USAV Names Men's Roster for Tokyo Olympic Games - USA Volleyball (2024)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June14, 2021) – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the 12-player men’s team that will compete for the U.S. at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, pending approval from the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee.

Eight players return from the 2016 squad that won the bronze medal in Rio de Janeiro.

Twoathletesmakingtheir third Olympic appearancesareopposite/outside hitter Matt Anderson and middle blocker David Smith.

Making their second Olympic appearances will be setters Micah Christenson and Kawika Shoji, middle blocker Max Holt, outside hitters Thomas Jaeschke and Taylor Sander,and libero Erik Shoji.

Competing in their first Olympics will beopposite Kyle Ensing,outside hitters T.J.DeFalcoand GarrettMuagututiaand middle blocker Mitch Stahl.

The eight Olympic alternates are middle blockers Taylor Averill and JeffJendryk,oppositesBen Patchand Kyle Russell, outside hitters Aaron Russelland Brenden Sander, setter Josh Tuaniga and libero DustinWatten.

Ensing and DeFalco, both 24, are the youngest players on the team. David Smith, 36, is the oldest. The average age of the roster is 29.9.

“Wehad some really difficultdecisions to make,” said U.S. Men’s Head Coach John Speraw.“Team USA over the last four or five years has become deeper. The discussions about whomto take on this team involved the performancesduring VNL as well as what these players bring as teammates and competitors.”

Speraw took over as U.S. Men’s head coach in 2013 and will beworking his second Olympic Games in that role. He was an assistant coach at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

Brian Thornton will beattendinghis first Olympics as an assistant coach. He played setter on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Men’s Team.Assistant coaches MattFuerbringerand Mike Wall will be working their second Olympic Games in those roles.

“The pastyear has been challenging for all of us,” Speraw said.“Weare grateful we have the opportunityto compete at anOlympic Games. There have been a lot of people who have dealt with significantstress and loss. No matter what this tourney throwsourway, we will continueto be resilientand adapt andbegrateful to representthe United States.”

The U.S. Men are ranked No. 3 in the world and currently competing at the FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Rimini, Italy. Since 2016, the Men’s Team has finished third at the FIVB World Championship and at the World Cup.

The team will briefly return to its Anaheim training center before heading to Japan. Prior to its arrival in Tokyo, the team will train in the Japanese city of Mishima and play two matches against Japan’s men’s team.

The 2020 Olympic Games, which were postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to begin on July 23 with the Opening Ceremony. Themen’s volleyball tournament will commence on July 24.

All team nominations are subject to USOPC approval.

U.S.Men’s Roster for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

No. Player (Position, Height, Hometown, College)
1 Matt Anderson (OPP, 6-10, West Seneca, N.Y., Penn State Univ.)
3 Taylor Sander (OH, 6-4, Huntington Beach, Calif., Brigham Young Univ.)
5 Kyle Ensing (OPP, 6-7, Valencia, Calif., Long Beach State Univ.)
6 Mitch Stahl (MB, 6-8, Chambersburg, Pa., Univ. of California Los Angeles)
7 Kawika Shoji (S, 6-3, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ.)
8 T.J.DeFalco(OH, 6-5, Huntington Beach, Calif., Long Beach State Univ.)
11 Micah Christenson (S, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Southern California)
12 Max Holt (MB, 6-10, Cincinnati, Ohio, Penn State Univ.)
17 Thomas Jaeschke (OH, 6-6, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago)
18 GarrettMuagututia(OH, 6-5, Oceanside, Calif., Univ. of California Los Angeles)
20 David Smith (MB, 6-7, Saugus, Calif., Univ. of California Irvine)
22 Erik Shoji (L, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford Univ.)

Alternates

2 Aaron Russell (OH, 6-9, Ellicott City, Md., Penn State Univ.)
4 JeffJendryk(MB, 6-10, Wheaton, Ill., Loyola Univ. Chicago)
13 Ben Patch (OPP, 6-8, Layton, Utah, Brigham Young Univ.)
15 Brenden Sander (OH, 6-4, Huntington Beach, Calif., Brigham Young Univ.)
16 Josh Tuaniga (S, 6-3, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State Univ.)
19 Taylor Averill (MB, 6-7, San Jose, Calif., Univ. of Hawaii)
21 DustinWatten(L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State Univ.)
25 Kyle Russell (OPP, 6-9, Sacramento, Calif., Univ. of California Irvine)

Head CoachJohn Speraw
Asst. CoachBrian Thornton
Asst.CoachMatthewFuerbringer
Asst. Coach Mike Wall
Team Manager Erik Sullivan
Technical Coordinator Nate Ngo
Athletic TrainerAaron Brock
Strength CoachTimothyPelot
Doctor Chris Lee
Statistician/ScoutAndrew Strick
Massage Therapist Jennifer Holt