U.S. Men's U21 to Play for Gold at 2026 Pan Am Cup

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 27, 2026) – The U.S. Men’s U21 National Team advanced to the gold medal match at the 2026 U21 Pan American Cup with a 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-18) semifinal win over Costa Rica on Saturday in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

The U.S. (4-0) will face the winner of the other semifinal between Canada and Mexico in Sunday’s gold medal match no earlier than 3 p.m. PT.

The U.S. finished with substantial advantages in kills (43-27) and service aces (9-1), while also leading in blocks (10-6).

Opposite Kainoa Wade led all players with 19 points on 12 kills, three blocks and four aces. Outside hitter Mateo Fuerbringer totaled 13 points on 11 kills, one block and one ace, while also leading the team with 10 successful receptions. Middle blockers Jackson Cryst (eight points on three kills, a block and four aces) and Trevell Jordan (six points on four kills and two blocks) combined for 14 points.

Libero Johnny Dykstra posted a match-best nine digs and added eight successful receptions. Outside hitter Blake Fahlbusch recorded six kills with fellow outside Aleksey Mikhailenko adding five points on four kills and a block. Opposite Grayson Bradford contributed four points on two kills and two blocks.

Wade scored three points, two on aces, and Cryst scored two as the U.S. started the match on a 5-0 run. Costa Rica pulled within three points, 8-5, but back-to-back Fuerbringer kills doubled the lead, 10-5. A Fuerbringer ace pushed the margin to seven, 13-6, and forced Costa Rica to take its second timeout. Wade and Cryst continued their scoring, giving the U.S. 16-8 and 17-9 leads, respectively. A Cryst ace pushed the margin to nine points, 19-10. Jordan gave the U.S. set point and a double-digit lead, 24-14, Wade ended the set with a block and his seventh point. Fuerbringer scored six points on five kills and an ace, and Cryst finished with five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace.

Costa Rica used a 5-2 run to take a 6-5 lead in the second set. A three-point Costa Rica run raised the lead to five points, 12-7, and prompted a U.S. timeout. Another Wade kill made it 12-9 but Costa Rica went on another 3-0 mini-run for a six-point advantage. Back-to-back blocks by Wade and Jordan cur the deficit to two, 18-16. A Wade kill and Bradford block again cut the lead to a pair, 21-19. Jordan delivered a kill to bring the U.S. within a point, 23-22, for the first time since 7-6.

Costa Rica led 24-22 but after a service error, failed to convert on set point for a second time as a Fuerbringer block evened the score at 24. Costa Rica earned its third set point when it put a second ball down but Wade tied the set again. A pancake by Kosty on the following rally led to a Wade block and then Wade completed the comeback with the set-winning kill, his seventh kill and 10th point of the set. Fuerbringer totaled six points for the second set in a row with five kills and his key block.

With the score 3-3 in the third set, four different U.S. players scored on the next four plays, capped by a Jordan block. Cryst followed a Costa Rica timeout with an ace for an 8-3 lead. Jordan and Fahlbusch registered back-to-back kills for a seven-point advantage, 13-6. Cryst scored for a 15-7 lead. Bradford’s kill gave the U.S. an eight-point cushion again, 19-11. Costa Rica cut the deficit to five points, 22-17, but a kill from middle Isiah Powell and a hitting error set up match point. Two points later, a service error ended the match. Fahlbusch led the U.S. with five kills in the set.

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 def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-23, 25-15, 25-19)
June 26: Quarterfinals: USA received a bye
June 27: Semifinals: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-14, 27-25, 25-18)
June 28: Gold Medal Match: USA vs. Canada/Mexico, 3 p.m.