Bruins Win Gold for U.S. at Final Six Tournament
September 25, 2023 | Men's Volleyball
The U.S. Men's National Team, featuring Bruins Andrew Rowan, Ethan Champlin, Merrick McHenry, Zach Rama, Troy Gooch and assistant coach Brandon Taliaferro, won gold at the 2023 NORCECA Pan American Cup Final Six after defeating Canada (25-21, 25-14, 25-16) on Sunday in Edmonton, Alberta. The U.S. did not lose a match throughout the tournament and only dropped one set over the course of their six matches.
Rowan was named the tournament's outstanding setter and recorded only one fault on his 58 set attempts in the medal match. Champlin fired off two aces in the third set of the gold medal match and was the leading point-scorer in the contest for the U.S. with 12 kills, two blocks and his pair of aces. He was named the second-best spiker for the tournament.
This was the third year of the Pan Am Final Six and the first gold for the U.S. since the tournament began. The U.S. team had placed third in the two previous years.
Match Results / Bruin Highlight
Sept. 19 -- USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-19) Troy Gooch 6 digs
Sept. 20 -- USA def. Mexico, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 25-19) Zach Rama 7 kills, 2 blocks, 1 ace
Sept. 21 -- USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-11) Merrick McHenry 3 kills, 2 blocks
Sept. 22 -- USA def. Canada, 3-1 (22-25, 25-14, 25-20, 25-17) Ethan Champlin 11 kills, 6 digs
Sept. 23 -- USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-13) Andrew Rowan set team to .553 for match
Sept. 24 -- USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-16) Ethan Champlin 12 kills, 2 aces, 8 digs
