Men’s U21 Training Team Has Some New Players, Same Purpose
A change in tournament dates for the Men’s U21 Pan American Cup has forced some changes to the U.S. training team roster for the event
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 3, 2022) – Twelve U.S. athletes and a staff of six are in Havana, Cuba this week to compete at the Men’s U21 Pan American Cup on Oct. 3-8.
The top two Pan Am Cup finishers from NORCECA countries will qualify for the 2023 FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship.
Although the tournament begins Oct. 3, the U.S. Men will play their first pool play match on Tuesday (Oct. 4) against Mexico. Their opening match against Chile had to be moved from Oct. 3 to Oct. 6 due to Chile’s travel delay caused by Hurricane Ian.
The U.S. tournament roster includes setters Andrew Rowan, the team captain, and Tyler Morgan, libero Christopher Connelly, outside hitters Dane Hillis, Zach Rama, Noah Roberts and Kyle Teune, middle blockers Max McCoullough, Nyherowo Omene and Wesley Smith and opposites Trent Moser and Shane Wetzel.
The team’s head coach is Andy Read who led men’s senior teams to bronze medals at the Pan American Cup and the Pan American Cup Final Six earlier this year. Omene was a member of both teams.
Read will be assisted by Hudson Bates, men’s volleyball associate head coach at Ohio State, and Chris Seiffert, volunteer assistant coach at Concordia University Irvine.
Alex Hurlburt, owner of The Volleyball Institute, will be the team’s performance analyst. Christopher Cornell is the team’s athletic trainer and Donovan Martinez is team leader.
The U.S. Men start in pool A along with Chile, the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Pool B includes Canada, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua.
U.S. Roster for the 2022 Men’s U21 Pan American Cup
No. Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, School, USAV Region)
2 Christopher Connelly (L, 5-10, Naples, Fla., Long Beach State, Florida Region)
4 Dane Hillis (OH, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California Volleyball Association)
8 Kyle Teune (OH, 6-6, Downers Grove, Ill., Ohio State, Great Lakes Region)
10 Tyler Morgan (S, 6-7, Dike, Iowa, Lewis University, Iowa Region)
11 Noah Roberts (OH, 6-7, Seal Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California Volleyball Association)
12 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California Volleyball Association)
13 Shane Wetzel (Opp, 6-7, Longwood, Fla., Ohio State, Florida Region)
14 Max McCullough (MB, 6-8, San Marcos, Calif., Concordia University Irvine, Southern California Volleyball Association)
16 Nyherowo Omene (MB, 6-8, South Holland, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes Region)
17 Trent Moser (Opp, 6-8, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona Region)
20 Zach Rama (OH, 6-9, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona Region)
21 Wesley Smith (MB, 6-10, Encinitas, Calif., La Costa Canyon HS, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Head Coach Andy Read
Assistant Coach Hudson Bates
Second Assistant Chris Seiffert
Performance Analyst Alex Hurlburt
Athletic Trainer Chris Cornell
Team Leader Donovan Martinez
U.S. Men’s Schedule for the 2022 Men’s U21 Pan American Cup
All times PT
Oct. 4 at 7:30 a.m. USA vs Mexico
Oct. 5 at 11:30 a.m. USA vs Dominican Republic
Oct. 6 at 7 a.m. USA vs Chile
Oct 6
Quarterfinals
3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Oct. 7
Classification and semifinals
Oct. 8
Classification and finals
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