#16 - Brandon Taliaferro
Position: Setter
Height: 6-5 (193cm)
Weight: 220 lbs (100kg)
Hometown: San Clemente, Calif.
College: UCLA
Birth Date: Sept. 28, 1977
Joined Team: January 2001
PERSONAL: Born Richard Brandon Taliaferro on Sept. 28, 1977 in California… Parents are Bill and Karen Metzger… Married for four years to wife, Heidi… Has two children, Mia Rose, 2.5, and Trent, 1… Brandon has two brothers, Karl and Arik and two sisters, Kristina, Lauren… Brandon was a four-year varsity volleyball letterman for Coach Mike Hurlbutt at San Clemente High… Four-time first-team All-American, three-time All-CIF and all-league selection… Led San Clemente to the 1995 CIF finals… Two-time Jr. Olympics gold medalist (1995 and '96)… 1996 Los Angeles Times Orange County Player of the Year… Member of the U.S. Jr. National Team… Brandon quit volleyball in 2003 due to chronic lower back pain. He bought A to Z Leak Detection in 2004 and still runs the company (www.atozleakdetection.com)… Credits the Egoscue Method for relieving his lower back pain and allowing him to return to the U.S. National Team when it moved to Anaheim, Calif., in the spring of 2005… Has played beach volleyball on the AVP and FIVB tours… Brandon has also worn No. 4 during his time with the National Team.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2007 – Pan American Games (Silver Medal)… FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships. 2001 – World League… Americas' Cup. 1999 – Pan American Games… World University Games. 1997 – World University Games.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – Taliaferro started the first seven U.S. matches at World League before moving to the backup role. In World League pool play, he was credited with 156 running sets, 374 still sets and two faults for 532 attempts and an average of 3.47 per set. 2006 – At the World Championships, Taliaferro played in three sets during a five-set loss to France in the first round… Played three sets in a five-set loss to Germany in the final round… Also subbed briefly during a five-set victory over Canada.
Position: Setter
Height: 6-5 (193cm)
Weight: 220 lbs (100kg)
Hometown: San Clemente, Calif.
College: UCLA
Birth Date: Sept. 28, 1977
Joined Team: January 2001
PERSONAL: Born Richard Brandon Taliaferro on Sept. 28, 1977 in California… Parents are Bill and Karen Metzger… Married for four years to wife, Heidi… Has two children, Mia Rose, 2.5, and Trent, 1… Brandon has two brothers, Karl and Arik and two sisters, Kristina, Lauren… Brandon was a four-year varsity volleyball letterman for Coach Mike Hurlbutt at San Clemente High… Four-time first-team All-American, three-time All-CIF and all-league selection… Led San Clemente to the 1995 CIF finals… Two-time Jr. Olympics gold medalist (1995 and '96)… 1996 Los Angeles Times Orange County Player of the Year… Member of the U.S. Jr. National Team… Brandon quit volleyball in 2003 due to chronic lower back pain. He bought A to Z Leak Detection in 2004 and still runs the company (www.atozleakdetection.com)… Credits the Egoscue Method for relieving his lower back pain and allowing him to return to the U.S. National Team when it moved to Anaheim, Calif., in the spring of 2005… Has played beach volleyball on the AVP and FIVB tours… Brandon has also worn No. 4 during his time with the National Team.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2007 – Pan American Games (Silver Medal)… FIVB World League (Bronze Medal). 2006 – FIVB World Championships. 2001 – World League… Americas' Cup. 1999 – Pan American Games… World University Games. 1997 – World University Games.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – Taliaferro started the first seven U.S. matches at World League before moving to the backup role. In World League pool play, he was credited with 156 running sets, 374 still sets and two faults for 532 attempts and an average of 3.47 per set. 2006 – At the World Championships, Taliaferro played in three sets during a five-set loss to France in the first round… Played three sets in a five-set loss to Germany in the final round… Also subbed briefly during a five-set victory over Canada.
#1 - Lloy Ball
Position: Setter
Height: 6-8 (203cm)
Weight: 210 lbs (95kg)
Hometown: Woodburn, Ind.
