U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team Heads to Olympics

The U.S. Men's National Volleyball Team, coached by UCLA head men's volleyball coach John Speraw, and featuring Bruins Garrett Muagututia (UCLA 2007-10) and Mitch Stahl (UCLA 2014-17), will begin play in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games on July 24. The U.S. is set to compete in Pool B which pairs them with the last two gold-medal winning countries from Russia (2012) and Brazil (2016). Volleyball first made its appearance in the Olympic Games in the 1964 Summer Games held in Tokyo. All of the upcoming matches will be played in the 12,000-seat Ariake Arena.
 
The U.S., which has captured the Olympic gold medal in the 1984, 1988 and 2008 Games, qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Games by winning its pool at the Intercontinental Qualifier held in Rotterdam in 2019.
 
The U.S. which is listed fifth in the latest FIVB Senior World Rankings, will open Preliminary Round Pool B play against France, currently ranked fourth in the World, on July 24. Russia, which captured the gold medal in the 2012 Games and is rated third, provides the opposition on July 25. The men will battle 16th-ranked Tunisia on July 27 before facing the 2016 gold medalists from Brazil, currently listed as the top team in the World, on July 29. The U.S. closes out pool play against 8th-ranked Argentina on August 1.
 
The top four teams in each of the two pools will advance to the Quarterfinals which will be played on August 2 and 3. Semifinal matches are slated for August 4 and 5. The medal matches will be contested on August 6 and 7.
 
Men's Olympic Volleyball Schedule (FIVB World Ranking)
Pool A – Japan (11), Poland (2), Italy (9), Canada (10), Iran (12), Venezuela (33)
Pool B – U.S. (5), Russia (3), Brazil (1), France (4), Tunisia (16), Argentina (8)
 
U.S. Schedule – Preliminary Round
July 24 – France – 5:45 a.m. PT
July 25 – Russia – 7:05 p.m. PT
July 27 – Tunisia – 7:05 p.m. PT
July 29 – Brazil – 7:05 p.m. PT
Aug. 1 – Argentina – 5:45 a.m. PT
 
Quarterfinals (top 4 teams in each pool qualify)
Aug. 2 and 3
 
Semifinals
Aug. 4 and 5
 
Medal Matches
Aug. 6 and 7