COLORADO SPRINGS (Jan. 18, 2017) –U.S. outside hitter Scott Touzinsky, who won a gold medal with the 2008 U.S. Olympic Men’s Team, announced his retirement on Jan. 17.
Touzinsky (St. Louis, Mo.), who had been playing professionally in Poland with Jastrzębski Węgiel, said in a social media post that he was retiring due to a knee injury.
As part of his retirement announcement, Touzinsky wrote, “I won 6 titles and 3 cups in 5 different countries, champions league bronze medal, countless individual awards overseas while playing 13 seasons. On the national team, I won world league, multiple other tourneys and the Olympic gold medal in 6 seasons. I never could have imagined making the amount of money I did, played with and against the best players in the world, so to say I’ve been blessed throughout my volleyball career is an understatement.”
Touzinsky, 34, played college volleyball at Long Beach State. He wrote that he is not leaving the volleyball world: “Just because I’m retiring doesn’t mean I’m done with the game. The journey has just started for me as I will continue to run my volleyball camps across the world and working for All Volleyball to make sure every kid has a ball in their hand. I will pursue my coaching career to hopefully one day have the opportunity to coach at the collegiate ranks.”
ITALY
In a battle of U.S. setters, Micah Christenson (Honolulu, Hawaii) and Cucine Lube Civitanova defeated James Shaw (Woodside, Calif.), middle blocker Taylor Averill (San Jose, Calif.) and Kioene Padova, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20, 25-21 on Jan. 15. Christenson was named the match MVP for scoring three points on one kill, one block and one ace and setting his team to a .440 hitting efficiency. Shaw scored six points on three kills, two block and one ace. He set his team to a .349 hitting efficiency. Averill finished with 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and one ace.
Middle blocker Max Holt (Cincinnati) and Azimut Modena beat Tonno Callipo Calabria, Vibo Valentia, 25-21, 25-21, 25-23 on Jan. 15. Holt scored seven points on six kills and one block.
Outside hitter Aaron Russell (Ellicott City, Md.) and Sir Safety Conad Perugia beat Diatec Trentino, 25-23, 25-15, 25-22 on Jan. 15. Russell started the first two sets and scored two points on one kill and one block.
RUSSIA
Matt Anderson (West Seneca, N.Y.), who plays outside hitter for Zenit Kazan, and his team beat Yenisey Krasnoyarsk, 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 on Jan. 14. Anderson scored 11 points on eight kills, one block and two aces. He was credited with 10 receptions, 60 percent positive.
Libero Erik Shoji (Honolulu, Hawaii), setter Kawika Shoji (Honolulu) and Lokomotiv Novosibirsk beat Fakel Novy Urengoi, 21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 28-26, 15-9 on Jan. 14. Erik Shoji was credited with 17 receptions, 71 percent positive. Kawika Shoji started the first two sets and scored one point on one block.
GERMANY
SVG Luneburg, including Americans Michael Brinkley, Scott Kevorken, and Eric Fitterer, defeated the Berlin Recycling Volleys, 25-19, 25-16, 20-25, 25-18 on Jan. 14. Opposite Fitterer (Edwardsville, Ill.) led all scorers with 26 points on a match-high 20 kills, a match-high four blocks and two aces. Kevorken (Westlake Village, Calif.) totaled 12 points on seven kills, three blocks and two aces. Brinkley (Huntington Beach, Calif.) was credited with 15 receptions, 67 percent positive.
GREECE
Outside hitter Greg Petty (Downers Grove, Ill.) and Pamvohaikos fell to Olympiacos, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19, 25-21 on Jan. 14. Petty scored 13 points on 11 kills and two aces. He was credited with 31 receptions, 52 percent positive.
CHINA
U.S. outside hitter Taylor Sander (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and Beijing defeated Sichuan, 25-22, 25-20, 25-19 on Jan. 15. Sander scored 12 points, including 11 kills.
Outside hitter Garrett Muagututia (Oceanside, Calif.) and his team Tianjin fell to Bayi, 25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 25-21 on Jan. 15. Muagututia scored 10 points, including two aces.
FRANCE
Middle blocker Dan McDonnell (Glendale, Ariz.) and Chaumont fell to Ajaccio, 21-25, 25-23, 25-15, 20-25, 15-10 on Jan. 14. Full statistics from the match were not available.
CEV Champions League
Matt Anderson and Russia’s Zenit Kazan won their third straight Champions League pool play match when they beat VfB Friedrichshafen, 25-13, 23-25, 25-13, 25-21 on Jan. 18. Anderson scored seven point on five kills and two aces. He was credited with 32 receptions, 47 percent positive.
Outside hitter Brian Cook (Santa Cruz, Calif.) and Italy’s Azimut Modena defeated S.C.M. “U” Craiova of Romania, 24-26, 29-27, 25-18, 25-16 on Jan. 17. Max Holt did not play in the match. Cook started the first two sets and scored nine points on eight kills and one block. He was credited with seven receptions, 57 percent positive.
Aaron Russell and Sir Safety Perugia defeated Russia’s Belogorie Belgorod, 11-25, 25-14, 31-29, 18-25, 15-13 on Jan. 18. Russell played as a substitute and scored three points on three kills.