U.S. Men To Play for Gold at 2025 NORCECA Final Six

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 11, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s National Team avenged an earlier loss to Mexico with a 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13) win Saturday in the semifinals at the NORCECA Final Six in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

The U.S. (5-1) will face the winner of the Puerto Rico/Dominican Republic match for the championship on Sunday at 4 p.m. PT. The match will be streamed on the Puerto Rico Volleyball Federation’s YouTube page.

Mexico led the U.S. in kills (54-49), but the teams were even in blocks (9-9) and aces (8-8).

Kainoa Wade paced the U.S. with 20 points (13 kills, two blocks and a match-high five aces). Seba Sani scored 13 with 10 kills, one block and two aces, and Cam Thorne had 12 points (eight kills, a team-high three blocks and an ace).

Patrick Rogers scored 10 points on 10 kills, and Justin Todd had five points (four kills, one block). Trent Moser had a kill and a block, and Nathan Flayter had a kill.

Flayter and Ryan McElligott shared setting duties. Wade led the U.S. with 10 digs, and Ryan Merk had 20 excellent receptions.

A Sani kill gave the U.S. a 10-7 lead in the first set, but Mexico scored four of the next five to tie the set at 11. At 12-12, Mexico scored three straight for the 15-12 lead and increased it to five at 20-15. The U.S. pushed back with a Todd kill and Moser block but couldn’t cut the lead to fewer than two points in the 25-22 Mexico win.

After losing the first point in set two, the U.S. took the lead on a kill and a block from Todd. The U.S. led the rest of the set, increasing its lead to as much as five, 18-13, with a Rogers kill. Mexico closed the gap to one at 23-22, but a Rogers kill gave the U.S. set point and Thorne finished it on a block.

The third set was a seesaw battle until Mexico broke an 18-18 tie and scored seven of the last eight points for the win.

The U.S. held the lead for nearly all of set four, staying on top by two or three points. Mexico caught up at 24-23, but a Sani kill sent the match to a deciding set.

The fifth set was a nailbiter, with the U.S. pulling out to an early 8-4 lead. Mexico used a kill and an ace to cut the lead to 8-6, and then tied it at nine a few points later. Mexico took a 13-12 lead with a kill, but Wade tied it at 13. A Thorne block gave the U.S. match point, and the U.S. won on a Mexico attack that went long.

Roster

Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, School/Club, USAV Region)
1 Ryan Merk (L, 6-1, Chicago, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
2 Kainoa Wade (OPP, 6-10, Kailua, Hawaii, Univ. of Hawaii, Aloha Region)
3 Justin Todd (MB, 6-8, Honolulu, Hawaii, Univ. of Hawaii, Aloha Region)
4 Nathan Flayter (S, 6-4, Hales Corner, Wisc., McKendree, Badger)
5 Cam Thorne (MB, 6-4, Hollywood, Fla., UCLA, Florida)
6C Sebastiano Sani (OH, 6-8, Aliso Viejo, Calif., UC San Diego, Chesapeake)
8 Jalen Phillips (OPP, 6-5, Anaheim, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
9 Ryan McElligott (S, 6-6, Mundelein, Ill., Loyola Chicago, Great Lakes)
11 Kellen Larson (L, 5-9, Irvine, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California/Southern Nevada)
17 Trent Moser (OH, 6-8, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
18 Patrick Rogers (OH, 6-7, Rutherford, N.J., Ball State, Garden Empire)
20 Keoni Thiim (OH, 6-0, Honolulu, Hawaii, BYU, Aloha Region)
22 Owen Rose (MB, 6-8, Merrick, N.Y., Penn State, Garden Empire)
23 Tre Jordan (MB, 6-10, Mesa, Ariz., Univ. of Hawaii, Arizona)

Coaches
Head Coach: Karch Kiraly
Assistant Coach: Luka Slabe
Assistant Coach: Reid Priddy
Performance Analyst/Team Manager: Nate Ngo
Athletic Trainer: Aaron Ngor

Schedule

All times Pacific
Oct. 6: Mexico def. USA, 3-2, (22-25, 21-25, 25-19, 25-22, 15-11)
Oct. 7: USA def. Canada, 3-1 (25-18, 25-10, 23-25, 25-18)
Oct. 8: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-1 (22-25, 30-28, 25-17, 25-20)
Oct. 9: USA def. Suriname, 3-0 (25-13, 25-17, 25-11)
Oct. 10: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-2 (19-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 15-11)
Oct. 11: Semifinals: USA def. Mexico, 3-2 (22-25, 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 15-13)
Oct. 12: Gold Medal Match: USA vs. TBA, 4 p.m. PT