The 2016 Games are here, and the AVP is ready to see our players bring home some gold! The bids have officially been filled after a 2 year-long qualification process and our athletes are gearing up to wear the red, white and blue in Rio. Representing the USA will be Phil Dalhausser & Nick Lucena, Jake Gibb & Casey Patterson, Kerri Walsh Jennings & April Ross, and Brooke Sweat & Lauren Fendrick.
The International Volleyball Federation has released the pools and schedule for the Games, and the competition proves to be tough for all four teams.
On the men’s side, we have Nick Lucena and Phil Dalhausser who were placed as the overall number three seed and ranked the one seed in Pool C. This will mark the third time that Dalhausser will be donning the red, white and blue competing in the Games, having already won the gold medal in 2008. The pair will start their quest for gold on August 7th at 2:30pm EST against the Tunisian pair Naceur/Belhaj. They will continue on in pool play with their second match against the Mexican duo Virgen/Ontiveros on August 9th at 10am EST. They will finish up pool play with a game against the pair from Italy, Nicolai/Lupo on August 11th at 3:30pm EST.
The second pair of Americans questing for that gold is Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson. Gibb will be representing USA at the Games for the third time, and Patterson will be reaching the Games for the first time. The pair opens their quest against the team from Qatar, Jefferson/Cherif at 2:30pm on August 6th EST. They face the Austrian duo Huber/Seidl on August 8th at 3:30pm EST, and then will face arguably their toughest match of the pool on August 10th at 10am EST against the Spanish pair Herrera/Gavira. Both American men pairs will hope to advance on to the Elimination stage which starts on August 12th, with the gold medal match being played on August 18th.
On the Women’s side we have Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat ranked as the 15th overall seed and ranked third in Pool A. The pair teamed up in 2014 and climbed up the rankings together to reach the Games for their first time ever. They will open up on August 7th at 10am EST against the Polish pair Kolosinska/Brzostek. They will follow up with their second pool play match just two days later, August 9th at 3:30pm EST against the number one seeded Brazilian powerhouse Larissa/Talita. They will finish up pool play against the Russian pair Ukolova/Birlova on August 11th at 2:30pm EST.
The second pair competing for the gold is seeded third overall and these two are no strangers to the Games and winning medals. April Ross, who received the silver medal in 2012 with previous partner Jennifer Kessy, and the legendary Kerri Walsh Jennings, seeking her fourth gold medal, will open up against the Australian pair Artacho Del Solar/Laird at 11:00pm EST on August 6th. They follow up that match with one against the Chinese duo Wang/Yue at 11:00pm EST on August 8th. Their final pool play match is against the Swiss pair Forrer/Verge-Depre at 8:00pm EST on August 10th. Both Women pairs will hopefully be moving on to the Elimination stage which begins August 12th with the gold medal match on August 17th.
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Full USA Schedule:
- Friday, August 5th
- Opening Ceremonies
- Saturday, August 6th
- USA Gibb/Patterson vs QAT Jefferson/Cherif at 2:30 pm EST
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs AUS Artacho Del Solar/Laird at 11 pm EST
- Sunday, August 7th
- USA Fendrick/Sweat vs POL Kolosinska/Brzostek at 10 am EST
- USA Dalhausser/Lucena vs TUN Naceur/Belhaj at 2:30 pm EST
- Monday, August 8th
- USA Gibb/Patterson vs AUT Huber/Seidl at 3:30 pm EST
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs CHN Wang/Yue at 11 pm EST
- Tuesday, August 9th
- USA Dalhausser/Lucena vs MEX Virgen/Ontiveros at 10 am EST
- USA Fendrick/Sweat vs BRA Larissa/Talita at 3:30 pm EST
- Wednesday, August 10th
- USA Gibb/Patterson vs ESP Herrera/Gavira at 10:30 am EST
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs CHE Forrer/Verge-Depre at 8 pm EST
- Thursday, August 11th
- USA Fendrick/Sweat vs RUS Ukolova/Birlova at 2:30 pm EST
- USA Dalhausser/Lucena vs ITA Nicolai/Lupo at 3:30 pm EST
- Friday, August 12th
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs ITA Giombini/Menegatti at 11pm EST
- Saturday, August 13th
- USA Dalhausser/Lucena vs AUT Huber/Seidl at 11pm EST
- Sunday, August 14th
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs AUS Clancy/Bawden at 11pm EST
- Monday, August 15th
- USA Dalhausser/Lucena vs BRA Schmidt/Cerutti at 3pm EST
- Tuesday, August 16th
- USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs BRA Bednarczuk/Seixas at 10:59pm EST
- Wednesday, August 17th
- Women’s Bronze Medal Match: USA Walsh Jennings/Ross vs BRA Franca/Antunes at 9pm EST
- Women’s Gold Medal Match at 10:59pm EST
- Thursday, August 18th
- Men’s Bronze Medal Match at 9pm EST
- Men’s Gold Medal Match at 10:59pm EST