USA Volleyball - Off the Block

October 24, 2011October 25, 2011

Patak, Ciarelli rally US in Pan Am Games opener vs. Puerto Rico

It wasn’t pretty at times, but the U.S. Men’s Volleyball Pan American Games Team survived an upset scare in its group-play opener.

The United States rallied from A 2-1 deficit to win the final two games and defeat Puerto Rico 22-25, 25-19, 20-25, 25-16, 15-13 on Monday in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The United States (1-0, 1-0 Group B) in the decisive fifth game trailed 12-9 before going on a 6-1 run to close out the match.
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October 24, 2011October 24, 2011

Pan Am Games volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Puerto Rico

The United States will begin its attempt to capture the country’s first men’s volleyball gold medal at the Pan American Games in more than 20 years.

The U.S. Men’s Pan American Games Volleyball Team will open the international tournament with a pool-play match against Puerto Rico on Monday.

The Pan American Games is a multi-sport competition held every four years for North and South America countries. It is the largest multi-sport event besides the Olympics.
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October 7, 2011October 10, 2011

4 MPSF players included on final U.S. Pan Am Games Team roster

Four West Coast college players will represent the United States at one of the top international tournaments of the year.

USA Volleyball announced Thursday that UCLA setter Kyle Caldwell, USC outside attacker Tony Ciarelli, Cal State Northridge outside attacker Matt Stork and UCLA middle attacker Nick Vogel made the U.S. roster for the 2011 Pan American Games.

Caldwell, Ciarelli, Stork and Vogel were four of 11 players selected to the U.S. Men’s Pan American Games team for the international tournament later this month in Guadalajara, Mexico. The initial U.S. roster revealed last week had 19 players, including 10 current college men’s volleyball players.
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October 6, 2011October 6, 2011

USA Volleyball announces initial roster for Pan Am Games

Ten current college men’s volleyball players will have a chance to represent the United States at an international tournament later this month.

USA Volleyball last week revealed its 19-player preliminary roster for the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

UC Irvine led all schools with three current players — outside attacker Carson Clark, outside attacker Jeremy Dejno and middle attacker Scott Kevorken — selected to the initial roster.
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September 9, 2011September 19, 2011

U.S. Men’s National Team coach Knipe selected to Long Beach State Hall of Fame

The face of Long Beach State men’s volleyball for the last 10 years will receive one of the top honors from the 49ers athletics department.

The Long Beach State athletics department announced Thursday that former All-American and 49ers coach Alan Knipe will be inducted into the Long Beach State Hall of Fame as part of the 2011 class.

Knipe was a two-time All-American during his three-year college career and helped lead the 49ers to the 1991 NCAA championship — the only national championship in program history. He was also one of 10 players inducted into the inaugural class of the 49ers Men’s Volleyball Wall of Fame in 2006.
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August 30, 2011September 22, 2011

Voting now open for the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

Off the Block selected the eight finalists, and now it is up to the fans to determine who should win the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans the chance to determine who was the best player.

Fans will determine the winner of the Offseason Award through online voting on the Off the Block website. The online poll will open at 12:01 a.m. (EST) Tuesday and end at 12:01 a.m. (EST) Thursday.
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August 29, 2011September 22, 2011

Finalists selected for inaugural Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award

UPDATE: Click here to vote in the online poll that is now open.

Eight college men’s volleyball players have been selected as finalists for the 2011 Off the Block Fan Choice Offseason Award.

The Offseason Award recognizes the best performances from current NCAA men’s volleyball players in international tournaments during the summer and gives volleyball fans from around the nation the chance to determine who was the best player.

Off the Block selected the finalists for this inaugural award, which includes UCLA middle attacker Thomas Amberg, USC setter Micah Christenson, UC Irvine outside attacker Carson Clark, UC Santa Barbara middle attacker Dylan Davis, UCLA outside attacker Gonzalo Quiroga, Penn State middle attacker Aaron Russell, BYU outside attacker Taylor Sander and Pepperdine outside attacker Matthew Tarantino.
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August 28, 2011September 22, 2011

No. 9 USA defeats No. 10 Egypt to finish Youth World Championship in 11th place

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team won its final tournament match to avoid a bottom-five finish at the World Championship.

No. 9 United States defeated No. 10 Egypt 29-27, 23-25, 25-20, 25-20 on Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to finish in 11th place at the 16-team international tournament.

This is the United States’ (3-5) second-best finish at a World Championship in the last 10 years. The United States finished in 10th place at the last World Championship in 2009.
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August 28, 2011September 21, 2011

Youth World Championship volleyball match to follow today: USA vs. Egypt

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team will end the World Championship against the team that it played to open the international tournament.

No. 9 United States will play No. 10 Egypt in the World Championship 11th-place championship match at the 6 p.m. (5 p.m. EST) Sunday in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The winner of the match will end the 16-team international tournament in 11th place, while the loser will finish in 12th place.
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August 27, 2011September 21, 2011

No. 6 Brazil knocks off No. 9 USA in 9th place semifinals at World Championship

The U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team’s chances of getting the nation’s best finish in more than 10 years at the Youth World Championship ended Saturday.

No. 9 United States lost to No. 6 Brazil 25-20, 25-23, 23-25, 25-16 in the semifinals for ninth place at the World Championship on Saturday Buenos Aires, Argentina.

This loss assures the United States (2-5) of an 11th or 12th place finish at the 16-team international team. The United States has not finished better than 10th place in the last five World Championship tournaments.
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