 before Italy scored twice to pull away.

Opposite and team captain Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) led the U.S. with 22 points on 20 attacks, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 20 points on 18 kills, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) totaled 19 points on 16 spikes, two blocks and one ace.

Reid Priddy hits against Italy. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. out-attacked Italy, 68-65 and the teams were tied on aces 5-5.

But Italy won the blocking battle 13-8 and also scored 30 points off U.S. errors while committing 26.

“I think this game was won on blocking and Italy blocked better,” Stanley said. “Italy got some good serves, got in a couple of aces. We relaxed a little too much on coverage of hitters, and those little points cost us the game.”

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored nine points on seven attacks and two blocks. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled eight points on seven spikes and one block.

Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.), who played as a serving substitute, score with an ace.

Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) finished with two points on one block and one ace. He was credited with 30 assists and set the U.S. Men to a kill percent of 53.5 and a hitting efficiency of 0.394. Italy’s kill percent was 54.2 and its hitting efficiency was 0.442. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with 15 and also had 13 excellent receptions.

Priddy led in excellent receptions with 19.

Matt Anderson hits against Italy’s block. (FIVB photo)

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Lambourne at libero.

Lotman, Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) and Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) all played as substitutes.

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Clay Stanley blocks against Italy. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 27 25 IRI 15 25 14 Stanley, U.S. Men Shut Down Iran FUKUOKA, Japan (Nov. 27, 2011) – Team captain and opposite Clay Stanley scored almost a third of his team’s points as the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team swept Iran, 25-15, 27-25, 25-14 The victory improves the U.S. Men’s record to 3-3 with nine points. Iran falls to 4-2 and also has nine points. Iran, ranked 14th in the world, went into the match in fifth place while the United States, ranked fourth in the world, was in eighth.

Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) was named the match’s Most Impressive Player and he dominated for the U.S., scoring 25 points on a match-high 13 kills (68. 4 kill percent; 0.616 hitting efficiency), a match-high seven blocks and a match-high five aces.

“We came out well focused and well prepared for the match,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said of Iran. “They forced us to create opportunities and make opportunities. Clayton’s play was a big part of today’s match, his serving and spiking. I’m happy to get the three points.”

After all of Sunday’s matches, Stanley was leading all World Cup servers with 17 aces in six matches. He was fourth among all scorers with 102 points.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added 14 points for the U.S. on 12 kills, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) contributed nine points on seven attacks, one block and one ace.

The U.S. out-attacked Iran 39-28, out-blocked it 11-6 and served it off the court with a 10-1 lead in aces.

With the U.S. leading 17-13 in the first set, Anderson scored on a back-row attack and gave the serve to setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) who led the team to five more points including two aces and kills from Priddy and Stanley. The U.S. reached set point at 24-15 and Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.), substituting at server for David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) scored with an ace to end the set.

Reid Priddy jumps high against Iran. (FIVB photo)

Iran kept things closer in the second set. The U.S. reached set point at 24-21, but Iran scored three times to tie score. A Stanley kill gave the U.S. its fourth set point, but a U.S. service error tied the score again. Finally, Anderson scored and Iran’s attack attempt went out of bounds to give the U.S. the victory. The U.S. took a 3-0 lead in the third set and never trailed.

The U.S. led 22-14 when Stanley used a block and two straight aces to win the match for his team.

“We came out with good intensity,” Stanley said. “We didn’t make many mistakes and kept the pressure on.”

Among other U.S. scorers, middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored five points on five kills. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added two points on a kill and a block. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled two points on one kill and one block. Patak’s ace gave him one point.

Along with his two points on aces, Thornton was credited with 24 assists and no errors. He set the team to a 50.0 kill percent and a hitting efficiency of 0.333.

Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) led the team in digs with five.

Anderson led in excellent receptions with 17 and Priddy added 13.

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From left, Clay Stanley, Russell Holmes and Matt Anderson block against Iran. (FIVB photo)

Brian Thornton sets for Russell Holmes against Iran.

(FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 15 20 18 USA POL 25 25 25 Poland Pushes Past U.S. Men FUKUOKA, Japan (Nov. 28, 2011) – FIVB World Cup leader Poland made all the right moves on Monday as it defeated the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team 25-15, 25-20, 25-18 in Fukuoka, Japan.

With the loss, the U.S. Men, ranked fourth in the world, fall to 3-4 and maintain seventh place in the standings. Poland, ranked eighth in the world, improves to 6-1 and continues to lead the standings, one point ahead of second-place Russia.

Poland’s serve put pressure on the U.S. Men, often forcing them out of system. Poland led in aces, 7-3. It also led in kills, 43-28 and in blocks, 8-5.

“Many times volleyball is a complex game. It can also be a simple game.

They were better than us in the passing and serving game. We didn’t have any rhythm today,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “They kept the pressure on us from start to finish. We must look at the video and learn from this. I’m disappointed.”

U.S. team captain and opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) led the U.S. with 10 points on nine attacks and one block. Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) added nine points on eight attacks and one block.

David Lee (4) and Reid Priddy (8) block against Poland’s Bartosz Kurek.

(FIVB photo)

“They took advantage of their serves and had several aces,” Stanley said of Poland. “They had some great touches and we didn’t. They took us out of our game. We need to watch the video and get better.”

Poland led 16-13 in the first set when Poland went on a 5-0 run, including two aces from scoring leader Zbigniew Bartman, to lead 21-13 and put the set out of reach. The second set stayed closer with the team tied at 11-11 before Poland gained a 13-11 edge. With Poland leading 17-14, a Polish error and Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) ace pulled the U.S. to within one. Poland led 18-17 when it scored on a U.S. service error and violation to lead by three. Lee came back with a block, but the damage was done and Poland went on to win.

In the third set, Poland took a 5-1 lead and by the second technical timeout (TTO) was ahead 16-9. With Poland leading 21-13, the U.S. used a 3-0 run to cut the deficit, but Poland came back and scored the final three points of the match.

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) finished with five points on three attacks, one block and one ace. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) scored three points on three attacks. Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) totaled three points on two kills and a block.

Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) scored two points on one spike and one block. Outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) added two points on kills. Thornton, the setter, had two points on aces.

Thornton was credited with 13 assists for the U.S. Men, who had a kill percent of 38.4 and hitting efficiency of 0.219.

In the official statistics, the U.S. Men were only credited with three digs, led by Priddy with two. Poland was only credited with four digs.

Poland’s Bartosz Kurek hits against the U.S. triple block of, from left, Reid Priddy, Matt Anderson and Brian Thornton. (FIVB photo)

Anderson led in excellent receptions with 16. Libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) added seven.

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Lee at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Lambourne at libero.

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U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe gives instructions in Fukuoka. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 39 25 25 USA 37 16 15 JPN U.S. Men Complete Third Round with Sweep of Japan FUKUOKA, Japan (Nov. 29, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team evened its FIVB World Cup record to 4-4 on Tuesday with a sweep of host Japan, 39-37, 25-16, 25-15 before a nearly full house of 5,200 at the stadium known as Marine Messe.

With the victory, the U.S. Men, ranked fourth in the world, remained in seventh place in the World Cup standings, just behind Iran. Japan, ranked 18th, fell to 2-6 and is in ninth.

U.S. outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) was named the match’s Most Impressive Player on Tuesday, as he led the U.S. Men with 19 points on a match-high 16 attacks (69.6 kill percent; .565 hitting efficiency), one block and two aces. Opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii) added 14 points on eight kills (36.4 kill percent) and a match-high six blocks.

The U.S. Men relax with the World Cup mascot following the match.

(FIVB photo)

“It was a good thing that we pulled out that first set,” Stanley said. “We had the same situation against Italy and lost and it took a lot out of us. Our middles played really well. I think we blocked well and covered our hitters.”

The U.S. Men led Japan in attacks, 50-40, in blocks, 14-6 and in aces 5-1.

“Our serving and passing were the difference,” U.S. Men’s Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “A lot of times, that’s what it comes down to. We kept the pressure on with our serving.

“It was a huge advantage for us to win the first set like that. This late in the tournament that is really big.”

Among other U.S. scorers, outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored 12 points on 11 kills (52.4 kill percent; .429 hitting efficiency) and one ace. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) added 11 points on six kills (85.7 kill percent; .857 hitting efficiency), four blocks and one ace.

Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) totaled eight points on six kills and two blocks.

Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) compiled two points on two attacks. Setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) scored three points on one kill, one block and one ace. Thornton was credited with 30 assists and set the U.S. Men to a 57.5 kill percent and a .460 hitting efficiency (50-10-87).

Matt Anderson receives the ball. (FIVB photo)

Brian Thornton (15) attempts a one-handed set for Russell Holmes.

(FIVB photo)

U.S. libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) was credited with one dig and six excellent receptions. As a team, the U.S. was credited with only three digs while Japan was credited with 10. Anderson led the team in excellent receptions with 24 and one fault.

Knipe started Anderson and Priddy at outside hitter, Holmes and Millar at middle blocker, Stanley at opposite, Thornton at setter and Lambourne at libero. Patak, David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) and Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) all played as substitutes.

Japan was led by Tatsuya Fukuzawa and Daisuke Yako, who scored 11 points each.

“The first set was the key,” Japan Head Coach Tatsuya Ueta said. “We had both good and bad moments. We could not keep the situation like we wanted. We have three more games and we will try to do our best”.

The U.S. Men had not faced Japan since the 2008 Olympic Games, where the United States won 3-0. Japan qualified for the World Cup as the event host. The United States is now 137-59 against Japan since 1981.

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Reid Priddy goes high for the kill as Ryan Millar (9) watches. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 27 25 25 20 15 USA ARG 29 14 17 25 12 U.S. Men Top Argentina in Five Sets TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 2, 2011) – With an Olympic berth out of reach, U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe made some changes to his lineup and came out with a win over Argentina, 27-29, 25-14, 25-17, 20-25, 15-12.

Despite only getting two points for the five-set win, the U.S. Men (5-4), ranked fourth in the world, moved ahead of Iran in the World Cup standings into sixth place. Argentina (3-6), ranked ninth in the world, is in eighth.

Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) changed up the starting lineup he has been using for most of the tournament, putting outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) in for Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) and using opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) in place of Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii).

The U.S. Men listen to the National Anthem prior to the match. (FIVB photo)

After narrowly losing the first set, the United States came back to dominate the second and third sets. Argentina broke away to win the fourth set. The fifth-set tiebreaker was tied 9-9 when the U.S. won a joust and an Argentina attack went long to give the U.S. a two-point lead. Argentina scored on an attack. The teams traded service errors before the U.S. got a Rooney kill and block from outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) to reach match point at 14-11. Argentina came back with a kill, but middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) ended the match with a quick attack.

“Argentina does things with a speedy offense that is different than some other opponents, “ Knipe said. “Evan Patak did well in his blocking assignments today. We were better today sticking to blocking and defense.

Brian Thornton continued to run a highly efficient offense. We played some guys who haven’t played much, and now we prepare for Cuba.”

Anderson earned his second straight Most Impressive Player award, leading all scorers with 25 points on a match-high 20 kills (54.1 kill percent; .486 hitting efficiency), two blocks and a match-high three aces. Rooney added 16 points on 16 attacks (64.0 kill percent; .480 hitting efficiency).

“Argentina played very well in every sense,” Anderson said. “But we served well, keeping pressure and keeping our serves in. Brian Thornton did good job of setting, as we have five players in double digits. It didn’t allow them to focus in on one player. I think all around we played really well on a team.”

Libero Rich Lambourne receives the ball. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. out-attacked Argentina 65-57. The North Americans led in blocks 13-7. Argentina led in aces 5-4.

Among other U.S. scorers, Patak scored 14 points on nine attacks and a match-high five blocks. Holmes finished with 13 points on eight attacks, four blocks and one ace. Middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) totaled 12 points on 10 attacks and two blocks.

Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) who played as a substitute, score one point with a kill, as did setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.). Thornton was credited with 30 assists and set the U.S. to a 56.5 kill percent and a .443 hitting efficiency.

The U.S. Men were credited with 29 digs, led by libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.) with 13. Lambourne also had 10 excellent receptions.

Anderson led the team in excellent receptions with 13.

Knipe started Anderson and Rooney at outside hitter, Holmes and Millar at middle blocker, Thornton at setter, Patak at opposite and Lambourne at libero. Priddy, Lotman, Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) and David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) all played as substitutes.

Head Coach Alan Knipe, right, goes over a play with Paul Lotman. (FIVB photo)

Facundo Conte paced Argentina with 18 points on 17 kills and one ace.

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Sean Rooney prepares to attack. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 25 14 25 22 15 CUB 20 25 18 25 10 U.S. Men Battle to Beat Cuba in Five Sets TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 3, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team won its fourth dual of the season against Cuba, 25-20, 14-25, 25-18, 2225, 15-10.

The U.S. Men (6-4), ranked fourth in the world, took their second five-set victory of the tournament, but remained in sixth place in the standings while Cuba (6-4), ranked sixth in the world, remained in fifth.

Meanwhile, Russia took over the World Cup lead from Poland, which fell to Brazil on Saturday. Russia and Poland will play each other on Sunday for the World Cup title, although both have secured Olympic qualifying slots.

The third qualifying slot will come down to Sunday as Brazil and Italy are tied with 21 points each.

Outside hitter Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.) led all scorers on Saturday with 25 points on a match-high 22 kills (73.3 kill percent; .733 hitting efficiency), and a team-high three aces. Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) won his second Most Impressive Player award of the tournament with 18 points on 11 kills, a match-high six blocks and one ace.

Cuba out-attacked the U.S. 62-50, but the U.S. led in blocks, 14-10 and in aces 7-4. The U.S. Men also took advantage of 30 Cuba team errors while committing only 23.

“There was inconsistency at times, for us as well, but I’m still pleased,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) said. “It’s late in this tournament, and we’ve had back-to-back five-game matches. Our guys did a good job sticking to the game plan, and in the sets where we were successful, I thought we did good job.”

Matt Anderson (1) goes for the kill against Cuba. (FIVB photo)

The U.S. led 8-4 at the first technical timeout (TTO) of the first set and never looked back as Cuba could not close the gap. Cuba jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the second set and went on to win easily. The third set was tied at 13-13 when Priddy scored on a kill and block. Middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) added a block to put the U.S. ahead 16-13 and the U.S. went on to win. The fourth-set score was tied 19-19 when Cuba used a kill and block to take the lead and then held off the U.S. for the victory. The score was tied 10-10 in the fifth-set tiebreaker when the U.S. scored on two straight Cuba hitting errors. An ace from middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) put the U.S. ahead by three. Cuba came back with a kill, but was called with a net violation to give the U.S. match point.

Priddy ended the match with an attack off the block.

Among other U.S. scorers, Millar had 12 points on seven attacks, three blocks and two aces. Holmes finished with eight points on four kills and four blocks. Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) added eight points on six attacks, one block and one ace. Starting setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) was credited with 48 assists and set the U.S. to a 45.9 kill percent and a hitting efficiency of .312.

Libero Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) led the team in digs with 15 as the U.S. was credited with 31 total. Priddy led the team in excellent receptions with 21 while Anderson added 12 and Salmon had nine.

Wilfredo Leon and Fernando Hernandez each scored 21 points for Cuba.

After the match, Priddy commented on his battle on the left side against Hernandez.

“This whole tour our left side blocking was pretty much non-existent,” Priddy said. “I just wanted to be in good spots and be better athletically — and yeah, I think we went back and forth there a bit. [Hernandez] is a fast attacker and a few points went our way.”

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Evan Patak attacks against Cuba. (FIVB photo)

Libero Riley Salmon points out a great play. (FIVB Photo)

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1 2 3 4 5 USA 23 17 19 SRB 25 25 25 U.S. Men Drop Final World Cup Match to Serbia TOKYO, Japan (Dec. 4, 2011) – The U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team ended its 15-day, 11 match 2011 FIVB World Cup campaign with a loss to Serbia, 25-23, 25-17, 25-19.

The U.S. Men, ranked fourth in the world, finished the World Cup in sixth place with a 6-5 record. Serbia (5-6), ranked fifth in the world, finishes eighth.

Russia won the World Cup with its 3-2 win Sunday over Poland, which finished second. Both teams have qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games despite needing FIVB wild cards to qualify for the World Cup. Brazil clinched third place and the final qualifying slot with a sweep of host Japan on Sunday.

Riley Salmon, left, slaps hands with Russell Holmes. (FIVB photo)

The United States’ next opportunity to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games will be at the NORCECA Continental Qualifier in May of 2012.

Serbia, which qualified for the World Cup as the European zone champion, led the U.S. in kills 41-35, in blocks 11-7 and in aces 5-3. The U.S. was also hurt by 18 team errors while Serbia committed 14.

With an Olympic berth off the table, U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe (Huntington Beach, Calif.) continued to change his lineup on Sunday, sitting libero Rich Lambourne (Tustin, Calif.), middle blocker Ryan Millar (Alpine, Utah) and opposite Clay Stanley (Honolulu, Hawaii).

“We gained a lot of information in this tournament on ourselves,” Knipe said. “One of the two important goals for us — besides qualification — was to figure out exactly what our strength and weaknesses are and what to work on to qualify for the Olympics.

“Today is not how we wanted to end our tournament, but Serbia played well, (Ivan) Miljkovic particularly, he pressured us a lot.”

Serbia’s Ivan Miljkovic dominated the match and was named the Most Important Player, leading all scorers with 20 points on 18 attacks and two blocks.

Sean Rooney reaches to receive the ball. (FIVB photo)

Outside hitter Sean Rooney (Wheaton, Ill.) led the U.S. with 10 points on 10 kills (55.6 kill percent; .444 hitting efficiency). Middle blocker David Lee (Alpine, Calif.) added nine points on six attacks (66.7 kill percent; .444 hitting efficiency) and three blocks. Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) totaled six points on five kills and one block while Anderson scored six points on six attacks.

Outside hitter Reid Priddy (Richmond, Va.) scored five points on three attacks, one block and one ace. Outside hitter Paul Lotman (Lakewood, Calif.) totaled three points on three attacks while middle blocker Russell Holmes (Fountain Valley, Calif.) added three points on two kills and one block.

Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati, Calif.) scored one point on a block.

U.S. setter Brian Thornton (San Clemente, Calif.) was credited with 23 assists. He set the team to a 43.8 kill percent and a .213 hitting percentage.

Libero Riley Salmon (League City, Texas) led the team in digs with eight and in excellent receptions with 10.

Knipe started Anderson and Rooney at outside hitter, Lee and Holmes at middle blocker, Thornton at setter, Patak at opposite and Salmon at libero.

Riley Salmon (10) leads the U.S. Men in shaking hands with Serbia. (FIVB photo)

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Russell Holmes (12) and Brian Thornton (15) block against Serbia. (FIVB Photo)

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2012 U.S. Men’s Player Bios

2012 U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team

Photo by Suzie Houseworth Back row, from left: Alan Knipe, Ryan Millar, Riley Salmon, Evan Patak, Gabe Gardner, David Lee, Clay Stanley, Matt Anderson, Max Holt, Paul Lotman, Reid Priddy, Sean Rooney, Jonathan Winder, Kevin Hansen Front row, from left: Aaron Brock, David Smith, Scott Touzinsky, Russell Holmes, Rich Lambourne, Dave McKienzie, Donald Suxho, Jayson Jablonsky, Brian Thornton, Robert Tarr, Gary Sato, Chris Jackson

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No. 1 Matt Anderson

Outside Hitter * 6-10 West Seneca, N.Y. College: Penn State Birth Date: April 18, 1987 Joined Team: 2008 PERSONAL: Born Matthew John Anderson on April 18, 1987, in Buffalo, N.Y.... Mother is Nancy Anderson. Matthew’s father, Michael Anderson, died in January 2010... Has three older sisters, Jennifer, Joelle and Amy and one older brother Joshua, one brother-in-law Rialdo, two nephews Aedan and Tristin and two nieces, Alexis and Juliana... Sister Joelle played volleyball at the College of Saint Rose... Sister Amy played volleyball and basketball at Hilbert College... Names Oasis as favorite musical entertainer, buffalo wings from Buffalo, N.Y., as favorite food, and Top Gun as favorite movie... Anderson attended West Seneca West High School (N.Y.) and led the boys volleyball team to a 17-0 regular-season record during his senior season... Squad was the 2004 Division I champions and Matt served as team captain... Matt was a member of the Eden Volleyball Club in Eden, N.Y. ... Matt finished his junior year at Penn State in spring of 2008 where he majored kinesiology... In 2008, Matt left Penn State early to play for the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers, a professional volleyball club in Korea...

He continued to play for the Skywalkers during the winter of 2009.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)… FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship.

FIVB World League. 2009 – Brazil Tour... FIVB World League. 2008 – America’s Cup... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship. 2006 – NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championship (Silver Medal). 2005 – Four Nation Tournament.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Matt was named “Best Spiker” at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif. ... He was the team’s leading scorer, finishing with 64 points on 52 kills, four blocks, and eight aces... His hitting efficiency was 0.585 and his kill percent was 63.4. 2011 – During the winter of 2010-11, Matt played for Pallavolo Modena in Italy’s Serie A League... Matt played in more sets than any other U.S. Men’s player in 2011 and was the team’s leading scorer and eighth overall with 493 points on 420 kills, 39 blocks and 34 aces. His kill percent for the season was 48.7 and his hitting efficiency was .414. He was third on the team in digs with 125… Matt played in 32 sets of the FIVB World Cup and was the team’s leading scorer with 158 points on 139 kills, five blocks and 14 aces. He was the team leader in attacks and fourth overall. His kill percent was 52.5 and his hitting efficiency was .479. The U.S. Men finished sixth…

Matt was the team’s leading scorer at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship on Sept. 3-11 in Puerto Rico… He finished with 67 points on 57 kills, four blocks and six aces… His hitting efficiency was 0.468 and his kill percent was 52… Matt was the team’s second-leading scorer at the London Volleyball International Invitational on July 20-24 where the U.S. Men placed third. He finished with 58 points (3.87 per set) on 47 kills (3.13 per set), seven blocks (0.47 per set) and four aces (0.27 per set)…

Matt started 52 sets of the 2011 FIVB World League for the U.S. Men and was the team’s leading scorer with 210 points (4.04 per set) on 177 kills (3.40 per set), 23 blocks (0.44 per set) and 10 aces (0.19 per set).

The U.S. Men finished seventh at World League. The U.S. Men finished seventh at World League. 2010 – During the winter of 2010-11, Matt played for Tonno Callipo Vibo Valentia in Italy’s Serie A League... Matt finished the season as the U.S. Men’s fifth-leading scorer with 112 points and an average of 3.20 points per set. He had 94 kills on 235 attempts.

He was third on the team in aces with eight (0.23 per set)... Matt played in four sets for the U.S. Men at the FIVB World Championship in Italy.

He scored seven points on six kills and one ace. The U.S. Men placed sixth… Matt played in 31 sets of the FIVB World League where he tallied 83 kills (2.68 per set) and his 212 total attempts was third on the team.

He ranked 31st among the League’s best attackers and he finished third on the team with 3.06 points per set. He also totaled 95 points, 7 aces (0.14 per set) and 18 digs (0.37 per set). 2009 – During the winter of

2009, Matt played for the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers in Korea… Matt had a serious case of pneumonia during the 2009 summer season, but still finished sixth on the team in scoring with 71 points in 21 sets (3.38 points per set). He finished the 2009 season averaging 2.9 kills per set with a hitting percentage of 0.419. After returning from pneumonia, Matt started four out of five matches during the U.S. Men’s Brazil Tour on Sept.

22-27. The U.S. Men - a group of veterans and newer players - did not win a match. Matt was the high scorer with 10 points in the team’s final match in Brazil... Matt started five World League matches before falling ill with pneumonia and sitting out the rest of the tournament. He finished with 69 points on 58 kills, eight blocks and three aces (21 sets). He was the high scorer with 11 points in the team’s victory on June 26 in China.

The team went on to win its pool and finish sixth in the final round. 2008 – Matt played on the U.S. Men’s Team that traveled to Cuiaba, Brazil for the America’s Cup in September. The team finished fifth. Matt scored 44 points on 39 kills and five blocks in three matches (13 sets)... Matt was a member of the U.S. Men’s team that won gold at the 2008 Pan American Cup from June 2-7 in Winnipeg, Manitoba... He scored 29 points on 25 kills, two blocks and two aces during the tournament... Was a member of the U.S. Men’s Training Team that traveled to Japan from May 17-25 to help prepare the Japanese National team for Olympic qualification.

2007 – Matt was a starting outside hitter for the Men’s Junior National Team that finished seventh at the FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship in Rabat, Morocco... He recorded 91 total points for an average of 3.37 points per game, racked up 77 kills (2.85 kills per game) and added four aces, 10 blocks and 32 digs. 2006 – Was a member of the Men’s Junior National Team that finished second at the NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championship and qualified for the 2007 FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship. 2005 – Was a member of the U.S. Boys Youth National Team that competed at the Four Nation Tournament in Cabo Frio, Brazil.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – AVCA Co-Player of the Year with Paul Lotman of FIVB of Courtesy Long Beach State His team won the NCAA National Championship with a victory over Pepperdine in the final... Named Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament... AVCA All-American first team... EIVA Player of the Year... First Team All-EIVA... Led the Nittany Lions with 5.64 kills per game on .390 hitting... A two-time EIVA Player of the Week...

AVCA National Player of the Week on Feb. 11... Had 15 or more kills in a regular-season match on 18 occasions... Had at least one dig in every match and had 17 matches of four or more digs, also recorded a block in all but two contests.

