OSU's Daniel Mathews named to Jr. National team

[weaver]

Ohio State's Men's Volleyball Daniel Mathews Named to the USA Junior National Team

Team will play in the FIVB Men's U-21 World Volleyball Championship in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, from Aug. 6-14.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio State men's volleyball setter Daniel Mathews (So., Shorewood, Wis.) has been named to the United State Junior National team that will participate in the FIVB Men's U-21 World Volleyball Championship in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, from Aug. 6-14. The 12-player squad was selected from a pool of 18 athletes from across the country, including nine returning players from last year's team. They have been training since July 20 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, N.Y.

The tournament is broken up into two pools. Pool A is made up of host India, Serbia and Montenegro, Russia, Cuba, Korea and Morocco. Pool B is composed of the Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, USA, Iran and Tunisia.

The Americans hope to improve upon their silver medal finish at the NORCECA Zone Championships last year. As a result of finishing second, the team was offered, for the first time ever, a World Championship bid through the NORCECA zonal qualification process.

USA will begin pool play on Aug. 6 against the Netherlands.

The 6-6 Mathews completed a successful freshman season with the Buckeyes in leading OSU to a 24-8 overall record and a second place finish in the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association with a 14-2 mark. The Buckeyes won the MIVA Tournament and advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship, losing to eventual champion Pepperdine. Mathews was a second-team All-MIVA selection and was the Conference Freshman of the Year. He was named the Most Valuable Player in the MIVA Tournament. Mathews averaged 13.10 assists, 1.48 digs and 1.04 blocks per game last season.

USA Men's Junior National Volleyball Team Roster
Name, Position (Hometown)

Paul Beckwith, S (Pacific Palisades, Calif.)
Theodore Brunner, MB (Ridgefield, Conn.)
Jayson Jablonsky, OH (Yorba Linda, Calif.)
Tony Ker, L (Valencia, Calif.)
Paul Lotman, OH (Lakewood, Calif.)
Daniel Mathews, S (Milwaukee, Wis.)
Matthew McCarthy, MB (Wheaton, Ill.)
Jacob Schkud, OH/RS (Santa Monica, Calif.)
David Smith, MB (Saugus, Calif.)
Matthew Webber, RS (Brentwood, Calif.)
Jake Wiens, OH (Clovis, Calif.)
Jonathan Winder, S (Irvine, Calif.)

Head Coach: John Speraw
Assistant Coach: Fred Chao
Assistant Coach: Shane Davis
Team Manager: Tom Tait
Trainer: David Dyck

USA Pool Play Schedule
Saturday, Aug. 6
USA vs. Netherlands

Sunday, Aug. 7
USA vs. Brazil

Monday, Aug. 8
USA vs. Iran

Wednesday, Aug. 10
USA vs. Tunisia

Thursday, Aug. 11
USA vs. Germany

[palo]

James Grunst didn't make the team? And his coach (Davis) is an assistant on the team, wow. McCarthy didn't even play at Ball State last season and Grunst was All Miva. Wonder what happened here? Anybody know who else got cut?

[VBaller23]

palo said:

James Grunst didn't make the team? And his coach (Davis) is an assistant on the team, wow. McCarthy didn't even play at Ball State last season and Grunst was All Miva. Wonder what happened here? Anybody know who else got cut?

I was told Grunst sprained his ankle on the first day of practice and was done for the rest of the training session so thats probably why he didn't make it.
Dan Alexander from Riptides was cut, hes going to Long Beach State next year. Fletcher Anderson from Golden West College was also cut, hes also going to Long Beach State next year. And Michael Contee was cut, hes a libero at quincy university.

[vballfan4]

McCarthy was a redshirt at BSU. If he didn't redshirt he would probably be a starter or share some playing time with their other middles. He is a great blocker and pretty good attacker. Look for big things out of him next season.
Does anybody know who the starters are for this team?

[VBaller23]

vballfan4 said:

Does anybody know who the starters are for this team?

Im guessing the lineup is... Jablonsky,Weins,Ker,Brunner,Smith,and Winder

[vbpop]

How does the final roster compare with the so-called "training roster"?

It looks like a few new names on the final roster from the training roster.

Always a curiousity how USA volleyball selects these teams.

Do they pick up new guys along the way that didn't originally try out or are there injuries and alternates are picked up or is it just the perogative of the coaching staff to pick whomever they want when they want?

[FtLBoutIt6]

good luck to them over in india looks like a good team with a good coaching staff. does anybody know where to get information on tryouts for next year?

[AAVolley]

All nice guys I am sure, but this is really the best under 19 team we have to offer? I would be surprised if we win a single game in India. Mark my words we are going to get absolutely crushed. Beckwith was cut last time and they only took 2 setters. I wonder why they decided to take 3 this time. Kinda bizarre...

[northshore]

Yes, they probably will be crushed. Thanks to USAV for seeing that Team USA gets, what, a week to practice in while the other countries practice 8-9 months are more. Shoot, other countries' players are practically raised together. You would think our team could practice a little longer together, say 3 weeks.

[VBaller23]

Way to have a positive attitude for the team... Your a huge support. I hope this group of guys goes to India and proves you both wrong so next time you'll just say "GO USA" instead of having the expectations you have now.

[northshore]

Sorry for sounding negative. You're right. It's sounded negative. I'm for these guys!!! I'm angry at the situation USAV gives the players though. It's hard for our guys to play internationally and prepare for this level of play practicing for only a week or so together. That was the point I was trying to make. Nothing against these players that give up their time to play and represent USA.

I was trying to be sarcastic to the other reply about the team being crushed. I am for Team USA and follow this level quite a bit. They are playing in the under 21 age group not 19.

Again, sorry for being negative. I actually think they will do better than expected. I just hope the best of the best play. Not the just the UCI favorites.

Go USA!!!!!