U.S. Men Battle Canada, Take Silver at 2024 Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 21, 2024) – The U.S. Men’s National Team earned a silver medal at the 2024 NORCECA Pan American Cup after dropping an epic match to Canada, 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 26-28, 25-19) in Sunday’s final at the Professor Ricardo Gioriber Arias Volleyball Palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

The silver medal marked the best U.S. finish since also taking silver at the 2014 Pan Am Cup. Canada repeated as gold medalists after capturing its first title last year.

The U.S. finished with more kills (54-50) and service aces (6-5). Canada held the edge in blocks (11-7) with U.S. errors being the key statistic as the gold medalists scored 37 points on errors, while only yielding 28.

Opposite Gabi Garcia led all players with 18 kills and 20 points, adding a pair of blocks. Middle blocker Daniel Wetter was the only other U.S. player to reach double digits with 11 points on 10 kills and an ace.

Libero Mason Briggs finished with a match-best 19 digs, seven more than the next best total, and another match-high with 11 successful receptions. Setter Quinn Isaacson added 10 digs and totaled four points with a kill, block and two aces. Garcia recorded nine digs.

Outside hitters Cooper Robinson and Brett Wildman each contributed nine points. Robinson registered nine kills with Wildman adding six kills, a block and two aces. The two also combined for 11 successful receptions with Wildman recording six and Robinson five. Middle Michael Marshman scored seven points on five kills and two blocks, while outside Jacob Pasteur came off the bench in the third set to score six points on five kills and an ace.

Canada used a key four-point run to turn a 14-13 deficit into a 17-14 lead in the first set. The U.S. tied the set at 21 on a Wetter ace and evened the score three more times, lastly at 24. A great set by Max Elgert led to a kill to put Canada up 25-24 and a kill on the next play ended the set. Robinson finished the set with six kills.

The second set was just as close as the opener with the U.S. opening a three-point lead, only to see Canada score the next three points. The teams split every other point until Canada strung together two points for a 24-22 lead. A service error followed by a huge Garcia block evened the score at 24, but Canada scored on consecutive kills to repeat its first score, 26-24. Garcia led all players in the set with six points on four kills and two blocks.

It was more of the same in the third set as the two teams continued to play remarkably close volleyball. A Pasteur kill gave the U.S. a 19-17 lead, its latest two-point advantage of the match up to that point, but Canada scored the next two points. A Garcia kill gave the U.S. set point at 24-23, but a service error followed by a block gave Canada match point. Garcia responded with a kill to keep the match going. With the score knotted at 26, the U.S. won its first set on a kill by Wetter and an ace from Pasteur.

Canada finally got some breathing room early in the fourth set, jumping out in front 9-4. It was the first time in the match that either team led by more than three points. The U.S. pulled within two points twice, lastly at 14-12 on a Marshman block, but could get no closer. With a 17-14 lead, Canada scored three points in a row to take a six-point lead, which ended up being the final advantage in the set. Garcia again paced the U.S. squad, this time with four kills.

USA Volleyball U.S. Men’s Roster for the 2024 Pan American Cup

No. Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, School, USAV Region)
2 Cooper Robinson (OH, 6-7, Pacific Palisades, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
3 Gabi Garcia (OPP, 6-7, San Juan, Puerto Rico, BYU)
4 Merrick McHenry (MB, 6-7, Bedford, Texas, UCLA, North Texas)
6 Quinn Isaacson (S, 6-2, Plainfield, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
7 Jacob Pasteur (OH, 6-4, Westminster, Md., Ohio State Univ., Chesapeake)
8 Nolan Flexen (OH, 6-9, Rio Rancho, New Mexico, UC-Irvine, Southern)
13 Patrick Gasman (MB, 6-10, Clovis, Calif., Univ. of Hawaii, Northern California)
15 Mason Briggs (L, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
22 Timothy McIntosh (L, 6-0, Miami, Fla., Sacred Heart, Florida)
24 Brett Wildman (OH, 6-5, Virginia Beach, Va., Penn State, Old Dominion)
25 Ethan Champlin (OH, 6-3, Oceanside, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
27 Michael Marshman (MB, 6-7, Glenmont, N.Y., St. Francis Univ., Excelsior Empire)
28 Nicholas Slight (S, 6-3, Storm Lake, Iowa, Grand Canyon Univ., Iowa)
30 Daniel Wetter (MB, 6-5, Camarillo, Calif., CSU-Northridge, Paris Volley)

Head Coach: Andy Read
Assistant Coach: Morteza Shiari
Assistant Coach: Jay Hosack
Physiotherapist: Rachel Kirkpatrick
Manager: Jimmy Kim

U.S. Men’s Schedule for the Pan American Cup

July 14 USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (25-21, 25-18, 29-31, 25-18)
July 15 USA def. Mexico, 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18)
July 16 Canada def USA, 3-2 (19-25, 25-20, 25-27, 25-23, 15-9)
July 17 USA def. Chile, 3-0 (25-23, 25-14, 25-15)
July 19 Quarterfinals, USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-20)
July 20 2 p.m. Semifinals, USA def. Cuba, 3-2 (25-15, 23-25, 25-23, 24-26, 15-11)
July 21 2 p.m. Gold Medal Match, Canada def. USA, 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 26-28, 25-19)