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The initial roster is set as the United States attempts to win its second consecutive gold medal at the U21 NORCECA Pan American Cup.
USA Volleyball announced Thursday that 20 current and incoming NCAA men’s volleyball players have been selected to the U.S. preliminary roster for the international event in June.
Among the players making the U.S. roster includes four Freshman All-Americans from the recent NCAA season – Penn State libero Ryan Merk, Stanford opposite Theo Snoey, former St. Francis Brooklyn opposite Patrick Rogers and Ohio State opposite Shane Wetzel. Merk also was the recipient of the 2023 Steve Shondell Award as the nation’s top passer in NCAA men’s volleyball.
Both Long Beach State and Ohio State led all schools with three players being named to the U.S. roster. In addition, Penn State and Stanford each had multiple players make the team.
The United States in preparation for the Pan American Cup will have a six-day training session beginning Sunday in Anaheim, California. The roster will then be reduced to 12 players before the team travels to Cuba for the start of the tournament on June 5.
“The talent level of the group for this summer’s competitions has taken a significant step up with almost every player coming off a highly successful collegiate season,” head coach Andy Read said in a statement. “Several of these young men have the potential to represent the United States in upcoming Olympics Games.”
The United States enters this event after winning the gold medal at the 2022 U21 Pan American Cup. The team with that performance clinched a berth to the 2023 FIVB World Championship.
U.S. primary roster
Setter: Island Doty, Long Beach State
Setter: Gabe Dyer, UC San Diego
Setter: Tyler Morgan, Lewis
Opposite: George Bruening, UC Santa Barbara
Opposite: Theo Snoey, Stanford
Opposite: Shane Wetzel, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Dane Hillis, Long Beach State
Outside attacker: Trent Moser, BYU
Outside attacker: Ben Putnam, Ohio State
Outside attacker: Patrick Rogers
Outside attacker: Kyle Teune, Ohio State
MIddle attacker: Nicodemus Meyer, Loyola
Middle attacker: Markus Olsson, USC
Middle attacker: Nyherowo Omene, Princeton
Middle attacker: Owen Rose, Penn State
Middle attacker: Micah Wong Diallo, UCLA
Outside attacker: Alex Rottman, Stanford
Libero: Christopher Connelly, Long Beach State
Libero: Ryan Merk, Penn State
Libero: Jacob Reilly, Concordia