UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Former Penn State men’s volleyball great Matt Anderson helped Team USA go 3-1 during the opening week of play in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL). USA, which played all four matches in Ottawa, posted wins over Turkiye (3-1), Germany (3-0), and Canada (3-2) before falling in five sets to world No. 1 Italy.
Anderson, a National Champion and two-time All-American for Penn State from 2006-08, played in three of the four matches. He opened the event with 13 kills, five digs, one block, and one ace in the win over Turkiye, and then added six kills, four digs, and two aces in the sweep over Germany. Anderson was solid in the match against Italy despite the close loss, finishing with 16 kills, four digs, and one block.
USA now heads to Orleans, France, where it will play matches against Cuba (June 24), Iran (June 25), Japan (June 27), and Serbia (June 28).
Anderson is no stranger to international play with Team USA as he’s been a member of the National Team since 2008. He has played in four Olympics, helping the team earn a bronze medal at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro and again in the 2024 Games in Paris.