Canada’s men’s volleyball team unveiled ahead of Paris 2024 Olympics
Canada is currently ranked ninth in the world.
Canada’s roster for the men’s Olympic volleyball tournament was named on Monday, with 12 athletes and one alternate selected for the Paris 2024 Games.
The team qualified for the Olympics after finishing second in its pool at the FIVB Olympic Qualification Tournament in China last fall. Most recently, Canada competed in the Volleyball Nations League, where they advanced to the second round after placing fifth in the preliminary phase, before being knocked out by eventual silver medallists Japan in the quarterfinals.
Canada is currently ranked ninth overall in the FIVB men’s volleyball world ranking.
Nick Hoag will make his third Olympic appearance after having competed at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, while three athletes — Stephen Maar, Arthur Szwarc, and Lucas Van Berkel — are making their second trip to the Olympics after all competing in Tokyo. Maar finished third overall in scoring in the 2024 Volleyball Nations League.
Hoag, the team captain, comes from a family with a rich volleyball history, including his mother, brother, and father all playing for the national team. His father Glenn Hoag represented Canada at the Los Angeles 1984 Olympics, where Canada finished fourth for their best ever men’s result.
“It is always a great experience and every time it feels like a new one, too,” said Hoag in a press release. “We also have a very different team than the last two Olympics. Not only because of the several players retiring but also because volleyball has also evolved so much. It’s the highest level of volleyball in the world so it’ll be interesting to see how we perform outside of the recent Volleyball Nations League competition.
“It is also very exciting to see all these new players coming into such a big tournament and perform at such a high level. As in the previous two Games, our objective is nothing less than a medal.”
Eight athletes will be making their Olympic debuts in Paris — Danny Demyanenko, Luke Herr, Brodie Hofer, Xander Ketrzynski, Eric Loeppky, Justin Lui, Fynn McCarthy, and Brett Walsh. Ryley Barnes will be Canada’s alternate athlete in case of any injuries.
Ketrzynski is the son of Olympian Alex Ketrzynski who competed in volleyball at Los Angeles 1984 alongside Glenn Hoag.
Demyanenko will celebrate his 30th birthday on July 13, not long before the Olympics begin, and said that qualification for his first Olympics has been a highlight of his career thus far.
“I am incredibly honoured and thrilled to have the opportunity to represent Canada in the Paris 2024 Olympics,” said Demyanenko in a press release. “I am so proud of what our team has been able to accomplish, the group we have is truly remarkable, and we hope to let that shine through in Paris.
“Personally, this has been a lifelong dream that has fuelled me through many ups and downs. Now, to finally represent Canada on the grandest stage, I hope to make Canada proud and inspire others to pursue their dreams and overcome the obstacles before them.”
Team Canada has competed in the men’s volleyball tournament at five Olympic Games, with the best result being a fourth-place finish at Los Angeles 1984. At Tokyo 2020, Canada finished eighth.
Men’s volleyball will take place July 27 to August 10 at the South Paris Arena 1. Canada will open its tournament against Slovenia on July 28 before playing the hosts France on July 30 and Serbia on August 3. If they advance, the quarterfinals begin on August 5.
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