COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (June 7, 2016) – USA Volleyball is happy to announce the 19 players selected for the 2016 U.S. Men’s Junior National Training Team.
The 12-player roster of men for the 2016 NORCECA U21 Continental Championships in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada from July 3-11 will be selected from the Training Team roster.
More than half the players on the 2016 Training Team are California-based: the Southern California region has six players, while Northern California has five. The Gateway and Aloha regions each have two players, while Keystone, Western Empire, Garden Empire and Great Lakes each have one.
“I am always excited to coach new players. Being a part of USA Volleyball allows me to train many different athletes, with different skill levels and training methods,” Head Coach Jay Hosack said. “There are many qualified athletes across the country who have worked hard at their craft to earn a chance to try out for a sport on a national team.
“Our staff looked for many different qualities, but mostly we look for attitude and effort when they are on the court. These are intangibles that allow us to put together the best team, and not just the best group of volleyball players.”
The Training Team’s outside hitters are Kyle Bugee (Los Altos, California), Reese Devilbiss (Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania), Jordan Ewert (Antioch, California), Collin Mahan (Victor, New York), Austin Matautia (Ewa Beach, Hawaii) and Dylan Missry (Holbrook, New York).
Opposite hitters are Kyle Ensing (Valencia, California), Calvin Mende (Redlands, California) and Michael Wexter (New Lenox, Illinois).
Middle blockers on the team are Jack Cole (Lafayette, California), Will Hippe (Lake St. Louis, Missouri), George Huhmann (High Ridge, Missouri) and Jacob Linsky (Irvine, California).
The selected setters are Randy Deweese (Sacramento, California), Joshua Tuaniga (Long Beach, California), Joe Worsley (Moraga, California) and Matthew Yoshimoto (Ventura, California)
Liberos are Matt Douglas (Pacific Palisades, California) and Kelsey Yogi (Honolulu, Hawaii).
Ensing, Devilbiss, Tuaniga, Missry, Wexter, Huhmann, Douglas, Mahan, Ewert and Worsley all were members of the 2015 Boys’ Youth National Training Team. Ensing, Devilbiss, Huhmann, Tuaniga, Worsley and Wexter made the roster for the 2015 Boys’ Youth National Team that finished seventh at the FIVB U19 World Championship.
Previously, Worsley, Ewert, Mahan and Tuaniga played on the 2014 Boys’ Youth National Team that won the NORCECA U19 Continental Championship.
“Experience is a huge advantage for any athlete,” Hosack said. “Having been there, done that allows the athlete to focus on the task at hand and not get lost in the gallantry of it all. I expect our returning players to be leaders on and off the court for anyone that is on the roster and has not participated in these types of events.”
Hosack is the men’s volleyball head coach at George Mason University. Assisting him with the MJNTT are Jonah Carson, a coach at Mountain View Volleyball Club, and Matt McCarthy who is the associate head coach for Lewis University’s men’s volleyball team. Virginia Pham, a former graduate assistant at Virginia Commonwealth University, will serve as the team’s statistician.
“Jonah and I have worked together over the years in various capacities and he was the first person I thought of it when I had a chance to pick my staff,” Hosack said. “Matt is a tireless worker and as much experience at high levels, and Virginia’s ability to dissect information will be critical to our success.”
Players for the Men’s Junior National Training Team were selected following nation-wide tryouts held from January through March.
Name (Position, Height, College, Hometown, Region)
Kyle Bugee (Outside Hitter, 6-4, Uncommitted, Los Altos, California, Northern California)
Jack Cole (Middle Blocker, 6-6, Pepperdine University, Lafayette, California, NCVA)
Reese Devilbiss (Outside Hitter, 6-2, Ohio State University, Mount Wolf, Pennsylvania, Keystone)
Randy Deweese (Setter, 6-6, UC Santa Barbara, Sacramento California, NCVA)
Matt Douglas (Libero, 5-10, USC, Pacific Palisades, California, Southern California)
Kyle Ensing (Opposite, 6-7, Long Beach State, Valencia, California, SCVA)
Jordan Ewert (Outside Hitter, 6-5, Stanford University, Antioch, California, NCVA)
Will Hippe (Middle Blocker, 6-8, Uncommitted, Lake St. Louis, Missouri, Gateway)
George Huhmann (Middle Blocker, 6-10, Princeton University, High Ridge, Missouri, Gateway)
Jacob Linsky (Middle Blocker, 6-7, Loyola University, Irvine, California, SCVA)
Collin Mahan (Outside Hitter, 6-5, Loyola University, Victor, New York, Western Empire)
Austin Matautia (Outside Hitter, 6-5, University of Hawaii Manoa, Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Aloha)
Calvin Mende (Opposite, 6-11, Penn State University, Redlands, California, SCVA)
Dylan Missry (Outside Hitter, 6-4, UCLA, Holbrook, New York, Garden Empire)
Joshua Tuaniga (Setter, 6-2, CSU Long Beach, Long Beach, California, SCVA)
Michael Wexter (Opposite, 6-6, Pepperdine University, New Lenox, Illinois, Great Lakes)
Joe Worsley (Setter, 6-0, University of Hawaii, Moraga, California, NCVA)
Kelsey Yogi (Libero 5-7, Cal State Northridge , Honolulu, Hawaii, Aloha)
Matthew Yoshimoto (Setter, 6-4, Lewis University, Ventura, California, SCVA)
Head Coach: Jay Hosack, George Mason University
Assistant Coach: Jonah Carson, Mountain View Volleyball Club
Assistant Coach: Matt McCarthy, Lewis University
Statistician: Virginia Pham, Virginia Commonwealth University