Men's U21 Roster for Worlds Filled with Experience

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 23, 2023) – USA Volleyball is announcing the 18 athletes selected for the 2023 FIVB Men’s U21 World Championship roster.

The 2023 Men’s U21 World Championship will be July 7-16 in Manama, Bahrain. The group of 18 will train June 25-29 in Anaheim, Calif. Twelve athletes from this group will be selected to travel.

The group will first head to Sofia, Bulgaria, to train with teams from Brazil, Bulgaria and Iran from June 30-July 4. The team will then head to Bahrain for the World Championship.

Eleven players return from the U21 Men’s Team that won silver at the NORCECA Pan American Cup earlier this month in Havana, Cuba: setters Gabe Dyer and Tyler Morgan, outside hitters Alex Rottman, Kyle Teune and Trent Moser, middle blockers Nyherowo Omene, Owen Rose and Micah Wong Diallo, opposites George Bruening and Shane Wetzel and libero Ryan Merk.

Eight players return from the 2022 team that won the Men’s U21 Pan American Cup for the first time and qualified for the 2023 World Championship: setters Morgan and Andrew Rowan, outside hitters Zach Rama and Teune, middles Omene and Wesley Smith, and opposites Moser and Wetzel.

Rowan was named Best Setter, Best Server and MVP at that tournament. Smith was named Best Blocker and Rama was named Second-Best Attacker .

Libero Jacob Reilly and outside hitters Patrick Rogers and Theo Snoey  were alternates for the 2023 Pan Am Cup Team. Outside hitter Dillon Klein is new to the U21 group and was a member of the 2020 Boys U19 Team that did not get to train or compete due to the pandemic.

Andy Read, who led the 2022-23 Men’s U21 Teams, will serve as head coach. His assistants will be Rory Prager and Chris Seiffert.

“With the experience gained in Cuba and the potential to add in a few new players for this run at the World Championship, this U.S. Men’s U21 Team will be the most athletic and dynamic team possible,” Read said. “All the players know the challenge they face to take on the best in the world. To a man, they have embraced that challenge and cannot wait to take their place on the world stage.”

U.S. Men’s U21 Roster for the 2023 FIVB World Championship

No. Name (Position, Height, Birth year, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Ryan Merk (L, 6-0, 2003, Chicago, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
3 Jacob Reilly (L, 6-0, 2003, Cypress, Texas, Concordia-Irvine, Aloha)
5 Dillon Klein (OH, 6-4, 2003, Pacific Palisades, Calif., Univ. of Southern California, Southern California)
7 Gabe Dyer (S, 6-5, 2003, San Clemente, Calif., UC San Diego, Southern California)
8 Kyle Teune (OH, 6-6, 2003, Downers Grove, Ill., Ohio State, Great Lakes)
10 Tyler Morgan (S, 6-7, 2003, Dike, Iowa, Lewis, Iowa)
12 Andrew Rowan (S, 6-7, 2003, Trabuco Canyon, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
13 Shane Wetzel (Opp, 6-7, 2004, Wekiwa Springs, Fla., Ohio State, Florida)
16 Nyherowo Omene (MB, 6-8, 2003, South Holland, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes)
17 Trent Moser (OH, 6-8, 2003, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
18 Patrick Rogers (OH, 6-7, 2004, Rutherford, N.J., St. Francis College, Garden Empire)
19 George Bruening (Opp, 6-10, 2004, Newport Beach, Calif., UCSB, Southern California)
20 Zach Rama (OH, 6-8, 2004, Phoenix, Ariz., UCLA, Arizona)
22 Owen Rose (MB, 6-8, 2003, Long Island, N.Y., Penn State, Garden Empire)
21 Wesley Smith (MB, 6-11, 2004, Encinitas, Calif., USC, Southern California)
23 Alex Rottman (OH, 6-7, 2004, Santa Barbara, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Micah Wong Diallo (MB, 6-9, 2004, Los Angeles, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
25 Theo Snoey (OH, 6-8, 2004, Berkeley, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Head Coach: Andy Read (Long Beach State)
Assistant Coach: Chris Seiffert (Concordia-Irvine)
Assistant Coach: Rory Prager (Univ. of Southern California)
Performance Analyst: Alex Hurlburt
Team Doctor: Dr. Chris Cornell
Team Lead: Donovan Martinez

U.S. Men’s U21 Schedule for the 2023 FIVB World Championship
(All times PT)

July 7 at 7 a.m. USA vs Argentina
July 8 at 10 a.m. USA Vs Belgium
July 9 at 10 a.m. USA vs Czechia
July 11-13 Second round of pool play
July 15 Semifinals and consolation playoffs
July 16 Finals and consolation matches