2007 – AVCA Second Team All-America...

First Team All-EIVA...

EIVA Championship AllTournament Team...

Averaged 4.35 kills per game as an opposite...

Added 33 service aces, good for second on the team and ninth on the all-time single-season chart... Provided 104 total digs and 69 total blocks, good for averages of 1.02 digs per game and 0.68 blocks per game... Set a new career high and Penn State rallyscoring-era record with 35 kills (on .452 hitting) in the five-game win at No. 4 UC Santa Barbara (3/12)... also set a new rally-scoring record for attacks in that match with 62... Produced 24 double-digit kill matches for the season... Had six matches of 20 or more kills and 14 contests of 15 or more kills. 2006 – Second Team All-East... Played in 91 games and all 30 matches... Averaged 2.21 kills per game, 0.16 service aces per game, 1.09 digs per game and 0.62 blocks per game... Matt was one of six Nittany Lions to record more than 200 kills for the season... led the team in kills on six occasions, including a career-high 17 versusCourtesy of FIVB Ohio State (2/10).

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No. 15 Gabe Gardner

Opposite * 6-10 San Clemente, California College: Stanford Birth Date: March 18, 1976 Joined Team: 1999 PERSONAL: Born Gabriel Bryan Gardner in 1976 in San Diego, Calif....

Now calls Sacramento, Calif., home... Parents are Frank and Deborah Gardner... Has three brothers: Phinney, Zack and Nick... Phinney is a former member of the U.S. Water Polo national team and also played at UC Berkeley... Gabe and his wife Julie were married in Athens, Greece, in 2004, following the Olympic Games... In 2007, they welcomed son Harper to the family. In 2010 they had a second son, Finn.. Gabe attended San Clemente (Calif.) High School and also was the goal keeper on the water polo team... Gabe was named the Orange County Athlete of the Year in 1995... Gabe graduated with a human biology degree from Stanford...

While they were at Stanford, Gabe and now-wife Julie used to doubledate with Google founder Sergey Brin and his then-girlfriend, who also went to Stanford. Brin was in the process of starting Google and once asked Gabe about working for the Web search engine, but Gabe chose volleyball instead... Enjoys surfing, beach volleyball and playing the guitar... Was an Overseas Pro League Champion twice (Argentina 2003 and Turkey 2005)... Gabe speaks fluent Spanish... Gabe retired from the U.S. Men’s Team following the 2008 Olympics, but played the winter of 2008-09 for Ural Ufa in the Russian Super League.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League.

2011 – FIVB World League 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)...

FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... Four Nations’ Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships... FIVB World League... Argentina Tour. 2005 – FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... Japan Tour... Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (Gold Medal)... Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Silver Medal)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 – Colorado/ Nebraska Tour... Canada Tour... Pan American Games (Fourth Place)...

World Cup (Fourth Place). 2002 – Dallas Tour... Six-Nation Tournament (Italy)... Louisville Tour. 1999 - Pan American Games. 1998 – France Trip... Portugal Trip. 1995 – World University Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Gabe was part of the 2011 FIVB World League preliminary roster. He played 10 sets in four matches in Poland and Puerto Rico and did not score.... Following the 2008 Olympic Games, Gabe took a break from the U.S. Men’s National Team, but continued to play overseas in Russia (2008-2010) and Italy (2010-11).

U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe asked Gabe to rejoin the team for the 2011 World League. 2008 – Gabe finished the 2008 season with 134 kills in 42 sets played (3.19 kills per set). He had a hitting percentage of 0.40.

Gabe averaged .12 aces per set, .45 blocks per set and 1.17 digs per set...

Gabe finished the 2008 Olympic Games with a gold medal and played in matches against China and Japan... Helped the U.S. Men win a gold medal at the FIVB World League. Scored 65 points in pool play with 55 kills, eight blocks and two aces... Helped the U.S. Men to a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament on May 11-13 in Germany... Helped the U.S. Men win to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier in Caguas, Puerto Rico. 2007 – Gabe moved from outside hitter to opposite at the start of the 2007 season and adjusted well... Gabe finished the season as the team’s fourth-leading scorer with 329 points. He averaged 3.82 points per set. Averaged 3.27 kills per set... Gabe was the United States’ second-leading scorer and 18th overall at the FIVB World Cup where the U.S. Men finished fourth. He finished with 118 points on 101 kills, 12 blocks and five aces. His 101 kills was second best for the U.S. Men. Gabe was the leading scorer in three World Cup matches for the U.S. Men, including the final match agaainst Russia, in which he scored 21 points as the U.S. Men lost in five sets...

Was the United States’ sixth-leading scorer of the NORCECA Continental

Championship, where he Courtesy of FIVB shared time at opposite with Clay Stanley. Gabe finished with 27 points on 24 kills, one block and two aces... Gabe Was the United States’ leading “spiker”, and third overall, in World League pool play and was credited with a success percentage of 62.23. In the final round, he was credited with a 55.84 percent success rate, which was the best among the U.S. players and fourth overall. He was also the team’s secondleading scorer in both pool play and the final round.

2006 – Competed in the FIVB World League where the U.S. Men finished tied for 10th... Gabe helped the win the Argentina series 4-1. 2005 – Earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Gabe made his firstever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall... Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... he men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match... Scored 10 points on nine kills and one service ace in the championship match. 2003 – Returned from a leg injury suffered at the Pan American Games in August to play in the World Cup in November... Saw considerable action and finished seventh on the team in scoring with 62 points on 56 kills and six blocks. 2002 – Played in the first three tours of the season... Still ranked second on the team in kills per set (2.28) and fourth in points per set (2.70)... Was eighth on the team in kills (91) and in total points (108)... Scored 18 points (14 kills, three blocks, one ace) as the U.S. swept defending Olympic champion Yugoslavia on June 6 for its only win in Italy. 1999 – Started for the Pan American Games squad at outside hitter. 1998 – Led the team with 25 kills in a match against Portugal... Also tallied 16 kills in the last match of the series against Portugal.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Played two seasons at USC and one year at Stanford. 1999 – Led Stanford with 6.79 kills per game in 47 games and 13 matches played... Despite missing nine matches, still second on the team with 319 kills... Ranked third on the squad with 1.64 digs per game.

1998 – Sat out a season after transferring from USC. 1997 – Played in 15 matches for USC before deciding to transfer... Was third on the team with 342 kills, hitting .308... Added 41 blocks, 90 digs and 13 aces... Posted 20 or more kills 11 times and hit the 30-plus kill plateau three times...

Registered a career-high 41 kills against Pepperdine in his last match as a Trojan. 1996 – As a starter, led the Trojans with 490 kills, hitting .245...

Ranked 11th nationally in kills per game (5.51)... Named to the Asics/ Volleyball Magazine Freshmen All-America team and earned honorable mention All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federations honors.

COLLEGE: 2010 – American Volleyball Coaches Association First Team all American… First Team All-MPSF… Set UCI single-season records for service aces (50) and attack attempts (1,259) as well as ranking fourth in kills (564)… Played 108 sets for UCA… Finished the season with 625 points on 541 kills (.306 hitting percentage), 12 aces (0.11 per set), 7 solo blocks and 58 block assists… Carson also had 196 digs (1.81 per set). 2009 – Helped UC Irvine win the NCAA Men’s National Championship... Named to the NCAA All-tournament Team... Second Team AVCA All-America...

Named MPSF Freshman of the Year as well as first team and All-Freshman team accolades... Led the team with a 3.90 kill average, which was 17th in the country and eighth in the MPSF... Hit .336 overall which was 25th in the country... Ranked eighth among MPSF players in points per set at 4.51... Tallied 25 aces. 2008 – Redshirted.

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No. 14 Kevin Hansen

Setter * 6-5 Newport Beach, California College: Stanford Birth Date: March 19, 1982 Joined Team: 2005 PERSONAL: Born Kevin Christopher Hansen on March 19, 1982 in Newport Beach, Calif. ... Son of Erik and Ann Hansen... Has two sisters, Kristen and Erika... Married Sarah Engle in August of 2009... Kevin and Sarah are the parents of a daughter, Avery Grace, born in May of 2011… Sarah was a four-year volleyball letterwinner and Academic All-Conference standout as an outside hitter at the University of Delaware (2001-04)... Sarah’s sister Ashley is a standout volleyball player at the University of Texas and played on the 2007 U.S. Women’s Junior National Team... Kevin majored in economics at Stanford University and has a master’s degree in communications... Thinks most people would be surprised to know “I shoot up with needles at least four times a day” because he is diabetic...

Was diagnosed with Type I diabetes when he was 10-years-old and told that sports would be difficult to pursue... Goals off the court are “to have a family and eventually work in the sports marketing industry”... Says “Being able to represent your country while competing in foreign ones” is the best part about being on the National Team... Wants to live “on a sailboat traveling the world”... Says carbs are the luxury item he could not live without... Lists Jesus as the person he would most like to have dinner with... Describes himself as “competitive, athletic and spiritual.”

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – FIVB World Cup...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)… FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... Four Nations’ Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... Pan American Games (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal).

2006 – FIVB World League... Argentina Tour. 2005 - World University Games (11th Place).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Kevin finished the season as the U.S. Men’s second leading setter with 145 assists and six faults in 502 attempts and 44 sets played. He also scored 23 points on nine kills, 11 blocks and three aces… Kevin played in eight sets of the FIVB World Cup where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He was credited with 74 assists and two faults on 178 attempts… Kevin started 17 out of 18 sets at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Men finished second to Cuba. He was credited with 71 assists (4.17 assists per set). He also scored 11 points on six kills and five blocks... Kevin played in 16 sets in five matches at the London Volleyball International Invitational on July 20-24. The U.S. Men finished third in the event. Kevin started 10 sets, including four in the final match against Brazil, which the U.S. lost 3-2… Kevin finished the London tournament with nine points on three kills, three blocks and three aces… Kevin saw limited playing time during the FIVB World League as he had to have his appendix removed shortly before the tournament started and also missed time for the birth of his daughter. 2010 – During the winter of During the winter of 2010-11, Kevin played for Fakel Novy Urengoi in Russia’s Superleague... Kevin finished the 2010 season, according to the team’s DataVolley statistics, with 21 points (eight kills, two 11 blocks, two aces) in 64 sets (0.33 points per set). He was second on the team in digs behind libero Rich Lambourne with 94 (1.47 digs per set). Kevin was credited with 176 running sets and three faults for an average of 3.59 running sets per set in FIVB competitions... Kevin played in 29 sets and started 28 for the U.S. Men at the FIVB World Championship where they finished sixth. Kevin finished 10th among all setters with 184

running sets and no faults on 585 total attempts for an average of 5.58 running sets per set. He also scored 18 points on five kills, eight blocks and two aces... Kevin played in 32 sets during the FIVB World League and tallied 176 running sets and 553 still sets, good enough for 14th place among the League’s best setters. He also paced the U.S. men with his sets and averaged 3.59 per set. A running set is defined as a set from a player that puts their hitter against one blocker or none. Still sets happen when a player sets an attacker and there are two blockers or more. He also posted two kills from the setting position and 21 digs (0.43 per set).

2009 – Kevin shared starter duties at setter with Donald Suxho in 2009...

He was credited with 114 running sets (assists) in 47 sets played for an average of 2.42 per set... Kevin finished the season with a 0.444 hitting percentage and was credited with 15 blocks (0.32 blocks per set) and 51 digs (1.08 digs per set)... Kevin helped the U.S. Men to a sixth-place finish in the 2009 World League. 2008 – Kevin finished the 2008 season with 36 points in 63 sets played. He averaged 0.21 kills per set; 0.11 aces per set; 0.25 blocker per set and 1.22 digs per set. His hitting percentage was 0.44... Kevin helped the U.S. Men win the Olympic gold medal in Beijing as the backup setter to Lloy Ball. Kevin started a match against China and played all three sets. He also played in matches against Venezuela and Japan.... Kevin helped the U.S. Men win its first World League gold medal.

Hansen started seven pool play matches and the team lost only one of those. He finished 16th among all setters in World League pool play with 168 running sets and seven faults for an average of 4.2 running sets per set. He had 22 points on 10 kills, 10 blocks and two aces... Kevin helped the U.S. Men to a gold medal at the Four Nations Tournament on May 1113 in Germany... Kevin was the backup setter to Lloy Ball at the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier, which the U.S. Men won, qualifying for the 2008 Olympic Games. Hansen had playing time in all five matches as the U.S. Men finished the tournament with a kill percentage of 60 and a hitting percentage of 53. 2007 – Kevin finished the season having played 74 sets for the U.S. Men. He was credited with 21 kills, nine aces and 22 blocks and averaged 0.7 points per set... Kevin was the backup setter for Lloy Ball at the FIVB World Cup tournamemt where the U.S. men finished fourth. Hansen started in victories over Egypt and Korea and substituted in four others and was credited with 72 assists and two faults in 131 attempts... Kevin was the backup setter for Lloy Ball at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship in Anaheim, Calif., where the U.S. Men won the gold medal and qualified for the FIVB World Cup. Kevin played the entire match against Barbados and was credited with 23 assists as the team’s hitting percentage was 74 percent... Kevin was the backup to starting setter Lloy Ball at the Americas’ Cup and the NORCECA Continental Championship... Kevin was the third-leading setter at the Pan American Games and helped carry the U.S. Men to the silver medal. He was credited with 6.88 sets per set... Kevin was the United States’ secondleading blocker and 10th overall at the Pan Am Games with seven scoring blocks in 30 attempts for an average of 0.44 per set... Kevin was the fourth-leading setter in the World League final round and was credited with an average of six sets per set... Played in eight World League poolplay matches and started five. Finished 17th among all World League setters in pool play with a 2.71 set average per set played. 2006 – Played in Greece during the winter of 2006 and spring of 2007... Was the backup setter to Donald Suxho on the World League team... Kevin helped the team finish 4-1 in Argentina.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Finished his career third on Stanford’s list of career leaders with 5,036 assists... Only the third player in Stanford men’s volleyball history to amass 5,000 career assists... Four-time All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) selection... Ranked ninth all-time among Stanford setters averaging 12.89 assists per game. 2005 – Kevin averaged 12.70 assists, 1.91 digs, 0.53 blocks and 0.23 aces per game... First-Team All-MPSF ... American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First-Team All-American ... MPSF Academic All-Conference. 2004 – Named Volleyball magazine Third-Team All-American... Molten/MPSF Player of the week...

Led the team in hitting percentage (.445), serving aces (18), digs (188), and digs per game (1.92). 2003 – Played in all 29 matches... MPSF Honorable Mention for the second straight season... Distributed 1,318 assists, the sixth-most assists in a single season in program history...

Finished the season with a 13.05 assists per game average, good for the 14th best average in the nation. 2002 – Honorable Mention All-MPSF...

Guided Stanford to a .360 team hitting percentage in MPSF play.

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No. 12 Russell Holmes Middle Blocker * 6-8 Fountain Valley, California College: Brigham Young Birth Date: July 1, 1982 Joined Team: 2009

PERSONAL: Born Russell Kenneth Holmes on July 1, 1982 in Anaheim, Calif. ... Parents are Mark and Tamara (Tami) Holmes... Has a younger brother, Dane, and an older sister, Leah… Russell’s daughter, Sadie Rae, was born in 2007... Russell served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to London, England... Started playing volleyball as a junior at Fountain Valley High School with friends… Graduated from Fountain Valley in 2001… Also lettered three years ... In 2001, his Long Beach club team won the Junior Olympics gold medal and he was named an All-American… Named to Volleyball Magazine’s Fab 50 in 2001… He enjoys beach volleyball, surfing and snowboarding… Russell is an Eagle Scout… He graduated from BYU in 2008 with a degree in sociology…

His most admired person is his father: “for his patience, love, support, integrity and hard work. He is someone I aspire to be like as a father and husband”… His happiest moment in life was witnessing the birth of his daughter.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup… London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)... FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – Brazil Tour... FIVB World League.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Russell was the fifth-leading scorer for the U.S. Men’s Team at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif. He scored 33 points on 21 kills, eight blocks, and four aces... His hitting efficiency was .714 and his kill percent was 75. 2011 – Russell played the winter of 2011-12 for Jastrzebski Wegiel in Poland... Russell finished the season as the team’s eighth leading scorer with 109 points on 77 attacks, 27 blocks and five aces in 71 sets played. His 27 blocks put him fourth on the team…

Russell was the team’s fourth-leading scorer and second-leading blocker at the FIVB World Cup where he finished with 57 points on 38 attacks, 16 blocks and three aces in 29 sets played. The U.S. Men finished sixth…

Russell started 15 out of 18 sets at the London Volleyball International Invitational, where the U.S. Men finished third. He scored 32 points on 24 kills, seven blocks and one ace. His hitting efficiency was 0.512 and his kill percent was 56. Russell started 10 sets and played in 27 during the FIVB World League, where the U.S. Men finished eighth... He finished with 20 points on 15 kills, four blocks and one ace. 2010 – During the winter of 2010-11, Russell played for Vivo/Minas in Brazil’s Superliga... Russell was the U.S. Men’s Team’s fifth-leading scorer in 2010 with 115 points (2.21 points per set) on 70 kills (0.44 hitting percentage), 38 blocks (0.73 blocks per set) and seven aces (0.13 blocks per set). His 38 blocks was second on the team... Russell played in 25 sets and started 23 at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He was the team’s fifth-leading scorer with 46 points on 29 kills, 12 blocks and five aces. He was the team’s third-leading blocker and 29th overall with 12 blocks and 18 faults on 51 attempts for an average of 0.36 blocks per set... Russell played in 27 sets during the FIVB World League. He posted 43 kills (1.52 per set) and his .524 hitting percentage was the team-high. His 23 stuff blocks (0.47 per set) was good enough for second place among the team’s leaders and 33rd among the League’s best blockers. He tallied a service ace and three digs. He finished the League with 41 points (1.52 per set). 2009 – Played the winter of 2009-10 for HYPO Tirol Innsbruck in Austria. The team won its second-straight Austrian Cup Championship and finished fifth in the CEV Cup... Russell was part of the U.S. Men’s team that traveled to Brazil for five exhibition matches. The United States did not win a match; but Russell scored 30 points, including seven blocks, in 15 sets played... Russell saw limited playing time in five World League pool play matches. U.S. Men went on to finish sixth. 2008-09 – Played overseas for Austria’s HYPO Tirol in the Middle European Volleyball Zone Association, winning the MEVZA Cup and the Austrian Cup.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Started in all 30 matches and all 113 games ... Named AVCA First-Team All-American... Earned All-MPSF First Team accolades... Finished the season fourth in the nation in hitting percentage at 0.454 and second in the nation averaging 1.52 blocks per game... Awarded MPSF Player of the Week honors on Feb. 19... Recorded two double-doubles on the season... Set new career highs with 19 kills vs.

Stanford (Feb. 22), 33 attempts at UC Irvine (Feb. 15), six digs and 11 block assists at UC Irvine (Feb. 16), and three assists three separate times in the season... Eleven total blocks Feb. 16 tied for the third best mark in school history since adopting international rules in 2001... 172 total blocks is the second best mark in school history since adopting international rules and fourth all time... Led the team in hitting percentage (.454), blocks with 172 total (15 solo and 157 assists) on the season ... Recorded 10 or more kills in 13 matches. 2007 – A second team AVCA All-America honoree for the second straight season... Named to the All-MPSF Second Team...

Team captain... Played in all 29 matches, starting 28... Played in a teamhigh 99 games during the season... Named Sports Imports/AVCA National Player of the Week Jan. 29 for his performance against Penn State and Loyola-Chicago at the Outrigger Hotels Invitational in Hawaii... Named the Outrigger Hotels Invitational Tournament Most Outstanding Player award... Set a BYU season record for block solos with 28, beating out the previous record of 22 formerly held by Ryan Millar... Led the team in hitting percentage (.438), total blocks (144), blocks per game (1.45), block solos (28) and block assists (116)... Led the nation in block solos (28)...

Recorded double digits in kills in eight matches... Hit .500 or better in 11 matches. 2006 – Named to the AVCA All-America Second Team... Earned second-team All-MPSF honors... A Student Athlete Academic Center Scholar Athlete... Started all 27 matches and was the only player on the team to play in all 104 games... Finished sixth in the nation with a .456 hitting percentage and third in MPSF play at .462... Averaged 1.49 blocks per game, eighth in the nation... Fourth in the MPSF in blocks per game, averaging 1.53 in league play... Had 155 total blocks, tied for second most in a BYU rally scoring season... Had 143 block assists, the fifth most in a BYU season... Recorded double-digit kills 12 times... Hit .400 or better 18 times. 2005 - Played in 30 matches and appeared in 98 games... Started 13 matches... Recorded 107 kills while hitting .368... Totaled 67 blocks...

Had a career-high 14 kills against Penn State on Jan. 6. 2004 - Freshman red shirt the year BYU won the NCAA National Championship.

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Courtesy of FIVB

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – FIVB World Cup… NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)… FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship. FIVB World League. 2009 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship (7th). 2006 – NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championship (Silver Medal). 2005 – Four Nations Tournament.

No. 17 Max Holt

Middle Blocker * 6-9 Cincinnati, Ohio College: Penn State Birth Date: March 12, 1987 Joined Team: 2009 PERSONAL: Born Maxwell Philip Holt on March 12, 1987 in Cincinnati, Ohio... Parents are Kim and Angie Holt... Has two older siblings, Megan and Nick, and a younger brother, Sam, who also plays volleyball... Max was a six-time letterwinner (four in volleyball and two in soccer) for Purcell Marian (Ohio) High School... Named the Ohio Player of the Year following senior season in 2005... First team all-state as a junior and third team all-region as a sophomore... Played for the Cincinnati Attack club team... Squad was Flight 1 champions at the 2004 Junior National Championship… Max names Ben Harper as favorite musical entertainer, history as favorite school subject, the Cincinnati Bengals as favorite pro sports team and Chad Johnson as favorite athlete... Graduated from Penn State in 2009 with a degree in journalism.

Courtesy of FIVB

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Max finished the season with 76 points on 49 kills, seven blocks and six aces in 39 sets played… Max played in nine sets of the FIVB World Cup and finished with nine points on five attacks and four blocks… Max started 15 out of 18 sets at the NORCECA Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico where the U.S. Men finished second to Cuba... Max was second on the U.S. team and among all players in blocks with 13... Max finished with a total of 40 points on 24 kills, 13 blocks and three aces... His hitting efficiency was 0.455 and his kill percent was 54.5. Max started 11 sets of the London Volleyball International Invitational where the U.S. Men finished third. He finished with 23 points (2.09 per set) on 16 kills (1.45 per set), four blocks (0.36 per set) and three aces (0.27 per set)... Max saw limited playing time during the 2011 FIVB World League as middle blockers Dave Lee and Ryan Millar got most of the starts. The U.S. Men finished seventh in World League.

2010 – Max played for Copra Morpho Piacenza in Italy’s Serie A league during the winter of 2010-11... Max played in 41 sets for the U.S. Men in 2010, finishing with 57 points on 41 kills (0.372 hitting percentage), 13 blocks (0.32 blocks per set) and three aces (0,07 aces per set)... Max appeared in 22 sets and started 21 at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He finished the tournament with 37 points on 28 kills, eight blocks and one ace. He averaged 0.24 blocks per set... Max appeared in 19 sets during the FIVB World League and had a hitting percentage of .471, second best for the team. He also tallied 10 kills (0.53 per set), two stuff blocks (0.04 per set) and two service aces (0.04 per set). He finished the League with 14 total points (0.74). 2009 – Max played for Bluvolley Verona in Itayl’s Serie A League during the winter of 2009-10. Played on the Pan American Cup team that won the gold medal in Chiapas, Mexico… Max started all four matches and played 16 sets… He finished with 56 points on 41 kills, 10 blocks and 5 aces.

2007 – Was a starting middle blocker for the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team that finished seventh at the FIVB World Championship in Rabat, Morocco… Scored 56 points for the championship... Provided 42 kills for an average of 1.55 kills per set on .400 hitting... Added five blocks and six digs. 2006 – Was a starting middle blocker on the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team that finished second to Cuba at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Monterrey, Mexico… Max was named the tournament’s Best Blocker.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2009 (Senior) – Named AVCA Division I All American for the second year as Penn State advanced to the NCAA Championship match where it lost to USC… Max was named the 2009 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Player of the Year and was on the EIVA All-East First Team… He ranked first in the nation in aces per game and hitting percentage. 2008 (Junior) – AVCA First Team All-American... NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team... First Team All-EIVA... EIVA All-Championship Team... four-time EIVA Player of the Week... Outrigger Invitational All-Tournament Team... Played in 100 of 103 games and all 31 matches... Recorded 318 kills, 48 service aces, 41 digs and 130 total blocks... Averaged 3.18 kills per game on .548 hitting, good for first on the team, in the nation and second on Penn State’s singleseason hitting percentage record list. 2007 (Sophomore) – First Team All-EIVA... EIVA Championship All-Tournament Team... Active Ankle/Long Beach State Guesthouse Classic All-Tournament Team... played in every game of the season, averaging 2.71 kills per game on .447 hitting, good for 12th on the Penn State single-season hitting percentage list... Had 13 multiple-kill matches, including racking up a career-high 21 at Juniata (3/28). 2006 (Freshman) – First Team All-East... EIVA All-Championship team... played in all 30 matches and 108 games... Averaged 2.17 kills per game on .415 hitting (15th in the nation) with 0.23 service aces per game, 0.44 digs per game and 1.19 blocks per game... Led the team with 129 total blocks, good for 13th on Penn State’s single-season record list... Had nine double-digit kill matches, including four of the last six contests.

