The Penn Stater Magazine

Five Men’s Volleyball Alumni Are Rio-Bound

June 22, 2016 at 3:18 pm Bill DiFilippo 1 comment

via GoPSUSports

Five former Penn State men’s volleyball players are heading to Rio this summer. Matt Anderson ’08, Max Holt ’09, and Aaron Russell ’15 (right) will represent the United States at this year’s Olympic Games, while Carlos Guerra ’03 will represent Mexico. Additionally, Ivan Contreras ’97 will serve as one of Mexico’s assistant coaches.

Anderson is the only person going with Olympic experience, as the 2015 United States Player of the Year was a member of the 2012 squad that came in fifth place. However, Anderson, Holt, and Russell—who line up at opposite hitter, middle attacker, and outside attacker, respectively—were all members of the USA team that won a gold medal at last year’s world championships in Japan.

Guerra, a wing spiker, captained Mexico at the 2014 world championships, where the team came in 17th. As for Contreras, he had a big career at Penn State, as he was a member of the national championship-winning team in 1994, won the AVCA Player of the Year in 1997, and was inducted into the EIVA Hall of Fame in 2013.

We’ll let you know how both teams progress throughout the Olympics. Also make sure you check out our upcoming issue, which will feature an article on past and present Penn State Olympians.

Bill DiFilippo, online editor

Entry filed under: Athletics. Tags: 2016 Olympics, Penn State Men's Volleyball.