National Team Season 101...

Everything you need to know about the professional volleyball national team season.

The landscape of professional volleyball in the USA has undergone significant changes in recent years, leading to a level of unfamiliarity regarding the national team season and its significance. The national team season has traditional been the most important time of the year for American volleyball fans, given the lack of a domestic league. This traditionally has been the only exposure fans have gotten, even if just every four years, to the sport at the higher level.

What is the National Team Season?

The national team season is a defined period established by the FIVB, the international governing body for volleyball (akin to FIFA/FIBA/etc). For the year 2024, the national team season is scheduled to take place from May 14 to August 29. This timeframe is exclusively reserved for national team activities and tournaments. Professional club play during this period would require approval from the FIVB, though it is not common practice. The national team season is defined well in advance, for example the 2025-2028 seasons have already been set.

Organizing Tournaments

The national team season varies for teams worldwide, with continental federations playing a crucial role in organizing tournaments for their respective member nations. These federations include NORCECA (North America and the Caribbean), CEV (Europe), CSV (South America), CAVB (Africa), and AVC (Asia). Each continental federation manages its member nations and develops tournaments for them to participate in.

International Tournaments - 2024

The international tournament lineup for 2024 includes the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) and the Olympic Games. The VNL, formerly known as the World Grand Prix, is the only annual international tournament sanctioned by the FIVB. This tournament spans several weeks, with teams competing globally in a round-robin format, leading to a playoff-style tournament to determine the champion. The USA, a three-time VNL champion, will host the second week of the tournament in Arlington, Texas.

As 2024 is an Olympic year, the Olympics are the highlight of the season, attracting the best national teams from around the world. Twelve teams will qualify for the Olympics, with each continent guaranteed at least one representative, along with the host nation. The Paris Olympics will feature a new format, including pool play and a single-elimination knockout stage. The USA are the defending gold medalists and have been on the podium for three straight Olympics.

Continental Tournaments - 2024 (NORCECA)

NORCECA, the North America and Caribbean volleyball federation, hosts several key tournaments, including the Pan American Cup and the Pan American Cup 'Final Six' tournament. The Pan American Cup, a joint venture between NORCECA and CSV (South America), features teams from both regions competing for the championship. The USA has won the Pan Am Cup seven times. The 2024 Pan Am Cup will take place August 16-26, after the Olympic Games.

The Pan American Cup 'Final Six' tournament, on the other hand, showcases the top six NORCECA teams in a round-robin format with a playoff style bracket to determine the champion. The USA has not sent an "A" team to this event, unlike the Dominican Republic, which hosts the event every year. The ‘Final Six’ is not related to the Pan Am Cup. The USA are the defending Final Six champions. The event will take place from June 24-July 1 and should feature NCAA players.

Both the Pan Am Cup and Final Six tournaments are excellent opportunities used by USA Volleyball to gain experience for their young players as they typically send a “B” team to these events. This helps the transition between the NCAA and top level professional play. This is a transition that even the best American volleyball players have undergone.

NORCECA also hosts zonal championships for its member nations, divided into four zones: NCVA (North Central Americas Volleyball Association), ECVA (Eastern Caribbean), CAZOVA (Caribbean), and AFECAVOL (Central American). These championships offer smaller nations competitive opportunities within their geographic regions.

Age-Specific Tournaments

In addition to senior-level events, NORCECA also hosts age-specific tournaments for players under 17, under 19, and under 21. These tournaments ensure that each age group has a major competition every year, with the potential for qualification to age-specific World Championships. USA will participate in the U-21 NORCECA Championship in Toronto (June 23-July 1) as well as the U-19 NORCECA Championship in Honduras (July 12-20).

Who is on the national teams?

The USA differs from most national teams in the structure of its rosters, given the size of the volleyball player base it possesses. The roster is determined by Karch Kiraly and his staff for the various tournaments in which the USA will participate. Unlike other sports, the rosters are fluid and can change from week to week, event to event. Recently, the USA has split into two groups. The first group participates in the top events, under the direction of Kiraly, effectively known as the “A” team. The second group is dedicated to the Pan Am events, known as the “B” team. This group is usually less experienced. As a whole, the number of participants is usually quite large, with upwards of 50-60 players in the national team gym over the summer season. These roster spots are not guaranteed from year to year and must be earned. USA Volleyball is not the most forthcoming organization regarding player rosters, as they are usually only released during the week of the event, sometimes beforehand.

The national team season is an exciting way for NCAA fans to bridge the gap between the NCAA and the professional level. As the American professional volleyball scene continues to grow, it will become even more exciting. Gone are the days when Americans can only watch their favorite players during the Olympic Games. USA Volleyball is inadequate at marketing their players and their careers overseas, but this is the most accessible that volleyball has ever been, and it is time to jump on the pro volleyball train.