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No. 16 Jayson Jablonsky Outside Hitter * 6-5 Yorba Linda, California College: UC Irvine Birth Date: June 6, 1986 Joined Team: 2008

PERSONAL: Born Jayson Michael Jablonsky on July 23, 1985, in Orange, Calif.... Parents are Paul and Betty Jablonsky... Has two older siblings, Matt and Heather... Jayson married Tammara Koehler in July of 2009...

Jayson attended Esperanza High School (1999-2003) where he also played soccer... Played for the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club... Studied criminology at UC Irvine... Sushi is his favorite food... J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” is his favorite book... His favorite movie is Edward Scissorhands...

The Office is his favorite television show... Listens to rock music with AFI as his favorite band... Likes to watch hockey and the Anaheim Ducks are his favorite professional team... Enjoys playing the guitar, the beach and trying to surf... His happiest moment in life has yet to come, but his fondest sports memory was winning the 2007 NCAA Division I men’s volleyball national championship.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… London International Volleyball Invitational (Bronze Medal)… Pan American Cup (Silver Medal). 2009 – Brazil Tour... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)… FIVB World League. 2008 – America’s Cup... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 – World University Games (Bronze Medal).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Jayson finished the season ith a kill percent of 54.2 and a hitting efficiency of .483. He averaged 2.48 points per set and one dig per set... Jayson played in seven sets and started five at the NORCECA Championship, where the U.S. Men finished second to Cuba... Jayson scored 17 points on 16 kills and one block... Jayson’s hitting efficiency was 0.577 and his kill percent was 62. Jayson played in nine sets of the London Test Event, starting three, and scoring 15 points on 12 kills, two blocks and one ace… Jayson was on the 20-man roster for the 2011 FIVB World League but did not play… Jayson and middle blocker David Smith tied as the second-leading scorer at the 2011 Pan American Cup in Canada with 45 points on 36 kills, four blocks and five aces. His hitting efficiency was 0.451. His kill percent was 63.4. 2010 – Jayson played the winter of 2010-11 for Olympiakos in the Hellenic League...

Courtesy of NORCECA

Jayson played on the U.S. Men’s A2 Team that won the Pan American Cup in San Juan, Puerto Rico... Jayson was named the tournament MVP and Best Spiker... He led all spikers with 59 kills and eight errors on 110 total attempts (53.64 success percentage). Jayson concluded the tournament with a total of 75 points, good for second place among leading scorers...

He was fifth among all blockers with an average of 0.67 blocks per set...

He was the United States’ leading server and 10th overall with four aces and four faults on 72 attempts for an average of 0.22 aces per set...

Jayson was the United States’ leading receiver and seventh overall with 51 excellent receptions and four faults on 83 attempts for an efficiency percentage of 56.63. 2009 – Jayson played the 2009-10 winter season for Leones de Ponce, but had to leave the team early due to injury... Jayson finished the season with a 0.600 hitting percentage, with 27 kills and no errors on 45 attempts in 15 sets. He finished the season averaging 1.93 points per set... Jayson accompanied the team on a Tour of Brazil, playing in five exhibition matches... Jayson was the United States’ third-leading scorer and seventh overall as the U.S. Men won the 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F held Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif. He finished with 22 points on 20 kills and two aces. He finished third among all spikers with 20 kills and four errors in 31 attempts for a success percentage of 64.52… Jayson helped the U.S. Men finish sixth in the FIVB World League tournament. 2008 – Played on the U.S. Men’s Team that finished fifth at the America’s Cup in Brazil... Was an alternate for the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team... Played on the gold-medal winning 2008 Pan American Cup team (June 2-7 in Winnipeg, Manitoba)... Scored 32 points on 25 kills, five blocks and two aces in the tournament...

Was a member of the U.S. Men’s Training Team that traveled to Japan to prepare the Japanese squad for Olympic qualification from May 1725. 2007 – Helped the U.S. men win the bronze medal at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. 2005 – Played on the U.S. Junior National Team that finished eighth in the 2005 FIVB Men’s U-21 World Volleyball Championships in Andhra Pradesh, India. 2004 – Helped the U.S. Junior National Team to a second place finish at the 2004 NORCECA Junior Men’s Volleyball Championship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – Helped UC Irvine to the NCAA Division I Men’s Volleyball National Championship... Jayson was named secondteam All-America by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)... Second team All-MPSF selection... Named to the NCAA all-tournament team after totaling 32 kills in two matches... In the postseason, he averaged 4.30 kills and 4.89 points per game... Averaged 3.89 kills, 1.58 digs and 4.61 points per game overall... Led the team against MPSF opponents with a 3.80 kill average... Ranked 18th nationally in aces (.371). Also was fourth in aces (0.38) among MPSF players and 10th in points per game (4.57)... UCI’s all-time ace leader with 128. Had 46 aces, firing at least one in 28 of 34 matches this year. 46 aces tied for second in the season record book... Totaled kills in double-digits in 29 of 34 matches... Ends his career second in kills with 1,528 and in career attack attempts (3,081). Fourth in career digs (595)... Named to the 2007 Elephant Bar All-Tournament team. 2006 – Named AVCA National Player of the Year as well as MPSF Player of the Year... First team AllAmerica and All-MPSF... Named UCI’s Male Athlete of the Year... Firstteam Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American and Player of the Year...

Named to the NCAA All-Tournament team... Averaged 4.17 kills per game which ranked 17th in the country, was 18th in points (4.89) and 11th in aces (.367)... Also averaged 1.61 digs and 0.65 blocks per game... Led the team with 40 service aces, which ranked second most in a season at UCI... Had 454 kills, which is seventh in the UCI season records and 892 attempts which is 10th... Following the end of the season, he ranks seventh in career kills (1,046), 10th in attempts (2,102) and fourth in aces (82). 2005 – Named second-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)... Named second team All-American by Volleyball Magazine...

Led the team in kills, averaging 4.03 per game... Averaged 1.26 digs and 0.59 blocks per game... Totaled 27 service aces... Averaged 21 kills over the last five matches... Recorded kills in double-figures 24 times... Led the team against conference opponents with a 4.09 kill average, which ranked sixth in the league... Ranked eighth in points (4.70) among MPSF players... Totaled 415 kills which ranks eighth most in a season at UCI, also had 814 attack attempts which is 10th best in a season. 2004 – Third on the team in kills, averaging 2.54 per game... Averaged 1.37 digs and 0.57 blocks per game... Totaled 15 service aces... Recorded kills in doublefigures seven times.

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No. 5 Rich Lambourne Libero * 6-3 Tustin, California College: BYU Birth Date: May 6, 1975 Joined Team: 2000

PERSONAL: Born Richard Edward Lambourne on May 6, 1975 in Louisville, Ky. ... Now calls San Diego, Calif., home... Parents are Paul and Ann Lambourne...

Has one brother, Stuart, and two sisters, Gwen and Tracy... Stuart was MVP at Foothills High and played volleyball briefly at BYU... Rich enjoys golf, beach volleyball and tennis... Majored in Japanese at BYU... Following the U.S. Men’s gold medal victory at the Olympic Games, Rich appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Olympic show and the Bonnie Hunt Show. He was a star on the Hunt show, as Bonnie flirted with him... Rich was badly injured during a bike accident when he was 6. He skinned his shoulder to the bone and mangled the right side of his face. Says of the accident, “I could have been much uglier but due to my loving parents and medical science, I am only mostly unattractive”... His favorite food is Mexican... Pillars of the Earth is his favorite book... South Park and Family Guy are his favorite television shows... His favorite sports to watch include basketball, golf and football... Notes that he is a “bandwagon guy” when it comes to favorite professional sports teams... Michael Jordan is his favorite athlete... Lists his mom as his most admired person because of her “strength of character, conviction and faith”... Says he is “super sarcastic.”

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2012 – FIVB World League... NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup… NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... Brazil Tour... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)… FIVB World League. 2008 – America’s Cup... Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... Four Nations’ Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... Pan American Games (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships... FIVB World League... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Argentina Tour. 2005 – Pacific Northwest Tour vs.

Netherlands... USOC International Sports Invitational (Silver Medal)... Argentina Tour... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)...

World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2003 – Colorado/Nebraska Tour...

Canada Tour... Japan Tour (Training Team)... NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal). 2002 – Louisville Tour. 2001 – Japan Tour... World League... NORCECA Zone Championships.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Rich played in 16 sets of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif., where the U.S. men won gold... Led the team in digs with 38 (2.38 digs per set). 2011 – Rich finished the season as the team’s leading digger with 180 in 107 sets played (1.68 digs per set)… Lambourne competed in 31sets of the FIVB World Cup and finished as the team’s leading digger and seventh overall with 61 digs... Rich played in all 18 sets of the NORCECA Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico where the U.S. Men finished second to Cuba... He was credited with 97 receptions and 27 digs.... Rich played in all 58 sets of the 2011 FIVB World League where the U.S. Men advanced to the Final Round and finished seventh...

He finished pool play ranked third among all liberos... He led the team in digs in pool play with 132 in 214 attempts and an average of 2.93 per set.... In the Final Round, Lambourne led the team in digs with 45 in 13 sets for an average of 3.46 per set... He had 146 receptions on 248 attempts in pool play... In the final round, Rich had 42 receptions for an average of 3.23 per set. Rich joined Fart Kielce in Poland in the winter of 2011. 2010 – Finished 2010 having played in 80 sets for the U.S. Men. He finished with 114 digs (1.42 digs per set). He was also credited with one point on a kill... Rich started all 33 of the United States’ sets at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. Rich finished fifth among all liberos with 199 “excellents” and 39 faults for an average of 6.03 per set. Rich was the U.S. Men’s leading digger and sixth overall with 76 digs and 30 faults on 115 attempts for an average of 2.30 per set. He was also the team’s leading receiver and ninth overall with 123 excellents and nine faults on 192 attempts for an efficiency percentage of 59.38... Rich played in 45 sets over the course of the FIVB World League Intercontinental Round and led the team with 64 digs (1.31 per set). He also ranked 11th amongst the League’s best in both

digs and liberos, where he tallied 150 “excellents”. He averaged 3.06 “excellents” per set. 2009 – Rich finished the season with 137 digs in 71 sets for an average of 1.93 digs per set.... He joined the U.S. Team for the Brazil Tour in which it played five exhibition matches in Brazil... Rich was the United States’ best digger and second overall a the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was credited with 40 digs and 23 faults on 85 attempts. He averaged 2.35 digs per set. He was also ranked the third-best libero overall... Rich helped the U.S. win the 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier on Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif. He won Best Digger (0.89 digs per set), Best Receiver (23 excellents and no faults in 29 attempts) and Best Libero (31 excellents and four faults in 64 attempts)… Rich was the United States’ starting libero in every match but one of the 2009 FIVB World League, where the U.S. Men placed sixth… Rich averaged 1.84 digs per set in pool play and had 94 excellent receptions on 294 attempts. He was fourth among liberos in the final round with 24 “excellents” on 48 attempts and an average of four per set. 2008 – Played with the U.S. Men’s Team that finished fifth at the America’s Cup in Brazil... Played in every set of the Olympic Games and helped the U.S. Men to the gold medal. He was credited with 64 digs and 147 “excellent” service receptions on 230 total attempts for a success percentage of 63.91... Played in every set of the FIVB World League and was named best libero of the final round as the U.S. Men won their first World League title. Finished the final round with 45 digs and 25 faults in 74 total attempts for an average of three digs per set. He was also credited with 76 “excellent” receptions on 131 attempts for an efficiency percentage of 55... Played in all 15 sets for the U.S. Men at the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier as Team USA won and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. Rich was credited with 59 receptions and 29 digs. He was named Best Libero and Best Receiver of the tournament. 2007 – Rich played in 147 sets for the U.S. Men, which was every set played in the season. He finished the year with 337 digs, averaging 2.29 digs per set... Rich ranked fourth among all liberos at the 2007 World Cup, finishing with 229 “excellent” receptions in 369 attempts for a success percentage of 59.62. The U.S. Men finished fourth... Rich was the third best digger of the NORCECA Continental Championship with 25 digs, 22 receptions and six faults in 53 attempts... Rich was named the Best Libero of the 2007 World League. He finished the final round with an average of 1.79 digs per set and 42 “excellent” receptions out of 87 attempts. Rich finished second among all World League “receivers” in pool play with a 65.47 efficiency percentage. 2006 – Was the starting libero for all U.S. matches in 2006 and played 119 sets...Led the team in digs with 264... Helped the team remain undefeated (4-0) during the inaugural Pan American Cup in June and was named the tournament’s best digger. 2005 – Was the team’s starting libero all season... Played every set of every match (119 sets overall) and led the team in digs with 283... Rich capped the 2005 season as a member of the USA squad that captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in November in Japan... The Americans, who lost to defending Olympic gold medalist Brazil in the first match of the tournament, lost just one set the rest of the way as they defeated Japan (3-1), 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy (3-0), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0) en route to their fifth medal in five events this season... Earned “Best Libero” honors as the USA Men stunned the world’s best team when it defeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Brazil in five sets to win the America’s Cup tournament in Brazil on Aug. 7... Earned a gold medal as Team USA won its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the win... Named “Best Receiver” and earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Was one of six alternates for the 2004 USA Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team. 2003 –Started for the United States in the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier. 2002 – Competed with teammate Erik Sullivan for the starting libero position... Played in one tour during the year (Louisville Tour vs. Australia and Canada)... Played in 29 totals sets during the year and racked up 76 digs (2.62 per set). 2001 – Captured the Best Digger award at the NORCECA Zone Championships in August as the U.S. earned the silver medal... Finished third on the team in digs with 102... Played professionally with the Vienna HotVolleys in Austria.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 1999 – Started at outside hitter on BYU’s first-ever national championship team... Played in 82 games and posted 252 kills, 205 digs, 88 blocks and a .348 hitting percentage. 1998 Played in 21-of-22 matches... Recorded 150 kills, 133 digs and 78 blocks. 1997 Ranked fourth nationally with 2.73 digs per game... Named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week on March 22... Set a career-high with 23 digs against nationally ranked Hawai’i.

95

Courtesy of FIVB

No. 4 David Lee

Middle Blocker * 6-8 Alpine, California College: Long Beach State Birth Date: March 8, 1982 Joined Team: 2003 PERSONAL: Born David Cameron Lee on March 8, 1982 in Alpine, Calif....

Parents are Mac and Robin Lee... Also has two older brothers named Nathan and Mark... David is the tallest member of his immediate family... Played high school volleyball at Granite Hills High School in El Cajon... Played club volleyball for Seaside Volleyball Club... Enjoys listening to reggae and watching volleyball and basketball... Majored in human development... Favorite foods are filet mignon and lobster... Favorite professional team is the Los Angeles Lakers.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2012 – FIVB World League... NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)… FIVB World League. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Pan American Games (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World League... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)...

Argentina Tour. 2005 – Pacific Northwest Tour vs. Netherlands... USOC International Sports Invitational (Silver Medal)... Argentina Tour... America’s Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental - Championships (Gold Medal). 2003 – World University Games (Bronze Medal).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Named Best Blocker at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif. ... Finished with 43 points on 30 kills, 11 blocks and two aces at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Qualification Tournament... His hitting efficiency was .784 and his kill percent was 81.1. 2011 – Dave finished the season as the team’s leading blocker with 82 in in 104 sets played (.79 blocks per set). He was fourth on the team in scoring with 230 points (2.21 points per set) on 140 kills, 82 blocks and eight aces. His hitting percentage for the season was .468… David started 32 sets at the FIVB World Cup and finished with 43 points on 29 attacks and 14 blocks… David started 14 sets at the NORCECA Championship in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, where the U.S. Men finished second behind Cuba... He was named the tournament’s best blocker with 16... He finished the tournament with 45 points on 28 kills, 16 blocks and one ace... Davids’ hitting efficiency was 0.587 and his kill percent was 61... David was one of three players who competed in all 58 sets of the FIVB World League (along with Rich Lambourne and Clay Stanley)… He was the leading blocker for the U.S. Men at the 2011 World League with 52 in 58 sets for an average of 0.90 blocks per set… He finished pool play second among all blockers… Lee finished World League as the United States’ fourthleading scorer with 142 points on 83 kills (0.462 hitting efficiency, 53.2 kill percent), 52 blocks and seven aces. 2010 – David played the winter of 201011 for Kuzbass Kemerovo in Russia’s Super League... David finished the 2010 season having played in 75 sets, the second most on the team. He finished as the team’s fourth-leading scorer with 150 points on 85 kills (0.36 hitting percentage), 55 blocks (0.73 blocks per set) and 10 aces (0.13 aces per set).

His 55 blocks led the team and his 10 aces put him second... David played in 26 sets of the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He was the United States’ fourth-leading scorer with 48 points on 28 kills, 18 blocks and two aces. His 18 blocks tied him with Clay Stanley as the team’s leading blocker with an average of 0.55 per set. He was 12th among all blockers... David was the only player to play in all 49 sets of pool play for the U.S. Men in the FIVB World League. He finished pool play as the League’s fourth-best blocker with his 40 total stuff blocks and 0.82 blocks per set. He also tallied 58 kills (1.18 per set) and had an attacking percentage of .333. He ranked 32nd on the League’s best servers list with eight aces (0.16 per set).

He finished the League with 106 points and averaged 2.16 points per set.

2009 – David played for Lokomotiv Novosibirsk in the Russian Super League during the winter of 2009-10... David was the U.S. Men’s leading blocker in

2009 with 49 stuff blocks in 66 sets for an average of 0.74 per set. He was the team’s third-leading scorer with 176 points on 113 kills, 49 blocks and 14 aces.

He had the third most aces on the team... David helped the team to a secondplace finish at the 2009 NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico...

David helped the U.S. Men win the 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier on Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif. … David helped the U.S. Men to a sixth-place finish at World League. He was the leading blocker in the final round, but did not receive the award because the U.S. Men did not play for a medal.

He finished with eight blocks and six errors in 26 attempts for an average of 1.33 blocks per set... David was the United States’ leading blocker and fourth overall in the continental (pool play) round with 30 blocks and 32 errors in 80 attempts and an average of 0.67 blocks per set. 2008 – David played the 2008-09 winter season for Sisley Treviso in Italy’s Serie A League... Finished the 2008 season as the team’s fourth leading scorer with 243 points in 95 sets played (2.56 points per set). Finished as the second-leading blocker with 63 (0.66 per set). Tallied 168 kills and had a hitting percentage of 0.58...

David helped the U.S. Men win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Finished second among all blockers at the Olympics with 33 kill blocks for an average of 1 per set. Finished ninth among all scorers (third among U.S. scorers) with 90 points on 53 kills, 33 blocks and four aces. In the United States’ semifinal match against Russia, David came up big in the fifth set, tallying a kill and block on consecutive plays to yield a 13-12 advantage.

After Russia tied the set at 13-all, Lee ended the match with a kill and block.

He scored four of his 12 points in the final five points of the match.... Finished seventh among all blockers in the World League final round with eight blocks for an average of 0.53 per set as the U.S. Men won their first World League title. Was 13th among all blockers in pool play with an average of .45 blocks per set... David scored 28 points on 21 kills and seven blocks at the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier, which the United States won to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games. 2007 – David moved up from backup to part-time starter (sharing time with Tom Hoff) in 2007 and finished the season second on the team in stuff blocks with 69 for an average of 0.67 blocks per set.

He was sixth on the team in scoring with 230 points... David was the United States’ second-leading blocker and third overall at the FIVB World Cup, where the U.S. Men finished fourth. David had 25 blocks, 36 faults and 47 rebounds in 108 attempts and averaged 0.63 blocks per set... David was the top U.S. blocker and fourth overall at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was credited with 13 scoring blocks, seven errors and 13 rebounds on 32 attempts. He was the United States’ leading scorer in its NORCECA victory over Barbados, finishing with 12 points on six kills and six blocks... David was the top U.S. blocker and second overall at the Pan American Games where he was credited with 12 blocks for an average of 0.75 per set... David was the United States’ leading blocker and 10th overall in the final round of World League where he was credited with an average of 0.43 per set... Started seven out of 10 World League pool-play matches and played in 10. Did not make the trip to play France in pool play... Was the 13th best blocker among all World League competitors in pool play with a 0.56 average per set. Was the second-leading U.S. blocker behind Ryan Millar. 2006 – Played in six FIVB World League matches in place of Ryan Millar... Played two matches in the inaugural Pan America Cup in June with a 4-0 record... Helped the team finish 4-1 on the Argentina tour. 2005 – David played just 65 of 119 sets during the year but still finished second in total blocks with 59... Also finished second in blocks per set (0.91) and fifth in total points with 162... Scored five points on four kills and one block as the USA Men stunned the world’s best team when it defeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Brazil in five sets to win the America’s Cup tournament in Brazil on Aug. 7... Named “Best Blocker” and earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships... Led Team USA in scoring with nine points on four kills, four blocks and one ace in a 3-0 win over Barbados on Aug. 25 at the WCQT. 2003 – Scored 20 points as the U.S. Men captured the bronze medal at the World University Games with a 3-2 win over France in Daegu, South Korea.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2004 – Was named a first team AVCA All American. 2003 – Named to the AllMountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) second-team... Led the team and conference with a .483 hitting percentage... Recorded a team-high 1.18 blocks per game. 2002 - Appeared in 118 games as a sophomore...

Averaged 2.64 kills and 0.95 blocks per game. 2001 – Averaged 1.17 kills and 0.75 blocks per game... Recorded five Courtesy of FIVB blocks in a match three times.

96

No. 6 Paul Lotman

Outside Hitter * 6-7 Lakewood, California College: Long Beach State Birth Date: Nov. 3, 1985 Joined Team: 2008 PERSONAL: Born Paul Michael Lotman on Nov. 3, 1985, in Lakewood, Calif. … Parents are Albert (deceased) and Kathleen Lotman... Has two older brothers, Mark and Steven and an older sister, Shelley… Married wife Jasmine in August, 2011... Attended Los Alamitos High School (1999-2003)… Played for the Surf City club team in Huntington Beach…

Graduated from Long Beach State in 2008 with a degree in sociology…

Chipotle is his favorite food... ”Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown is his favorite book… Favorite movie is Wedding Crashers and Entourage is his favorite TV show… Steve Nash is his favorite professional athlete and the Dallas Mavericks are his favorite team… Listens to hip-hop and house music… Enjoys beach volleyball… Admires his brother for his recovery from drug abuse… Likes to watch college basketball, volleyball, tennis and college football… His fondest sports memory is playing volleyball.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)... FIVB World League. 2010 - FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... Tour of Brazil... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 - World University Games (Gold Medal). 2005 – FIVB Men’s U-21 World Championship.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Paul finished the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif., with 10 points on two kills and four aces. 2011 – Paul played the winter of 2011-12 for Resovia Rzeszow in Poland and helped the team win the Polish Plus Liga Championship... Paul finished the season as the team’s sixth-leading scorer with 130 points on 107 attacks, 10 blocks and 13 aces in 85 sets played… His kill percentage for the season was 48.9 and his hitting efficiency was .411… Paul played in 13 sets of the FIVB World Cup, finishing with seven points on six kills and one ace… Paul played in 13 sets and started 12 at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship in Puerto Rico where the U.S. finished second. Paul finished with 38 points on 27 kills (46.6 kill percent), six blocks and five aces… Paul played in 17 sets of the London Volleyball International Invitational, a 2012 Olympic test event, and started in 14. He finished the tournament with 39 points on 36 kills (50.0 kill percent), one block and two aces… Paul played in 42 sets of the FIVB World League, usually as a serving specialist. He finished World League with 46 points on 38 kills, three blocks and five aces. The U.S. Men finished second in their World League pool and advanced to the Final Round where they finished seventh. 2010 – Paul played for Marmi Lanza Verona in Italy’s Serie A League during the winter of 2010-11... Paul played in 55 sets for the U.S. Men during the 2010 season. He finished eighth on the team in scoring with 72 points on 60 kills (0.324 hitting percentage), seven blocks (0.18 blocks per set) and five aces (0.09 aces per set). He also had 36 digs (0.65 digs per set), tied for sixth on the team... Paul played in 30 sets during the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He started nine sets. He finished the tournament with 24 points on 18 kills, five blocks and one ace. He finished the tournament with a kill percentage of 0.53... Paul played in 25 pool play sets for the U.S. Men during the FIVB World League and posted 25 kills (1.71 per set). He tallied four aces (0.08 per set) and three stuff blocks (0.04 per set). His 45 “excellents” tied him for 24th among the League’s best receivers and third best on the team. He totaled 50 points (.152) in his 25 set appearances. 2009 – Played for the French team Poitiers during the winter of 2009-10.... Finished the 2009 season with 32 points on 22 kills, seven aces and three blocks in 17 sets played...

Helped the U.S. Men to the silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico... Traveled to Brazil with a U.S. Men’s Team made up of veterans and newcomers for five exhibition matches on Sept.

22-27. The team did not win a match. Paul was the high scorer in two of the matches with 12 points in each... Helped U.S. Men win the FIVB World Championship Qualifier on Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif. Paul played in six sets and scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace... Helped the U.S. Men to a sixth place finish at World League. 2008 – Played for PAOK in Greece during the winter of 2008-09... Helped U.S. Men win the gold medal at the Pan American Cup in Winnipeg, Canada. 2007 – Helped the U.S. Men win the bronze medal at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. 2005 – Played on the USA Junior National Team that finished eighth in the 2005 FIVB Men’s U-21 World Volleyball Championship in Andhra Pradesh, India.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Named AVCA co-Player of the Year along with Penn State’s Matt Anderson... Named AVCA First Team All-American...

Named MPSF Player of the Year... Led 49ers to the semifinals of the NCAA tournament... Averaged a team-best 5.44 kills per game while adding 1.51 digs per contest, all while hitting 0.326... Paul tallied 20 or more kills 14 times in the season. He tallied double-figures in kills in 29 of the 30 matches... Paul led the team with 60 service aces, a 49er single-season record. Paul finished second on the 49er career service ace chart with 135 aces. He ranked seventh in career kills (1,408) and ninth in career digs (631). 2007 – Named honorable mention All-MPSF after averaging 4.51 kills and 1.60 digs per game... Finished first on the team with 496 kills, 176 digs and 34 aces... Was third on the team with 88 blocks... Named the Most Valuable Player of the Active Ankle/Long Beach Guesthouse Classic (March 16-17) after helping the 49ers to a 2-0 record averaging a .387 hitting percentage, 4.8 kills, 1.5 digs and 1.4 blocks per game... Named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I-II Men’s National Player of the Week and the MPSF Player of the Week on March 19... Recorded double digits in kills in 27 matches with seven double-doubles on the season. 2006 – Had a strong first year as a full-time starter... Averaged 2.00 kills, 1.66 digs and 0.72 blocks per game while hitting .234... Hit double digits in kills seven times... Career-high 18 kills in win at UC Santa Barbara... Finished tied for second on the team with his 204 total digs ... Second on the team with 30 service aces. 2005 – Played in 23 matches and 64 games on the year ... Averaged 1.23 kills per game while hitting .238 ... Seventh on the team with 11 service aces and tied for fifth on the squad with 88 digs (1.38 dpg) ... 36 total blocks in 64 games (0.56 bpg) ... Career-high 11 kills in 25 attempts vs. UC Santa Barbara (1/15). 2004 – Redshirt season.

97

Courtesy of FIVB

No. 21 Dave McKienzie Opposite * 6-4 Littleton, Colorado College: Long Beach State Birth Date: July 5, 1979 Joined Team: 2001

PERSONAL: Born David W. McKienzie on July 5, 1979 in Denver, Colo....

Parents are William (deceased) and Elvira McKienzie... William played volleyball for the U.S. at the Pan American Games and introduced the sport to his children. He died of cancer in 1997... Dave’s sister, Joy, was an All-American setter on Long Beach State University’s 1993 NCAA national championship team and is currently an assistant coach for the UCLA women’s volleyball team... Joy is married to beach volleyball player Matt Fuerbringer... Dave moved from Littleton, Colo., to Southern California to live with Joy and complete his junior and senior years of high school...

Dave graduated in 1997 from Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach, Calif.... Played volleyball for three years in high school and earned all-CIF, all-County, all-League, and All-America honors... Graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in communications from Long Beach State University... Lists his hobbies as golf, ping pong and poker... After realizing he was not going to make the 2008 Olympic team, Dave stepped away from the U.S. Men’s National Team to compete overseas and also in beach volleyball. U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe, who had been Dave’s college coach, invited him back to the team to train for the FIVB World Cup at the end of 2011. Dave didn’t make that roster, but returned to the team in 2012 and was named the backup opposite to Clay Stanley for the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifier.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2007 – Pan American Games (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League (Silver Medal). 2006 - FIVB World Championships...FIVB World League...

Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Argentina Tour. 2005 - Pacific Northwest Tour vs. Netherlands... USOC International Sports Invitational (Silver Medal)... Argentina Tour... America’s Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)... World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 - NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal). 2003 - Canada Tour... Pan American Games (Fourth Place)... NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal).

2002 - Dallas Tour...

Six-Nation Tournament (Italy)... Louisville Tour... Bulgaria Tour... Greece Tour...

Florida Tour... World Championships.

2001 - Jeep America’s Cup... World University Games.

Matt A. Brown

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – McKienzie finished the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament with 17 points on 12 kills and five aces... His hitting efficiency was .857 and his kill percent was 85.7. 2011 – After several years of playing for overseas club teams, David made the U.S. preliminary roster for the 2011 FIVB World Cup. 2007 – Played in four Pan American Games matches... Played in one World League pool-play match. 2006 – Dave finished the season in second place in team scoring with 332 points and second in kills with 306...Led the U.S. men in scoring in eight out of 11 World Championship matches...

His high was 24 points in a five-set loss to France... The U.S. Men finished 10th at the World Championships... led the team in scoring in its final World League match against Serbia & Montenegro... Team USA finished tied for 10th... Helped the team win the inaugural Pan American Cup in June... Led in scoring against Cuba (16) and against the Dominican Republic (15) in the Pan American Cup... Helped the team win the Argentina series 4-1 in June... Led scoring in two Argentina matches. 2005 – Dave led the team in kills per set during the season (3.28) and finished second in kills (249), total points (277) and points per set (3.64)... He capped the 2005 season as a member of the USA squad that captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in November in Japan...

The Americans, who lost to defending Olympic gold medalist Brazil in the first match of the tournament, lost just one set the rest of the way as they defeated Japan (3-1), 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy (3-0), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0) en route to their fifth medal in five events this season...

Scored a team-high-tying 16 points on 16 kills as the USA Men stunned the world’s best team when it defeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Brazil in five sets to win the America’s Cup tournament in Brazil on Aug. 7...

Scored seven points on seven kills as Team USA won its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the gold-medal win... Also earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Was one of six alternates for the 2004 USA Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team. Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match. 2003 – Member of the team that played in the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier. 2002 – Played in 88 of 141 sets during the season... Ranked second in service aces (24), fourth in kills (159), fourth in digs (85) and fifth in total points (196), kills (146) and service aces (20)... Registered 2.23 points per set ... Posted a career-high 21 points on 21 kills in a four-set loss to the Czech Republic on the Dallas Tour on May 27. 2001 – Won a gold medal at the World University Games in Beijing, China... Saw limited action as a member of the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team... Finished with 29 kills in 70 attempts for a hitting percentage of .243... He also had 13 digs and three blocks.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2001 – Named a first-team All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)... Named to the AllMountain Pacific Sports Federation first team... Ranked second in the nation in kill average with a 5.58 kills per game average... Posted 435 kills in 78 games... Recorded 173 digs for an average of 2.22 digs per game. 2000 – Earned first-team AVCA All-America honors... Named to the All-MPSF second team... Played in 91-of-100 games... Led the team with a total of 552 kills for an average of 6.07 kills per game... Had a hitting percentage of .309... Averaged 2.43 digs per game and 0.82 blocks per game.

1999 – Named a second-team All-American by the AVCA... Named to the All-MPSF third team... Named to the NCAA all-tournament team... Set an NCAA Division I record with 58 kills on March 19 at Brigham Young University... Ended season with 20 or more kills in six of last seven matches.

1998 – was a member of the USA Men’s Junior National Team that competed in Guatemala where he was named “Best Spiker” at the tournament. 1998 - In back-to-back matches had 22 and 23 kills against Penn State (Jan. 22-23)... Had five or more digs in five matches.

98

No. 9 Ryan Millar

Middle Blocker * 6-8 Alpine, Utah College: Brigham Young Birth Date: Jan. 22, 1978 Joined Team: 1999 PERSONAL: Born Ryan Madsen Millar on Jan. 22, 1978 in San Dimas, Calif. ... Parents are Steven and Mardi... He is married to Suzanne... Together, they are proud parents of Max, born in 2006 and Oliver, born in 2010... Ryan also has two brothers: James and Jon... Enjoys snowboarding, golfing and being with his wife... Graduated from BYU in 2001 with a degree in sociology... In July 2006, Millar was named as an assistant coach for the BYU men’s volleyball team under Head Coach Tom Peterson... In August 2006, Ryan was named co-interim head coach of the BYU men’s volleyball team after Peterson’s sudden resignation. After one season with the BYU men’s program, Millar returned to the U.S. Men’s National Team and removed his name from consideration for the BYU head coaching position... His most defining moment was getting married at 19... His happiest moment in sports was winning the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games... While celebrating the gold medal victory, Ryan held up a poster of son, Max... Disneyland held a parade for Ryan following the gold medal victory.

He also got to throw out the first pitch at an LA Dodgers game and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey and Bonnie Hunt shows... Lists his life goals as “I want to be a great husband, I want to be a great father, and I want to coach an NCAA school to a National Championship”... He would also like to play on the Senior PGA Tour.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League... NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World League. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2006 – FIVB World Championships... FIVB World League... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Argentina Tour. 2005 – FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)...

NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)...World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)...

Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (First Place)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place).

2003 – NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)... World Cup (Fourth Place).

2002 – Florida Tour... World Championships. 2001 – Did not play with the National Team. 2000 – Americas’ Cup... Australia Tour... Continental Cup... Korea Tour...

Olympic Games... World League. 1999 – Americas’ Cup... Japan Trip... International Volleyball Challenge... Italy Trip.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Ryan finished the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif., with 11 points on eight kills and three blocks. HIs hitting efficiency was .462 and his kill percent was 61.5. 2011 – Ryan played the winter of 2011-12 for Lokomotiv Nobosibirsk in Russia’s Super League... Ryan finished the season as the team’s fifth-leading scorer with 157 points on 95 attacks, 50 blocks and 12 aces in 97 sets played. He was the team’s thirdleading blocker… Ryan was the team’s fifth-leading scorer at the FIVB World Cup with 48 points on 31 kills, 14 blocks and three aces in 32 sets played. He was the team’s third-leading blocker. The U.S. Men placed sixth… Ryan played in 14 sets and started seven at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship where the U.S. Men finished second and qualified for the World Cup. Ryan finished the tournament with 19 points on 10 kills (71.4 kill percent), five blocks and four aces… Ryan played in 51 sets of the FIVB World League, where the U.S. Men finished second in their pool, advancing to the Final Round where they finished seventh. He finished the tournament with 90 points on 54 kills, 31 blocks (0.61 blocks per set) and five aces. He was the United States’ second-leading blocker and was eighth among all blockers in pool play. 2010 – Ryan played for Asseco Resovia Rzeszów during the winter of 2010-11... Ryan suffered a sprained ankle during practice prior to the FIVB World Championship and was not on the roster... Ryan played in 23 sets in the FIVB World League. He posted 25 kills (1.09 per set) and averaged a hitting percentage of .333. His 18 (0.37 per set) stuff blocks was good enough for 33rd among the League’s best blockers. He also totaled six aces (0.12 per set) and a total of 49 points (2.13 per set). 2009 – Ryan took the 2009 summer off from the U.S. Men’s Team. But he played during the winter of 200910 for Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye in Turkey. 2008 – Ryan played the 2008-09 winter seasons for Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye in Turkey. Ryan finished the 2008 season as the team’s third leading scorer with 253 points in 98 sets (2.58 points per set). He was the team’s leading blocker with 67 (0.68 blocks per set). He finished with 174 kills and a htting percentage of 0.47... Ryan helped the U.S. Men to the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games, starting in every match at middle blocker. Ryan was eighth among all scorers at the Olympic with 97 points on 66 kills, 26 blocks and five aces. Ryan’s 26 blocks put him fourth among all blockers with an average of 0.79 per set. Ryan was the United States’ leading scorer in the pool play match against Japan with 10 points.

During the gold medal match against Brazil, Ryan had the winning set for teammate Clay Stanley’s final kill... Ryan helped the U.S. Men to their first World League gold medal. Ryan led the U.S. and was fifth overall in blocking in the final round with nine blocks, 18 faults and 24 rebounds on 51 attempts for an average of 0.60 blocks per set. He was third among all blockers in pool play with 25 blocks for a 0.63 average per set. Ryan was the United States’ fourth-leading scorer and ninth overall in pool play with 37 points on 26 kills, nine blocks and two aces... Ryan was named Top Blocker at the NORCECA Olympic qualifier as the U.S. Men won the tournament and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. Millar was third among the U.S. players in scoring with 42 points on 32 kills and 10 blocks. 2007 – Ryan was named USAV’s male indoor player of the year for 2007. He played in 127 sets in 2007, more sets than any other player besides libero Rich Lambourne. Ryan led the U.S. Men in blocks in 2007 with 84, averaging 0.66 blocks per set. He was the second-leading scorer on the U.S. Men’s Team (behind Reid Priddy) with 350 points. Ryan averaged 2.75 points per set... Ryan was second among all blockers in the World Cup, where Team USA placed fourth, with a total of 27 blocks in 40 sets for an average of 0.675 blocks per set... Ryan was the United States’ third-leading scorer, and 19th overall, at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He finished the tournament with 45 points on 36 kills, eight blocks and one ace over five matches... Ryan was the second-leading blocker overall, and the U.S. leader at Americas’ Cup with an average of 0.60 blocks per set... Ryan was second among all blockers at the end of World League pool play with 36 blocks in 89 attempts and an average of 0.80 blocks per set. 2006 – Served as team captain when Tom Hoff was not on the court... Led the team in scoring blocks with 51... Was fourth on the team in points scored with 122... Played in six out of 12 World League matches. The matches he missed were due to the birth of his son, Max... Ryan helped the team win the inaugural Pan American Cup in June. 2005 – Ryan earned “Best Blocker” accolades at the season-ending FIVB World Grand Champions Cup as the United States won the silver medal with a 4-1 record... He finished the event tops in both total blocks (20) and blocks per set (1.18). Captured “Best Blocker” honors as Team USA won its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the gold-medal win... Also earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Ryan made his second-straight Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall... Ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 70 points on 53 kills, 16 blocks and one service ace... Tied for fourth overall in total blocks with 16... Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match. 2003 – Finished second among all players at the World Cup in blocking with 27 total stuffs (an average of 0.73 per set)...

Was also second on the team in scoring (and 18th overall) with 116 total points on 87 kills, 27 blocks and two service aces. 2002 Courtesy of FIVB – Re-joined the team in August and helped guide the team to a ninth-place finish at the World Championships in Argentina. 2001 – Did not play with the National Team...

Played professionally with Bossini Montichiari in Italy. 2000 – Led the team with a .573 hitting percentage at the Americas Cup... Second on the squad with 64 kills and 10 blocks... Recorded 108 kills, 32 blocks, nine aces and a .439 hitting percentage in World League play... Helped team USA qualify for the 2000 Sydney Olympics with 25 kills, four blocks, three aces and a .462 hitting percentage at the Continental Cup...

Posted 47 kills, 11 blocks and three aces on the Korea Tour... Played professionally in Italy for Volley Forli. 1999 – Starting middle blocker on the second-place Americas Cup team... Helped the team defeat Italy and Yugoslavia on the trip to Italy with 41 kills, 12 blocks and a team-leading .515 hitting percentage... Earned his first international experience on the Japan Tour, posting a team-leading .590 hitting percentage with 44 kills and nine stuff blocks.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: One of only five players to earn AVCA First-Team All-American three times. 1999 – Led BYU to its first NCAA title... Volleyball Magazine National Player of the Year... American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First-Team AllAmerican... First-Team All-MPSF... Finished the season ranked first in the country in hitting percentage (.498) and blocks per game (.2.14). 1998 –AVCA and Volleyball Magazine First-Team All-American... First-Team All-MPSF... Posted a season-high 31 kills against Pepperdine...Finished second in the nation in blocks per game (2.02).

1997 – AVCA and Volleyball Magazine First-Team All-American... MPSF Player of the Year... Finished the year ranked No. 4 in the country in kills per game (6.47) and posted a career-high 48 kills against Pepperdine.

1996 – Volleyball Magazine Freshman of the Year... Third-Team All-MPSF... Ranked second in the country in blocks per game and set a single-match record with 18 total blocks.

99

Evan Patak

Opposite * 6-8 Pleasanton, California College: UC Santa Barbara Birth Date: June 23, 1984 Joined Team: 2008 PERSONAL: Born Evan Hoburg Patak on June 23, 1984, in Santa Maria, Calif.... Parents are Kim and Gloria Patak... Has an older sister, Jessica...

Evan played basketball and volleyball for Foothill High School (19982002) in Pleasanton... Evan played club volleyball for Diablo Valley...

Graduated from UC Santa Barbara (2007) where he majored in sociology and minored in sports management... Caddyshack is his favorite movie and Top Gear and Entourage are his favorite TV shows... Enjoys mountain biking, wakeboarding, and golfing... His favorite genre of music are Hip Hop, Metal, House and Filthy Dubstep... Golden State Warriors are his favorite professional team... Admires his parents... Likes to watch extreme sports and college basketball.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – FIVB World Cup...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)… FIVB World League.

2010 – FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... 2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – America’s Cup... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Four Nations’ Tournament (Gold Medal).

2007 – World University Games (Bronze Medal). 2003 – World University Games (Bronze Medal).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Evan finished the 2011 season as the team’s fifth-leading scorer with 140 points on 104 attacks, 10 blocks and 26 aces in 92 sets… Evan played in 29 sets of the FIVB World Cup, including starting the final three matches for Clay Stanley. He finished with 31 points on 22 attacks, five blocks and four aces… Evan was the only member of the U.S. Men’s National Team to play in the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, and served as the team’s captain. The team finished fifth. He finished as the second-leading scorer in the tournament with 118 points on 96 kills, 11 blocks, including seven against Puerto Rico, and 11 aces, including five against Argentina. He had the most aces of any player in the tournament, but he did not win USA Volleyball/Julian Baum the best server award because he did not have the best aces-per-set ratio…

Evan saw playing time at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship after starter Clay Stanley suffered an injury. Evan played in 18 sets, started seven and finished with 31 points on 18 kills (47.4 kill percent), three blocks and 10 aces (0.56 per set). His 10 aces put him second among all servers. The U.S. Men finished second and qualified for the FIVB World Cup… Evan was the United States’ leading scorer at the London Volleyball International Invitational. He played in all 18 sets and scored 78 points on 67 kill (50.0 kill percent), two blocks and 12 aces (0.67 per set). The U.S. Men finished the tournament in third… Evan opened 2011 as the third opposite on the depth chart, but moved up to second after Gabe Gardner suffered an injury… Patak received limited playing time behind Stanley in the FIVB World League. He played in 27 World League sets, mostly as a serving specialist, and finished with six points, including three aces. The U.S. Men finished second in their pool in World League and advanced to the Final Round where they placed seventh. 2010 – Evan played for the Air Jumbos in Korea during the winter of 2010-11... Evan appeared in 40 sets during the FIVB World League and tallied eight service aces (0.16 per set) that tied him for second place among the teams’ leaders and 34th among the League’s best servers. He also posted 40 kills (0.65 per set)

and 13 digs (0.27 per set).

2009 – Played the winter of 2009-10 for Halkbank in the Turkish men’s league... Evan shared the starting opposite role with Clay Stanley and finished the 2009 season as the U.S. Men’s second-leading scorer with 221 points on 159 kills, 46 aces and 20 blocks. His 46 aces were by far the most on the team and he averaged 0.74 aces per set... Evan was named best server at the NORCECA Continental Championship as the U.S. Men won the silver medal. He finished with 10 aces... Evan was named the MVP and Best Server of the 2010 World Championship Qualifier as the United States won all three matches to qualify for the World Championship. Evan was the United States’ leading scorer and second overall with 37 points on 20 kills, two blocks and 15 aces in six sets played... Evan was the United States’ second-leading scorer in pool play at the FIVB World League as he shared starting opposite duties with Clay Stanley. He finished with 114 points on 91 kills, six blocks and 17 aces. His 17 aces put him third among all servers with an average of .38 per set. 2008 – Played fall of 2008 for Aon hotVolleys in Vienna before moving to PAOK in Greece in January of 2009.... Evan was a member of the U.S. Men’s Team that placed fifth at the America’s Cup in Brazil. He was the United States’ leading scorer with 44 points in 13 sets (3.38 points per set)... Was an alternate for the Olympic team... Was named MVP and best server of the Pan American Cup in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as a young U.S. Men’s team won the gold medal, defeating host Canada in the final... Was part of a training team that traveled to Japan to help the Japanese men’s national team prepare for its Olympic qualifying tournament... Played professionally for San Juan Playeros in Puerto Rico and Aris Thessalonica in Greece. 2007 – Was the United States’ leading scorer as the team won the bronze medal at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. 2003 – Helped the United States win a bronze medal at the World University Games in Daegu, Korea (Aug. 21-31).

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – First team American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America... Led the country in kills (5.78/game), service aces (.948/game), and points (7.09/game)... The 2007 All-MPSF First Team selection led the league in kills (5.98/game), aces (1.02/game), and points (7.40/game) in conference matches... Put down 30 or more kills seven times this season and set a new school single-season record with 110 aces... Finished his career with 2,112 kills, second in program history, and is UCSB’s all-time leader in aces with 255. 2006 – Played in 20 matches and started 19 (72 games) before becoming ineligible... Despite missing nine matches, Patak was the national leader in kills per game at 5.88 (423 kills), aces per game at .722 (52 aces), and points per game (7.10)... In MPSF matches only, Patak led the league in kills per game at 6.06 (327 kills, 54 games), aces per game at .741 (40 aces), and points per game (7.13)... Had double figures in kills in all but one match... Posted 20 or more kills in 12 contests... His season-high of 31 kills came in his final match of the year at Cal State Northridge (3/31)... The 31 kills was the most by any Gaucho all season... Aced opponents five or more times in five matches, including a season-high seven against Hawai’i (1/14)...

Set a new hitting percentage career-high by going 19-2-26 for a .654 clip against UC San Diego (3/3)... His season-high in points was 36 at Cal State Northridge (3/31), which was the highest point total put up by any UCSB player in 2006... Led the Gauchos in kills (423), kills per game (5.88), attempts (810), aces (52), aces per game (.72), total points (501.5), and points per game (6.97). 2005 – Named First Team All-American and First Team All-MPSF, appearing in 106 games... Led the team with 1,149 total attacks, including 63 in two matches against Hawai’i... Led the nation with 586 kills, including a single match-high of 48 at Stanford to set an NCAA Division I-II rally scoring-era record with 53 total points...

Set a new single season UCSB record after leading the Gauchos with 58 service aces... Finished the season third with 55 block assists, including a career-high nine at Hawai’i... Totaled 110 digs on the season, third on the squad... Twice named MPSF Player of the Week, once earning AVCA National Player of the Week accolades. 2004 – Earned AVCA and MPSF Newcomer of the Year and Second Team All-American honors... Ranked fourth nationally with a 5.63 points per game average, fifth with a per game kill average of 4.75, and 13th in ace percentage at .385... Led the league in kill average (5.04), ranked fourth in ace average (.406), and fifth in points average (5.15)... Led the team with 432 kills, posting 32 against Cal State Northridge... Also led the Gauchos with 840 total attacks...

Added a team-high 35 service aces, ranked second with 104 digs and third with 80 blocks.

100

No. 8 Reid Priddy

Outside Hitter * 6-5 Richmond, Virginia College: Loyola Marymount Birth Date: Oct. 1, 1977 Joined Team: 2000 PERSONAL: Born William Reid Priddy on Oct. 1, 1977 in Richmond, Va.... Parents are Ken and Sharon Priddy... Also has three sisters: Brooke, Kara and Dylan... Reid married Lindsay Pierce in March 2007. The couple lives in Southern California and has a son, Caden, born in September of 2010... Enjoys wakeboarding, surfing and making humorous videos...

Graduated from LMU with a degree in communication studies in 2000... Was also recruited

by Cal State Northridge, USC and UC Santa Barbara... Plays beach volleyball on the AVP tour when he has time away from the national team... Reid started playing volleyball after his family moved from Richmond to Florida where he tried it in a summer-school PE class...

When his family later moved to Phoenix, Ariz., in 1994, he played for Mountain Pointe High School, participating in the first year of varsity volleyball in the state. As a junior, he led the school to its first state championship in 1995. He graduated from high school in 1996.

“Men’s volleyball was such a new sport in our area that there was no example to follow. At the time we would shop at the thrift store for our clothes, trying to find the craziest outfit we could. We were very active, playing beach volleyball, wake-boarding, going to the lake and jumping off rocks and stuff like that.”... Reid has an Internet radio show called The NET Live devoted to volleyball, which he hosts with former U.S. Men’s player Kevin Barnett.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League... NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... FIVB World League. 2010 –FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships...

FIVB World League... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Argentina Tour. 2005 – World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... Japan Tour ... Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (Gold Medal)... Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Silver Medal)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 – Colorado/ Nebraska Tour... Canada Tour... Pan American Games (Fourth Place)... NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)... World Cup (Fourth Place). 2002 – Bulgaria Tour... Greece Tour... Florida Tour... World Championships. 2001 – Japan Tour... World League... World Championship Qualifier... NORCECA Zone Championships... Jeep America’s Cup. 1999 – Pan American Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Reid was the U.S. Men’s third-leading scorer at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif., with 47 points on 35 kills, six blocks and six aces...HIs hitting efficiency was .400 and his kill percent was 46.7. 2011 – During the 2011-12 winter season, Reid played for Zenit Kazan in the Russian Super League and helped them to the league championshp... Although he only competed in two tournaments for the team, Reid finished the season as the U.S. Men’s third-leading scorer with 311 points on 262 kills, 31 blocks and 18 aces in 88 sets played. His kill percent was 47.7 and his hitting efficiency was .406... Reid was the U.S. Men’s third-leading scorer at the FIVB World Cup with 106 points on 86 kills, 13 blocks and seven aces. He was third on the team in digs with 39. The U.S. Men finished sixth… While training for the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, Reid was elbowed in the face during practice while coming down from a block. The injury and its resulting complications required two surgeries and he was not able to play in the tournament… Reid was the United States’ third-leading scorer of the FIVB World League, finishing the tournament with 205 points (3.87 per set) on 176 kills (50.0 kill percent), 18 blocks and 11 aces. He finished World League pool play ninth among all hitters and was credited with 158 kills on 320 attempts for a success percentage of 49.38. The U.S. Men finished World League second in their pool and advanced to the Final Round where they placed seventh. 2010 – Reid played for Zenit Kazan in Russia’s Superleague during the winter of 2010-11. The team won the league title... Reid served as the U.S. team captain for the 2010 season... He finished the season as the team’s third leading scorer with 161 points on 136 kills (0.33 hitting percentage), eight blocks (0.19 blocks per set) and seven aces (0.16 aces per set) in 42 sets played. He was third on the team in kills and fifth in digs with 55 (1.31 digs per set)... He played in 26 sets for the U.S. Men at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. Reid was the U.S. Men’s second-leading scorer and 21st overall, finishing with 100 points on 84 kills, 11 blocks and five aces. He was the team’s third-leading spiker and 28th overall with 84 kills and 33 faults on 191 attempts for a success percentage of 43.98... He played in 17 sets for the U.S. men in the FIVB World League and tallied 51 kills. His 3.00 kills per set was the team high and his .382 attacking percentage was good enough for third among the team. He also tallied seven stuff blocks (0.14 per set) and 16 digs (0.33 per set). He finished the League with 51 points and his 3.00 points per set was good enough for a fourth place finish on the squad. 2009 – Reid played the winter of 2009-10 for Lokomotive Novosibirsk in Russia...

Reid took most of the summer of 2009 off from the U.S. Men’s Team and played some beach volleyball on the AVP tour. He returned to the team for the NORCECA Continental Championship, where he tied with Evan Patak as the team’s leading scorer, finishing with 49 points on 40 kills, six blocks and three aces as the U.S. Men finished second. His hitting percentage for the tournament was 0.44. 2008 – Reid played the winter of 2008-09 for Lokomotive Novosibirsk in Russia... Reid helped the U.S. Men win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games. Reid finished fourth among all scorers and second among U.S. scorers with 112 points on 93 kills, 10 blocks and nine aces. His kill efficiency percentage of 30.1 put him 10th among all hitters. Reid was fifth among servers with an average of 0.27 aces per set. He averaged 1.79 digs per set... Helped the U.S. Men win their first FIVB World League title. Reid and teammate Clay Stanley tied for second in scoring in the final round behind Serbia’s Ivan Miljkovic. Reid finished the final round with 63 points on 53 kills, six blocks and four aces. Reid was also the team’s leading scorer in pool play with 101 points on 82 kills, 10 blocks and nine aces... Reid helped the U.S. Men qualify for the Olympics by winning the NORCECA qualifying tournament on Jan. 6-11 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Priddy scored 24 points on 19 kills, three aces and two blocks. 2007 – Reid was the United States’ leading scorer in 2007 with 525 points scored in 121 sets for an average of 4.34 points per set. His season-high was the 21 points he scored against Poland in the third-place match at World League. Reid led the team in kills with 421 in 822 attempts. Reid tied Clay Stanley for most aces on the team in 2007 with 29. He was second on the team in digs with an average of 2.1 digs per set and was third in stuff blocks with 65... Reid was the United States’ scoring leader in the World Cup, World League and NORCECA Continental Championship... Reid finished the World Cup tied for ninth overall with 139 points scored on 112 kills, 15 blocks and 12 aces. Reid was the United States’ leading receiver and second overall at the World Cup with a 71.43 efficiency percentage... Reid finished the NORCECA Championship with 72 points on 63 kills, six aces and three blocks in five matches... He was the leading receiver at the Americas’ Cup tournament with 66 “excellents” and only one fault in 96 attempts. He also had 29 service receptions... Priddy just missed winning the World League’s Top Scorer award when he was passed by Russia’s Semen Poltavsky in the final match. Priddy finished the World League final round with 61 points scored on 53 kills, four blocks and four serves.

He completed pool play as the tournament’s third-leading scorer with 181 points on 143 kills, 24 blocks and 14 kills in 12 matches. 2006 – Led the team in overall scoring in 2006 with 416 and in overall kills with 343. His kill percentage was 48 percent... Also led the team in aces with 26. Was second on the team in scoring blocks with 47... Led the U.S. team in scoring in seven out of 12 World League matches, including 21 points against Serbia & Montenegro... Was one of the overall World League leaders in scoring and hitting during pool play... Helped the U.S. team go undefeated (4-0) at the inaugural Pan American Cup in June... Reid led the team in scoring on the Argentina tour... Had the high score in the first (18), third (23) and fifth (16) matches in Argentina. 2005 – Reid made his indoor season debut in Japan at the World Grand Champions Cup as the USA Men claimed the silver medal with a record of 4-1... Played in each of the final four matches (eight out of 13 sets) and scored 27 points on 23 kills, two blocks and two service aces... Finished ninth three times in 10 Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tournaments during the year. 2004 – Reid made his first-ever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the U.S. Men finished fourth overall... Reid finished second on the team and 11th overall in total scoring with 86 points on 72 kills, 11 blocks and three service aces...Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match... Scored a match-high 16 points on 13 kills and three blocks in the championship match. 2003 – Emerged as one of the starting outside hitters on the left side... Served as the team captain at the Pan American Games... Battled an abdominal injury for much of the season but still finished third on the team in kills (224) and fourth on the squad in service aces (17). 2002 – Rejoined the team in late July... Played in 58 of a possible 141 sets during the year... Led the team in total points (70), kills (60) and blocks (eight) in six matches at the World Championships... Finished the season first on the team in points per game (2.98) and sixth in total points (173)... Also had 92 kills, 66 digs, 21 blocks and 10 service aces. 2001 – Led the team in kills (258) and digs (184)... Finished second on the team in blocks (41) and was tied for third in service aces (14)...Played professionally for t he Vienna Hotvolleys in Austria.

2000 – Was one of four alternates for the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Courtesy of FIVB

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2000 – Earned American Volleyball Coaches Association first-team All-America honors as a senior at Loyola Marymount University. 1999 – Earned AVCA second-team AllAmerica honors for the second-straight season... Also garnered second-team all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF)honors... Led the team in kills (435), kills per game (5.80) and service aces (35). 1998 – Became the first All-American in school history when he was named to the second-team AVCA All-American team... Led the Lions with 391 kills and in matches with 10-or-more kills (17)... Was second on the team in kills per game (4.83), digs (178) and digs per game (2.20)... Also earned all-MPSF honorable mention accolades.

1997 - Appeared in 18 matches (42 games)... Posted 150 kills, 70 digs and 12 service aces.

101

No. 2 Sean Rooney

Outside Hitter * 6-9 Wheaton, Illinois College: Pepperdine Birth Date: Nov. 13, 1982 Joined Team: 2007 PERSONAL: Born Sean Michael Rooney on Nov. 13, 1982 in Wheaton, Ill.... Parents are Mike and Carol Rooney... Sean also has two sisters, Melissa and Megan... Sean attended Wheaton-Warrenville South High School. He was the 2001 Illinois State Player of the Year as he led the team to a state championship. He also competed in golf and basketball... He competed in the 1999 Junior Olympics, with the U.S. Junior National Team in 2000, and with the AAU National championship teams in 2000 and 2001, garnering the MVP award in 2001... He graduated from Pepperdine in 2005 with a degree in business administration... In 2004, Rooney joined the AVP beach volleyball tour. His highest placing was fifth, which he achieved three times... He was the tallest player on the AVP tour... During the winters of 2006 and 2007, Rooney played for the Hyundai Capital Skywalkers in the Korean League.

He led the team to two Korean League titles and was named the league’s most valuable player both years. He was considered a sports celebrity in South Korea...

In 2007-08, he played for Dinamo-Yantar in Kaliningrad, Russia... In 2008-09 and 2009-10 he played for Fakel Novy Urengoi in Russia... Enjoys the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jack Johnson, The Grateful Dead, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Dave Matthews and the Counting Crows... SportsCenter is his favorite TV show.... Calls his grandfather his role model for “devoting his life to helping others.”

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... Pan American Games (Silver Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2003 – World University Games (bronze).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Sean struggled with an injured shoulder for much of the season and saw limited playing time… He played in 16 sets and scored 45 points on 43 attacks and two blocks… Sean played in nine sets of the FIVB World Cup. He finished with 31 points on 31 attacks… Sean played in four sets of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship and started three. He scored 11 points on nine kills and two blocks. The U.S. Men placed second and qualified for the FIVB World Cup… Sean saw limited playing time during the FIVB World League due to an injury. He played in three sets and had three points. The U.S. Men finished second in their pool and advanced to the Final Round where they placed seventh. 2010 – Sean played for Acqua Paradiso Monza Brianza in Italy’s Serie A league during the winter of 2010-11... Sean finished the 2010 season as the team’s second-leading scorer with 198 points (3.25 points per set) on 170 kills (0.27 hitting percentage), 25 blocks (0.41 blocks per set) and three aces (0.05 aces per set) in 61 sets played.

Sean was second on the team in kills. He also had 60 digs (0.98 digs per set), which was fourth best on the team... Sean played in every set of every U.S. match at the FIVB World Championship in Italy, except for a five-set victory over Cameroon, for a total of 28 sets played. The U.S. Men placed sixth at the World Championship.

Sean was the United States’ third-leading scorer and 22nd overall with 99 points on 88 kills and 11 blocks. He led the U.S. in spikes and was 20th overall with 88 kills and 21 faults on 184 attempts for a success percentage of 47.83... Sean played in 33 sets in the FIVB World league and was the teams second best scorer with 104 total points and 3.15 points per set. His 89 kills (2.70 per set) was good enough for 32nd place among the league’s top hitters. He also tallied 12 stuff blocks (0.24 per set) and his 21(0.43 per set) digs placed him tied for second best on the squad. 2009 – Sean was named USA Volleyball’s Male Player of the Year for 2009. He finished as the team’s leading scorer with 258 points on 224 kills, 22 blocks and 12 aces. His 224 kills were by far the best on the team and his hitting average was 0.435. Sean also led the team in digs with 80 (1.19 per set)... Sean was the U.S. Men’s thirdleading scorer at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico with 48 points on 40 kills, seven blocks and one ace... Sean was named Best Spiker at the 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F on Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif., as the U.S. won all three matches and qualified for the 2010 World Championship. Sean finished the competition with 19 kills and one error on 29 attempts for a success percentage of 65.52... Sean was the United States’ leading scorer in both pool play and the final round of the FIVB World League competition, where the U.S. Men finished sixth. Sean started every pool play match except the final one against Netherlands. He finished pool play with 167 points on 149 kills, 15 blocks and three aces in 42 sets to put him eighth overall. In the final round, he

had 20 points on 17 kills, two blocks and one ace in six sets. 2008 – Sean finished the 2008 season with 167 points (2.98 points per set) and a hitting percentage of .41. He also finished with 140 kills (2.50 per set) and 20 blocks... Sean helped the U.S. Men win the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. Primarily played as a substitute and serving specialist... Helped the U.S. Men win their first FIVB World League title.

Led the team in scoring with 20 points in a loss to Bulgaria on June 21...Helped the U.S. Men win the Four Nations Tournament on May 11-13 in Germany... Sean was named “Best Spiker” of the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying tournament on Jan. 6-11 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. Sean finished the tournament with 46 points on 43 kills and three blocks. The U.S. Men won the tournament and qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. 2007 – Sean finished the season as the team’s seventhleading scorer with 151 points. He averaged 2.07 points per set in 73 sets played.

His hitting percentage was 0.444 and he averaged 1.88 kills per set... Sean was named the Most Valuable Player of the U.S. Men’s match against Egypt at the FIVB World Cup. Sean scored 18 points on 15 kills, two blocks and one ace as the United States won in straight sets... Sean was the team’s leading scorer at the Pan American Games and third overall with 64 points on 58 kills, five blocks and one ace in five matches. He was the Pan Am Games’ leading “spiker” with an efficiency percentage of 42.11... Traveled to every World League match and started in four.

2003 – Played with the 2003 World University Games team that won a bronze medal in Daegu, Korea.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2005 – By the end of his college career, Sean ranked second nationally among NCAA Division I-II players in points per game with 6.35 while hitting .395 on the season as he led Pepperdine to the 2005 NCAA national championship... He extended his consecutive double-digit kill match streak to 50 matches, while averaging 1.46 digs and 0.49 aces per game. Rooney totaled 20 or more kills in 14 matches, including two 30-plus kill contests in 2005... Sean tallied season-highs of 44.5 points, 36 kills and seven aces versus Pacific in the seasonopening match on Jan. 14. He contributed a double-double of 22 kills and 10 blocks versus Long Beach State on Jan. 27... Sean was a four-time AVCA All-American and only the seventh male student-athlete to achieve such an honor. 2004 – Had a stellar season culminating in being named Volleyball Magazine’s Player of the Year... Postseason accolades included being named AVCA first team All-American and Volleyball first team All-American... Tabbed MPSF first team All-Conference...

Led the team with 461 kills and hit .406 for the year... Banged out double-digit kills in final 25 matches of the season and 26 of 28 total... Recorded a season-high four service aces twice (Santa Barbara, Northridge) and ended the season with 29 total... Only double-double of the season came against Long Beach State (Feb. 4)... Finished year with 88 total blocks... Hit .667 with 10 kills on 15 swings without an error against Loyola.

2003 – Named First Team AllAmerican by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and by Volleyball Magazine; Sean was also tabbed First-Team All-MPSF. As a key component to the Wave’s 24-6 season, Sean led the team with a total of 480 kills (.354 hitting percentage) and also led the team in kills per game, with an average of 4.53. Sean also contributed 25 service aces and 83 total blocks on the season. On January 9, 2003, Sean obtained an individual season-high 22 kills in a five-game win over Cal Baptist. Sean also added an individual season-best 12 digs and four service aces in the 5-game decision loss to Lewis in the NCAA Championship semifinals on May 1, 2003...

Averaged 4.53 kills, .16 assists, Courtesy of FIVB .24 service aces, 1.59 digs and .78 blocks per game. 2002 – Selected the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) “Freshman of the Year”... Helped Pepperdine compile a 29-5 record and advance to the NCAA title match before losing a four-game decision to Hawaii... The Waves captured the regular season MPSF title with a 20-2 mark and won the league’s post-season tournament... A second team All-American selection by the AVCA and a second team All-MPSF pick as a rookie... Led the Waves with 510 kills, an average of 4.11 a game, and notched an impressive .378 attack percentage... Posted double-figure kill totals in 31 of the team’s 34 matches... Notched career-best total of 28 kills against UCLA... Recorded 26 service aces, 171 digs and 72 total blocks.

102

No. 10 Riley Salmon Outside Hitter * 6-6 League City, Texas College: Pierce College Birth Date: July 2, 1976 Joined Team: 2001

PERSONAL: Born Riley Salmon on July 2, 1976 in Amarillo, Texas... Parents are Mike and Jennalee Clepper... His wife’s name is Millie... He also has one sister: Sari... Riley and Millie have one daughter, Isabel Maria, born in December, 2005 and one son, Lincoln Riley, born in October, 2008... Riley attended Clear Creek High School in League City, Texas... Tried Little League baseball, tennis and basketball before taking up volleyball... Riley was working as a warehouse supervisor for General Electric in 1999 when a scout called him and asked him to try out for a professional volleyball team in Italy... Riley enjoys sports and reading... Favorite sports team is the Houston Rockets of the NBA... Favorite TV show is “The Simpsons.”... Favorite musical group is Limp Bizkit.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League... NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World Cup... London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal).

2010 - FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 - NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... Brazil Tour. 2008 - Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... Four Nations’ Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 - FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal).

2006 - FIVB World Championships... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2005 Pacific Northwest Tour vs. Netherlands... USOC International Sports Invitational (Silver Medal)... Argentina Tour... America’s Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)... World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal).

2004 - NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal) ... Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (First Place)... Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Second Place)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 - Colorado/Nebraska Tour... Canada Tour... Pan American Games (Fourth Place)... NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)...World Cup (Fourth Place). 2002 - Bulgaria Tour...

Greece Tour...Florida Tour... World Championships. 2001 - Japan Tour... World League... World Championship Qualifier... NORCECA Zone Championships...

Jeep America’s Cup. 2000 - France Tour.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Riley helped the U.S. men win the gold medal at NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif. 2011 – Riley played as both a libero and an outside hitter in 2011... He finished the season with 47 digs in 34 sets played (1.38 digs per set)… Riley played in 16 sets of the FIVB World Cup, both as an outside hitter (in the back row) and as a libero. He finished with 17 digs… Riley made the move from outside hitter to libero for 2011 and made his debut at the position at the London Volleyball International Invitational, a 2012 Olympic test event… He led the team in receptions with 101 and added 30 digs (1.67 per set). 2010 - Riley finished the 2010 season with 46 points (2.0 points per set) on 41 kills and five blocks (0.17 blocks per set). He played in 23 sets... Riley played in four sets and started two at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the U.S. Men finished sixth. He scored three points... Riley played in 19 sets in the FIVB World League and tallied 41 kills (2.16 per set). He finished the League with a .247 hitting percentage and a total of 45 points (2.37 per set).

He also tallied four stuff blocks and 14 digs (0.29 per set). 2009 - During the winter of 2009-10, Riley played for Vivo/Minas in the Brazilian men’s league…

Riley helped the U.S. Men win the silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico... Riley joined a group of veterans and younger players for the Tour of Brazil where they played five exhibition matches. 2008 - Riley helped the U.S. Men win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He finished 14th among all scorers with 83 points on 771 kills, eight blocks and four aces... Helped the U.S. Men win their first FIVB World League title. Was the team’s third-leading scorer, eighth overall, in the final round with 39 points on 36 kills, two blocks and one ace... Riley helped the U.S. Men win the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier in Caguas, Puerto Rico and qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games. Riley finished the tournament with 39 points on 33 kills, five

blocks and one ace. He was credited with 72 receptions. 2007 - Riley played in 123 sets for the U.S. Men in 2007 and was the team’s third-leading scorer with 330 points on 284 kills, 30 blocks and 11 aces. He leads all starters with a hitting percentage of 0.633. Riley was third on the team in digs with 207 (1.68 digs per set)... Riley was named the MVP of the United States’ World Cup match against Bulgaria as he scored 23 points on 20 kills, one block and two aces.

Salmon converted 57 percent of his spike attempts to points. He also had five digs and 18 “excellent” serve receptions in 30 attempts as Team USA defeated Bulgaria and went on to finish fourth at the World Cup. Riley was the United States’ second-leading receiver and seventh overall at the World Cup with a 61.70 efficiency percentage... Riley was the United States’ fourth-leading scorer and 22nd overall at the NORCECA Continental Championship. He finished the tournament with 37 kills and four blocks. He was the team’s leading scorer in its final NORCECA match against Puerto Rico with 16 points on 16 kills... Riley was the United States’ third leading scorer, and 13th overall, in the World League final round, finishing with 36 points on 31 kills, three blocks and two aces... Riley was the United States’ third-leading hitter and eighth overall in World League pool play with 93 kills in 184 attempts for a success rate of 50.54 percent. He was the team’s third-leading receiver and sixth overall with 129 “excellents” in 222 attempts. 2006 - Riley tied Jim Polster for the third greatest number of kills at the World Championships with 82. He was also third in digs with 63... For the season, Riley was fourth on the team in kills with 132, even though he did not play in the World League. He was also fourth in digs with 98... Riley was on the roster for the World League, but never got to play due to a shoulder injured due to overuse... He helped the U.S. to a gold medal at the inaugural Pan American Cup in Mexico. 2005 - Riley, who led the team in scoring 12 times during the year, led the United States in total points (381), points per set (3.66) and kills (322) during the year... Finished second on the team in kills per set (3.10), service aces (23) and digs (154)... He capped the 2005 season as a member of the USA squad that captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in November in Japan... The Americans, who lost to defending Olympic gold medalist Brazil in the first match of the tournament, lost just one set the rest of the way as they defeated Japan (3-1), 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy (3-0), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0) en route to their fifth medal in five events this season... Scored a team-high-tying 16 points on 15 kills and one ace as the USA Men stunned the world’s best team when it defeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Brazil in five sets to win the America’s Cup tournament in Brazil on Aug. 7... Salmon was named “Best Server” of the America’s Cup...

Helped Team USA win its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the gold-medal win... Also captured Most Valuable Player and “Best Spiker” honors and earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships.

2004 - Riley made his first-ever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece... Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match... Scored 10 points on nine kills and one service ace in the championship match.

2003 - Member of the team that played in the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier... Emerged as a force on the left side during the World Cup...Finished third on the team in scoring and 24th overall with 103 points on 83 kills, 13 blocks and seven aces.2002 - Rejoined the team in late July... Played in just 36 of a possible 141 sets during the year... Still had 86 total points, 71 kills, nine blocks, six blocks and 20 digs... Posted a hitting percentage of .318 and averaged 2.39 points per set. 2001 - Finished third on the team in kills (167) and fourth in service aces (12)... Also had 88 digs and 14 blocks...

Played professionally for P.A.O.K. in Greece.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Played two years of varsity volleyball at Pierce College in Los Angeles, Calif., from 1994-96.

103

No. 20 David Smith

Middle Blocker * 6-7 Saugus, California College: UC Irvine Birth Date: May 15, 1985 Joined Team: 2009 PERSONAL: Born David Smith on May 15, 1985 in Panorama City, Calif…

Parents are Rick and Nancy… Has an older brother, Robert, and a younger sister, Kristen… David married wife, Kelli in 2008. Son Cohen was born in May of 2012... David attended Saugus High School (1999-2003) where he played both volleyball and soccer… Studying civil engineering at UC Irvine… Shredded beef is his favorite food… The Bible is his favorite book…

Favorite big screen flick is the Italian Job...Watches The Office… Favorite bands are Supertones and Switchfoot… Anaheim Angels are his favorite professional team… Enjoys music and golf… Admires his parents for their unwavering support and love… Likes to watch basketball…Winning the 2007 NCAA Division I men’s volleyball national championship is his happiest sports memory... David was named the MVP of the 2007 USA Volleyball Adult Open... David was born with mild-to-severe hearing loss. He wears hearing aids to assist him on and off the court... Played during the 2009-10 winter season for San Sebastian in the Puerto Rican men’s league. Led the league in blocks during the regular season and was named to the All-Star team.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)... Pan American Cup (Silver Medal). 2010 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2009 – Brazil Tour…

2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)…

FIVB World League. 2007 – World University Games (bronze medal). 2005 – FIVB Men’s Junior World Championship. 2004 – NORCECA Junior Men’s Volleyball Championship (silver medal).

nation with a .559 hitting percentage, a new UCI season record…Hit .567 (61-6-97) in UCI’s five post-season wins… Averaged 2.44 kills per game overall… Hit .573 (199-23-307) against MPSF opponents which led the conference…Topped the squad with a 1.37 blocking average overall (6th nationally) and had a 1.44 mark versus MPSF teams (3rd)… Hit .500 or better in 23 of the 34 matches this year, including hitting .800 or above five times… Recorded a block assist in every match this season, recording seven or more blocks nine times…UCI career block assists leader with 471 and total blocks leader with 520… Sixth in UCI career solo blocks with 49… Set a UCI season record with 160 block assists. 2006 – Named All-MPSF honorable mention... averaged 2.19 kills per game and owned a .412 hitting percentage... ranked 16th nationally in hitting and ranks third best in the UCI season record book... second on the team with a 1.27 blocking average which was 14th in the country... hit .700 or better six times, including .769 in the regular season meeting with Penn State, the eighth best mark in a match at UCI... had 13 block assists versus Long Beach State (4/1) which tied the UCI match record... his 129 block assists was third in the season record book and his 143 total blocks ranked fourth in a season... is ranked fourth in career block assists (301) and total blocks (338). 2005 – Averaged 2.16 kills per game... second on the squad in hitting percentage at .401, which ranks third on the UCI season list...second on the team with a 0.86 blocking average...recorded kills in double-digits 11 times. 2004 – Averaged 2.22 kills per game which was fourth on the squad...led the team in hitting percentage at .369, which ranks ninth in the UCI season records...second on the team with a 1.03 blocking average... had 102 block assists, which is ninth most in a season at UCI... recorded kills in double-digits eight times... totaled a career-high nine block assists against USC and pounded a career-best 17 kills against Penn State...recorded at least one block assist in all but two matches... hit .846 against Pacific which ranks third in the UCI match record books... also ranks eighth in match hitting percentage with a .737 clip versus Pepperdine.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – David finished the season averaging .59 blocks per set. He also had a kill percentage of 57.8 and a hitting efficiency of .500. He averaged 2.03 points per set... David played in 16 sets and started 10 at the London Volleyball Invitational where the U.S. Men finished third... He finished with 20 points on 11 kills, six blocks and three aces... Smith started all 16 sets of the Pan American Cup as the U.S. Men finished second to Brazil in Canada... He tied as the United States’ second-leading scorer with 45 points on 26 kills, 13 blocks and six aces...

