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Coach John Speraw didn’t delay finalizing the U.S. men’s volleyball roster for the Olympics.
USA Volleyball announced on Friday the 12-player roster and alternate selection for the Olympic Games starting July 26 in Paris.
This is the earliest in the Olympic quadrennial that the United States determined its roster since Speraw took over the team in 2013.
The decision also comes before the start of the FIVB Volleyball Nations League later this month. The United States for previous games has waited until the conclusion of the Volleyball Nations League to finalize its Olympic roster.
“Choosing the team now allows us to manage a veteran team and the grind of Volleyball Nations League travel to ensure we have a good balance between training, recovery and competition to prepare ourselves for the Games,” Speraw said in an interview with USA Volleyball.
Penn State leads all college teams with three former players making the U.S. roster, including opposite Matt Anderson who will be playing in his fourth Olympics. Both Loyola and UCLA also have multiple former players selected to the team.
Along with these schools, Hawai’i, Long Beach State, Stanford, UC Irvine and USC each have a former player named to the U.S. roster.
The United States after winning the bronze medal in the 2016 Olympics and did not advance beyond the pool-play stage at the Olympics in 2021.
The team is No. 2 in the FIVB rankings and won the silver medal at the 2023 Volleyball Nations League.
U.S. Men’s National Team Olympic roster
Setter: Micah Christenson (USC 2012-15)
Setter: Micah Ma’a (UCLA 2016-19)
Opposite: Matt Anderson (Penn State 2006-08)
Outside attacker: TJ DeFalco (Long Beach 2016-19)
Outside attacker: Thomas Jaeschke (Loyola 2013-15)
Outside attacker: Garrett Muagututia (UCLA 2007-10)
Outside attacker: Aaron Russell (Penn State (2012-15)
Middle attacker: Taylor Averill (Hawai’i 2012-15)
Middle attacker Max Holt (Penn State 2006-09)
Middle attacker: Jeff Jendryk (Loyola 2015-18)
Middle attacker: David Smith (UC Irvine 2004-07)
Libero: Erik Shoji (Stanford 2009-12)
Alternate: Kyle Ensing (Long Beach State 2016-19)