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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 27, 2026) – The U.S. Men’s U23 National Team won the gold medal at the 2026 NORCECA Men’s U23 Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-13, 25-17) victory over Costa Rica on Sunday evening in San Salvador, El Salvador. The U.S. won all four its matches, posting a 12-1 set record in the tournament.
Despite dropping its only set of the tournament in the second set, the U.S. dominated the match statistically with significant advantages in kills (60-32), blocks (13-6) and aces (8-1). Costa Rica made 15 fewer errors and scored 10 points in the second set off errors.
Opposite David Decker put together a memorable gold medal performance with 30 points on 27 kills, a block and two aces. He hit .622 for the match with 27 kills and four errors in 37 total attacks. Overall, the U.S. hit .505 as a team behind the setting of Cameron Hoying, who also scored eight points. Hoying led all players with three aces, shared team-high honors with three blocks and added two kills. Outside hitter Trevor Herget totaled 16 points with 15 kills and a block and finished with a match-high 12 excellent receptions, while recording six digs.
Outside Ayden DesLauriers also reached double digits with 10 points on six kills, three blocks and an ace, while also registering eight excellent receptions and four digs. Middle blocker Will Patterson matched Herget and DesLauriers with three blocks, while producing five kills and an ace for nine points. Middle Aidan Klein totaled eight points on five kills, two blocks and an ace. Libero Kellen Larson led all players with nine digs and added eight excellent receptions.
After trailing 2-1 to start the match, the U.S. scored the next three points to take the lead for good. Decker and Herget kills and a Hoying block put the U.S. up by two points. A DesLauriers block pushed the margin to four points, 10-6. A DesLauriers ace put the U.S. up 16-9 and a Patterson block made it 18-10. Hoying gave the U.S. a 23-15 lead and a Decker back row attack gave the U.S. set point. Two points later, Herget put a ball to end the set with his fifth kill. Decker also contributed five kills and DesLauriers scored four points on two kills, a block and an ace. The U.S. hit .619 for the set with 15 kills and only two errors in 21 attacks.
After four early ties, Costa Rica took a 10-8 lead in the second set. The lead reached three points, 16-13, before the U.S. used a 4-1 run to even the set on two Decker kills and kills from Klein and Herget. Costa Rica moved back up by two before another Decker kill and a Hoying block tied the set at 19. Decker scored again for a 20-20 tie, but Costa Rica took the lead for good on the next points and then put away an overpass for a 22-20 lead, forcing the U.S. to take a timeout. The U.S. had a swing to tie the set at 23, but a Costa Rica block made it 24-22. Klein scored the next point to foil one set point before a service error ended the set, the first U.S. set loss of the tournament. Decker delivered eight kills in the set.
Two Hoying aces sandwiched a Decker kill that put the U.S. ahead 9-6 in the third set, prompting a Costa Rica timeout. A DesLauriers block pushed the lead to five points, 12-7. A Decker kill and Costa Rica setting error extended the margin to seven, 16-9, and prompted a Costa Rica timeout. Another DesLauriers block followed by a hard ace from Decker raised the lead to double digits, 19-9. The U.S. continued to roll with a Hoying block making the score 22-11. Herget doubled up the score to give the U.S. set point at 24-12 and two plays later, ended the set as the U.S. took a 2-1 match lead. Decker scored on all nine of his swings in the set and added a pair of aces to finish with 11 points in the third set alone.
Larson put up a great pass from deep in the backcourt and Hoying fed DesLauriers for a kiil and a 4-3 lead in the fourth set after Costa Rica opened the set with a 3-1 lead. A Klein ace put the U.S. up 6-4. Decker put away a high back set from Hoying, who then served an ace for an 8-5 lead, prompting an early Costa Rica timeout. DesLauriers scored for a 9-7 lead and Decker put another ball down after another strong Herget serve gave the U.S. a free ball opportunity. Patterson scored off the block to start a four-point run that put the U.S. ahead 14-8. Decker scored off the block off a Patterson set, Klein registered a block and Patterson served an ace to cap the run and force Costa Rica to use its final timeout. Herget tooled the block made the score 17-11. Herget again used the Costa Rica block to score and then recorded a block of his own for a 19-13 advantage. Another Decker kill and a Patterson block raised the margin to seven points, 21-14. A Decker block made it 23-15 and a Costa Rica hitting error gave the U.S. match point. Fittingly, Decker ended the match with his 30th point as his 27th kill went high off the block. He scored six points on five kills and a block in the set.
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: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-1 (25-16, 23-25, 25-13, 25-17)