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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2026) – The U.S. Men’s U23 National Team advanced to the gold medal match of the 2026 Pan Am Cup in San Salvador, El Salvador with a 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-20) win over Mexico in the semifinals on Saturday.
The U.S. (3-0) will face the winner of the Guatemala-Costa Rica semifinal match in the gold medal contest Sunday at 3 p.m. PT.
Holding statistical advantages across the board, the U.S. recorded 11 more kills (40-29) to go with a 7-3 advantage in blocks and 5-3 in service aces.
Opposite David Decker delivered a dominating offensive performance with 21 points on 18 kills, a block and a match-best two aces. He was the only player on either team to record double-digit points. Middle blocker Will Patterson scored nine points on six kills, two blocks and an ace with outside hitter Ayden DesLauriers adding eight points on six kills, a block and an ace.
Middle Aidan Klein contributed seven points on four kills, two blocks and an ace. Outside Trevor Herget totaled six points on five kills and a block. Libero Kellen Larson led all players with nine digs, while Herget added seven. Herget recorded a match-high nine excellent receptions and Larson finished with eight. Setter Cameron Hoying recorded a kill while running the offense that finished with a .408 hitting effiency percentage.
Mexico moved out to an 8-5 lead to start the match before the U.S. scored five of the next seven points to square the set at 10 apiece. A Decker kill cut the deficit to one point, and a Patterson ace tied it. The U.S. took its first lead, 14-13, on a Klein kill and another strong serve set up a free ball that led to a Patterson score on a tip for a two-point advantage. DesLauriers put a ball away on a back row attack for a 17-14 lead with kills from Decker and Patterson pushing the lead to five, 20-15. A Decker kill and Mexico hitting error extended the margin to six points, 23-17. DesLauriers gave the U.S. set point and two points later, Herget put a ball straight down to end the set. Patterson scored five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace with Decker totaling four kills.
A DesLauriers ace put the U.S. ahead 5-3 in the second set. Back-to-back points from Decker on a kill and then a block raised the advantage to three points, 8-5. A Klein kill and Decker ace put the U.S. up 12-8 and forced a Mexico timeout. Herget found the back corner for a 14-9 lead. After Mexico cut the lead to three, a sliding dig from DesLauriers led to a Herget kill for a 16-12 lead. A Decker kill and DesLauriers block raised the margin to six points, 19-13. DesLauriers produced a kill to make the score 21-15. A back row attack from DesLauriers gave the U.S. a 23-17 lead. Mexico scored the next two points to cut the deficit back to four but Decker scored off the net for set point. After two Mexico points, the U.S. finished the set on a great set from Hoying for a Patterson kill. Decker led all scorers with eight points on six kills, a block and an ace.
Herget started the third set strong with a great dig that led to a DesLauriers kill and a block that tied the set 3-3. A block gave Mexico a 6-5 lead before a service error and Decker kill put the U.S. back ahead. A Decker ace put the U.S. up 11-9, the first two-point lead of the set, but Mexico tied the set again, 13-13. Patterson put away an overpass off a Hoying serve and a hitting error on the following place gave the U.S. a 17-14 lead. Kills from Decker and Patterson raised the margin to four points, 20-16. Mexico cut the deficit to two, 22-20, before the U.S. ended the match by scoring the final three points. A Decker kill set up match point and Herget scored off the block to send the U.S. to the gold medal match. Decker scored nine points on eight kills and an ace.
2026 Men’s U23 National Team Pan American Cup Roster
Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Kellen Larson (L, 5-9, Irvine, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California/Southern Nevada)
2 Zach Chapin (L, 5-11, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Pepperdine, Southern California Southern Nevada)
3 Ayden DesLauriers (OH, Eastport, N.Y., Loyola University Chicago, Garden Empire)
4 Trevor Herget (OH, 6-3, Darien, Conn., BYU, Intermountain)
5 Owen Douphner (S, 6-6, Stevenson Ranch, Calif., CSUN, Southern California Southern Nevada)
6 Connor Oldani (OPP, 6-5, Phoenix, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
9 AJ Cottle (MB, 6-8, Provo, Utah, BYU, Intermountain)
10 Braydon Savitski-Lynde (Opp, 6-7, Roscoe, Ill., Ball State, Great Lakes)
12 David Decker (OPP, 6-9, Winston-Salem, N.C., UCLA, Southern California Southern Nevada)
13 Cameron Hoying (S, 6-9, Columbus, Ohio, Lewis, Ohio Valley)
14 Aleksey Mikhailenko (OH, 6-8, Mequon, Wis., Homestead HS, Badger)
15 Ryan Louis (OPP, 6-9, Waddell, Ariz., Ball State, Arizona)
16 Aidan Klein (MB, 6-10, Evanston, Ill., Loyola University Chicago, Great Lakes)
17 Will Patterson (MB, 6-10, Loveland, Ohio, Ball State, Ohio Valley)
Coaches
Head Coach: Nickie Sanlin (McKendree University)
Assistant Coach: Ali’i Keohohou (Menlo College)
Assistant Coach: Ryan Mason (California State University, Northridge)
Performance Analyst: Mackenna Basore (LOVB Minnesota/Utah State)
Athletic Trainer: Hazel Reyes (USOPC)
Team Lead: Will Berdecia (OTVA – Jacksonville)
Schedule
All times Pacific
Sept. 23: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-19, 25-18, 25-22)
Sept. 24: USA def. Trinidad & Tobago, 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-15)
Sept. 25: Quarterfinals: USA received a bye
Sept. 26: Semifinals: USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-21, 25-20)
Sept. 27: Finals