U.S. men’s volleyball records, noteworthy stats from 2016 Olympics

This Olympics featured just about everything for the United States, including several record-setting performances as its won the bronze medal.

Check out the some of the U.S. noteworthy stats, tends and various individual records achieved during the recent 2016 Olympics in Rio.

— This was not only the first time in Olympic history the United States won a medal after losing its first two matches — it was the first time the country even reached the quarterfinals after starting 0-2 at an Olympics.

— The United States under head coach John Speraw earned the nation’s fifth all-time medal in Olympic indoor men’s volleyball since volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1964. This bronze medal also continued a trend of the United States having only won medals in the Olympics when the team had a coach making his Olympic debut as a head coach.

— The U.S. five-game victory against Russia in the bronze-medal match on Sunday was the first time the United States overcame a two-match deficit to win an Olympic match in 28 years. In addition, it was the first time the United States defeated Russia in an Olympic match since the 1988 gold-medal match.

— Opposite Matt Anderson finished second in the tournament with 108 kills and became the second U.S. player during the rally scoring era to have more than 100 kills at the Olympics. He also was eight kills away from tying the U.S. record for most kills in an Olympics during the rally scoring era set by opposite Clay Stanley’s U.S. in 2008.

— Outside attacker Reid Priddy coming off the bench in his final Olympic match had 17 kills as the United States beat Russia to win the bronze medal. This was the most kills in an Olympic match for the four-time Olympian since he had 17 kills in a five-game victory against Russia in the 2008 semifinals. Priddy in these two matches had a combined three attack errors and a .500 attack percentage.

— U.S. middle attacker Max Holt finished second at the Olympics with 20 blocks, while his fellow starting middle attacker and U.S. captain David Lee was third with 17 kills. Holt also joins Lee and former middle attacker Ryan Millar as the only U.S. players during the rally scoring era to have at least 20 kills in an Olympics.

— Holt ended the tournament leading the United States and being second in the Olympics with 12 aces. The former Penn State All-American also had the third most aces for a U.S. player in the Olympics during the rally scoring era — only trailing Stanley’s 17 aces in 2008 and 15 aces in 2004.

— Outside attacker Taylor Sander, Holt and Anderson all finished the Olympics with double-digit aces. This is the first time since 2004 that a nation had three players with at least 10 aces during the Olympics. In addition, the players became the first U.S. trio to achieve the Olympic feat during the rally scoring era.

— Libero Erik Shoji finished with a tournament-best 56 digs. Shoji also becomes the first U.S. player to lead the Olympics in digs during the rally scoring era and joins former libero Rich Lambourne as the only U.S. players to have more than 50 digs in the Olympics during this era.

— Setter Micah Christenson in his first Olympics led the tournament and set a U.S. rally scoring era record with a 10.97 assists per game average. In addition, the former USC All-American and two-time recipient of the Lloy Ball Award became the first U.S. player to lead the Olympics in assists per game average during the rally scoring era.

— This was the third consecutive Olympics that Lee finished in the tournament’s top five for blocks per game average. In addition, Lee with 17 blocks at this Olympics now has 65 career blocks in Olympic play — the most of any U.S. player during the rally scoring era.

— Christenson became the second former USC setter to win an Olympic medal joining Dusty Dvorak who helped the United States win the 1984 gold medal.

— U.S. outside attacker and former Loyola All-American Thomas Jaeschke became the first player in the school’s history to win an Olympic medal.

— Penn State led all schools with three former players on the U.S. roster. Anderson, Russell and Holt also beaome the first Nittany Lions to win an Olympic medal in men’s volleyball.

— The United States went undefeated in its two Olympic matches that started before noon local time.