College: IPFW
Birth Date: Feb. 17, 1972
Joined Team: May 1993
PERSONAL: Born Lloy James Ball on Feb. 17, 1972 in Fort Wayne, Ind.… Parents are Arnie and Sandy Ball… Lloy's wife’s name is Sarah, and they are the proud parents of a son, Dyer, age 5 and a daughter, Mya, born in August of 2006… Recruited to play basketball at the University of Indiana for Coach Bobby Knight… Played volleyball for his father, Arnie, at IPFW, where he also got a communications degree… Began playing volleyball before the age of five -- "I remember dad setting up pillows along the floor in the family room. Then, he and I would play one-on-one volleyball with a balloon. Slowly, I progressed to a heavier ball and more organized games."… Since there was no high school volleyball in Indiana, Lloy only played in the summer and made his first breakthrough at age 15 by getting an automatic position on the 1987 Olympic Festival… Lloy is a three-time Olympian. Following the 2004 Olympics, he stopped playing with the U.S. Men, but played two seasons with the Iraklis volleyball club in Greece and the 2006-07 season with the Dinamo Kazan in Russia… Lloy rejoined the U.S. Men's Team in 2007 to help with Olympic qualifying.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2007 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)… America’s Cup (Gold Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)… Houston Series… USA Global Challenge… Serbia and Montenegro Tour… Olympic Games. 2003 – NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)… World Cup ( Fourth Place). 2002 – Bulgaria Tour… Greece Tour… Florida Tour… World Championships. 2001 – Did not play with the National Team. 2000 – Americas' Cup… Australia Tour… Bulgaria Tour… Continental Cup… Korea Tour… Olympic Games… World League. 1999 – Americas' Cup… Canada Trip… International Volleyball Challenge… Italy Trip… NORCECA Championship. 1998 – Americas’ Cup… Brazil Tour… Canada Tour…NORCECA Zone World Championship Qualifier… USA Champions Cup… World Championships. 1997 – Japan Tour…NORCECA Zone Championship. 1996 – Bulgaria Tour…Deutschland Cup… Japan Trip… Olympic Games... Russia Trip. 1995 – NORCECA Zone Championships… Pan American Games… USA Centennial Cup… World Cup... World League. 1994 – FIVB World Super Four... World Championship... World League. 1993 – FIVB Grand Champions Cup... NORCECA Zone Championship… World University Games.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – In just his second tournament after he had returned to the U.S. Men’s Team, Lloy was named the Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship and the Best Setter. Lloy was credited with 116 running sets, 196 still sets and six faults on 317 total attempts for an average of 6.76 sets per set… Lloy first returned to the team for the Americas' Cup on Aug. 14-19 in Manaus, Brazil. The U.S. Men defended their tournament title, defeating Brazil in the final… Lloy was on the U.S. 18-man roster for World League, but did not play because his Russian club team was in the finals of the Superleague. 2004 – Lloy made his third-straight Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, where Team USA finished fourth… Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10…The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match.
Position: Setter
Height: 6-8 (203cm)
Weight: 210 lbs (95kg)
Hometown: Woodburn, Ind.
College: IPFW
Birth Date: Feb. 17, 1972
Joined Team: May 1993
PERSONAL: Born Lloy James Ball on Feb. 17, 1972 in Fort Wayne, Ind.… Parents are Arnie and Sandy Ball… Lloy's wife’s name is Sarah, and they are the proud parents of a son, Dyer, age 5 and a daughter, Mya, born in August of 2006… Recruited to play basketball at the University of Indiana for Coach Bobby Knight… Played volleyball for his father, Arnie, at IPFW, where he also got a communications degree… Began playing volleyball before the age of five -- "I remember dad setting up pillows along the floor in the family room. Then, he and I would play one-on-one volleyball with a balloon. Slowly, I progressed to a heavier ball and more organized games."… Since there was no high school volleyball in Indiana, Lloy only played in the summer and made his first breakthrough at age 15 by getting an automatic position on the 1987 Olympic Festival… Lloy is a three-time Olympian. Following the 2004 Olympics, he stopped playing with the U.S. Men, but played two seasons with the Iraklis volleyball club in Greece and the 2006-07 season with the Dinamo Kazan in Russia… Lloy rejoined the U.S. Men's Team in 2007 to help with Olympic qualifying.
MAJOR INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION: 2007 – NORCECA Continental Championship (Gold Medal)… America’s Cup (Gold Medal). 2004 – NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (Gold Medal)… Houston Series… USA Global Challenge… Serbia and Montenegro Tour… Olympic Games. 2003 – NORCECA Zone Championships (Gold Medal)… World Cup ( Fourth Place). 2002 – Bulgaria Tour… Greece Tour… Florida Tour… World Championships. 2001 – Did not play with the National Team. 2000 – Americas' Cup… Australia Tour… Bulgaria Tour… Continental Cup… Korea Tour… Olympic Games… World League. 1999 – Americas' Cup… Canada Trip… International Volleyball Challenge… Italy Trip… NORCECA Championship. 1998 – Americas’ Cup… Brazil Tour… Canada Tour…NORCECA Zone World Championship Qualifier… USA Champions Cup… World Championships. 1997 – Japan Tour…NORCECA Zone Championship. 1996 – Bulgaria Tour…Deutschland Cup… Japan Trip… Olympic Games... Russia Trip. 1995 – NORCECA Zone Championships… Pan American Games… USA Centennial Cup… World Cup... World League. 1994 – FIVB World Super Four... World Championship... World League. 1993 – FIVB Grand Champions Cup... NORCECA Zone Championship… World University Games.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: 2007 – In just his second tournament after he had returned to the U.S. Men’s Team, Lloy was named the Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Men’s Continental Championship and the Best Setter. Lloy was credited with 116 running sets, 196 still sets and six faults on 317 total attempts for an average of 6.76 sets per set… Lloy first returned to the team for the Americas' Cup on Aug. 14-19 in Manaus, Brazil. The U.S. Men defended their tournament title, defeating Brazil in the final… Lloy was on the U.S. 18-man roster for World League, but did not play because his Russian club team was in the finals of the Superleague. 2004 – Lloy made his third-straight Olympic appearance in Athens, Greece, where Team USA finished fourth… Team USA qualified for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, by winning the NORCECA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Caguas, Puerto Rico on Jan. 10…The men posted a perfect record of 6-0 en route to the gold medal, which included a come-from-behind, 3-2 win over Cuba in the championship match.
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