Maes Leads U.S. Juniors to Gold Medal

Lincoln ? The U.S. Junior National A2 Team, coached by Nebraska Head Assistant Coach Lee Maes, brought home the gold medal at the 2007 European Global Challenge over the weekend in  Pula, Croatia.

Team USA went a perfect 5-0 in the tournament, not dropping a set during the entire competition. In the finals, the U.S. team defeated Spes Volley Conegliano, a team of top Italian junior players, in three games (25-15, 28-26, 25-18) to become the first American team to win the European Global Challenge in its three-year history.

The team, comprised of some of the top youth players in the country, trained for less than a week in Italy and had just six practices before beginning tournament play. Maes said the team’s exceptional work in embracing the style of play and adjusting to the surroundings played a vital role in the team’s success.

“The players embraced the opportunity to experience an international setting that was valuable in their development as an athlete and as a person,” said Maes, who has worked in the USA Volleyball program for the last 14 years. “The successful performance of our USA team was a wonderful example of a talented group of individuals coming together and building a level of cohesiveness that often results from months spent together rather than days. 

We were proud to represent our country and be the first American team to win the Global Challenge.”

It is the second time that Maes has led the U.S. Junior National A2 team to a gold medal in competition, as his 2006 squad won the USA Volleyball High Performance Championship.

Maes and the rest of the Husker coaching staff is preparing for the start of fall camp next Wednesday, Aug. 8. Volleyball media day is set for Friday, Aug. 10.