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BYU Men’s Volleyball: Four former Cougars on preliminary US National Team roster

By Shaun Gordon

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 21: Taylor Sander of United States reacts during the Men's Bronze Medal Match between United States and Russia on Day 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracanazinho on August 21, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 21: Taylor Sander of United States reacts during the Men's Bronze Medal Match between United States and Russia on Day 16 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracanazinho on August 21, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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The US Men’s National Team will compete in the inaugural Volleyball Nations League this summer. Four former Cougars are on the preliminary roster.

It’s a roster littered with Cougars.

Earlier this week, the USA Volleyball Men’s National Team announced the preliminary roster for the upcoming Volleyball Nations League.

Among the 26 players on the preliminary roster are four former BYU Men’s Volleyball standouts. Brothers Taylor and Brenden Sander both made the list, along with Ben Patch and Jake Langlois.

Taylor Sander is no stranger to the national team. He won a bronze medal in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Along with the four Cougar players, former BYU assistant Rob Nielson is a current assistant on the national team.

The final roster isn’t set yet, though. The 26 players will be cut down to 21 next week, and from there the coaches can select 14 of the 21 to travel and compete each week. With only five players being cut, it’s a near certainty that at least one Cougar will earn a spot on the final roster.

This is the first year of the Volleyball Nations League. The league consists of 16 teams, 12 permanent members and 4 challenging teams. The US will play all 15 teams over a five-week stretch, with the five best teams and host country France meeting in the final round. That’ll take place in Lille, France on July 4-8.

This is a golden opportunity for all four former Cougars. Not only does it give them a chance to make the final roster and compete in the VNL, but it also creates an opening to earn a spot on the national team long-term, especially looking toward the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

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