COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 13, 2016) – USA Volleyball is pleased to announce the 12 players and four alternates who will make up the 2016 U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team (BYNT).
The team will compete June 24-29 at the NORCECA Boys’ Under-19 Continental Championship in Havana, Cuba in hopes of qualifying for the 2017 FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship.
“With only five training sessions to select the team, this was the most intense and exciting tryout experience any of us have ever been a part of,” Head Coach Sam Shweisky said. “The level of competition in the gym over the weekend was incredibly high with the guys battling for every touch.”
Outside hitters who made the team are Brandon Browning (Corona del Mar, Calif.), Jaylen Jasper (Arnold, Md.), Devin Joslyn (Angola, N.Y.) J.P. Reilly (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Sean Ryan (Countryside, Ill.) and Joel Schneidmiller (Saratoga, Calif.).
Middle blockers on the team are Sam Lewis (Long Beach, Calif.), Kyler Presho (San Clemente, Calif.) and Jack Mathews (Tustin, Calif.)
Setters are Chris Hall (Alhambra, Calif.) and Kyle Merchen (Clovis, Calif.). The libero is Cole Paxson (Costa Mesa, Calif.).
The four alternates are outside hitter Chris McBee (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.), middle blocker Canyon Tuman (Sewickley, Pa.), setter Eli Irizarry (Moraga, Calif.) and libero Thomas Nelson (San Ramon, Calif.).
“In the end, we chose the guys we felt had the best combination of athleticism, volleyball IQ and mental toughness to complement one another,” Shweisky said. “Now that we have selected the team, we can’t wait to start training.”
Head Coach Shweisky, who is also Princeton’s men’s volleyball coach, will serve alongside UCLA assistant men’s coach Brad Keller, who will be the BYNT’s associate head coach. Theo Edwards, the assistant men’s coach at Cal State Northridge, will be an assistant for Shweisky and Keller. Kevin Burch, an assistant coach at Ohio State, will serve as technical coordinator.
The United States is the defending champion of the NORCECA Boys’ U19 Continental Championship. This year, its opening pool will include Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. The second pool will contain Antigua & Barbuda, Cuba, Jamaica and Mexico.
U.S. Boys’ Youth National Team
No. Name (Position, Height, Home City, Home State, Home Region)
1. Brandon Browning (OH, 6-4, Corona del Mar, Calif., Southern California)
3. Chris Hall (S, 6-2, Alhambra, Calif., SCVA)
5. Jaylen Jasper (OH, 6-7, Arnold, Md., Chesapeake)
6. Devin Joslyn (OH, 6-5, Angola, N.Y., Western Empire)
7. Sam Lewis (MB, 6-10, Long Beach, Calif., SCVA)
9. Jack Mathews (MB, 6-4, Tustin, Calif., SCVA)
11. Kyle Merchen (S, 6-4, Clovis, Calif., Northern California)
16. Cole Paxson (L, 5-11, Laguna Beach, Calif., SCVA)
18. Kyler Presho (MB, 6-8, San Clemente, Calif., SCVA)
19. J.P. Reilly (OH, 6-4, Manhattan Beach, Calif., SCVA)
20. Sean Ryan (OH, 6-3, Countryside, Ill., Great Lakes)
22. Joel Schneidmiller (OH, 6-6, Saratoga, Calif., NCVA)
Alternates
4. Eli Irizarry (S, 6-1, Moraga, Calif., NCVA)
10. Chris McBee (OH, 6-4, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., SCVA)
13. Thomas Nelson (L, 6-1, San Ramon, Calif., NCVA)
23. Canyon Tuman (MB, 6-7, Sewickley, Pa., Keystone)
Staff
Head Coach: Sam Schweisky (Princeton)
Associate Head Coach: Brad Keller (UCLA)
Assistant Coach: Theo Edwards (Cal State Northridge)
Technical Coordinator: Kevin Burch (Ohio State)
Team Manager: Collin Powers (USAV)
Team Doctor: Dr. Priscilla Tu
Schedule for the NORCECA Boys’ U19 Continental Championship
Pool Play
June 24: USA v Nicaragua
June 25: USA v Costa Rica
June 26: USA v Dominican Republic
June 27: Quarterfinals
June 28: Semifinals and classification matches
June 29: Finals