Stand Back Argentina; Lee to Play for UPCN

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jan. 11, 2018) – Middle blocker David Lee, a three-time Olympian who won gold in 2008 and bronze in 2016, has announced he will play for UPCN San Juan Voley in Argentina this winter and spring.

“We all know the quote ‘it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.’ I like to say, ‘it ain’t over till my knee explodes,’” Lee said in an Instagram post.

Lee did not play for the U.S. Men’s Team in 2017. He did play for the winning Blizzard team in the inaugural tournament of the National Volleyball Association.

We all know the quote “it ain’t over till the fat lady sings” I like to say ” it ain’t over till my knee explodes” Pleased to announce that I’ll be continuing my career in beautiful Argentina playing for @upcnvoley ・・・ UPCN San Juan Voley movió el mercado durante el receso e incorporó un nuevo jugador a su plantel, nada menos que el central David Lee. El jugador oriundo de Estados Unidos, figura internacional que incluso ostenta una medalla de oro en los Juegos Olímpicos, llegó a San Juan y fue presentado en la práctica. Lee ocupará la plaza del brasileño Pedrao, quien no seguirá en el equipo, y no se descarta que pueda debutar el próximo weekend, en el que UPCN recibirá a PSM Voley (jueves a las 22) y Libertad Burgi (viernes a las 22), en el estadio Aldo Cantoni. El central de 35 años tiene una gran experiencia internacional y en la última temporada pasó por el Ziraat Bankasi Ankara, de Turquía, y Blizzard Volleyball, de Estados Unidos. En su palmarés ostenta logros increíbles. Con la selección de Estados Unidos fue campeón olímpico en Beijing 2008 y medalla de bronce en Río 2016, también campeón de la NORCECA en 2007 y 2013, consiguió la medalla de oro de la Liga Mundial en 2008 y 2014 y festejó en la Copa Mundial 2015. A nivel clubes jugó en ligas de diferentes partes del mundo y también logró varios títulos. Así, pasó por Grecia, Rusia, Italia, Francia, Puerto Rico, Portugal e Indonesia y en clubes como Modena, Halkbank Ankara, Lokomotiv Novosibirsk, VC Kuzbass Kemerovo, Dynamo Moscow o Zenit Kazan, entre otros. Lee, oriundo de California, se mostró satisfecho por sumarse al equipo y se acopló rápidamente en su primera práctica. El central seguirá ahora el plan de trabajo trazado por el cuerpo técnico, en la continuidad de la Liga Argentina.

A post shared by David Lee (@davidlee1982) on Jan 9, 2018 at 9:17am PST

FIVB WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

The FIVB has announced the schedule for the first round of the 2018 World Championship on Sept. 9-30 in Bulgaria and Italy.

The U.S. Men will play the opening round in Bari, Italy and will open against Serbia on Sept. 12.

2018 FIVB World Championship
First-Round Schedule in Bari, Italy
Sept. 12: USA v Serbia
Sept. 13: Australia v USA
Sept. 15: USA v Russia
Sept. 16: Cameroon v USA
Sept. 18: USA v Tunisia

The top four teams will advance to the second round.

The U.S. Men are ranked No. 2 in the world.

ITALY

Sir Safety Conad Perugia, which includes outside hitter Aaron Russell and setter James Shaw, has taken a slim lead in the Italian league.

Perugia sits in the lead with a 15-2 record and 45 points. Just behind is Cucine Lube Civitanova, with setter Micah Christenson and outside hitter Taylor Sander, at 15-2 and with 44 points.

In third place is middle blocker Max Holt and Azimut Modena with a 13-4 record and 39 points.

Perugia has gone 5-0 in its last five matches. Russell was named MVP of the match against Bunge Ravenna (25-22, 25-16, 25-18) as he led all scorers with 15 points on 11 kills, a match-high three aces and one block. Shaw played as a substitute and scored one point on a kill.

Russell was again named MVP against Calzedonia Verona (25-19, 26-28, 25-18, 25-22) as he scored 21 points on a match-high 19 kills, one block and one ace. He was credited with 22 receptions, 32 percent positive. Shaw again scored one point on a kill as a substitute.

Outside hitter Thomas Jaeschke started the first three sets for Verona, scoring five points on four kills and one block. He was credited with 19 receptions, 32 percent positive.

