U.S. Men's U21 Defeats Venezuela at 2026 Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 24, 2026) – The U.S. Men’s U21 National Team moved to 2-0 at the 2026 U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (22-25, 25-12, 25-15, 25-19) win over Venezuela on Wednesday in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

The U.S. (2-0) completes pool play tomorrow against Mexico (1-0) at 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. finished the match with more kills (49-35) and blocks (10-6 after being outblocked 6-1 early in the match). The U.S. served nine aces to none for Venezuela.

Opposite Kainoa Wade led all players with 19 points on 13 kills, one block and a match-best five aces. “It was great, a little slow start on our side, but it was good to see the guys bounce back in the second, third and fourth sets to pull away. The fourth was a little scary at the start, but we ended the match well,” Wade said.

Outside hitter Mateo Fuebringer scored 12 points on 11 kills and a block, while outside Aleksey Mikhailenko totaled 12 points on seven kills, a match-high four blocks and an ace. Fuerbringer led all players with 15 successful receptions with libero Johnny Dykstra adding nine. Dykstra posted a match-best 12 digs, while Fuerbringer finished with eight.

Middle blockers Trevell Jordan (five kills and an ace) and Jackson Cryst (four kills and two blocks) scored six points apiece. Setter Camerson Kosty contributed four points on two blocks and two kills, and opposite Grayson Bradford added four kills.

Venezuela took a 7-5 lead in the opening set. With the score tied 10-10, Venezuela ran off four points in a row. A block capped a 7-2 run that put Venezuela up by five points. Trailing 18-13, the U.S. scored three consecutive points with a Jordan block cutting the deficit to two points. A service error and block upped the Venezuela lead to four points, 20-16. The U.S. fought off set points after being down 24-20 before dropping the set. Bradford paced the U.S. with four kills.

A Kosty block gave the U.S. a two-point lead for the first time, 5-3, as part of a six-point run highlighted by a Wade ace for a 9-3 lead. The sixth Venezuela block of the match cut the margin to four, 11-7. A Mikhailenko kill allowed the U.S. to double up the score, 14-7. A Wade block made it 16-9. Wade delivered a kill, three consecutive aces and another kill for a 24-11 lead. Two points later, Wade evened the match at a set apiece with his 10th point and fifth kill of the set.

Kills by Jordan and Wade and a block by Mikhailenko staked the U.S. to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Fuerbringer scored on back-to-back plays with a kill and an ace for a 10-5 U.S. advantage. The lead was still at five, 15-10, on a Jordan kill. Venezuela cut the deficit to four points before another Wade kill began a three-point run that raised the U.S. lead to seven, 20-13. A Cryst kill and block followed by a Kosty kill pushed the margin to nine, 23-14. Wade gave the U.S. set point at 24-15, and a Powell ace put the U.S. up two sets to one. Wade led the team with five kills, while Mikhailenko added four points on two kills and two blocks.

Venezuela jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the fourth set, but back-to-back blocks by Cryst and then Mikhailenko evened the score at 5-5. Consecutive Fuerbringer kills put the U.S. ahead 8-6. A Kosty block upped the lead to three points, 10-7 but Venezuela tied the set by scoring the next three points. The U.S. went back up three points, 14-11, on three Venezuela errors. Two kills and an ace by Wade gave the U.S. an 18-13 lead. After dropping the next point, the U.S. went up 20-14 on a Wade kill and Mikhailenko ace. A Jordan kill extended the lead to seven, 22-15. A Fuerbringer kill set up match point, 24-17, and three points later Mikhailenko ended the set and match with a kill.

2026 Men’s U21 National Team Roster for the Pan American Cup

Name (Pos., Ht., Hometown, School, USAV Region)
1 Cameron Kosty (S, 6-5, Hayward, Calif., UC Irvine, Southern California Southern Nevada)
3 Drake Foley (L, 6-4, Newport Beach, Calif., Corona Del Mar HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
7 Mateo Fuerbringer (OH, 6-5, Hermosa Beach, Calif., Mira Costa HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
9 Trevell Jordan (MB, 6-10, Mesa, Ariz., Hawai’i, Arizona)
10 Johnny Dykstra (L, 6-2, Manhattan Beach, Calif., USC, Southern California Southern Nevada)
12 Rafa Urbina (S, 6-5, Broomfield, Colo., UCLA, Rocky Mountain)
14 Aleksey Mikhailenko (OH, 6-8, Mequon, Wis., Homestead HS, Badger)
15 Blake Fahlbusch (OH, 6-8, Manhattan Beach, Calif., Loyola HS of Los Angeles, Southern California Southern Nevada)
18 Kainoa Wade (OPP, 6-9, Kailua, Hawai’i, Hawai’i, Aloha)
20 Grant Lamoureux (OH, 6-10, Clemmons, N.C., Pepperdine, Carolina)
21 Jackson Cryst (MB, 6-10, Long Beach, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California Southern Nevada)
22 Grayson Bradford (OPP, 6-11, Redondo Beach, Calif., UCLA, Southern California Southern Nevada)
24 Isiah Powell (MB, 6-8, Silver Spring, Md., Springbrook HS, Chesapeake)
28 Tommy Henige (MB, 6-9, Glendale, Ariz., Perry HS, Arizona)

Alternates
2 Griffin Dieter (L, 6-4, San Diego, Calif., Torrey Pines HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
4 Lucas Helle (S, 6-4, Pauline, S.C., Dorman HS, Palmetto)
5 Elan Taylor (OH, 6-4, San Jose, Calif., Valley Christian HS, Northern California)
6 Connor Oldani (OPP, 6-5, Phoenix, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
8 Myles Jordan (OH, 6-5, Houston, Texas, Long Beach State, Lone Star)
11 Cooper Keane (OPP, 6-7, Hermosa Beach, Calif., USC, Southern California Southern Nevada)
13 Logan Hutnick (OH, 6-6, Huntington Beach, Calif., Huntington Beach HS, Southern California Southern Nevada)
16 Luc Soerensen (MB, 6-8, Meadville, Pa., Meadville Area Senior HS, Keystone)
17 Noah Douphner (OH, 6-6, Stevenson Ranch, Calif., CSUN, Southern California Southern Nevada)

Coaches
Head Coach: Donan Cruz (Hawai’i)
Assistant Coach: Rory Prager (USC)
Assistant Coach: Ryan Ammerman (Arizona women’s volleyball)
Performance Analyst: AJ Ruttenberg (UCLA)
Athletic Trainer: Ben Colletti (Loyola Chicago)
Team Leader: Brandon Oswald (NTDP)

Schedule

All times Pacific

June 23: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-13, 25-9, 25-21)
June 24: USA def. Venezuela, 3-1 (22-25, 25-12, 25-15, 25-19)
June 25: USA vs. Mexico, 3 p.m.
June 26: Quarterfinals
June 27: Semifinals
June 28: Medal matches