U.S. Boys U17 Sweeps Puerto Rico at 2026 Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Aug. 5, 2026) – The U.S. Boys U17 National Team earned its second consecutive win on Wednesday with a 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-17) win over Puerto Rico at the 2026 NORCECA Boys U17 Pan American Cup in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

The U.S. (2-0) concludes pool play against Canada tomorrow at 1 p.m. PT.

The U.S. maintained statistical advantages in kills (37-23), blocks (6-2) and service aces (4-2). The teams were nearly even in errors with the U.S. committing one fewer (28-27).

Five players scored at least five points for the balanced U.S. attack, led by outside hitter Logan Flores, who totaled 10 points on seven kills, two blocks and an ace. Middle blocker Nikodem Opiola and opposite Gavin McWaters each scored nine points on seven kills, one block and an ace.

“The match was extremely fun. Puerto Rico is a really scrappy team, but we held our ground. Our energy throughout the whole match was amazing,” Opiola said.

Libero Collin Tullis led the squad with nine digs and 13 excellent receptions, while Flores contributed five excellent receptions. Setter Carter Tchaikovsky ran the offense to a .315 hitting efficiency percentage, adding three kills and six digs.

Middle Nolan Barrett finished with seven points on five kills while joining Flores as the only players to record two blocks. Outside Gabe Desiderio scored five points on four kills and an ace, and Noah Mbaitoloum registered three kills in the final set.

The U.S. jumped out to a 6-2 lead, forcing Puerto Rico to take an early timeout. Puerto Rico scored the next three points before the U.S. used a 6-2 run to take a 12-7 lead. Desiderio scored when Puerto Rico sent a Tchaikovsky setter dump over the net and Opiola scored for the five-point advantage. Puerto Rico pulled within three points, 12-9, before a 4-0 U.S. run capped by a Flores kill raised the margin to eight points. A Barrett block gave the U.S. a 19-11 lead. Flores recorded a kill and then his tough serve led to an overpass that Lula Kordus III put down for a 21-13 lead. After a Puerto Rico hitting error, Tchaikovsky scored and Flores served an ace off the net to give the U.S. set point, 24-13 and two points later, Barrett ended the set with his third kill and match-best fifth point. Flores finished with four points on three kills and his ace.

McWaters delivered kills for the first two points of the second set. Opiola and McWaters scored to establish a two-point margin again at 9-7. A Flores block put the U.S. up 11-9 before Puerto Rico scored three of the next four points to even the set at 12. With the score tied at 15, Flores took over with three consecutive points on two kills and a block. A Puerto Rico hitting error raised the lead to four, 20-16, before four consecutive service errors. An Opiola block advanced the U.S. advantage to 23-18. Puerto Rico ran off the next three points to force a U.S. timeout. Puerto Rico scored again out of the timeout and after the teams exchanged service errors, Opiola ended the set and gave the U.S. a 2-0 match lead. McWaters led the U.S. with five points on four kills and a block with Flores (two kills, two blocks) and Opiola (three kills, one block) each scoring four points.

Kills by McWaters and Flores helped stake the U.S. to a 5-2 lead in the third set. Another McWaters kill put the U.S. up 10-7 and a Tchaikovsky kill on a second ball made it 11-8. An Opiola ace off the next raised the margin to four points, 14-10, and prompted a Puerto Rico timeout. A McWaters ace put the U.S. ahead 16-11. A Mbaitoloum kill off the block started a three-point run that ended with a Tchaikovsky setter dump and a 20-13 U.S. lead. Puerto Rico’s 15th service error (and the 28th of the match) gave the U.S. match point, which it converted on a Puerto Rico error. Mbaitoloum and McWaters each scored three points.

2026 Boys U17 National Team Roster for Pan American Cup

No. (Name, Position, Height, Hometown, High School, USAV Region)
2 Logan Flores (OH, 6-1, Cypress, Calif., Cypress HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
3 Collin Tullis (L, 6-2, Slidell, La., Seton Catholic Homeschooling, Southern)
4 Sid Saikanth (OH, 6-3, Leander, Texas, Rouse HS, Lone Star)
5 Dane Schaefer (S, 6-3, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
9 Gabe Desiderio (OH, 6-6, Los Altos Hills, Calif., Saint Francis HS, Northern California)
10 Nikodem Opiola (MB, 6-5, Arlington Heights, Ill., Rolling Meadows HS, Great Lakes)
12 Carter Tchaikovsky (S, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
13 Frankie Vincent (MB, 6-6, Schaumburg, Ill., Schaumburg High School, Great Lakes)
15 Noah Mbaitoloum (OH, 6-7, Rockville, Md., Winston Churchill HS, Chesapeake)
16 Jackson Real (OPP, 6-9, Irvine, Calif., San Clemente HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
18 Nolan Barrett (MB, 6-7, Encinitas, Calif., La Costa Canyon HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
20 Louis “Lula” Kordus III (OH, 6-5, Los Altos, Calif., Homestead HS, Northern California)
21 Gavin McWaters (OPP, 6-8, Loveland, Ohio, Loveland HS, Ohio Valley)
24 Jonah Tuaniga (S, 6-0, Long Beach, Calif., Millikan HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)

Alternates
1 Nate Paige (L, 5-10, Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton Warrenville South HS, Great Lakes)
6 Paxon Boynton (L, 5-11, Mesa, Ariz., Mountain View, HS, Arizona Region)
7 Sean John (MB, 6-3, Mount Prospect, Ill., John Hersey HS, Great Lakes)
8 Tommy Clifford (OH, 6-5, Glen Ellyn, Ill., Glenbard West HS, Great Lakes)
11 Kekoa Wade (OPP, 6-5, Kailua, Hawaii, University Laboratory School, Aloha)
14 Jackson Vanderpool (MB, 6-6, Queen Creek, Arizona, Higley HS, Arizona Region)
17 Kellen Saurer (S, 6-8, Elgin, Ill., Wheaton Academy, Great Lakes)
19 Miles Crotty (MB, 6-3, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
22 Grant Schmidt (OPP, 6-7, San Diego, Calif., Clairemont HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
23 Luis Tarja (OH, 6-7, Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
25 Dean Wagner (OH, 6-1, Irvine, Calif., Mater Dei HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
26 Ryder Wilper (OH, 6-6, Golden, Colo., Ralston Valley HS, Rocky Mountain)

Coaches
Head Coach: Mike Wall (USA Volleyball)
Assistant Coach: Steven Duhoux (Ohio State)
Assistant Coach: Tom Stillwell (NTDP)
Athletic Trainer: Beth Drayer (BD Movement)
Performance Analyst: Alex Hurlburt (The Volleyball Institute)
Team Lead: Brandon Oswald (NTDP)
Training Coach: Sean Byron (Daemen), Derek Sullivan (Belmont Abbey)
Mental Performance Coach: Mitzi Kincaid (Performance GRIT)

Schedule

All Times PT

August 4
USA def. Mexico, 3-2 (25-17, 18-25, 25-20, 24-26, 15-8)

August 5
USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-14, 25-23, 25-17)

August 6
USA vs. Canada, 1 p.m.

August 7
Quarterfinals

August 8
Classification and semifinals

August 9
Classification and Finals