Membership
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
Manager, Media Relations and Publications
Phone: (719) 228-6800
E-Mail: bj.evans@usav.org
ANAHEIM, Calif. (May 8, 2008) - The U.S. Men's National Team, ranked No. 3 in the world, will begin the 2008 season on May 11-13 when it competes at the Four Nations Tournament in Leipzig, Germany. Following the tournament, the U.S. Men will play an exhibition match against the German men's national team on May 15 in Chemnitz, Germany.
Joining the U.S. Men at the Four Nations' Tournament will be Germany, China and the Czech Republic. Germany, ranked 19th in the world, will be using the tournament and exhibition match to warm up for its Olympic qualification tournament on May 23-25 in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The last time Team USA played Germany was at the 2006 FIVB World Championship where they beat the Germans in the second round but lost to them in the final match.
The U.S. Men's coaching staff will be using the tournament, in part, to scout China, ranked 21st in the world, which automatically qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games because it is hosting. The United States has not played China since 2005, when the U.S. Men defeated China twice at the International Sports Invitational.
"The main attraction for the tournament was to get a look at China," said U.S. Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon (Christchurch, New Zealand). "Knowing they're going to be at the Olympics, we wanted to use this opportunity to get a look at the team."
But the U.S. coaches will also be watching the players on their own team.
"On June 1, we have to submit the 02 form (the preliminary roster of 19 players) for the Olympic Games," McCutcheon said. "What we hope is that we can get a lot of information about some of the player that are competing for spots on that roster."
McCutcheon is keeping his 13-player roster for the tournament under wraps until the team arrives in Germany, but it includes a mixture of veterans and younger players.
Four Nations Tournament Schedule
May 11
16:00: CZE vs. USA
18:30: GER vs. CHN
May 12
16:00: CHN vs. USA
18:30: GER vs. CZE
May 13
17:00: CHN vs. CZE
19:30: GER vs. USA