Smith’s 13 blocks led the team and was third among all blockers... His six aces placed him sixth among all servers. 2010 – David played during the winter of 2010-11 for Unicaja Almeria in Spain’s club league... David was on the U.S. Men’s A2 Team that won the Pan American Cup in San Juan, Puerto Rico. David was the team’s fourth-leading scorer and 18th among all scorers with 42 points on 30 kills, nine blocks and three aces. 2009 – David was part of a group of mostly young players who traveled to Brazil on Sept. 22-27 for five friendly matches. The U.S. lost all five... David won the Best Blocker award at the World Championship Qualifier on Aug. 1517 in Irvine, Calif., as the U.S. Men won the event. David finished with nine blocks and five errors on 22 attempts and an average of one block per set… David was not originally on the roster to play at World League, but was added at the last minute when Riley Salmon couldn’t play. He ended up getting playing time in all but two pool play matches and started five sets. He played as a substitute in two final round matches.

2007 – Played on U.S. Men’s Team that won the bronze medal at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. 2005 – Played on the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team that finished eighth in the 2005 FIVB Men’s U-21 World Volleyball Championships in Andhra Pradesh, India. 2004 – Helped the USA Junior National Team to a second place finish at the 2004 NORCECA Junior Men’s Volleyball Championship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – Named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team…Named first team All-American and first team All-MPSF… Led the

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USA Volleyball/Jose Jimenez

No. 13 Clay Stanley

Opposite * 6-9 Honolulu, Hawaii College: Hawaii Birth Date: July 3, 1987 Joined Team: 2008 PERSONAL: Born Clayton Iona Stanley on Jan. 20, 1978 in Honolulu, Hawai’i... Parents are Jon Stanley and Sandra Haine... Has three brothers: Reese Haine, Wil Stanley and Jon Stanley, and two sisters Taeya Stanley and Natasha Haine... His father played on 1968 Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team and is a member of the Volleyball Hall of Fame... His mother played in the IVA for the Denver Comets... Clay’s late step-grandfather, Tom Haine, was also on 1968 Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team... Many members of his family were on hand to see Clay with the Olympic gold medal in 2008 in Beijing, where he was named the MVP of the tournament... Clay did not play volleyball in high school. Kaiser High School in Honolulu did not have a boys’ team when he was there... He played basketball, occupied the goal in water polo and skateboarded... He took up volleyball after having fun at a Junior Olympics tournament when he was 17... He left the University of Hawaii early to play volleyball in Puerto Rico... Nicknamed “Bird” and “Steam”... Majored in Spanish at Hawai’i... Enjoys surfing and playing video games... Took over as team captain in 2011.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… FIVB World League. FIVB World League. 2010 –FIVB World Championship... FIVB World League. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Silver Medal)... 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – Olympic Games (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – FIVB World Cup... NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)...

Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships... FIVB World League. 2005 – NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)...World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... Japan Tour...Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (Gold Medal)... Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Silver Medal)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 – Colorado/Nebraska Tour... Canada Tour...

NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)... World Cup (Fourth Place).

2002 – Louisville Tour... Bulgaria Tour... Greece Tour... Florida Tour... World Championships. 2001 – Japan Tour... World League... NORCECA Zone Championships... Jeep America’s Cup. 1999 – World University Games...

Pan American Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Named tournament MVP at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament... Team’s second-leading scorer at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament with 61 points on 40 kills, 11 blocks, and 10 aces... His hitting efficiency was .500 and his kill percent was 55.5. 2011 – Clay played the fall of 2011 for Ural Ufa in the Russian Super League.

But after the FIVB World Cup he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in December and did not return ot Russia... Clay was named the USA Volleyball 2011 Male Indoor Athlete of the Year… He took over as U.S. team captain for the NORCECA Continental Championship when former captain Reid Priddy could not compete due to injury. Clay continued as captain at the FIVB World Cup… Clay finished the 2011 season as the team’s second-leading scorer with 373 points in 97 sets played. He led the team in aces with 53 (.55 aces per set). He was second kills (265/2.73 kills per set), blocks (55/.57 blocks per set) and digs (138/1.42 digs per set)… Clay was the team’s second-leading scorer and 16th overall at the

FIVB World Cup with 125 points on 89 kills, 22 blocks and 18 aces, even though he did not play in the team’s final three matches. Clay led the team in aces and finished second overall. He led the team in blocks and was 14th overall. He was second on the team in attacks and 10th overall...

Clay suffered an ankle injury in the first set of the first match of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship, but came back to help the United States defeat Cuba in pool play and started against Puerto Rico in the semifinals and Cuba in the final… He ended up scoring 40 points in 13 sets played on 28 successful attacks (44.4 kill percent), five blocks and seven aces. The U.S. Men finished second in the tournament and advanced to the FIVB World Cup… Clay was one of three players to compete in all 58 sets of the FIVB World League. He was the team’s second-leading scorer with 208 points on 152 kills (39.2 kill percent), 28 blocks and 28 aces... He finished pool play first among all servers with 25 aces… The U.S. Men finished second in their pool in World League and advanced to the final round where they placed seventh. 2010 – During the winter of 2010-11, Clay played for Ural Ufa in the Russian Super League... Clay was named the USA Volleyball Men’s Indoor Player of the Year for 2010... Clay finished the season as the team’s leading scorer with 252 points (3.82 points per set) on 191 kills (0.25 hitting percentage), 28 blocks (0.42 blocks per set) and 33 aces (0.50 aces per set). His kills and aces led the team. He also had 80 digs (1.21 digs per set), which was third best on the team... Clay played every set (33) of every match (9) for the United States at the FIVB World Championship in Italy where the team placed sixth. He was named the tournament’s Best Server, finishing with 23 aces and 36 faults on 155 attempts for an average of 0.70 aces per set.

Clay was the United States’ leading scorer at the World Championship and sixth overall, finishing with 150 points on 109 kills, 18 blocks and 23 aces. His 18 blocks tied him for the team lead with David Lee and he was 11th among all blockers with an average of 0.55 blocks per set. Clay was second on the team in digs with 51 and 21 faults in 79 attempts for an average of 1.55 digs per set... Clay played in 33 sets in World League and was the team’s best scorer with 113 points good enough for 31st among league players. He was also the team leader in points per set with 3.42.

His 2.76 kills per set was the teams’ second highest and he posted the team-high 91 kills. He tallied 12 aces (0.24 per set) and 10 stuff blocks (0.24 per set) while also posting 14 digs (0.35 per set). The U.S. Men placed second in their World League pool and did not advance to the final round. 2009 – Played for the Russian club team Zenit Kazan during the winters of 2009-10.

Clay finished 2009 as the fifth-leading scorer on the t e a m , finishing with 137 points on 107 kills, 16 aces and 14 blocks in 42 sets. His h i t t i n g percentage was 0.445.

His 16 aces put him second on the team...

Scored 22 points on 17 kills, four blocks and one ace at t h e NORCECA Continental

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Championship as the U.S. Men finished second... Clay helped the U.S. Men win the gold medal at the 2010 FIVB World Qualifier on Aug. 15-17 in Irvine, Calif. ... Clay played in eight World League pool play matches, splitting time with fellow opposite Evan Patak, and started both final round matches as the U.S. Men won their pool and went on to finish sixth. Clay finished World League pool play with 80 points on 63 kills, five blocks and 12 aces... Clay was the United States’ third leading scorer in the final round with 18 points on 17 kills and one ace. 2008 – Played for the Russian club team Zenit Kazan during the winter of 2008-09. Clay finished the 2008 season as the team’s co-leading scorer with 356 points (3.83 points per set) and as the team leader in service aces with 36 (.39 aces per set). He finished second on the team in kills with 281 (3.02 kills per set) and third on the team in digs with 112 (1.20 digs per set). He had a total of 39 blocks (.42 blocks per set), and a hitting percentage of 0.42...

Clay was named MVP of the Olympic men’s volleyball tournament as the U.S. Men finished with a gold medal. Clay was the top scorer of the tournament with 146 points on 116 kills, 15 blocks and 15 aces. He was also the leading server, averaging 0.45 aces per set. He was the leading scorer in seven out of eight of the United States’ matches. Clay finished fifth among hitters with an efficiency percentage of 32.91... Clay helped the U.S. Men win their first World League title and was tied with teammate Reid Priddy for second in scoring in the final round. Clay finished with 63 points on 50 kills, eight blocks and five aces. Stanley’s five aces put him fourth among all servers in the final round with an average of 0.33 per set. Clay had 11 aces in pool play to finish seventh overall... Clay was named the top server at the NORCECA Olympic Qualifier as the U.S. Men qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. Clay finished the qualifier as the top U.S. scorer with 49 points on 33 kills, 10 aces and six blocks. 2007 – Clay played for the Russian club team Zenit Kazan during the winter of 2007-08. Clay finished the 2007 season with 39 aces to tie Reid Priddy for the team lead. He was fifth on the team in scoring with 281 points and averaged 2.81 points per set... Clay was the United States’ leading server and fifth overall at the 2007 FIVB World Cup, where the U.S. Men finished fourth. He finished with 13 aces in 91 attempts and had an average of 0.33 aces per set... Clay was named Best Server for the NORCECA Continental Championship. He was credited with eight aces, 39 serve hits and 15 faults on 62 attempts for an average of 0.47 aces per set. He was also the United States’ second-leading scorer

and 13th overall with 59 points on 47 kills, eight aces and four blocks...

Clay was the United States’ leading scorer at Americas’ Cup and second overall with 55 points on kills, six blocks and five aces... Clay was the United States’ leading server, and fourth overall, in the final round of the World League tournament. He was credited with four aces, six faults and 17 serve hits in 27 attempts for an average of 0.29 aces per set. Clay did not rejoin the team for World League until the matches in France on June 8-9 because his Russian club team (Dynamo Kazan) played in the final of the Russian Superleague, which it won. 2006 – Struggled with a knee injury throughout the season... Was the team’s third-leading scorer in World League matches with 94 points in 12 matches. Led the team in aces in World League play with 16. 2005 – Clay capped the 2005 season as a member of the USA squad that captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in November in Japan... The Americans, who lost to defending Olympic gold medalist Brazil in the first match of the tournament, lost just one set the rest of the way as they defeated Japan (3-1), 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy (3-0), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0) en route to their fifth medal in five events this season... He led the United States in scoring in each of the five matches in Japan... Clay blasted 10 kills with two service aces and one block in the win over China and finished third among all scorers with 82 points on 65 kills, nine blocks and eight service aces... Scored a team-high 14 points as Team USA won its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the gold-medal win.

2004 – Clay made his first-ever Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall... Clay led the team and finished fifth overall in scoring with 110 points on 83 kills, 17 aces and 10 blocks...

His 17 aces ranked second among all players in the tournament... His father, Jon, was a starter on the 1968 USA Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team... Together, they become the first father-son Olympians in USA Volleyball history... Captured Best Server honors as Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10... The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match. 2003 – Named Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Zone Championships in September after leading Team USA to the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier... Led the United States in scoring (and finished 11th overall) at the World Cup with 128 points on 97 kills, 17 service aces and 14 blocks.

2002 – Rejoined the team in June and played an integral part in the team’s success... Played in just 75 of a possible 141 sets during the year but still finished the season ranked first on the team in service aces (33), second in points per set (2.88) and third in kills (161) and in total points (216). 2001 – Led the team in service aces (24) and finished second in kills (217)... Tied for third in blocks (20) and added 79 digs while hitting .294 on the year... After the National Team season he played professionally for P.A.O.K. in Greece.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2000 – Third-Team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation... Ranked in the Top 15 of the nation with a 5.53 kill average...

Led the MPSF in aces and tied team record with 54... Finished career 10th on all-time kill list at Hawaii...Had 39 kills in two games, against then-No.1 Long Beach (Feb. 16) and against then No.4 UCLA... Against Long Beach (Feb. 16) also recorded nine digs and seven blocks... Was moved to middle blocker position on April 7, recorded 12 kills and eight blocks, a career-high. 1999 – Recorded a team-high 4.95 kills per game... broke Hawai’i’s single-match kill record with 50 kills against UCLA... MPSF Player of the Week (Apr. 24)... Led the team in kills seven times... Three matches with more than 30 kills and four with more than 20 kills... Had back-to-back 30-kill matches with 30 against UCSB (March 6) and 32 at Long Beach (March 12). 1998 – Redshirted the 1998 season. 1997 – Played in 22 matches... Recorded 11 kills, two solo blocks and five block assists against USC (April 11)... Had 11 kills in his debut against UC San Diego (Jan. 17)... Had season-high seven digs against Cal State Northridge (March 7).

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No. 7 Donald Suxho

Setter * 6-5 Korce, Albania College: USC Birth Date: Feb. 21, 1976 Joined Team: 2001 PERSONAL: Born Donald Suxho on Feb. 21, 1976 in Albania... Donald has a son named Shane... Donald married Eleni Gkortsaniouk in August, 2011 in Ukraine... Donald’s brother, Rando, also played volleyball in Albania... Donald was the starting setter for the Albanian National Team (1995-96) and junior national team (1991-96)... He also played for the Skenderbeu club team from 1991 to 1996 that was coached by his father, Petraq (who was an assistant for the Albanian national team and the head coach of the country’s junior national team), and the Studenti club team that won the 1996 Albanian national championship... Donald prepped at Koci Bako High in Korce, Albania. He also played soccer and was a swimmer... Donald came to America in 1996 and lived in Massachusetts while searching for a college... Communications major at USC...

Enjoys skiing, hiking, swimming, movies and traveling... Says one of the most defining moments in his life is choosing to play volleyball at USC because “I am who I am because of that”... His goals off the court are to “be the best person I can be and give my son a better life than mine”... Most prized possessions are “my son and my family”... One of his fondest childhood memories is traveling to Bulgaria for the first time... Wants to vacation in Tahiti... If he won the lottery, he would buy his “parents all they want, open a savings account for my son” and party around the world with his friends... Says most people would be surprised that he has a big heart... Describes himself as “fun, outgoing and not picky”.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League. NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – FIVB World League. 2010 – FIVB World League. 2009 - 2010 FIVB World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2006 – FIVB World Championships... FIVB World League... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal)... Argentina Tour. 2005 – Pacific Northwest Tour vs. Netherlands... USOC International Sports Invitational (Silver Medal)...Argentina Tour... Americas’ Cup (Gold Medal)... FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... NORCECA Continental Championships (Gold Medal)... World Grand Champions Cup (Silver Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)... Japan Tour... Houston Series... USA Global Challenge (First Place)... Serbia and Montenegro Tour (Second Place)... Olympic Games (Fourth Place). 2003 – Colorado/Nebraska Tour... Canada Tour... Pan American Games (Fourth Place)... NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)... World Cup (Fourth Place). 2001 – World League... NORCECA Zone Championships.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – At the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament on May 7-12 in Long Beach, Calif., Donald was credited with 87 running sets... He averaged 5.44 assists per set... Second on the team with 22 digs (1.47 digs per set). 2011 – During the winter of 201112, Donald played for Sisley Belluno in Italy’s Serie A League... Donald played in 10 World League sets and started eight before Brian Thornton took over as the starter... Credited with 67 assists (6.7 assists per set). 2010 – Donald did not play for the U.S. in 2010 after suffering an injury to his leg in an FIVB World League match against Egypt on June 18 in North Carolina... He played in 13 World League sets and placed 24th among the League’s best setters, and second on the U.S. team, wth 71 running sets, 181 still sets. A running set is defined as a set from a player that puts their hitter against one blocker or none.

Still sets happen when a player sets an attacker and there are two blockers or more. He averaged 1.45 assists per set. He also tied for third among the team with 21 digs (0.43 per set). 2009 – Played for Italy’s Prisma Taranto during the winter of 2009-10... After taking a season off from the U.S. team and playing professionally in the Middle East, Suxho returned under new head coach Alan Knipe and shared starting setter duties with Kevin Hansen. He finished the season credited with 174 running sets (assists) and six faults on 780 attempts.

He averaged 4.14 running sets per set. He also scored 21 points on seven kills, nine blocks and five aces in 42 sets... Suxho was named Best Setter at the FIVB World Championship Qualifier, where he finished with 18 running sets and no faults on 80 attempts, averaging 2.0 running sets per set... Suxho helped the

U.S. Men win their pool at World League. They went on to finish sixth overall.

Suxho was credited with 150 running sets and three faults on 644 attempts in pool play for an average of 3.33 running sets per set. 2007 – In March, Donald partially ruptured his left Achilles tendon while playing for Acqua Paradiso in Italy. He had surgery in Italy and then returned to the United States for rehab with the U.S. Men’s National Team’s athletic trainer Aaron Brock. 2006 – Started every match at the World Championships...Was the starting U.S. setter in every match of the FIVB World League... Started as setter for the inaugural Pan American Cup, but did not play the entire tournament due to a sprained ankle... Helped the team finish 4-1 in the Argentina series... Finished the season with 42 kills and 15 aces. 2005 – Nominated by USA Volleyball for the 2005 United States Olympic Committee (USOC) SportsMan of the Year honor... In his first year as the full-time starter, Donald quarterbacked Team USA to one of its most successful seasons in years...The Americans posted a record of 27-6 and earned five podium placements during the year, including a silver medal at the USOC International Sports Invitational (San Diego, Calif.); a gold medal at the America’s Cup (Brazil); a gold medal at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament (Puerto Rico); a gold medal at the NORCECA Championships (Canada); and a silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup (Japan)...

Suxho led the team in service aces with 25 and helped the Americans post a stellar hitting percentage of .376 on the season... He also finished third on the team in blocks with 48... He capped his first season as a starter for the USA squad that captured the silver medal at the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in November in Japan... The Americans, who lost to defending Olympic gold medalist Brazil in the first match of the tournament, lost just one set the rest of the way as they defeated Japan (3-1), 2004 Olympic silver medalist Italy (3-0), Egypt (3-0) and China (3-0) en route to their fifth medal in five events this season...

Started at setter as the USA Men stunned the world’s best team when it defeated 2004 Olympic gold medalist Brazil in five sets to win the America’s Courtesy of FIVB Cup tournament in Brazil on Aug. 7... Earned “Best Server” honors as Team USA won its second-straight NORCECA Continental Championship with a four-set victory over Cuba on Sept. 15... The USA Men qualified for the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup with the gold-medal win... Also earned a gold medal in August at the FIVB World Championship Qualifying Tournament as the USA Men qualified for the 2006 World Championships. 2004 – Donald made his first Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece as the USA Men finished fourth overall. The U.S. Men were trailing Greece 2 sets to 1 and losing 5-0 in the fourth set when Head Coach Doug Beal brought Suxho in to replace starter Lloy Ball. Suxho helped the U.S. Men come back from a 20-12 deficit to win the fourth set 25-23 and the U.S. went on to win the fifth set 17-15... Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10...

The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match...

Served as the back-up setter to starter Lloy Ball. 2003 - Started at setter until the NORCECA Zone Championships in Mexico as Team USA captured the gold medal and a berth in the 2003 World Cup, the first Olympic qualifier... Served as the back-up setter to starter Lloy Ball at the NORCECA championships and World Cup. COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2000 – American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Player of the Year... AVCA First-Team All-American... First-Team All Mountain Pacific Sports Federation... Asics/Volleyball First-Team All-American...

Led the team in assists (2,025) and aces (57) and ranked second in digs (169) and third in blocks (94). 1999 – AVCA First-Team All-American... Asics/Volleyball Second-Team All-American... Second-Team All-MPSF... Set a USC single-season record with 63 aces...Ranked second in the country with a .594 aces-per-game average and No. 7 with 17.6 assists per game. 1998 – Third-team All-MPSF...

Played in each of the team’s 99 games...Recorded 1,518 assists, 214 digs, 103 blocks and 95 kills. 1997 – Starting setter as a freshman... Set an NCAA singlematch record with 129 assists against Ohio State... Posted 1,585 assists, 220 digs, 93 kills and 63 blocks.

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No. 19 Robert Tarr

Outside Hitter * 6-6 Cape Canaveral, Florida College: Long Beach State Birth Date: Jan. 8, 1984 Joined Team: 2009 PERSONAL: Born Robert John Tarr on Jan. 8, 1984 in Cape Canaveral, Fla. …Parents are Rick Tarr and Susan Davis…Attended Rockledge High School from 1999-2002… Played club volleyball for Orlando Gold…

Attended Long Beach State University from 2003-2006 and has a BA in communications… His favorite food is seafood…lists “Braveheart” as favorite movie… His happiest moment in volleyball was competing in the NCAA National Championship match in 2004.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – London International Invitational (Bronze Medal)... Pan American Cup (Silver Medal). 2010 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2009 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2008 – Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 – World University Games (Bronze Medal). 2005 – World University Games.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Competed at the London International Invitational, finishing with 16 points on 13 attacks and three blocks.... Served as captain of the Pan American Cup team that finished second in Canada. Robert started 14 out of 16 sets and was fourth on the team in scoring with 38 points on 35 kills, two blocks and one ace.

2010 – Played the winter of 2010-11 for Al Ahli Sports Club in Qater...

Played with the Pan American Cup team that won the gold medal in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Tarr was the United States’ second-leading scorer and fifth overall with 67 points on 52 kills, 13 blocks and two aces. Tarr was the United States’ second-leading blocker and third overall, averaging 0.72 blocks per set. 2009 – Played with the Pan American Cup team that won the gold medal in Chiapas, Mexico. Robert scored 63 points on 58 kills, four blocks and one ace in 16 sets. 2007 – Played with the 2007 World University Games that finished third in Thailand. 2005 – Played with the 2005 World University Games team in Izmar, Turkey (Aug. 1121).

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2006 – First Team AVCA All-American…First Team All-MPSF…MPSF Molten Player of the Week (4/10)… All-Tournament at UCSB/E-Bar Classic… All-Tournament at the Active Ankle Classic…

Season-high 35 kills in win over CS Northridge… Led team averaging 4.85 kills per game… No. 5 in nation in kills per game (4.85)…No. 5 in nation in points per game (5.68)… No. 18 in service aces per game (0.33)… Double figures in kills 32 times this season… No. 2 in MPSF with 4.83 kills per game in MPSF matches. Reached 1,000 career kills vs. CS Northridge (1/6)… No. 6 all-time with 1,556 kills… No. 7 all-time with 86 career aces… Single season record 32 matches in double figure kills.

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No. 11 Brian Thornton Setter * 6-3 San Clemente, California College: UC Irvine Birth Date: April 22, 1985 Joined Team: 2009

PERSONAL: Born Brian Charles Thornton on April 22, 1985, in San Clemente, Calif. ... Parents are Mike and Colleen Thornton… Has a younger brother and sister… Attended San Clemente High School (2000-03)…

Played for the Balboa Bay Club… A UCI/Big West Scholar-Athlete majoring in sociology… Fish and lobster are his favorite foods… Favorite book is “Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger… Favorite movie is Good Will Hunting… Anaheim Angels are his favorite professional team… Enjoys Entourage, football and college basketball on TV… Admires his brother for his attitude and approach to life… His fondest sports memory is winning an NCAA Division I men’s volleyball national championship.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2012 – FIVB World League...

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament (gold medal). 2011 – NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship (Silver Medal)… London Volleyball International Invitational (Bronze Medal)…

FIVB World League. 2009 – Tour of Brazil... Pan American Cup (Gold Medal). 2007 – World University Games (Bronze Medal) INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2012 – Brian helped the U.S. men to a gold medal at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament in Long Beach, Calif. 2011 – Brian led all U.S. setters in 2011 with 514 assists on 1,799 attempts in 99 sets played (according to the FIVB. This does not include the London Invitational, which did not provide setting statistics). He averaged 5.19 assists per set in 2011.

He also scored 33 points on four kills, 15 blocks and 14 aces… Brian started 31 sets at the FIVB World Cup and finished with nine points on five kills and four blocks. The FIVB credited him with 220 assists on 665 attempts… Brian played as a substitute in the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship behind Kevin Hansen and was credited with 11 assists on 18 attempts in two sets… Brian played in 13 sets of the London Volleyball International Invitational and started seven, splitting time with Kevin Hansen. He finished with three points on two aces and one block… When setter Kevin Hansen had to undergo an appendectomy prior to the start of the 2011 season, Brian moved into the backup setter role and traveled with the team to World League where he took over starting duties from Donald Suxho in the middle of the third match of pool play, which was in Puerto Rico. He started a total of 49 sets and played in 52. In pool play, he was credited with at total of 283 assists for an average of 5.44 per set. He also scored 15 points on two kills, 11 blocks and two aces. The U.S. Men finished second in their pool and advanced to the Final Round where they placed seventh. 2010 – Played the winter of 2010-11 for Chaumont in France’s B League... Was the starting setter for most matches of the Pan American Cup in San Juan, Puerto Rico where the U.S. Men’s A2 Team won the gold medal... Placed third among all setters with a 4.94 average running sets (assists) per set and did not receive a single setting fault for the entire tournament. 2009 – Accompanied a group of veteran and younger players on a five-match tour of Brazil... Played in the 2009 Pan American Cup where the United States won the gold medal in Chiapas, Mexico. 2007 – A member of the

Courtesy of FIVB World University Games team that won the bronze medal in Thailand.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – Named to the NCAA All-Tournament team after recording 110 assists and 15 digs as Irvine defeated IPFW to win the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship…Second team All-America and third team All-MPSF pick… Averaged 13.27 set assists on the season, which ranked fourth nationally and 12.65 versus conference opponents which also ranked fourth… Averaged 1.42 digs and 0.74 blocks per game overall…Guided the Anteaters to .351 team hitting percentage this year which ranked fourth nationally…Had 12 service aces… UCI’s all-time assists leader (4,662)... Set the UCI season set assist record with 1,645… Named MPSF Player of the Week on Jan. 8…Named MVP of the Elephant Bar Tournament. 2006 – Second team All-American as well as All-MPSF... Second team Asics/Volleyball Magazine All-American... Averaged 13.70 set assists which led the nation... His 1,548 assists rank third in the UCI season record book... Also averaged 1.60 digs and 0.65 blocks per game... His 181 digs rank 10th best in a single season...Had 22 service aces... Fourth all-time in UCI assists (3,017). 2005 – Recorded 1,320 set assists, which is the fourth best single season total in the UCI record books... Averaged 12.57 set assists and 1.38 digs per game... Ranked 11th nationally and fourth in the MPSF in assists... Had 21 service aces on the year... Ranks seventh all-time in assists (1,469)...had a careerhigh 65 assists versus Pacific. 2004 – Averaged 9.31 set assists and 0.69 digs per game.

