COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 28, 2016) – Middle blocker David Lee left Southern California this week to play for the PAOK volleyball club in Greece along with outside hitter Jayson Jablonsky.
You probably know that Lee is a two-time Olympian and a 2008 gold medalist. Here are five things you might not know about David Lee
- He has played for professional clubs in Russia, China, Italy, Puerto Rico, Portugal and Indonesia
- After playing in the FIVB World League bronze medal match last July at the Maracanãzinho in Rio de Janeiro, Lee noticed there was going to be a soccer match at the giant Maracanã stadium next door. Lee asked the bus to pull over and got off. He eventually found his way into the stadium to see the pro team Fluminense play.
- In the United States’ 2008 Olympic Games semifinal match against Russia, Lee scored four of the final five points of the match, including two blocks and two kills. He blocked Russia’s leading scorer, Maxim Mikhaylov, for the match-winning point
- At 6-foot-8, Lee is taller than both his parents and both his brothers
- He enjoys both surfing and scuba diving in his spare time
ITALY
Another Olympian, three-timer Reid Priddy, who also has a gold medal from 2008, has officially joined Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova, the Italian club team that also includes setter Micah Christenson. Priddy was not on the roster yet, but Christenson was named MVP as Civitanova beat Ninfa Latina, 25-18, 25-16, 25-17 on Jan. 24. Christenson scored seven points on four kills, two blocks and one ace. He set the team to a .514 hitting efficiency.
Other Americans in Italy had a tougher time this week. Outside hitter Taylor Sander and Calzedonia Verona fell to Exprivia Molfetta, 17-25, 25-23, 15-25, 25-19, 15-8 on Jan. 24. Sander scored 15 points on nine kills, one block and a match-high five aces. He was credited with 22 receptions, 41 percent positive.
Outside hitter Aaron Russell and Sir Safety Conad Perugia fell to Diatec Trentino, 25-22, 25-21, 25-18 on Jan. 23. Russell scored nine points on eight kills and one block. He was credited with 22 receptions, 45 percent positive.
Middle blocker Taylor Averill and Tonazzo Padova beat LPR Piacenza, 25-18, 25-19, 25-18 on Jan. 25. Averill scored seven points on five kills, one block and one ace.
RUSSIA
Matt Anderson, who plays outside hitter for the Russian club Zenit Kazan, scored nine points on eight kills and one ace as Kazan defeated Yugra Samotlor Nizhnevartovsk, 25-21, 25-21, 25-14 on Jan. 24. Anderson was credited with 20 receptions, 40 percent positive.
Middle blocker Max Holt and Dinamo Moscow defeated Kuzbass Kemerovo, 19-25, 28-30, 25-17, 25-21, 15-12 on Jan. 23. Holt scored seven points on five kills and two blocks.
POLAND
Outside hitter Thomas Jaeschke and Asseco Resovia Rzeszów beat AZS Częstochowa, 25-17, 25-12, 25-18 on Jan. 23. Jaeschke was the second-leading scorer of the match with 15 points on 13 kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 13 receptions, 62 percent positive.
GERMANY
Setter Graham McIlvaine, outside hitter Peter Russell and TV Ingersoll Buhl scored an upset over the league-leading Berlin Recycling Volleys, 18-25, 25-21, 25-19, 22-25, 15-12 on Jan. 23. McIlvaine scored five points on three kills, one block and one ace and set the team to a .316 hitting efficiency. Russell played as a substitute. Berlin libero Erik Shoji was credited with 17 receptions, 88 percent positive. Outside hitter Paul Lotman scored 12 points on 11 kills and one block. He was credited with 33 receptions, 58 percent positive.
On Jan. 27, Buhl beat TV Rottenburg, 25-18, 22-25, 25-20, 26-24. McIlvaine scored two points on two kills and set his team to a .400 hitting efficiency. Russell started the fourth set and scored one point on an ace.
Middle blocker Scott Kevorken and SVG Luneburg beat TSV Herrsching, 25-17, 24-26, 25-22, 25-20 on Jan. 23. Kevorken scored eight points on three kills, two blocks and three aces.
FRANCE
Middle blocker David Smith and Tours have worked their way into third place in the league. On Jan. 23, Tours defeated Stade Poitevin Volley, 25-13, 25-19, 25-19. Smith scored seven points on six kills and one block.
Outside hitter Scott Rhein and Chaumont are in second place in the league. They beat Beauvais, 29-27, 36-34, 16-25, 25-17 on Jan. 23. Rhein played as a substitute and scored one point on a kill.
Libero Dustin Watten and Nancy fell to AS Cannes, 20-25, 25-20, 25-20, 26-24 on Jan. 24. Cannes middle blocker Nikola Antonijevic scored seven points on four kills and three blocks. Watten was credited with 17 receptions, 71 percent positive.
TURKEY
Opposite Will Price helped Istanbul BBSK beat Galatasaray HDI Sigorta, 25-16, 25-21, 19-25, 25-19 on Jan. 24. Priced scored 11 points on 10 kills and one ace. Outside hitter Joe Sunder, who plays for Galatasaray, scored seven points on seven kills.
CEV CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Five teams with U.S. players advanced to the playoff phase of the CEV Champions Cup.
Anderson and Russia’s Zenit Kazan finished pool play undefeated after defeating Austria’s Hypo Tirol Innsbruck, 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 on Jan. 26. Anderson scored nine points on eight kills and one block. He was credited with 19 receptions, 53 percent positive.
Middle blocker Russell Holmes and Poland’s Asseco Resovia Rzeszow also finished pool play undefeated with a 25-23, 25-17, 25-18 victory over Switzerland’s #Dragons Lugano on Jan. 26. Holmes scored 11 points on six kills and a match-high five blocks.
Opposite Murphy Troy and Loto Trefl Gdansk finished pool play at 5-1 and won their last match over Serbia’s Vojvodina NS Seme Novi Sad, 25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 25-17 on Jan. 26. Troy played as a substitute and scored two points on two kills.
Setter Micah Christenson and Italy’s Cucine Lube Banca Marche Civitanova finished pool play 5-1 after losing the final match to Belgium’s Knack Roeselare, 28-30, 25-19, 25-15, 25-17. Christenson played as a substitute.
Kawika Shoji and Turkey’s Arkas Izmir finished pool play 4-2, but still advanced to the playoffs. Izmir fell to Erik Shoji, Paul Lotman and the Berlin Recycling Volleys, 8-25, 26-24, 25-19, 23-25, 15-13 on Jan. 26. Lotman scored eight points on six kills and two blocks. He was credited with 34 receptions, 47 percent positive. Erik Shoji was credited with 26 receptions, 69 percent positive. Kawika Shoji scored four points on one kill, two blocks and one ace. He set Izmir to a .391 hitting efficiency.
Berlin finished pool play at 3-3 and will move to the CEV Cup. Middle blocker Max Holt and Dinamo Moscow also finished 3-3 and will also play in the CEV Cup. On Jan. 26, Moscow beat Germany’s VfB Friedrichshafen, 25-22, 25-22, 25-13. Holt started the first set and scored one point on one kill.