Russell was named MVP in the Jan. 10 victory over Revivre Milano, including middle blocker Taylor Averill. Russell scored 16 points on 14 kills (.666 efficiency), one block and one ace. He was credited with 14 receptions, 43 percent positive. Averill scored seven points for Milano on five kills and two aces.

Civitanova has gone 4-1 in its last five matches. Most recently, it swept Taiwan Excellence Latina, including libero Erik Shoji, 25-22, 25-16, 25-16 on Jan. 10. Sander scored 11 points on 10 kills and one ace. He was credited with 20 receptions, 55 percent positive. Christenson set the team to a .532 hitting efficiency and scored five points on three kills and two blocks. Shoji was credited with 12 receptions, 92 percent positive.

Holt and Azimut Modena went 3-2 in their last five matches. Holt’s best match was in a win over BCC Castellana Grotte (25-21, 25-18, 30-28) where he scored nine points on seven kills, one block and one ace.

Outside hitter Jaeschke and Verona are in fourth place at 12-4 with 32 points. Jaeschke was named match MVP on Jan. 11 as he helped Verona beat Kioene Padova, 25-20, 25-16, 25-21. Jaeschke scored 10 points on nine kills and one ace. He was credited with 12 receptions, 50 percent positive.

Averill and Revivre Milano are in seventh place with an 8-8 record and 25 points. In a 14-25, 25-23, 25-21, 25-16 victory over Gi Group Monza on Jan. 4, Averill started the final three sets and scored 15 points on a match-high eight blocks, five kills and two aces.

Erik Shoji and Taiwan Excellence Latina have gone 2-2 in their last four matches and are in 11^th place at 5-11. In a victory on Jan. 7 over Biosi Indexa Sora, Shoji was credited with 16 receptions, 50 percent positive. American Kupono Fey, who plays outside hitter for Sora, scored five points on four kills and an ace.

Setter Kawika Shoji, outside hitter Jake Langlois and Gi Group Monza are in 10^th place at 6-11 with 18 points. On Dec. 30, Monza beat Sora, 27-25, 25-17, 25-20. Shoji scored four points on one kills, one block and two aces. He set his team to a .600 hitting efficiency. Langlois played as a substitute. Fey played as a substitute for Sora and scored on a kill.

Opposite Ben Patch and Tonno Callipo Calabria Vibo Valentia are struggling a bit at 3-14 with 10 points. In a 25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 25-19 loss to Wixo LPR Piacenza on Jan. 4, Patch scored 19 points on a match-high 18 kills and one block.

POLAND

Middle blocker David Smith and Aluron Virtu Warta Zawiercie went 2-1 over their last three matches. Smith’s best performance came in a 24-26, 29-27, 25-22, 21-25, 15-12 win over BBTS Bielsko-Biała. He scored 13 points on 10 kills and three blocks.

Libero Dustin Watten and Cerrad Czarni Radom have gone 1-2 in their last three matches. Watten had a strong match, statistically, in a 25-21, 25-21, 21-25, 25-29 loss to GKS Katowice. Watten was credited with 28 receptions, 64 percent positive.

Setter Jonah Seif had a strong performance for MKS Będzin in its 25-20, 21-25, 25-22, 26-24 win over Indykpol AZS Olsztyn on Dec. 30. Seif scored three points on three blocks and set his team to a .388 hitting efficiency.

RUSSIA

Outside hitter Matt Anderson and Zenit Kazan went 3-1 in their last four matches. Anderson had a strong performance in a 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 win over Lokomotiv Novosibirsk when he scored 12 points on eight kills, three blocks and one ace. He was credited with 14 receptions, 57 percent positive.

He also had a good night in a 25-18, 25-19, 25-20 win over Fakel Novy Urengoi on Jan. 10. Anderson scored 13 points on 11 kills and two blocks. He was credited with 17 receptions, 53 percent positive.

FRANCE

Middle blocker Mitch Stahl and Paris have worked their way into first place in the French league. On Jan. 6, Paris beat Chaumont, with U.S. setter Michael Saeta, 25-22, 18-25, 25-19, 25-18. Stahl scored five points on two kills and three blocks. Saeta played as a substitute.