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aces in the match against Barbados on Sept. 17. 2003 – Played on the 2003 World University Games team that won a bronze medal in Daegu, Korea. His Long Beach State teammates David Lee and Tyler Hildebrand were also on the team, which was coached by Arnie Ball, father of U.S. National Team setter Lloy Ball, and head men’s volleyball coach at IPFW.

No. 18 Scott Touzinsky Outside Hitter * 6-6 St. Louis, Missouri College: Long Beach State Birth Date: April 22, 1982 Joined Team: 2007

PERSONAL: Born Scott Joseph Touzinsky on April 22, 1982 in St. Louis, Mo. ... Parents are Charles and Anne Touzinsky... Scott has two older brothers, Chip and Keith... Scott married wife Angelique Vogel, a promotional spokesmodel, in 2006... Their son Logan was born in September of 2010... Scott attended St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis from 1997-2000... Scott’s Vianney jersey number was retired in a ceremony after he returned home from winning the Olympic gold medal in Beijing... He attended Long Beach State University 2001-05 and graduated with a degree in communication studies... Scott’s favorite food is sushi... His favorite movie is Gone in 60 Seconds... Scott’s favorite TV show is Entourage... His favorite sports team is the St. Louis Cardinals, but his favorite athlete is Michael Jordan... Scott admires his mother for all she has done for him without complaining... On Dec. 18, 2004, Scott tore his ACL while competing in a match in Greece, where he was playing for a club team. He had surgery on March 1, but was told he might never play volleyball at the professional level again. After six months of intense rehab, he was back playing professional volleyball in Belgium.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: Finished his career at Long Beach State as the career and single-season ace leader. 2004 – First-team All-American...

Scott became the all-time ace leader at Long Beach State with two against Stanford on Jan. 23. With the 133rd ace of his career, Scott passed Brent Hilliard’s mark of 132 set in 1993... ranks fifth all-time at the school with 1,625 kills, falling 16 kills shy of fourth-place David McKienzie. Scott became just the third player in NCAA Division I-II to score 40 or more kills in an all rally-scoring match when he posted 40 versus BYU on Jan. 30...

Long Beach State played BYU in the NCAA men’s volleyball championship match in Honolulu, Hawai’i. BYU won 15-30, 30-18, 20-30, 32-30, 19-17.

2003 – Second-team All-American. 2001 – MPSF Freshman of the Year.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – FIVB World League.

2010 – FIVB World League. 2009 – Brazil Tour... 2010 World Championship Qualifier for NORCECA Group F (Gold Medal)... FIVB World League. 2008 – America’s Cup... Olympic Games (Gold medal)... FIVB World League (Gold medal)... Four Nations Tournament (Gold medal)... NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualifying Championship (Gold Medal). 2007 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold medal). 2003 – World University Games (Bronze medal).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Saw limited playing time in the 2011 World League tournament. 2010 – During the winter of 2010-11, Scott played for SCC Berlin in Germany’s club league... Scott was on the preliminary roster for the FIVB World League but did not see any playing time. 2009 – Played the winter of 2009-10 for Turkey’s Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye... Scott finished 2009 as the U.S. Men’s seventhleading scorer with 62 points on 55 kills, four blocks and three aces. His hitting percentage was 0.371. He aslo had 40 digs and averaged 0.87 blocks per set... Scott accompanied a team of veterans and rookies on a five-match tour of Brazil... Scott was on the roster for the FIVB World Championship Qualifier but did not play due to injury... Scott helped the U.S. Men win their pool during the FIVB World League. The team finished sixth in the final round. Scott played in 46 World League sets and finished with 62 points on 55 kills, four blocks and three aces. 2008 – Played the winter of 2008-09 for Turkey’s Istanbul Buyuksehir Belediye.... Scott helped the U.S. Men win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games, serving primarily as a serving specialist. Scott helped the U.S. Men win their first FIVB World League title... Scott was the leading scorer in the United States’ exhibition match with Germany on May 15 in Chemnitz, Germany. 2007 – Scott made the 12-man roster for the NORCECA Continental Championship and scored nine points on seven kills and two

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Courtesy of FIVB

Courtesy of FIVB

No. 25 Jonathan Winder Setter * 6-8 Irvine, California College: Pepperdine Birth Date: Jan. 4, 1986 Joined Team: 2008

PERSONAL: Born Jonathan Stevens Winder on Jan. 4, 1986, in Irvine, Calif. ... Parents are Bill (deceased) and Jean Winder... Has an older brother, Jordan, and an older sister, Jenille... Jonathan married wife Jaimie-Rose Winder in 2010... Attended Woodbridge High School (2000-04) in Irvine, Calif., where he played both basketball and volleyball... He was named Sea View League Male Athlete of the Year... Graduated from Pepperdine in April 2008 with a degree in advertising... Says his favorite food is artichokes... Favorite book is “Ruthless Trust” by Brennan Manning...

Favorite movie is Anchorman... Enjoys watching The Office on TV as well as college basketball... Fly-fishing is his hobby... Admires his father, who died when Jonathan was 4, because “he lived his life not for himself but for his family, his friends and God”... Chicago Cubs are his favorite professional team and Dwight Howard is his favorite athlete... Happiest moment in life was getting baptized... Winning the 2005 NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship is his fondest sports memory... Has been profiled in a Los Angeles Times series on 2012 Olympic hopefuls.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2011 – Pan American Cup (Silver Medal). 2010 – FIVB World Championship. 2009 – NORCECA Continental Championship... Brazil Tour... FIVB World League. 2008 - Pan American Cup. 2007 – World University Games (Bronze Medal). 2005 – FIVB Men’s Junior (U-21) World Championship. 2004 – NORCECA Junior Men’s Volleyball Championship (Silver Medal).

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – At the 2011 Pan American Cup, Jonathan played in 15 sets and started 14. He was credited with 89 assists and also scored and also scored 12 points on three kills, four blocks and five aces. 2010 – In the winter of 2010-11, Jonathan played in Greece for PAOK Thessaloniki... Jonathan served as the backup to Kevin Hansen at the FIVB World Championship in Italy… He played in 22 sets. He started all three sets in a 3-0 victory over Germany and he also started two sets in the final fifth-place match against Russia... For the tournament, he was credited with one point on one block. He also had eight running sets and two faults on 29 attempts for an average of 0.30 running sets per set. A running set is defined as a set from a player that puts their hitter against one blocker or none. 2009 – Jonathan was the backup setter for Kevin Hansen at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico where the U.S. Men finished second... Jonathan accompanied the team to Brazil where it played five exhibition matches against the Brazilian Men’s National Team. He started three matches at setter... Jonathan helped the U.S. Men’s Team place sixth in the FIVB World League. He played as a substitute in pool play matches. 2008 – Helped lead the U.S. Men to the gold medal at the 2008 Pan American Cup from June 2-7 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada... Scored six points during the tournament on one kills, three aces and two blocks... Was a member of the U.S. Men’s Training Team that traveled to Japan to prepare the Japanese for Olympic qualifying. 2007 – Helped the U.S. win the bronze medal at the World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand. 2005 – Played on the USA Junior National Team that finished eighth in the 2005 FIVB Men’s U-21 World Volleyball Championships in Andhra Pradesh, India. 2004 – Helped the U.S. Junior National Team win the silver medal at the 2004 NORCECA Junior Men’s Volleyball Championship in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – AVCA All-American first team... Led his team to the NCAA National Championship match, where it fell to Penn State (27-30, 33-31, 30-25, 30-23)... Named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team... Named MPSF Tournament MVP. Pepperdine won the tournament with a victory in the final over BYU (28-30, 28-30, 32-30, 30-27, 15-8)...

Averaged 12.51 assists per game along with 1.97 digs, 0.91 blocks and 0.68 kills. Winder had seven assist-dig double-doubles... He set the school career record for assists on Jan. 19 at Stanford. He became the first Wave to surpass the 4,000 mark against UC Irvine on Jan. 23, and then went past 5,000 during the fourth game of the MPSF Tournament final against BYU on April 26... He was named Pepperdine’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2007-08. 2007 – AVCA Division I-II Men’s National Player of the Year...

Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Player of the Year... American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America first team... Second in NCAA Division I-II with 13.34 assists per game... Second in the league in assists per game (conference matches only) with 13.06, and led his team to a .328 hitting percentage in conference play... Fifth in the conference in digs per game with 2.10, and averaged 1.04 blocks per game.

2006 – Named second-team All-American and third-team All-MPSF following his sophomore season... Averaged 13.30 assists per game, which ranked seventh nationally... Started all 25 matches and played in 90 games... Also averaged 1.64 digs, 1.14 blocks and 0.82 kills... Hit .388 with 74 kills on 139 swings... His most assists were 70 in five games (2/18 vs. Cal State Northridge), 64 in four games (1/14 vs. Pacific) and 52 in three games (4/8 vs. UC Santa Barbara)... Other season highs were seven kills (3/18 at UC Irvine), three aces (2/24 at Pacific), nine digs (3/1 at UCLA and 3/16 vs. UCLA) and eight blocks (1/14 vs. Pacific)... Earned MPSF AllAcademic honors.

2005 – Set the Waves to the NCAA championship and earned a spot on the all-tournament team... Named the AVCA National Newcomer of the Year after his freshman season...

Also named a second-team All-American, the MPSF Freshman of the Year and to the All-MPSF third team... Averaged 13.40 assists in 27 matches and 102 games... Also NORCECA photo averaged 1.23 digs, 1.07 blocks and 0.54 kills... Hit .368 with 55 kills on 114 attempts... Named AVCA National Player of the Week on March 13... His most assists were 72 in five games (3/12 vs. UCLA), 68 in four games (3/4 at Hawaii) and 51 in three games (3/31 at Long Beach State)... At the NCAA Championships, had 40 assists in the three-game win over Ohio State (5/5) and 52 in the five-game win over UCLA (5/7)... Had two assist-dig double-doubles, getting 57-11 at Stanford (1/15) and 46-11 vs. Cal State Northridge (4/28)... Had one assist-block double-double and narrowly missed a triple-double with 54 assists, 10 blocks and nine digs at Cal State Northridge (4/15).

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“I think Alan will do a great job continuing the success of the men’s program,” McCutcheon said. “He’s an excellent coach with a lot of collegiate experience that will allow a seamless and successful transition into the international arena.”

Alan Knipe

Head Coach * Fourth Year

Knipe has a long relationship with USA Volleyball. Most recently, he served as the head coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2008 Pan America Cup in Winnipeg, Canada, where it won a gold medal.

Home: Huntington Beach, Calif.

Family: Wife Jennifer and two sons Record with U.S. Men: 52-27

He was the head coach for the U.S. Men’s Team that won a bronze medal at the 2007 World University Games in Thailand.

Alan Knipe finished his third season as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team with a 22-14 record for 2011 and a 52-27 record since starting as head coach on April 1, 2009.

On May 7-12, 2012 he coached the team at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament as it qualified for its eighth-straight Olympic Games with a 5-0 match record.

Knipe helped the U.S. Men make the World League final round in 2011. The team also won a silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship and bronze at the London International Invitational, an Olympic test event.

In his first season with the team, Knipe finished with a 16-6 record, including a victory at the World Championship Qualifier, a secondplace finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship and a sixth-place finish in the FIVB World League.

Knipe has run the Southern California tryouts for USA Volleyball’s high performance department since 1999. He was an assistant coach for the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team in 1999 and has helped at high performance camps in other years.

Knipe played on the U.S. National Team in 1992-93 and competed at World League. When he took his sabbatical, Knipe was in his 17th year with the 49ers men’s volleyball program, including three years as a player (1990-92) and five years as an assistant (1996-2000).

In his nine seasons as the head coach of the Long Beach State, Knipe led the 49ers to one NCAA final (2004) and one semifinal appearance (2008) along with six other postseason appearances in nine years.

He earned 2008 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Coach of the Year honors and was also named 2008 Volleyball Magazine Coach of the Year as Long Beach State advanced to the NCAA semifinals behind AVCA co-Player of the Year Paul Lotman.

In 2010, he led the U.S. Men to a 14-7 record, including a sixth place finish at the FIVB World Championship and an eight place in the FIVB World League.

Knipe was named the 2004 AVCA National Coach of the Year when he guided his squad to an appearance in the NCAA Championship match, where it fell to BYU.

To coach the U.S. Men, Knipe, 41, took a leave of absence from Long Beach State, where he has been the head coach for the past nine years. Two of Knipe’s former players – David Lee and Scott Touzinsky – were members of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Volleyball Team that won the gold medal in 2008 in Beijing.

Knipe was an assistant coach when U.S. Team Captain Tom Hoff played at Long Beach State.

In the 1994 and 1995 seasons, Knipe served as the head men’s volleyball coach at Golden West College. In his second season, the Rustlers won the California State JC title and Knipe was named California State Coach of the Year.

“Anyone who gets involved with volleyball sets their sights on being involved with the Olympic team,” Knipe said. “I don’t think that changes from your playing days to your coaching days.

Knipe played at Long Beach State from 199092, winning the NCAA Championship in 1991 and being named All-America in 1992. Knipe graduated from Long Beach State in 1992 with a degree in communications.

“I would not have been able to take this position if I did not work at Long Beach State. They were great to work with in making this happen and giving me a leave of absence.”

Knipe took over for Hugh McCutcheon, who guided the U.S. Men’s Team to victories at the 2008 FIVB World League and the Beijing Olympics.

McCutcheon took over the U.S. Women’s Team in January.

“I am very excited to have Alan join the USA Volleyball staff and lead our men’s team toward London in 2012. This is a very big hire,” USA Volleyball CEO Doug Beal said. “His experience and success with USAV’s national and high performance programs have been outstanding. I look for him to continue the momentum the U.S. men built in 2008.”

Knipe played on the Bud Light 4-Man Pro Beach Volleyball Tour and has won seven USA Volleyball National Open Championships with Team Paul Mitchell.

In 1995, Knipe played for Spoleto in the Italian Pro League and in 1996 he played for the Zellik Club in Belgium.

A graduate of Huntington Beach’s Marina High School in 1987, Knipe spent one year at Orange Coast College before transferring to Long Beach State.

Knipe lives in Huntington Beach, Calif., with his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons, Aidan and Evan.

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Sato played volleyball at Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica College before moving on to UC Santa Barbara, where he was an AllAmerican outside hitter.

Dr. Gary Sato

Sato is the eldest of six children known worldwide for their contributions to the sport. Brother Eric won the Olympic gold medal with the U.S. Men in 1988 and a bronze in 1992. Sister Liane won the Olympic bronze medal with the U.S. Women in 1992 and also played on the ’88 Olympic team.

Brothers Scott (San Diego State) and Glenn (Loyola Marymount) both played college volleyball and Glenn also coached.

Assistant Coach * Fourth Year Hometown: Los Angeles, California

Dr. Gary Sato (Los Angeles) had been involved with the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team for more than 20 years when he rejoined the team as assistant coach under Head Coach Alan Knipe in the summer of 2009.

“After seeing the teams perform so well at the Olympic Games in Beijing, it rekindled the fire in me,” Sato said. “The situation with the men’s program, being in Anaheim and the women moving there was similar to the circumstances when I first joined the program in 1984 (when both teams were based in San Diego).

“I’m excited to be back. I was telling people that USA Volleyball had gone green and they recycled me.”

In his first year back as an assistant coach, he helped the team to a 16-6 record, including a victory at the FIVB World Championship Qualifier, a second-place finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship and a sixth-place in the FIVB World League.

Sato graduated with a degree in kinesiology from Pepperdine University where he took over the head coaching position of the women’s team in 1979 and held it until 1982. He has also won two NCAA National Championships as an assistant and volunteer coach with Pepperdine’s men’s volleyball teams in 1978 and 2005.

From 1989-92 Sato studied at the Southern California University of Health Sciences and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic.

Just prior to rejoining the U.S. Men’s National Team in 2009, Sato worked at Sato Chiropractic along with serving as a coach for the Santa Monica Beach Volleyball Club and as the technical director for the Sinjin Smith Volleyball Academy HAX. Sato has three children: Andrew, Katie and Malia.

In 2010, he helped the U.S. Men to a 14-7 record, including a sixth place finish at the FIVB World Championship and an eight place in the FIVB World League. He also coached the U.S. Men’s Youth Team, which included his son, Andrew, to a second-place finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico.

In 2011, he helped the U.S. Men to a 26-15 record. The team reached the World League Final Round, took the bronze medal at the London International Invitational and won the silver medal at the NORCECA Continental Championship.

On May 7-12, 2012 he helped the team at the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament as it qualified for its eighth-straight Olympic Games with a 5-0 match record.

Sato first served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Team from 198488, including the team that won the 1988 Olympic gold medal in Seoul.

His brother, Eric, was a player on that team. He was also an assistant for the teams that won the 1986 World Championship and the 1987 Pan American Games.

Sato served as head coach for the U.S. Men’s gold-medal win at the 1985 FIVB World Cup in Japan and was voted the Most Valuable Coach of the tournament. In 1992 he returned as assistant coach for the Olympic Team that won the bronze medal.

Sato’s coaching career has included pro beach championships and he was the head coach for the U.S. beach team at the 2007 Pan American Games.

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Aaron Brock

Chris Jackson

Director, Sports Medicine and Performance to the U.S. National Teams Seventh Year

Technical Coordinator Fourth Year Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

Hometown: Storm Lake, Iowa

Chris Jackson Jackson (Phoenix, Ariz.) joined the U.S. Men’s Team in 2009 from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, where he was an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball team for one year.

Prior to his tenure with Grand Ganyon University, Jackson served as an assistant coach for both the men’s and women’s programs at University of Southern California, including a part of the 2007 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship national semifinalist team.

He also served as an assistant coach for the 2008 U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team that won the NORCECA Continental Championship.

Aaron Brock (Storm Lake, Iowa) completed his sixth year in 2011 as the full-time certified athletic trainer for the U.S. Men’s National Team at its headquarters at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim, Calif. In 2009, he added the title of Director of Sports Medicine and Performance to the U.S. National Teams.

In 2008, he helped the U.S. Men’s Team as it won the Olympic gold medal in Beijing and its first FIVB World League title.

“Chris has all the skills required to be great in our technical coordinator position,” U.S. Head Coach Alan Knipe said. “He is self-motivated, organized and great with the guys. He has a solid background in Data Project software and most importantly, he knows how to grind.”

Jackson was on the coaching staff at Phoenix Brophy Prep from 200406, which included a state title in 2005. His 16-year old group from the Southern California Volleyball Club finished fourth in the nation.

Jackson played high school volleyball at Glendale Deer Valley in Arizona.

He went on to play at Brigham Young University and was a freshman on its national championship team in 2004. He is a 2007 graduate of Arizona State University.

Before joining the U.S. Men’s Team in 2006, Aaron worked with the U.S. Water Polo Team at the 2003 Pan American Games and the 2004 Olympic Games. He also has experience with high school and NCAA Division I and Division III sports teams as well as professional football and basketball teams.

Brock, who was a four-sport high school athlete in Storm Lake, Iowa, went to the University of Iowa for both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Brock is married and has a son who was born in 2006. He lives with his family in Southern California.

Brock’s day starts around 8 a.m. when he writes up rehabilitation and treatment protocols. He also gets the players ready for practice with taping and stretching exercises.

Once practice starts, he runs a 15-minute injury-prevention session that includes core abdominal and back exercises and proprioception exercises for ankle and knee stability. Finally, there are shoulder exercises to generate strength and wake up the muscles. Players who can’t practice due to injury will go to the athletic training room and do rehab. Brock monitors practice in case there is an injury. After practice, Brock runs a stretching session. Then it’s time for more treatments for the athletes who are playing and practicing while injured.

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John Speraw

Ron Larsen

Hometown: Irvine, Calif.

Hometown: Lafayette, Calif.

Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach

John Speraw has had a busy and successful year in 2012.

On May 6, he led the U.S. Irvine men’s volleyball team to its third NCAA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. Less than 24 hours later, he was on the court as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team as it prepared for the NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualification Tournament.

On June 5, it was announced that he would be the new men’s volleyball coach at his alma mater, UCLA. Speraw (Irvine, Calif.) first joined the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Team as an assistant coach in April of 2007, agreeing to help the team as long as he could remain head coach of the men’s volleyball team at Irvine, where he had coached for five years.

A few weeks later, Speraw led the Anteaters to the 2007 NCAA Men’s Volleyball Championship, defeating IPFW in the final, 3-1. The Anteaters ended the season 29-5 overall, the most wins in school history.

As an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team, Speraw was on the floor when the team won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Speraw’s position became even more important when Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon had to leave the team for its first three matches after McCutcheon’s father-in-law was killed and his mother-in-law was gravely injured by an attacker while sightseeing in Beijing, China. Speraw and the rest of McCutcheon’s staff helped carry the team to victories in those three matches and then five more to win the Olympic title.

Speraw also served as assistant coach as the U.S. Men won its first World League title in 2008 and qualified for the Olympic Games at the NORCECA Continental Qualifier in January of 2008.

After 2008, Speraw worked with the U.S. Men’s Team on an as-needed basis before rejoining the team for the 2012 season.

Speraw has extensive international coaching experience. He was the head coach of the USA Junior National Team, which won a silver medal at the NORCECA Junior Men’s Continental Volleyball Championship in 2005. He served as an assistant for the Youth National Team (1998 and 2001), the World University Games Team (1997 and 1999) and the Pan American Games Team (1999).

Ron Larsen (Lafayette, Calif.) returned to the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team for its 2012 season. He has served as the head coach for the women’s volleyball team at UC Riverside in California since 2009.

Larsen served as the top assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Team under Hugh McCutcheon from 2005-08. Larsen took over for McCutcheon as head coach at the 2008 Olympic Games after McCutcheon’s father-in-law was killed and his motherin-law was seriously injured by an attacker while sightseeing in Beijing, China.

Larsen coached the U.S. Men’s Team to three pool play victories against Venezuela (Aug. 10; 25-18, 25-18, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10), Italy (Aug. 12; 24-26, 25-22, 25-15, 25-21) and Bulgaria (Aug. 14; (27-29, 25-21, 25-14, 26-24) before McCutcheon returned to the team, which went on to win the Olympic gold medal for the first time since 1988.

In 2007, Larsen served as the head coach for the U.S. Men’s Team that won the silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Larsen, the 2004 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Coach of the Year, completed six seasons as the UCSD head coach. Larsen came to UCSD in 2000—in the school’s final year of NCAA Division III affiliation—and led the Tritons to one of the most memorable seasons in the program’s history. UCSD won the Molten Division III Men’s Volleyball Invitational Championship that season and recorded the most wins (nine) for a Triton team in 10 seasons.

That year he also led the team to its first MPSF victory in three seasons. Competing as the only Division II team and the only non-scholarship program in the nation’s toughest men’s volleyball conference, the Tritons have continued to make strides in meeting the formidable challenge.

The 2004 season saw UCSD go 8-21 overall and 4-18 in the MPSF. The season included wins against No. 11 Penn State, No. 9 UC Irvine and No. 7 UC Santa Barbara. The win over the Gauchos marked two program firsts: defeating UCSB and giving the Tritons four victories in the MPSF, the most in school history.

Larsen came to UCSD from the University of Rutgers-Newark. A veteran of seven seasons at the New Jersey university, Larsen has coaching roots in the University of California (UC) system.

In 2008, Speraw received a Pillar Award, which showcases outstanding achievement in ethical leadership at the12th Annual Ethics in America Awards.

Speraw was also named to OC METRO Business Magazine’s 18th annual list of the Hottest 25 Business People of Orange County and was tabbed No. 16 in the Daily Pilot’s 2007 Top 103 Most Influential People in the Newport/Costa Mesa Area.

Speraw was also one of their Most Influential People and the Sports Newsmaker of the Year in 2006. In 2011, he was given the U.S. Olympic Achievement Award, an honor that recognizes the colleges and universities whose coaches and studentathletes have won Olympic medals in the past two Olympic Games.

His coaching career began at the University of California- Berkeley, where he led the Bears’ men’s volleyball team to a record of 102-29 at the club level. He coached at Cal from 1980-84 and again from 1987-89. He also served as an assistant coach of the women’s volleyball team at St. Mary’s College from 1987-88 before moving on to the University of California, Davis in 1989.

Prior to UCI, Speraw served in various roles with the UCLA volleyball program for 12 years. He played middle blocker for the Bruins from 1990-95 and was a member of two national championship teams. He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team in 1995 when he had 11 kills and eight blocks in the championship victory over Penn State.

Larsen served as head men’s and women’s coach at Rutgers-Newark from 199399, compiling a record of 97-80 in men’s volleyball and 111-79 with the women’s team. The men’s team was consistently ranked in the nation’s top 15.

