USAV Chooses 12 for Men's U21 Team at Worlds

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 30, 2023) – USA Volleyball has selected 12 athletes to represent the United States at the 2023 Men’s U21 World Championship on July 7-16 in Manama, Bahrain.

The group will first head to Sofia, Bulgaria, to train with teams from Brazil, Bulgaria and Iran from June 30-July 4. The schedule of friendly matches and live stream link are below.

Six players return from the 2022 team that won the Men’s U21 Pan American Cup for the first time and qualified for the 2023 World Championship: setter Andrew Rowan, who will serve as team captain, outside hitter Zach Rama, middle blockers Nyherowo Omene and Wesley Smith, and opposites Trent Moser and Shane Wetzel.

Six players return from the U21 Men’s Team that won silver at the NORCECA Pan American Cup earlier this month in Havana, Cuba: outside hitters Alex Rottman and Moser, middles Omene and Owen Rose, Wetzel at opposite and libero Ryan Merk.

Setter Island Doty and outside hitter Theo Snoey were alternates for the 2023 Pan Am Cup Team. Outside hitter Dillon Klein is new to the U21 group and was a member of the 2020 Boys U19 Team that did not get to train or compete due to the pandemic.

Andy Read, who led the 2022-23 Men’s U21 Teams, will serve as head coach. His assistants will be Rory Prager and Chris Seiffert.

“With the experience gained in Cuba and the potential to add in a few new players for this run at the World Championship, this U.S. Men’s U21 Team will be the most athletic and dynamic team possible,” Read said. “All the players know the challenge they face to take on the best in the world. To a man, they have embraced that challenge and cannot wait to take their place on the world stage.”

U.S. Men’s U21 Roster for the 2023 FIVB World Championship
No. Name (Position, Height, Birth year, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Ryan Merk (L, 6-0, 2003, Chicago, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
5 Dillon Klein (OH, 6-4, 2003, Pacific Palisades, Calif., Univ. of Southern California, Southern California)
6 Island Doty (S, 6-5, 2003, Colorado Springs, Colo., Long Beach State, Rocky Mountain)
12 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, 2003, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
13 Shane Wetzel (Opp, 6-7, 2004, Wekiwa Springs, Fla., Ohio State, Florida)
16 Nyherowo Omene (MB, 6-8, 2003, South Holland, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes)
17 Trent Moser (OH, 6-8, 2003, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
20 Zach Rama (OH, 6-8, 2004, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
22 Owen Rose (MB, 6-8, 2003, Long Island, N.Y., Penn State, Garden Empire)
21 Wesley Smith (MB, 6-11, 2004, Encinitas, Calif., Univ. of Southern California, Southern California)
23 Alex Rottman (OH, 6-7, 2004, Santa Barbara, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
25 Theo Snoey (OH, 6-8, 2004, Berkeley, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Head Coach: Andy Read (Long Beach State)
Assistant Coach: Chris Seiffert (Concordia-Irvine)
Assistant Coach: Rory Prager (Univ. of Southern California)
Performance Analyst: Alex Hurlburt
Team Doctor: Dr. Chris Cornell
Team Lead: Donovan Martinez (USAV NTDP)

U.S. Men’ U21 Schedule of Friendly Matches in Bulgaria
Live stream at https://www.youtube.com/@VolleyballBulgaria
(All times PT)
July 1 at 8:30 a.m. USA vs Iran
July 2 at 6 a.m. USA vs Bulgaria
July 3 at 7:30 a.m. USA vs Brazil

U.S. Men’s U21 Schedule for the 2023 FIVB World Championship
Live stream on VolleyballWorld.tv
(All times PT)
July 7 at 7 a.m. USA vs Argentina
July 8 at 10 a.m. USA Vs Belgium
July 9 at 10 a.m. USA vs Czechia
July 11-13 Second round of pool play
July 15 Semifinals and consolation playoffs
July 16 Finals and consolation matches