USA Volleyball announces men's roster for Beijing Olympics

(BEIJING, July 17) -- USA Volleyball has nominated 12 players for its Men's Volleyball team and is awaiting confirmation from the U.S. Olympic Committee, the official USA Volleyball website reported on July 15.

Setter Lloy Ball will make his fourth Olympic appearance this August, while middle blocker Ryan Millar and captain Tom Hoff will be participating in the Summer Games for the third time. Reid Priddy, Clay Stanley, Riley Salmon and Gabe Gardner will play for the team again after making their Olympic debuts in 2004 in Athens.

Head coach Mugh McCutcheon and five players will be participating in the Olympic Games for the first time. Most prominent among the newcomers is Rich Lambourne, who was named Best Libero and Best Receiver at the 2008 NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Middle blocker David Lee, spiker Sean Rooney, setter Kevin Hansen and hitter Scott Touzinsky will also be making their Olympic debuts.

The US team won two consecutive gold medals in 1984 and 1988 and won bronze in 1992, but they have not won any Olympic medals since. The USA finished fourth in Athens in 2004, bouncing back from a winless Olympics in Sydney.

"We feel very confident that we have selected the best team to represent this country at the upcoming Olympic Games," head coach McCutcheon stated in a release. "We have a good mix of experience and youth and we have 12 very good volleyball players on this roster. They work well together both on and off the court and they compete at a very high level."

The U.S. Men's Volleyball roster:

# Name Position

1 Lloy Ball Setter

2 Sean Rooney Outside Hitter

4 David Lee Middle Blocker

5 Rich Lambourne Libero

8 Reid Priddy Outside Hitter

9 Ryan Millar Middle Blocker

10 Riley Salmon Outside Hitter

12 C Tom Hoff Middle Blocker

13 Clay Stanley Opposite Hitter

14 Kevin Hansen Setter

15 Gabe Gardner Opposite Hitter

18 Scott Touzinsky Opposite Hitter

Staff

Head Coach: Hugh McCutcheon

First Assistant Coach: Ron Larsen

Second Assistant Coach: John Speraw