LA JOLLA, Calif. - Kyle McCauley and Matt Palma of the University of California San Diego men's volleyball team were part of the U.S. squad that recently won a bronze medal at the NORCECA Pan-American Cup in the Dominican Republic.

The Pan-Am Cup, which serves as a qualifier for the Pan-American Games, ran Sept. 3-9 in Santo Domingo.

Overall, the U.S. posted a 5-2 record and defeated the Dominican Republic, 3-1, in the bronze medal match.

An outside hitter, McCauley saw action in four matches, starting all of them for Team USA. For the tournament, he amassed 45 points on 37 kills, four blocks, and four service aces. He also added seven digs to his totals.

"I was very excited to get invited to attend the training camp and then to learn that I would have the opportunity to represent USA Men's Volleyball in the Dominican Republic," said McCauley. "Being able to travel and play with one of my Triton teammates made the experience that much better. Going into a gym only knowing a couple guys, it was special to be able to train and play and get to know them both off and on the court."

McCauley's best outing came in the first of two matches against the Dominican Republic, which ended in a 3-2 loss for the U.S. He rang up a team-high 16 points with 14 kills, an ace, and a block. McCauley also hit a double-digit point total in a semifinal sweep of Mexico, finishing with 13 on nine kills, a pair of blocks, and two aces. He also contributed nine points in a five-set win against Canada and seven points in a sweep of Suriname.

"Winning the bronze medal was a reflection of the commitment we all had and the ability of the coaching staff to lead a talented group of athletes," said McCauley.

A two-time AVCA All-American, McCauley is a senior from Huntington Beach, Calif. He was tabbed the 2020 AVCA Newcomer of the Year and earned All-Big West Conference First Team accolades in 2020 and 2021. An urban studies and planning major, McCauley played at Orange Coast College in 2018 and 2019 before transferring to UC San Diego.

Palma, UC San Diego's primary libero, played in the 3-0 win against Suriname and recorded a team-high eight digs.

"It was an absolute honor being able to represent the USA at the Pan-Am Cup," said Palma. We were the first USA team to medal in a NORCECA tournament since 2014, and that is something that I am very proud of." "I was part of a special group of some of the most talented players in the NCAA, and to learn and play alongside them was incredible.The volleyball knowledge I gained from this experience is something I will be able to bring back to our team and hopefully it will help us progress towards our goal."

Palma is a senior out of Costa Mesa, Calif. In 2021, he played in all 18 matches and 68 sets and led the team in digs. An economics major, Palma is a two-time Big West Conference All-Academic Team honoree.

"On top of everything else, I was able to play with Kyle and now I'm just hoping he's not too tired from playing with me because we have a championship to go win!" 

Mexico swept Canada to win the gold medal.

The United States last won a Pan-Am Cup in 2012, when the event was also held in Santo Domingo. The U.S. leads all countries with its five gold medals (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012). In total, the U.S. has collected eight medals (five gold, two silver, one bronze). Argentina leads the overall medal count with nine (two gold, five silver, two bronze).

The men's volleyball Pan-Am Cup was first held in 2006, making the 2021 event the 15th. The event was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 Pan-American Cup Schedule and Results
September 3: USA 3, Mexico 0
September 4: USA 3, Puerto Rico 0
September 5: Dominican Republic 3, USA 2
September 6: USA 3, Suriname 0
September 7: USA 3, Canada 2
September 8: Mexico 3, United States 0 (semifinal)
September 9: USA 3, Dominican Republic 1 (bronze medal match)

------

About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program began a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I. The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions II and III and helped guide 1,400 scholar-athletes to All-America honors. A total of 84 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 38 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships. UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.