COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Nov. 21, 2019) – NCAA and Olympic champions highlight the coaching staff that will be working with the 2020 Boys Youth National Team.
Nick MacRae, who has won two NCAA championships as associate head coach for Long Beach State, will serve as head coach for the Boys Youth Team. He has experience with USA Volleyball High Performance, including serving an assistant coach for the 2018-19 Boys Youth Team.
Riley Salmon, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist and head coach at the University of Jamestown, and Ben Duckworth, assistant coach for Lindenwood, will serve as his assistants.
“I am honored to represent the United States and our youth volleyball program,” MacRae said. “Riley Salmon and Ben Duckworth are two of the best coaches in the sport and will round out this Youth National Team staff in a huge way.
“They bring a wealth of national- and Olympic-level knowledge. They have both coaching and playing experience and they share an all-world work ethic.”
MacRae and his staff will take the lead at the 2019 Boys Holiday Training Program on Dec. 26-30 in San Diego.
“We will begin to establish our Youth National Team culture,” MacRae said. “We will focus on building trust and communication through this upcoming cycle.
“Through training our USA Volleyball system, we will prepare these young men on the Boys Youth National Team for the various styles of play they will face at NORCECA.”
The Boys Youth National Team will compete at the 2020 NORCECA U19 Championship to try to qualify for the 2020 FIVB U19 World Championship.
Other coaches who will be at the Boys Holiday Training Program:
- Pat Shawaryn – Princeton University men’s assistant coach
- Keith Smith – Grand Canyon University men’s assistant coach
- Jaylen Reyes – University of Nebraska women’s assistant coach
- Spencer McLachlin – UCLA men’s assistant coach
- Sean Rooney – Balboa Bay Volleyball Club coach and 2008 and ’12 Olympian
- T.J. Read – UCF director of operations
- Ken Shibuya – Stanford associate head coach and recruiting coordinator