Men's U23 National Team Rolls into 2025 Pan Am Cup Semifinals

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (August 1, 2025) – The U.S. Men’s U23 National Team put together its most dominant performance of the 2025 NORCECA Men’s U23 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-19) quarterfinal win over Costa Rica on Friday in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

The U.S. (3-1) advanced to the semifinal round and a matchup with either Venezuela or the Dominican Republic tomorrow, Saturday, August 2.

The U.S. finished with significant advantages in kills (44-18), blocks (5-1) and aces (7-0). Costa Rica made eight fewer errors (27-19). The U.S. hit at a .515 efficiency percentage with 44 kills and only nine errors in 68 total attacks.

Ten players scored at least one point for the U.S. with Jalen Phillips leading all scorers with 10 points on eight kills and two aces. Ryan Barnett (eight kills and an ace) and Theo Snoey (six kills, one block and two aces) each scored nine points. Libero Ryan Merk led the U.S. with nine digs and five successful receptions.

Middle blocker Nicodemus Meyer totaled eight points on five kills, two blocks and an ace. Fellow middle Cam Thorne finished with six points on five kills and a block. Outside hitter Patrick Rogers produced four kills with opposite George Bruening (three kills), middle Wesley Smith (two kills and one block) and middle Owen Rose (two kills and an ace) each scoring three points. Setter Ryan McElligott added one kill.

Taking a 5-4 lead on a Bruening kill, the U.S. took the lead for good in the opening set. A Barnett kill raised the margin to five points, 13-8, and capped a four-point run. After Costa Rica tallied the following point, Phillips scored three consecutive points on two kills and an ace. Phillips served for seven points as the U.S. took a commanding 21-9 lead. Barnett recorded six kills in the set and Phillips finished with five points on four kills to go with his ace.

Behind two kills by Meyer and two aces from Barnett, the U.S. jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the second set, capped by a Thorne kill. Another Thorne kill pushed the lead to 11 points at 15-4. Rogers produced a kill for an 18-7 lead and a Thorne block made it 21-10. A Snoey block ended the set with the largest lead at 12 points. Thorne scored four points on three kills and a block.

The U.S. led 8-6 in the third set before going on a four-point run with Rose starting it with a kill and ending it on an ace for a 12-6 lead. A Phillips ace kept the lead at six points, 17-11. Costa Rica scored the next three points to pull within three, but the U.S. went on another 4-0 run with Snoey serving two aces. Meyer (three kills, two blocks and an ace) and Snoey (four kills with his two aces) led the U.S. with six points.

USA Volleyball Men’s U23 Roster for Pan Am Cup

Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College/Pro, Region)

1 Ryan Merk (L, 6-1, 2003, Chicago, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
4 Nathan Flayter (S, 6-4, 2005, Hales Corner, Wisc., McKendree, Badger)
5 Cam Thorne (MB, 6-4, 2004, Hollywood, Fla., UCLA, Florida)
6 Ryan Barnett (OH, 6-5, 2003, Vero Beach, Fla., Pepperdine, Florida)
8 Jalen Phillips (OPP, 6-5, 2004, Anaheim, Calif., CSUN, Southern California)
9 Ryan McElligott (S, 6-6, 2004, Mundelein, Ill., Loyola Chicago, Great Lakes)
14 Nicodemus Meyer (MB, 6-4, 2003, Franklin, Wisc., Loyola Chicago, Badger)
18 Patrick Rogers (OH, 6-7, 2004, Rutherford, N.J., Ball State, Garden Empire)
19 George Bruening (OPP, 6-10, 2004, Newport Beach, Calif., UCSB, Southern California)
21 Wesley Smith (MB, 6-11, 2004, Encinitas, Calif., USC, Southern California)
22 Owen Rose (MB, 6-8, 2003, Merrick, N.Y., Penn State, Garden Empire)
25 Theo Snoey (OH/OPP, 6-8, 2004, Berkeley, Calif., Stanford, Northern California)

Alternates
7 Andrew Deardorff (OH, 6-5, 2003, Itasca, Ill., St. Francis, Great Lakes)
10 Paul Wyszynski (L, 6-0, 2003, Northbrook, Ill.,  Miedzyrzeckie Towarzystwo Siatkarskie, Great Lakes)
13 D’Aaron McCraney (MB, 6-9, 2003, Las Vegas, Nev., McKendree, Southern California)
16 Nyherowo Omene (OPP, 6-7, 2003, Chicago, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes)
17 Trent Moser (OH, 6-8, 2003, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
23 Alex Rottman (OH, 6-7, 2004, Santa Barbara, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)

Coaches
Head Coach: Nickie Sanlin (McKendree)
Assistant Coach: Reid Priddy (Indoor VC, Olympian)
Assistant Coach: Luke Reynolds (Pepperdine)
Performance Analyst: Mackenna Basore (Auburn)
ATC: Claire Pointer (LOVB Madison)
Team Lead: Will Berdecia (OTVA)

Schedule

All times Pacific

July 29: Dominican Republic def. USA, 3-1 (23-25, 26-24, 31-29, 25-16)
July 30: USA def. Mexico, 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 25-27, 25-23)
July 31: USA def. Belize, 3-0 (26-24, 25-16, 25-13)
Aug. 1: Quarterfinals: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 25-13, 25-19)
Aug. 2: Semifinals: USA vs. Venezuela/Dominican Republic
Aug. 3: Medal Match: USA vs. TBA