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There will be a new Captain America at the biggest international men’s junior volleyball tournament.
Long Beach State outside attacker Taylor Crabb was selected as the captain of the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team for the 2011 World Championship tournament that starts Monday.
This is the second year Crabb has played for the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team and competed at the international level.
Crabb received the best spiker award at the 2010 NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championship. The United States won that tournament to qualify for the 2011 World Championship.
Crabb is one of 15 current college men’s volleyball players on the U.S. roster for this international tournament.
As a freshman at Long Beach State, Crabb ended the 2011 season second on the team with a 2.60 kills per game average. He also was named to the All-MPSF Freshman Team and was an All-MPSF Honorable Mention.
Crabb being chosen as the U.S. team captain was announced on the FIVB website for the 2011 Men’s Junior World Championship.
The World Championship will be played in Brazil and is a 10-day tournament comprised of 16 national teams.
The United States opens the tournament competing in a four-team pool with matches against Bulgaria on Monday, Brazil on Tuesday and Japan on Wednesday. After playing three pool-play matches, the top two teams in each of the four pools will qualify for the semifinals.
The United States enters this tournament ranked No. 9 in the FIVB Men’s Junior and Youth World Rankings. Brazil is the highest ranked team in Pool A at No. 7, while Japan is ranked No. 13 and Bulgaria is at No. 15.