June 10, 2009

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford freshmen Erik Shoji and Brad Lawson have been named to the United States junior national team for men's volleyball, as announced Wednesday by USA Volleyball.

The Honolulu natives and youth teammates with the Outrigger Canoe Volleyball Club, were among 12 players named to the team, which will compete at the FIVB World Championship July 31-Aug. 9 in Pune, India.

The team, under BYU coach Shawn Patchell, will begin training July 14 in Chula Vista, Calif., in preparation for the tournament.

Shoji and Lawson were both members of the U.S. team that earned a bronze medal at the NORCECA Men's Junior Continental Championship in El Salvador in July to qualify for the worlds. Shoji was named Best Defender, Best Receiver, and Best Libero at that tournament.

Shoji and Lawson were starters for a Stanford side that went 21-11 and finished with a No. 6 national ranking, the program's highest since 2003.

Shoji, a libero, was a first-team All-American and was named national Newcomer of the Year, as selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association. Shoji set a national record for digs in a season (447) and led the nation in digs per set (3.92).

Lawson, an outside hitter, was a third-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation selection and was the only Stanford player to start all 32 matches. He finished with 400 kills, the highest total for a freshman in school history in the rally-scoring era (since 2001).

FIVB will draw lots to decide pools on June 17th.

Below is the U.S. roster:

2009 USA Men's Junior National Team

Name (Position, City, State, School)
Thomas Amberg (Middle Blocker/Opposite, El Cajon, Calif., UCLA)
Tri Bourne (OH, Honolulu, Hawaii, USC)
Tony Ciarelli (OH, Huntington Beach, Calif., USC)
Tyler Jaynes (MB, Granite Bay, Calif., Pepperdine)
Joseph Kauliakamoa (Setter, Las Vegas, Nev., BYU)
Rusty Lavaja (MB, St. Charles, Ill., BYU)
Brad Lawson (OH, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
Erik Shoji (Libero, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
Matthew Stork (Setter, Topanga, Calif., Cal State Northridge)
Joseph Sunder (Opp., Greensburg, Pa., Penn State)
Murphy Troy (OH, St. Louis, Mo., USC)
Nick Vogel (MB, El Cajon, Calif., UCLA)