USA Volleyball to Hold First-Ever Men’s National Team Tryouts

For the first time, the USA Volleyball Men’s National Team will hold a tryout in 2018. While the U.S. Women’s team has held tryouts for years, the men haven’t – largely due to a smaller group of players to choose from.

The first-ever men’s team tryout will be held from December 17th-18th at the American Sports Center in Anaheim, California, and will be used to choose players for the Collegiate National Team, Junior National Team, and Senior National Team.

Among the teams being chosen will be 3 Collegiate National Teams, one of which will be the one representing the United States at the 2019 World University Games (Summer Universiade) in Naples, Italy. The American men haven’t medaled at the WUGs since 2007, and have won once: in 2001.

To be eligible for the tryout, athletes meet the following criteria:

• be born between 1990 and 2000 (those born before 1990 must get approval)
• be U.S. citizens
• have a high-level working knowledge of the sport and its systems
• possess a high level of athleticism, consistent with that of a college athlete.

Those chosen for the Men’s  Senior National Team will begin training in the spring of 2019, or when their scholastic or professional club seasons have ended. The Americans took a bronze medal in the major tournament of 2018: the Men’s Volleyball World Championships.

The US Junior National Team will be chosen with an eye on the 2019 U21 World Championships. The American men took 15th at their last chance at an age group championship, the 2017 U19 World Championships.

Tryout Schedule

• December 16th – Open Gym (evening)
• December 17th – Full day Tryout
• December 18th – Tryout

Teams Being Selected

Courtesy: USA Volleyball

U.S. Men’s Senior National Team – Athletes who have concluded their college eligibility and who wish to be invited to be a member of the U.S. Men’s Volleyball National Team on a full-time basis are required to take this tryout process. Men’s National Team Training could begin as early as the spring of 2019, or when an athlete’s scholastic or professional club season has concluded.

Athletes who have remaining college eligibility are still in contention and evaluation for the Men’s Senior National Team. Their participation will begin in mid-May or when their scholastic calendar ends for 2019.

U.S. Men’s Collegiate National Teams (CNT) – Athletes born 2000 or earlier and with collegiate eligibility remaining for the 2019 collegiate season may also be invited to participate with one of three possible U.S. Collegiate National Teams (CNT).

Read the details on the Collegiate National Team programs. Dates are tentative.

**All three CNT programs are considered extended tryouts for the U.S.Men’s National Team and are thereby eligible for necessary expenses to be paid for by the athlete’s school if that school so chooses.

U.S. Men’s Junior National Team (MJNT) – Athletes born in the years 1999 and 2000 only are eligible for the Men’s Junior National Team. The MJNT will be representing USA in an international qualifying event in the spring/early summer of 2019 for a bid to the FIVB U21 World Championships in Bahrain. Athletes from this age range will be eligible for both the qualifying team and the World Championship team through this tryout process.