In its first official competition since celebrating a bronze medal at the inaugural FIVB Volleyball Nations League, the U.S. Men’s National Team travels to Veracruz, Mexico, for the 2018 NORCECA Men’s Pan American Cup, Aug. 28-Sept. 2.

Eleven teams from North, South and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, will join the USA in Mexico. The USA is the most decorated team in Pan Am Cup history with five gold medals (seven podium finishes total), however, the U.S. has not medaled since 2014 and last won gold in 2012.

Last year, a disappointing pool-play performance, which included losses to Dominican Republic and Cuba, as well as a quarterfinal loss to Puerto Rico, doomed Team USA to a fifth-place finish. This year, FIVB World Championships kicks off just 10 days after the Pan Am Cup concludes, so a solid performance in Veracruz would be doubly valuable, perhaps helping to carry momentum into the biggest tournament of the season. 

The top five teams in the Pan Am Cup also earn a berth to the 2019 Pan Am Games.

That said, we will not see the first-string Team USA take the floor in Veracruz. Of the 14 men named to the Pan Am Cup roster, only setters Jonah Seif and James Shaw and middle Mitch Stahl were also included on the 21-man Volleyball Nations League roster. Shaw and Stahl were recently named to the preliminary roster for World Championships. 

Despite their lack of experience, the USA brings impressive size and physicality to Veracruz—only liberos Kyle Dagostino and J.T. Hatch stand shorter than 6-5. 

Team USA Pan American Cup Roster

(No., Name, Pos., Ht., Hometown, College) 

2 Price Jarman (MB, 6-9, Las Vegas, Nev., BYU)
4 Kupono Fey (OH, 6-5, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Hawaii)
5 James Shaw (S, 6-8, Woodside, Calif., Stanford)
6 Mitch Stahl (MB, 6-7, Chambersburg, Pa., UCLA)
7 Arvis Greene (OPP, 6-7, Los Angeles, Calif., Cal State Northridge)
10 Kyle Russell (OH, 6-9, Loomis, Calif., UC Irvine)
11 Ryan Coenen (OH, 6-9, Franklin, Wis., Lewis)
12 Matt Pollock (MB, 6-9, Orland Park, Ill., Pepperdine)
13 Jake Arnitz (OH, 6-7, Yorba Linda, Calif., UCLA)
14 David Wieczorek (OPP, 6-8, Chicago Ill., Pepperdine)
16 Brendan Schmidt (MB, 6-8, O’Fallon, Mo., McKendree)
19 Kyle Dagostino (L 5-9, Tampa, Fla., Stanford)
22 J.T. Hatch (L 6-2, Mesa, Ariz., UCLA)
23 Jonah Seif (S, 6-6, Thousand Oaks, Calif., UC Santa Barbara)

Team USA Players to Watch

James Shaw

Six-eight setter James Shaw played his most recent club season for Sir Safety Perugia in Italy, where he helped the team win the Coppa Italia and the Italian SuperLega and take home a bronze medal at the CEV Champions League.

Shaw has trained with the national team for the past five summers, even leaving Stanford one quarter before finishing his undergraduate degree (in science, technology, and society) to get in the national team gym full-time and fight for a spot on the 2016 Olympic roster. 

The Pan Am Cup and World Championships will be his last two tournaments before taking a little time off of volleyball and forgoing the upcoming professional season in order to finish his degree. 

Arvis Greene

Opposite Arvis Greene just finished up his college career at Cal State Northridge, during which he made rapid improvements every year, earning Second Team All-American honors in 2018. He led the nation in points per set and kills per set and set new program highs in attempts, assists, and digs. 

Now Greene makes his second consecutive Pan Am Cup roster appearance. Last year, he started in three matches, but ultimately lost his starting spot to Kyle Ensing. But that was when he was just an Honorable Mention All-American and a rising senior. 

Look for the college grad and second-teamer to come out swinging this year.

Ryan Coenen

Ryan Coenen, the 2017 AVCA Newcomer of the Year and a two-time Second Team All-American, led Lewis in kills and ranked second in aces and third in digs as a redshirt sophomore this spring. 

The youngest player on the Pan Am Cup roster, 6-9 outside Coenen brings height and power to the pin in his second appearance in the Team USA jersey, having competed in the World University Games last summer. 

Challengers to Team USA

Argentina

In winning three straight friendlies over Team USA earlier this month, reigning Pan Am Cup champ Argentina proved it will be a formidable opponent. 

Agustin Loser, a 20-year-old middle blocker, played especially well for Argentina in the friendly series--collecting 16 points in the third match (5 blocks, 10 kills, 1 ace). Veteran opposite Jose Luis Gonzalez led the team in match No. 2 with 16 points, while Bruno Lima’s 16 points led the Argentinians in the first match.

Argentina is tied with the USA for most total Pan Am Cup medals, however four of Argentina’s seven are silver. Last year marked the team’s first time winning gold at the tournament. 

Brazil

Whenever Brazil enters a tournament, it should be considered a contender. The question is just how strong of a roster will the reigning Olympic champs bring to Veracruz? 

Like the U.S., Brazil has incredible depth of men’s volleyball talent and could either bring its best players and use this tournament as a warm up for World Championships or treat it as a proving ground for up and comers. 

Brazil has won three Pan Am Cup gold medals, second only to the USA. The Brazilians will have to get by Canada, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic in pool play, but they could prove to be formidable opponents for the USA come playoffs. 

Schedule

August 28

11 AM CT USA vs. Peru

1PM CT Chile vs. Cuba

3 PM CT Brazil vs. Dominican Republic

5 PM CT Canada vs. Colombia

7PM CT Argentina vs. Puerto Rico

9 PM CT Mexico vs. Guatemala

August 29

11 AM CT Cuba vs. Guatemala

1PM CT Colombia vs. Brazil 

3 PM CT Peru vs. Argentina

5 PM CT Dominican Republic vs. Canada

7PM CT Puerto Rico vs. USA

9 PM CT Mexico vs. Chile

August 30

11 AM CT Peru vs. Puerto Rico 

1 PM CT Guatemala vs. Chile

3PM CT Colombia vs. Dominican Republic

5 PM CT Brazil vs. Canada

7 PM CT USA vs. Argentina

9 PM CT Mexico vs. Cuba

August 31

1 PM CT Classification 11/12

3 PM CT Classification 7/10

5 PM CT Classification 7/10

7 PM CT Quarterfinals

9 PM CT Quarterfinals

Sept. 1

3 PM CT Final Classification 9/10

5 PM CT Final Classification 7/8

7 PM CT Semifinals 

9 PM CT Semifinals

Sept. 2

3 PM CT Final Classification 5/6

5 PM CT Bronze Medal Match

7 PM CT Gold Medal Match