Photo Courtesy of Volleyball World
U.S. Men's Volleyball Qualifies for Paris Games
October 09, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
John Speraw's U.S. Men's Volleyball National Team finished the FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier undefeated on Sunday when it beat Japan 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12) in Tokyo before over 10,000 fans and will advance to the play in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Bruins Micah Ma'a and Garrett Muagututia each saw action in the match. Ma'a came in at setter during the contest and was credited with six kills and a block. Muagututia started at outside hitter and scored 13 points on 12 kills and a block. Speraw was joined on the U.S. bench by Bruin assistant coach Morteza Shiari.
Ma'a will be looking to play in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the UCLA men's volleyball team from 2016-19 and has been a member of the U.S. Men's National Team since 2018. Ma'a has played professionally in France since 2019 and was a 2018 and 2019 first-team AVCA All-America while a Bruin. Muagututia, who took part in his first Olympics in Tokyo after being an alternate for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team, made his debut with the U.S. Men's National Team in 2011 and has played professionally in Spain, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Poland, China, Portugal and Greece. At UCLA, Muagututia earned second-team All-America honors in the 2010 and 2008 seasons.
The U.S. Men finished the tournament 7-0 and were awarded the "traditional World Cup" for winning the group. Japan hosted the World Cup every four years from 1965-2019. The Olympic Qualifier tournaments kept the round robin format. The U.S. Men last won the World Cup in 2015.
The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, will be held in Paris, France from July 26 to August 11, 2024. The U.S. Men are ranked No. 2 in the world in the latest listings and have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. The U.S. has won three Olympic gold medals and two bronze. Speraw has been the head coach of the U.S. team since 2013 and earned the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Earlier this year, in September, he led the U.S. to the NORCECA Championship after guiding UCLA to the 2023 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship.
Olympic Qualifying Results for the U.S. Team
Sept. 30 -- USA def Egypt, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-19)
Oct. 1 -- USA def Finland, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-17)
Oct. 3 -- USA def. Türkiye, 3-1 (25-17, 26-28, 32-30, 25-20)
Oct. 4 -- USA def. Tunisia, 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-14)
Oct. 6 -- USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 25-18)
Oct. 7 -- USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17)
Oct. 8 -- USA def Japan 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12)
Bruins Micah Ma'a and Garrett Muagututia each saw action in the match. Ma'a came in at setter during the contest and was credited with six kills and a block. Muagututia started at outside hitter and scored 13 points on 12 kills and a block. Speraw was joined on the U.S. bench by Bruin assistant coach Morteza Shiari.
Ma'a will be looking to play in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the UCLA men's volleyball team from 2016-19 and has been a member of the U.S. Men's National Team since 2018. Ma'a has played professionally in France since 2019 and was a 2018 and 2019 first-team AVCA All-America while a Bruin. Muagututia, who took part in his first Olympics in Tokyo after being an alternate for the 2016 U.S. Olympic team, made his debut with the U.S. Men's National Team in 2011 and has played professionally in Spain, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Poland, China, Portugal and Greece. At UCLA, Muagututia earned second-team All-America honors in the 2010 and 2008 seasons.
The U.S. Men finished the tournament 7-0 and were awarded the "traditional World Cup" for winning the group. Japan hosted the World Cup every four years from 1965-2019. The Olympic Qualifier tournaments kept the round robin format. The U.S. Men last won the World Cup in 2015.
The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, will be held in Paris, France from July 26 to August 11, 2024. The U.S. Men are ranked No. 2 in the world in the latest listings and have competed in 12 Olympic Games, including the last 10. The U.S. has won three Olympic gold medals and two bronze. Speraw has been the head coach of the U.S. team since 2013 and earned the bronze medal at the 2016 Olympic Games. Earlier this year, in September, he led the U.S. to the NORCECA Championship after guiding UCLA to the 2023 NCAA Men's Volleyball Championship.
Olympic Qualifying Results for the U.S. Team
Sept. 30 -- USA def Egypt, 3-0 (25-20, 25-16, 25-19)
Oct. 1 -- USA def Finland, 3-0 (25-17, 25-14, 25-17)
Oct. 3 -- USA def. Türkiye, 3-1 (25-17, 26-28, 32-30, 25-20)
Oct. 4 -- USA def. Tunisia, 3-0 (25-11, 25-12, 25-14)
Oct. 6 -- USA def. Slovenia, 3-1 (25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 25-18)
Oct. 7 -- USA def Serbia, 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-17)
Oct. 8 -- USA def Japan 3-2 (25-19, 22-25, 19-25, 25-23, 15-12)
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