Speraw became a volunteer assistant coach with the Bruins before assuming a fulltime assistant’s position in 1998. He graduated from UCLA in 1995 with a bachelor of science degree in microbiology and molecular genetics.

Speraw is also the co-author of the book Exercise for Your Muscle Type: The Smart Way to Get Fit.

At Davis, he served as assistant coach of the women’s team for four seasons and as head coach of the men’s team from 1991-93, leading the Aggies to a 65-31 record and a fifth-place finish at the 1993 national club volleyball tournament.

Larsen was named New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 1996 and 1998 and Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) Coach of the Year in 1998.

Larsen’s coaching experience also includes the 1995 USA Olympic Festival, where he served as head coach of the North Men’s Team and led his squad to a silver medal. He also coached the 1996 USA Boys Youth National Team, featuring the nation’s top 18 high school players.

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All-Time U.S. Men’s Indoor Volleyball Olympians 1964 (Tokyo) 9th Place Mike Bright Barry Brown Keith Erickson William Griebenow Richard Hammer Jacob Highland Ron Lang Charles Nelson Mike O’Hara Ernie Suwara John Taylor Pete Velasco, Jr. Head Coach: Harry Wilson Assistant Coach: Burt DeGroot 1968 (Mexico City) 7th Place John Alstrom Mike Bright Wink Davenport Smitty Duke Tom Haine John Henn Butch May Danny Patterson Larry Rundle Jon Stanley Rudy Suwara Pete Velasco, Jr. Head Coach: Jim Coleman Assistant Coach: John Lowell Trainer: Joe Abrahams 1984 (Los Angeles) Gold Medal Aldis Berzins Craig Buck Rich Duwelius Dusty Dvorak Karch Kiraly Chris Marlowe Pat Powers Steve Salmons Dave Saunders Paul Sunderland Steve Timmons Marc Waldie Head Coach: Doug Beal Assistant Coach: Bill Neville Assistant Coach: Tony Crabbe Team Manager: Mark Miller 1988 (Seoul) Gold Medal Craig Buck Bob Ctvrtlik Scott Fortune Karch Kiraly Ricci Luyties Doug Partie Jon Root Eric Sato Dave Saunders Jeff Stork Troy Tanner Steve Timmons Head Coach: Marv Dunphy Assistant Coach: Gary Sato Assistant Coach: Jim Coleman Team Manager: Gary Moy

1992 (Barcelona) Bronze Medal Nick Becker Carlos Briceno Bob Ctvrtlik Scott Fortune Dan Greenbaum Brent Hilliard Bryan Ivie Doug Partie Bob Samuelson Eric Sato Jeff Stork Steve Timmons Head Coach: Fred Sturm Assistant Coach: John Cook Assistant Coach: Gary Sato Team Manager: Kevin Ring 1996 (Atlanta) 9th Place Lloy Ball Bob Ctvrtlik Scott Fortune John Hyden Bryan Ivie Mike Lambert Dan Landry Jeff Nygaard Tom Sorensen Jeff Stork Ethan Watts Brett Winslow Head Coach: Fred Sturm Assistant Coach: Rudy Suwara Assistant Coach: Rod Wilde Team Manager: Eric Daly 2000 (Sydney) 11th Place Lloy Ball Kevin Barnett Tom Hoff John Hyden Mike Lambert Dan Landry Chip McCaw Ryan Millar Jeff Nygaard George Roumain Erik Sullivan Andy Witt Head Coach: Doug Beal Assistant Coach: Marv Dunphy Assistant Coach: Rod Wilde Team Leader: Jim Coleman

116

2004 (Athens) 4th Place Lloy Ball Kevin Barnett Brook Billings Phil Eatherton Gabe Gardner Tom Hoff Ryan Millar Reid Priddy Riley Salmon Clay Stanley Erik Sullivan Donald Suxho Head Coach: Doug Beal Assistant Coach: Hugh McCutcheon Assistant Coach: Rob Browning Assistant Coach: Carl McGown Team Consultant: Marv Dunphy Team Leader: Al Monaco Trainer: Nick Metskas 2008 (Beijing) Gold Medal Lloy Ball Gabe Gardner Kevin Hansen Tom Hoff Rich Lambourne David Lee Ryan Millar Reid Priddy Sean Rooney Riley Salmon Clay Stanley Scott Touzinsky Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon Assistant Coach: John Speraw Assistant Coach: Ron Larsen Technical Consultant: Marv Dunphy Technical Consultant: Carl McGown Technical Coach: Jamie Morrison Team Doctor: Chris Koutures Athletic Trainer: Aaron Brock

USA All-Time Versus International Competition

Overall Country Record 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Argentina 40-8 0-0 0-0 2-1 3-0 1-0 1-0 2-0 2-0 0-0 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-2 1-0 0-0 5-0 2-0 2-1 1-1 0-0 0-0 2-0 5-1 4-1 3-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 Australia 17-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-1 3-0 4-0 0-0 4-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 Bahamas Barbados 9-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 62-74 7-5 0-1 0-2 7-8 2-1 5-0 11-3 5-0 1-0 1-4 1-0 1-4 1-12 1-4 1-5 0-1 0-0 2-2 1-2 4-4 1-5 1-1 0-2 2-0 1-1 0-1 2-1 2-0 0-0 0-0 2-5 Brazil Bulgaria 22-13 0-0 0-1 4-0 4-0 6-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-4 2-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-1 0-0 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 2-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 Cameroon 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 93-34 7-0 8-1 8-0 2-2 4-3 1-0 5-0 2-2 5-1 0-5 5-2 4-5 1-1 6-4 6-0 0-0 1-0 7-1 3-3 1-2 1-1 3-1 5-0 2-0 0-1 2-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 Canada Chile 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 43-12 0-0 3-2 0-0 5-0 1-0 1-0 6-0 2-1 0-0 1-0 0-1 3-1 0-0 3-2 2-3 0-0 0-0 6-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 3-1 0-0 0-0 China Costa Rica 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 Cuba 73-69 1-2 0-0 4-6 5-7 9-4 9-5 6-3 14-0 0-3 0-7 1-3 1-8 1-5 2-0 4-4 0-1 0-2 0-2 4-1 0-1 0-2 0-0 1-1 2-0 2-0 2-0 2-0 1-0 0-1 0-0 2-1 Cuba “B” 0-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-2 0-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Czech “B” 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 20-5 0-0 0-0 1-0 5-0 2-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 5-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-4 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-0 Czech Rep. Denmark 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Domin. Rep. 13-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 12-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 4-0 1-0 Egypt Finland 13-1 0-0 0-0 5-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 4-0 0-0 3-1 0-0 37-16 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 6-0 2-1 4-1 1-2 5-4 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 2-1 3-0 1-2 2-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-1 0-0 0-1 3-2 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 France Germany 17-5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-2 1-0 0-0 2-2 1-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 Great Britain 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 Greece 12-8 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-2 0-4 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-2 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Guatemala 6-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 Haiti 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Honduras 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 India 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Iran 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Iraq 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Italy 23-39 0-0 4-2 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-5 1-3 2-1 0-4 0-2 1-4 0-0 0-0 0-2 3-3 0-2 0-0 1-5 0-1 0-1 1-0 0-1 4-0 1-0 3-1 0-1 0-0 Jamaica 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Japan 136-59 3-6 11-4 5-4 8-0 8-0 12-0 4-0 8-0 8-1 3-4 6-6 7-7 3-9 5-4 7-3 8-0 4-4 4-1 6-1 0-0 2-4 0-0 1-0 3-1 1-0 4-0 5-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Korea 45-7 0-0 6-1 0-0 4-0 4-0 1-0 0-0 11-0 1-0 1-0 3-2 0-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-1 4-2 0-0 0-0 5-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Libya 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Mexico 25-0 1-0 2-0 1-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 Neth. Ant. 2-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Netherlands 24-31 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 3-7 0-2 4-2 1-4 0-0 0-2 3-2 1-0 0-0 0-1 0-2 0-1 1-3 0-1 0-0 1-0 2-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-1 0-0 0-0 Panama 7-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 Poland 33-16 0-0 3-3 11-2 1-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 4-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 2-4 0-0 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-4 1-1 1-0 0-0 0-0 2-2 Portugal 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Puerto Rico 28-1 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 3-0 0-0 3-1 2-0 1-0 0-0 6-0 Romania 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Russia 56-44 0-0 0-1 0-1 4-1 8-2 5-4 6-2 9-3 8-1 3-3 2-3 4-1 1-3 0-0 0-0 2-1 0-0 0-1 0-1 0-2 0-0 0-1 0-0 2-5 0-0 0-0 0-2 1-0 0-1 1-4 0-1 Russia “B” 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Serbia/Mont. 10-12 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-2 0-0 0-1 1-0 0-2 0-0 1-1 0-1 1-0 0-0 1-3 0-0 2-1 0-1 0-0 0-1 Slovakia 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Slovenia 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 3-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Spain 16-5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 1-3 4-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 4-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Sweden 10-4 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 4-1 5-3 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Thailand 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Trinidad & Tob. 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 Tunisia 8-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Ukraine 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-1 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Venezuela 11-3 0-0 1-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 1-0 0-1 1-0 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-1 1-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 Virgin Is. 2-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 1-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Total 945-466 22-13 47-16 44-16 55-18 56-11 47-9 49-9 64-8 39-19 21-37 29-23 26-31 18-38 27-26 36-27 28-8 11-8 47-19 32-15 28-18 15-17 19-17 23-6 20-9 27-6 18-14 33-8 29-5 16-6 14-7 20-10 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

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International Volleyball Fact Sheet Introduction: Volleyball has major international competitions every year and, at its highest level, is a physically demanding sport played by some of the world’s most elite athletes. Of course, volleyball is also a popular recreational activity enjoyed by more than 38 million persons in the United States (more than any team sport but basketball) and more than 800 million persons globally, making it the world’s most popular participant sport. This fact sheet is designed to provide more understanding about international volleyball and its major competitions, including the Olympic Games.

International Governing Body: The international governing body for volleyball is the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB), headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIVB is the world’s largest sports federation, with more than 200 member nations. Under the direction of its president, Dr. Ruben Acosta of Mexico, the FIVB oversees the administration of volleyball throughout the world and is responsible for producing several major events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and World Grand Prix.

National Governing Body: The national governing body (NGB) for volleyball in the United States is USA Volleyball, formerly known as the United States Volleyball Association. Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is responsible for the administration of all forms of volleyball in the United States, including producing the annual USA Open Volleyball Championships, Junior Olympic Championships and the USA Outdoor National Championships.

As mandated by the 1978 Amateur Sports Act, USA Volleyball is responsible to the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and the FIVB for training and nominating the teams which represent the United States in the Olympic Games and other important volleyball competitions worldwide.

Major Competitions: The four major events on the international volleyball calendar are the Olympic Games (men and women, indoor and beach), World Championships (men and women, indoor and beach), World Cup (men and women, indoor), World League (men, indoor) and World Grand Prix (women, indoor). All events are conducted quadrennially, with the exceptions of the annual World League/Grand Prix and the biennial Beach World Championships.

World Rankings: Following the decision of the FIVB Board of Administration, a new system of point attribution based on a new scale has been implemented for the FIVB World Ranking of Volleyball National Teams. The following competitions are now included: • Senior World Championships included for four years - 25 percent reduction each year. Points are also granted for the qualification matches, to the best non-qualified teams.

• Olympic Games included for four years - 25 percent reduction each year. Points are also granted for the qualification matches, to the best non-qualified teams.

• World Cup included for two years - 50 percent reduction the second year.

• Senior Continental Championships included for two years - 50 percent reduction the second year; points are also granted for the qualification matches to the best non-qualified teams.

• Men’s World League / Women’s World Grand Prix included for one year.

Top 40 teams in the FIVB World Ranking: Women (Points) - as of 1/4/2012 1. USA (245) 2. Brazil (217.5) 3. Japan (197.25) 4. Italy (190.75) 5. China (169) 6. Serbia (145) 7. Russia (131.25) 8. Germany (108.25) 9. Dominican Republic (72.75) 10. Cuba (69) 11. Turkey (64.25) 12. Thailand (62) 13. Korea (56.25) 14. Poland (55.75) 15. Kenya (50.75) 16. Algeria (47.25) 17. Peru (42.5) 18. Argentina (40) 19. Puerto Rico (33.5) 20. Netherlands (30.25) 21. Egypt (28) 22. Canada (25.75) 23T. Czech Republic (23.75) 23T. Kazakhstan (23.75) 25. Senegal (23.5) 26. Colombia (22.5) 27. Mexico (20.25) 28T. Costa Rica (20) 28T. Chinese Taipei (20) 30. Cameroon (19) 31. Uruguay (18.25) 32. Croatia (17.25) 33. Tunisia (16) 34. Trinidad & Tobago (15.75) 35. Romania (14.5) 36. Azerbaijan (14.25) 37. Chile (13.75) 38T. Belgium (12.25) 38T. Belarus (12.25) 40T. Spain (10.5) 40T. France (10.5)

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Men (Points) as of 1/4/2012 1. Brazil (252.5) 2. Russia (234.5) 3. Italy (191) 4. Poland (182) 5. Cuba (160.25) 6. USA (148) 7. Serbia (136.25) 8. Argentina (121.75) 9. Bulgaria (88.75) 10. China (57.25) 11. Egypt (55) 12. Iran (50.25) 13. Germany (46.5) 14. Cameroon (45.25) 15. Japan (41) 16. Venezuela (40.75) 17. Puerto Rico (38.5) 18T. Canada (37.25) 18T. Tunisia (37.25) 20. Korea (36.5) 21. France (35.75) 22. Australia (33.5) 23T. Mexico (33) 23T. Czech Republic (33) 25. Algeria (26.25) 26. Slovakia (25.25) 27T. Finland (24.75) 27T. Colombia (24.75) 29. Spain (24.25) 30. India (19.75) 31. Chile (18.75) 32. Morocco (17) 33. Trinidad & Tobago (16.25) 34. Portugal (15.5) 35. Congo (14) 36T. Estonia (12.75) 36T. Netherlands (12.75) 36T. Slovenia (12.75) 36T. South Africa (12.75) 40. Romania (12.25)

International Volleyball Fact Sheet Olympic Games: Volleyball made its debut in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Twelve teams in both the men’s and women’s draw earn the right to compete: Past Olympic Champions (Men) 1964: Soviet Union (USA, ninth) 1968: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1972: Japan, (USA, DNQ) 1976: Poland (USA, DNQ) 1980: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1984: USA 1988: USA 1992: Brazil (USA, third) 1996: Netherlands (USA, ninth) 2000: Yugoslavia (USA, 11th) 2004: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2008: USA Past Olympic Champions (Women) 1964: Japan (USA, fifth) 1968: Soviet Union (USA, eighth) 1972: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1976: Japan (USA, DNQ) 1980: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1984: China (USA, second) 1988: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1992: Cuba (USA, third) 1996: Cuba (USA, seventh) 2000: Cuba (USA, fourth) 2004: China (USA, fifth) 2008: Brazil (USA, second)

Past World Champions (Women) 1952: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1956: Soviet Union (USA, ninth) 1960: Soviet Union (USA, sixth) 1962: Japan (USA, DNP) 1966: Japan (USA, second) 1970: Soviet Union (USA, 11th) 1974: Japan (USA, 12th) 1978: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1982: China (USA, third) 1986: China (USA, 10th) 1990: Soviet Union (USA, third) 1994: Cuba (USA, sixth) 1998: Cuba (USA, 13th) 2002: Italy (USA, second) 2006: Russia (USA, ninth) 2010: Russia (USA, fourth) World Cup: The World Cup is held every four years, in the year prior to the Olympic Games. Though originally held at various sites, it has been hosted by Japan since 1977. Prior to 1991, the World Cup took place in the year immediately following the Olympics. The 12 berths in the World Cup for men and women are gained in the following manner:

World Championships: The World Championships are held every four years in the second year after the Olympics. The site, usually separate for the men’s and women’s competitions, is determined by the FIVB based on bids received from interested cities. The 24 berths for the men and women are gained in the following manner (2006 information is provided in parenthesis where available): Host country • • Defending World Champions • FIVB determined the appropriate number of qualification spots for each continent/zone based on performance at the 2002 World Championships and the number of teams registered for the 2006 World Championships. Each continent/zone played a World Championships Qualification Tournament in early 2002.

Past World Champions (Men) 1949: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1952: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1956: Czechoslovakia (USA, sixth) 1960: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1962: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1966: Czechoslovakia (USA, 11th) 1970: East Germany (USA, 18th) 1974: Not held 1978: Soviet Union (USA, 19th) 1982: Soviet Union (USA, 13th) 1986: USA 1990: Italy (USA, 13th) 1994: Italy (USA, third) 1998: Italy (USA, ninth) 2002: Brazil (USA, ninth)

2006: Brazil (USA, 10th) 2010: Brazil (USA, sixth)

• Host country (Japan- Men and Women) • Defending World Cup champion • Winners of the five zone championships • The highest-placed team (of each zone) not qualified for the Olympic Games in accordance with the ranking of the zone championships.

Past World Cup Champions (Men) 1965: Soviet Union (USA, DNP) 1969: East Germany (USA, DNP) 1973: Soviet Union (USA, seventh) 1977: Soviet Union (USA, 10th) 1981: Soviet Union (USA, DNQ) 1985: USA 1989: Cuba (USA, fourth) 1991: Soviet Union (USA, third) 1995: Italy (USA, fourth) 1999: Russia (USA, fourth) 2003: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2007: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2011: Russia (USA, sixth) Past World Cup Champions (Women) 1973: Soviet Union (USA, sixth) 1977: Japan (USA, seventh) 1981: China (USA, fourth) 1985: China (USA, DNQ) 1989: Cuba (USA, DNQ) 1991: Cuba (USA, fourth) 1995: Cuba (USA, seventh) 1999: Cuba (USA, ninth) 2003: China (USA, third) 2007: Italy (USA, third) 2011: Italy (USA, second)

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International Volleyball Fact Sheet Zone Championships: The volleyball world is divided into five international zones.The United States is in the NORCECA (North America Central America Caribbean) Zone, with championships held every other year at various sites. The other zones are Europe, Asia, Africa and South America. The frequency of zone championships competition varies in each of the five sections.

Any nation in a particular zone may participate in its zone championships whenever such a competition is conducted.

Past NORCECA Champions (Men) 1969: Cuba (USA, third) 1971: Cuba (USA, second) 1973: USA 1975: Cuba (USA, third) 1977: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1979: Cuba (USA, fifth) 1981: Cuba (USA, second) 1983: USA 1985: USA 1987: Cuba (USA, second) 1989: Cuba (USA, third) 1991: Cuba (USA, second) 1993: Cuba (USA, second) 1995: Cuba (USA, second) 1997: Cuba (USA, second) 1999: USA 2001: Cuba (USA, second) 2003: USA 2005: USA 2007: USA 2009: Cuba (USA, second) 2011: Cuba (USA, second) Past NORCECA Champions (Women) 1969: Mexico (USA, bronze) 1971: Mexico (USA, DNP) 1973: Cuba (USA, third) 1975: Cuba (USA, second) 1977: Cuba (USA, third) 1979: Cuba (USA, second) 1981: USA 1983: USA 1985: Cuba (USA, second) 1987: Cuba (USA, second) 1989: Cuba (USA, third) 1991: Cuba (USA, second) 1993: Cuba (USA, second) 1995: Cuba (USA, second) 1997: Cuba (USA, second) 1999: Cuba (USA, second) 2001: USA 2003: USA 2005: USA 2007: Cuba (USA, second) 2009: Dominican Republic (USA, fourth) 2011: USA

World League and World Grand Prix: The World League features the top 12 men’s volleyball teams in the world in competition for a total purse that has grown to $15 million since the inaugural season in 1990. Teams are divided into three, four-team pools and each country playing the other teams in their pool four times (twice at home, twice on the road). The winner and runner-up in each pool advance to a seeded playoff round. The regular season is usually played in May and June with playoffs in early July.

The World Grand Prix is the women’s counterpart to the World League, and offers a total purse of $2 million to its 12-team field.

Teams play in different four-team pools each weekend, at roundrobin tournaments hosted by cities throughout Asia. The three teams with the best records join the host country for the Grand Prix Finals. The regular season is played in August and earlySeptember with playoffs in mid-September.

World League Champions 1990: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1991: Italy (USA, third in pool) 1992: Italy (USA, first in pool, third overall) 1993: Brazil (USA, fifth in pool) 1994: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1995: Italy (USA, fourth in pool) 1996: Netherlands (USA, DNP) 1997: Italy (USA, DNP) 1998: Cuba (USA, DNP) 1999: Italy (USA, DNP) 2000: Italy (USA, first in pool, sixth overall) 2001: Brazil (USA, third in pool, tied-ninth overall) 2002: Russia (USA, DNP) 2003: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2004: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2005: Brazil (USA, DNP) 2006: Brazil (USA, third in pool) 2007: Brazil (USA, third in finals) 2008: USA 2009: Brazil (USA, sixth) 2010: Brazil (USA, eighth) World Grand Prix Champions 1993: Cuba (USA, seventh regular season) 1994: Brazil (USA, fifth regular season) 1995: USA 1996: Brazil (USA, fifth) 1997: Russia (USA, eighth) 1998: Brazil (USA, eighth) 1999: Russia (USA, DNP) 2000: Cuba (USA, sixth) 2001: USA 2002: Russia (USA, sixth) 2003: China (USA, third) 2004: Brazil (USA, third) 2005: Brazil (USA, eighth) 2006: Brazil (USA, seventh) 2007: Netherlands (USA, eighth final, seventh preliminary) 2008: Brazil (USA, fourth) 2009: Brazil (USA, ninth) 2010: USA 2011: USA

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USA Volleyball – 2012 Fact Sheet Name: USA Volleyball Location: Colorado Springs, Colo.

Founded: 1928 Membership: Approximately 275,000 Mission: USA Volleyball is the National Governing Body (NGB) for all disciplines of volleyball in the United States and is officially recognized by the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). As mandated by the Amateur Sports Act, USA Volleyball is responsible for the growth of the sport in America at the grassroots and most elite levels. USA Volleyball is the parent organization of the USA National Teams.

Chief Executive Officer: Doug Beal Head Coach USA Women: Hugh McCutcheon (Fourth Year with Women’s Team) Head Coach USA Men: Alan Knipe (Fourth Year with Men’s Team) Major 2012 National Team Events: Senior Women’s Volleyball FIVB World Grand Prix (June 8-July 1, Various Countries) Pan American Cup (July 11-21, Mexico) U.S. versus Bulgaria (July 14, 16, 18 - Anaheim/Los Angeles, Calif.)

Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 13, London)

Senior Men’s Volleyball U.S. versus Argentina (April 27 and April 29, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)

NORCECA Men’s Continental Olympic Qualifier (May 7-12, Long Beach, Calif.)

FIVB World League (May 18-July 8, Various Countries) Pan American Cup (July 7-15, Dominican Republic) Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 13, London)

Indoor High Performance and USAV Juniors (Youth and Junior) Indoor High Performance and USAV Juniors (Youth and Junior) NORCECA Girls’ Youth Championship (June 26-July 1, Dominican Republic) USAV Girls’ Junior National Championships (June 28-July 7, Columbus, Ohio) NORCECA Boys’ Youth Championship (July 2-7, Mexico) USAV Boys’ Junior National Championships (July 1-8, Dallas, Texas) USAV High Performance Championships (July 24-28, Des Moines, Iowa) NORCECA Women’s Junior Championship (Aug. 21-26, Nicaragua) NORCECA Men’s Junior Championship (Aug. 27-Sept. 1, Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Beach FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour (various countries) NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour (various countries) Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series (various stops in United States) FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Youth World Championships (July 11-14, Cyprus) FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch Junior World Championsihps (Aug. 29-Sept. 2, Canada) U.S. Open of Beach Volleyball (Sept. 14-16, Manhattan Beach, Calif.)

Other Events NCVF Collegiate Club Championships (April 5-7, Kansas City, Mo.) USAV Beach Collegiate Challenge (April 14-15, Hermosa Beach, Calif.)

USA Volleyball Open National Championships (May 26-June 2, Salt Lake City, Utah) USA Beach Junior Tour (various locations) About USA Volleyball: Founded in 1928, USA Volleyball is a Colorado incorporated non-profit organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and the Federation International de Volleyball (FIVB) as the National Governing Body for the sport of Volleyball in the United States. USA Volleyball is responsible for both the Olympic disciplines of indoor volleyball and beach volleyball. USA Volleyball has over 275,000 registered members, 12,000 teams and 5,300 clubs nationwide.

With an annual budget in excess of $17 million dollars, USA Volleyball supports the USA men’s and women’s senior national team programs, youth and junior national teams, national championship events, coaching education and certification programs, grassroots development, and programs for the disabled and Paralympic Teams.

USA Volleyball has a rich tradition of success as evidenced by winning an Olympic medal in every Olympic Games since 1984 and capturing numerous World Cup, World Championship and Continental Championship titles. USA Volleyball is committed to and works toward opportunity for all to participate. It is an advocate for all Americans endeavoring to assure universal access to opportunities at all levels of the game. For more information please visit www.usavolleyball.org.

Other: USA Volleyball consists of 40 regional volleyball associations which manage grassroots playing opportunities for the USA Volleyball membership and is affiliated with 36 member organizations (i.e. NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, YMCA) that provide playing opportunities at a variety of levels.

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