Men's Sitting Team Sweeps Poland at Qualifier

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 6, 2024) – Less than 24 hours after losing to China, the U.S. Men’s Sitting Team bounced back by sweeping Poland (25-19, 25-22, 25-17) on Sunday at the 2024 World ParaVolley Sitting Volleyball Final Qualifier in Dali, China.

The U.S. Men will be back in action against Japan (0-5) at 1 a.m. PT on Monday. Matches are being livestreamed at live.hy960.com.

The winner of the Final Qualifier will get the last berth available at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Eight teams will play each other in a round robin, and the two with the best records will play a championship match for the berth on April 10.

The U.S. Men’s Sitting Team led Poland in kills (40-27), blocks (8-4) and aces (3-2).

“Poland plays a very reactive game,” U.S. Head Coach Greg Walker said. “For us, I think we let them get some of those plays that we should have controlled.

“We dug ourselves a hole in the third set. The best part of it was being able to reconnect with really good fundamentals.”

Outside hitter Zach Upp led all scorers with 22 points on a match-high 21 kills and one ace.

Outside hitter James Stuck added 12 points on seven kills, a match-high four blocks and one ace.

Middle blocker Roderick Green scored seven points on five kills and two blocks. Opposite Eric Duda scored seven points on six kills and one block.

Starting middle Ben Aman scored one point on a kill. Dan Regan took over in the third set and scored one point with a block. Setter John Kremer scored one point with a kill and set the team to a .272 hitting efficiency.

Libero Nicholas Dadgostar was credited with nine receptions 67 percent positive. Duda led in receptions with 16, 50 percent positive.

U.S. Men’s Sitting Team Roster

No Name (Position, Height, Hometown, Region)
1 Travis Ricks (L, 5-7, San Diego, Calif., Southern California)
2 Dan Regan (OH, 6-0, St. Louis, Gateway)
3 Nicholas Dadgostar (L, 6-0, Sidney, Neb., Chesapeake)
4 Ben Aman (OH, 6-5, Edmond, Okla., Oklahoma)
5 Eric Duda (S/OH, 6-5, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Florida)
7 Robbie Gaupp (Opp/OH, Havre De Grace, Md., Chesapeake)
8 James Stuck (S/OH, 6-5, New Kensington, Pa., Keystone)
11C Roderick Green (MB, 6-3, West Monroe, La., Bayou)
12 Patrick Young (OH, 6-4, Albuquerque, N.M., Sun Country)
14 John Kremer (L, 5-9, Buford, Ga., Southern)
15 Chris Seilkop (OH, 6-6, Deland, Fla., Florida)
17 Zach Upp (OH, 6-5, Bartlett, Ill., Great Lakes)
20 Jason Roberts (San Diego, Calif., Southern California)
23 William Curtis (Tampa, Fla., Florida)

Head Coach: Greg Walker
Assistant Coach: Joe Skinner
Assistant Coach: Julie Allen
Team Leader: Jeffery Hicks
Performance Analyst: Sydnie Mabry
Athletic Trainer: Whitney Padgett
Sport Psychologist: Taylor Gabler

U.S. Schedule (All times PDT)
April 2: USA def Canada, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-19)
April 3: USA def Iraq, 3-1 (21-25, 18-25, 29-27, 20-25)
April 4: USA def Ukraine, 3-1 (21-25, 25-20, 20-25, 25-19, 15-13)
April 6: China def USA, 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 25-20)
April 6: USA def Poland, 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-17)
April 8: 1 a.m. USA vs Japan
April 8: 8 p.m. USA vs Croatia