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Check out the Olympics men’s volleyball quarterfinal matches to follow today and how to follow the match live.
No. 2 seed United States (3-0) vs. No. 7 seed Brazil (1-2)
Match vitals: 9 p.m. (3 p.m. EDT) in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock), TV (USA Network)
World rankings: United States (No. 6); Brazil (No. 7)
Olympic all-time series: United States leads 7-6
Olympic appearances: United States (1964, 1968, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020); Brazil (1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024)
Olympic medals: United States (1984 gold, 1988 gold, 1992 bronze, 2008 gold, 2016 bronze); Brazil (1984 silver, 1992 gold, 2004 gold, 2008 silver, 2012 silver, 2016 gold)
NCAA players on U.S. roster: Matt Anderson (Penn State 2006-08);; Taylor Averill (Hawai’i 2012-15); Micah Christenson (USC 2012-15); TJ DeFalco (Long Beach 2016-19); Max Holt (Penn State 2006-09); Thomas Jaeschke (Loyola 2013-15); Jeff Jendryk (Loyola 2015-18); Micah Ma’a (UCLA 2016-19); Garrett Muagututia (UCLA 2007-10); Aaron Russell (Penn State (2012-15); David Smith (UC Irvine 2004-07); Erik Shoji (Stanford 2009-12)
NCAA players on Brazil roster: None
What to know: It almost poetic for this group of U.S. players to have one more marquee match against Brazil. The two teams during the last three quadrennials have consistently met in major international tournaments ranging from the Volleyball Nations League Finals to the Olympics. Now, with the majority of U.S. players likely competing in their last Olympics they will play Brazil one more time. The United States enters this quarterfinals match after hitting at least a .400 in all three pool-play matches. In addition, former USC setter Micah Christenson guided the offense to a .510 attack percentage in the pool-play finale against Japan. Former Penn State outside attacker Aaron Russell led the United States during the pool-play stage with 38 kills on a .485 attack percentage and had double-digit kills in every match. Along with Russell, former Long Beach State outside attacker TJ DeFalco had 36 kills in pool-play highlighted with nine kills on a .667 attack percentage in a sweep against Argentina. DeFalco also had a team-high 18 kills on a ..417 attack percentage as the United States defeated Brazil in five games at the 2024 FIVB Volleyball Nations League – the last meeting between the two teams. Pin-hitter Darlan Ferreira Souza leads Brazil and is second among all players at the Olympics with 52 kills. Among Darlan’s top performances included a match-high 23 kills in a loss to Italy.
No. 3 seed Slovenia (3-0) vs. No. 6 seed Poland (1-2)
Match vitals: 9 a.m. (3 a.m. EDT) in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock)
World rankings: Slovenia (No. 5); Poland (No. 1)
How they reached the quarterfinals: Slovenia went undefeated in pool-play to win the Pool A title and earn the No. 3 seed. Poland opened the tournament with two wins and finished in second place to Pool B to receive the No. 6 seed.
Olympic appearances: Poland (1968, 1972 1976, 1980, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024); Slovenia (2024)
Olympic medals: Poland (1976 gold); Slovenia (none)
NCAA players on Slovenia roster: None
No. 1 seed Italy (3-0) vs. No. 8 seed Japan (1-2)
Match vitals: 1 p.m. (7 a.m. EDT) in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock)
World rankings: Italy (No. 3); Japan (No. 2)
How they reached the quarterfinals: Italy went undefeated in pool-play and lost the fewest sets of any team en route to earning the No. 1 overall seed. Japan was the second-best third-place team among the three pools to earn the final quarterfinals berth.
Olympic appearances: Italy (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024); Japan (1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1984, 1988, 1992, 2008, 2020, 2024)
Olympic medals: Italy (1984 bronze, 1996 silver, 2000 bronze, 2004 silver, 2012 bronze, 2016 silver); Japan (1964 bronze, 1968 silver, 1972 gold)
NCAA players on Italy roster: None
NCAA players on Japan roster: None
No. 4 seed France (2-1) vs. No. 5 seed Germany (2-1)
Match vitals: 5 p.m. (11 a.m. EDT) Monday in Paris
Follow live: Live stats, Live video (Peacock)
World rankings: France (No. 4); Germany (No. 11)
How they reached the quarterfinals: France won its first two pool-play matches and finished in second place in Pool B to clinch the No. 4 seed. Germany upset Japan on the opening day of the tournament and finished Pool C in second place to earn the No. 5 seed.
Olympic appearances: France (1988, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2020, 2024); Germany (2008, 2012, 2024)
Olympic medals: France (2020 gold); Germany (none)
NCAA players on France roster: Kevin Tillie (UC Irvine 2012-13)
NCAA players on Germany roster: None