Former BYU standout Taylor Sander named to USA Men’s Volleyball roster for Rio Olympics

Former BYU volleyball outside hitter Taylor Sander has been named to the USA Men’s Volleyball roster for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil according to a release from USA Volleyball.

Sander is one of the eight newcomers to the Olympic games that made the final 12-man roster. Although he will be an Olympic rookie, Sander has been competing internationally with Team USA since the 2014 NORCECA World Championship Qualifier.

While at BYU, Sander was a four-time AVCA All-American and the 2014 AVCA Player of the Year. Sander led the Cougars to an appearance in the NCAA Championship game in 2013 and is BYU’s all-time leader in kills and service aces in the rally scoring era.

Former Cougar middle blocker Russell Holmes did not make the 12-man Olympic roster this time around. Holmes was a member of the USA Olympic Volleyball team in 2012 that finished tied for 5th and the 2015 United States FIVB World Cup team that brought home the gold medal.

The USA Men’s Volleyball team is coming off a first-place finish in the 2015 FIVB World Cup, a seventh place finish in the 2014 FIVB World Championships, and a fifth place finish in the 2012 Olympics in London. The Rio Olympics Men’s Volleyball competition begins with preliminary matches on Sunday, August 7th.

Here are some highlights of Sander in a 2014 international match with Brazil: