Kellen Larson
Libero, 5-10
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 21, 2022) – 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.
The Men’s U21 Pan American Cup is now Oct. 3-8 in La Habana, Cuba. The training team of 21 players will practice together Sept. 21-30 at the National Team Training Center in Anaheim, Calif.
Twelve players will be chosen to compete in Cuba.
Eight athletes – Christopher Connelly, Dane Hillis, Tyler Morgan, Markus Olsson, Nyherowo Omene, Zach Rama, Andrew Rowan and Kyle Teune – earned spots on last year’s Boys U19 National Training Team, which did not compete in an international event.
Two athletes on the roster, Omene and Kellen Larson, played on national teams earlier this summer.
Omene played with the U.S. Men’s Team at the Pan American Cup and the Pan American Cup Final Six. The U.S. Men won the bronze medal at each event.
Larson played for the United States at the Boys U19 Pan American Cup, which won the gold medal.
Ten players on the team are from USA Volleyball’s Southern California region. Three are from the Great Lakes region. Two each hail from the Arizona, Florida and Northern California regions. The Iowa and Excelsior Empire regions each have one player on the team.
Balboa Bay Volleyball Club Coach Andy Read, who led the U.S. Men’s National Team to bronze at the 2022 Pan American Cup and Pan American Cup Final Six, will serve as head coach. He will be assisted by Ohio State associate head coach Hudson Bates and Chris Seiffert, assistant coach at Concordia University Irvine. Alex Hurlburt, lead volleyball trainer at The Volleyball Institute, is the team’s performance analyst, and USA Volleyball’s Donovan Martinez is the team leader.
“Representing USA Volleyball as the coach of the U21 Men’s team is one of the greatest opportunities I’ve been afforded in my coaching career,” Read said. “I’m not just preparing these athletes for the upcoming Pan American Cup, but for their future in the sport. I am honored to work with so many outstanding coaches and players in this exciting endeavor.”
Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, School, USAV Region)
George Bruening (Opp, 6-9, Newport Beach, Calif., Corona Del Mar HS, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Christopher Connelly (L, 5-10, Naples, Fla., Long Beach State, Florida Region)
James Eadie (MB, 6-7, Newport Beach, Calif., Pepperdine, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Joshua Ewert (OH, 6-4, Moraga, Calif., UC San Diego, Northern California Volleyball Association)
Daniel Haber (OH, 6-6, Remsenburg, N.Y., Lewis University, Excelsior Empire Region)
Dane Hillis (OH, 6-3, San Clemente, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Kellen Larson (L, 5-10, Irvine, Calif., Woodbridge HS, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Maxwell McCullough (MB, 6-8, San Marcos, Calif., Concordia University Irvine, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Tyler Morgan (S, 6-7, Dike, Iowa, Lewis University, Iowa Region)
Trent Moser (Opp., 6-8, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona Region)
Markus Olsson (MB, 6-8, Cupertino, Calif., USC, Northern California Volleyball Association)
Nyherowo Omene (MB, 6-8, South Holland, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes Region)
Zach Rama (OH, 6-9, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona Region)
Noah Roberts (OH, 6-7, Seal Beach, Calif., University of Southern California, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Peter Selcho (MB, 6-5, Fountain Valley, Calif., UC San Diego Southern California Volleyball Association)
Wesley Smith (MB, 6-10, Encinitas, Calif., La Costa Canyon HS, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Kyle Teune (OH, 6-6, Downers Grove, Ill., Ohio State, Great Lakes Region)
Shane Wetzel (Opp., 6-7, Longwood, Fla., Ohio State, Florida Region)
Niko Williams (S, 6-6, Poway, Calif., Ohio State, Southern California Volleyball Association)
Paul Wyszynski (L, 5-9, Northbrook, Ill., George Mason, Great Lakes Region)
Head Coach: Andy Read
Assistant Coach: Hudson Bates
Assistant Coach: Chris Seiffert
Team Leader: Donovan Martinez
Performance Analyst: Alex Hurlburt
Athletic Trainer: Christopher Cornell