LA JOLLA, Calif. — UC San Diego men's volleyball standout
Gabriel Dyer has been named to the United States U21 Team that will compete at the 2023 NORCECA Pan American Cup, set for June 5-10 in Havana, Cuba.
The 12-athlete team was selected by USA Volleyball from a roster of 20 at the end of a recent five-day training block in Anaheim, California.
UC San Diego's starting setter, Dyer recently completed his sophomore season with the Tritons. He started all 25 of the team's matches and averaged 9.4 assists per set. His 1.5 digs per set and 135 total digs ranked second on the roster. Dyer also totaled 30 blocks in 2023.
Six players on the 2023 United States roster return from the team that won gold at the 2022 Men's U21 Pan American Cup in Havana and qualified for the 2023 World Championship: middle blocker
Nyherowo Omene, outside hitters Dane Hillis, Trent Moser and Kyle Teune, opposite Shane Wetzel and setter Tyler Morgan.
Joining Dyer as newcomers to the roster are outside hitter Alex Rottman, opposite George Bruening, middles Owen Rose and Micah Wong Diallo, and libero Ryan Merk.
In addition to Dyer, UC San Diego assistant coach
Taylor Hammond will be with the team in Cuba as a coach. Hammond, an accomplished player for Penn State, was in his first season with the Tritons during the 2023 campaign.
The United States begins play against Nicaragua on June 5.
U.S. Roster for the 2023 Men's U21 NORCECA Pan American Cup
No. Name (Position, Height, Birth year, Hometown, College, USAV Region)
1 Ryan Merk (L, 6-0, 2003, Chicago, Ill., Penn State, Great Lakes)
4 Dane Hillis (OH, 6-2, 2003, San Clemente, Calif., Long Beach State, Southern California)
7 Gabe Dyer (S, 6-5, 2003, San Clemente, Calif., UC San Diego, Southern California)
8 Kyle Teune (OH, 6-6, 2003, Downers Grove, Ill., Ohio State, Great Lakes)
10 Tyler Morgan (S, 6-7, 2003, Dike, Iowa, Lewis, Iowa)
13 Shane Wetzel (Opp, 6-7, 2004, Wekiwa Springs, Fla., Ohio State, Florida)
16 Nyherowo Omene (MB, 6-8, 2003, South Holland, Ill., Princeton, Great Lakes)
17 Trent Moser (OH, 6-8, 2003, Gilbert, Ariz., BYU, Arizona)
19 George Bruening (Opp, 6-10, 2004. Newport Beach, Calif., UCSB, Southern California)
22 Owen Rose (MB, 6-8, 2003, Long Island, N.Y., Penn State, Garden Empire)
23 Alex Rottman (OH, 6-7, 2004, Santa Barbara, Calif., Stanford, Southern California)
24 Micah Wong Diallo (MB, 6-9, 2004, Los Angeles, Calif., UCLA, Southern California)
Head Coach: Andy Read (Long Beach State)
Assistant Coach: Rory Prager (University of Southern California)
Assistant Coach: Taylor Hammond (UC San Diego)
U.S. Schedule for the 2023 Men's U21 NORCECA Pan American Cup
All Times Pacific
June 5: vs. Nicaragua, 11 a.m.
June 6: vs. Guatemala, 11 a.m.
June 7: vs. Cuba, 1 p.m.
June 8: Quarterfinals, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
June 9: Classification Matches, 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
June 9: Semifinals, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
June 10: Seventh-place match, 7 a.m.
June 10: Fifth-place match, 9 a.m.
June 10: Bronze-medal match, 11 a.m.
June 10: Gold-medal match, 1 p.m.
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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 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 83 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 90 percent, the highest rate among public institutions in Divisions I and II.
