Matt Tarantino

• Home:  Van Nuys, Calif.
• Birth Year:  1993

PERSONAL: Born Matthew “Matt” Richard Tarantino on July 5, 1993 in Mission Hills, Calif. … Parents are Vince and Shannyn Tarantino… Matt has one older brother, Anthony (born in 1990)… Matt started playing indoor volleyball with the Santa Monica Beach Club in 2007. He has also played beach volleyball for two years… He plays opposite for his club and high school… Favorite food is seafood… Favorite book is Green Eggs and Ham… Hobbies include wake boarding and jet skiing… Favorite team is the L.A. Kings and favorite athlete is Adrian Peterson… Happiest moment of his life was beating Mexico in the NORCECA semi finals…Most admired person is his great grandfather Buck Gilmore because “he still holds the 100-yard-dash record at Van Nuys High School. He Played Football At UCLA with Jackie Robinson. He lived a long and inspiring life.”

USA VOLLEYBALL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011 – Named to the U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team 2010 –Member of the Boys' Youth National Team that finished second at the NORCECA Boys' Youth Continental Championship in Guadelajara, Mexico. 2009 – Played for the Select A1 Team at the High Performance Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2011: Played on the Boys' Youth National Team that competed in the Under-19 Pan American Cup in Mexicali, Mexico (Bronze). Matt was the third leading scorer for the U.S. with 44 points. He was named fifth-best tournament spiker with 34 kills. 2010 - Played on the U.S. Boys' Youth National Team that finished second to Cuba at the NORCECA Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico. CLUB/PREP HIGHLIGHTS: 2008 – Bronze medal at the U.S. Boys’ Junior National Championships in 16’s division… Second Team All League… varsity team captain (freshman, sophomore and junior years).