Long Beach State University Athletics
LBSU Has Four Players Named to the U.S. Men’s National Team Roster for the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League
5/19/2021 1:40:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
TJ DeFalco, Kyle Ensing, Josh Tuaniga, and Dustin Watten are on the 19-man roster for the No. 3 team in the world
Complete USA Volleyball Release and Roster
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Volleyball announced the roster for the U.S. Men's National Team, which is ranked No. 3 in the world, and four former Long Beach State players are on the 19-man roster. TJ DeFalco, Kyle Ensing, Josh Tuaniga, and Dustin Watten will begin action for the 2021 FIVB Volleyball National League (VNL) on May 28-June 27 in Rimini, Italy.
The tournament will be held in a secure "bubble" with no fans for the health and safety of all participants. Fourteen players from the long list will be selected for each three-day segment of the preliminary round.
DeFalco is a two-time AVCA National Player of the Year (2017 and 2019) and four-time AVCA First Team All-American. He was named MVP of the 2019 NCAA Tournament and finished his career at Long Beach State as the program's all-time service aces leader (183) and is ranked fifth all-time with 1,661 career kills.
Ensing was the 2019 Big West Conference Player of the Year and a two-time First Team AVCA All-American selection. He concluded his Long Beach State career with 1,421 career kills to rank 10th all-time at the Beach.
Tuaniga, the 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year, was a three-time AVCA First Team All-American. He was named to both the 2018 and 2019 NCAA All-Tournament Teams and took home MVP honors in his junior season. Tuaniga finished his career at the Beach with 4,607 career assists to rank fourth all-time at LBSU.
Watten was a 2009 AVCA Second Team All-American selection who played at Long Beach State from 2006-09. Following his collegiate career, Watten went on to lead the U.S. Men's National Team to a Bronze Medal at the 2015 FIVB World League, before winning a Gold Medal at the 2015 FIVB World Cup.
The U.S. Men have finished on the VNL podium in both 2019 (silver) and the inaugural year in 2018 (bronze). The 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year's VNL will be the U.S. Men's only official international competition prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games, which begin July 24.
The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB's streaming service Volleyball World TV.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – USA Volleyball announced the roster for the U.S. Men's National Team, which is ranked No. 3 in the world, and four former Long Beach State players are on the 19-man roster. TJ DeFalco, Kyle Ensing, Josh Tuaniga, and Dustin Watten will begin action for the 2021 FIVB Volleyball National League (VNL) on May 28-June 27 in Rimini, Italy.
The tournament will be held in a secure "bubble" with no fans for the health and safety of all participants. Fourteen players from the long list will be selected for each three-day segment of the preliminary round.
DeFalco is a two-time AVCA National Player of the Year (2017 and 2019) and four-time AVCA First Team All-American. He was named MVP of the 2019 NCAA Tournament and finished his career at Long Beach State as the program's all-time service aces leader (183) and is ranked fifth all-time with 1,661 career kills.
Ensing was the 2019 Big West Conference Player of the Year and a two-time First Team AVCA All-American selection. He concluded his Long Beach State career with 1,421 career kills to rank 10th all-time at the Beach.
Tuaniga, the 2018 AVCA National Player of the Year, was a three-time AVCA First Team All-American. He was named to both the 2018 and 2019 NCAA All-Tournament Teams and took home MVP honors in his junior season. Tuaniga finished his career at the Beach with 4,607 career assists to rank fourth all-time at LBSU.
Watten was a 2009 AVCA Second Team All-American selection who played at Long Beach State from 2006-09. Following his collegiate career, Watten went on to lead the U.S. Men's National Team to a Bronze Medal at the 2015 FIVB World League, before winning a Gold Medal at the 2015 FIVB World Cup.
The U.S. Men have finished on the VNL podium in both 2019 (silver) and the inaugural year in 2018 (bronze). The 2020 edition was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year's VNL will be the U.S. Men's only official international competition prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games, which begin July 24.
The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB's streaming service Volleyball World TV.
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