Vancouver - The UBC Thunderbirds will be well represented on Volleyball Canada's junior national team all set to open play at the Men's Under-21 World Championship in Manama, Bahrain beginning Thursday, July 18 through Saturday, July 27.


 
Current T-Birds include second-year outside hitter Coltyn Liu along with first-year outside hitter Matt Neaves while 'Birds alumni Fynn McCarthy rejoins the flock as three of a 17 player Canadian roster ready for action in the Persian Gulf. McCarthy is just one year removed from UBC and now playing professionally after together with Liu, the duo helped the blue and gold capture the 2017-18 U SPORTS men's volleyball national title.


 
Unfortunately, fellow first-year T-Birds standout Michael Dowhaniuk won't be able to join his Canada West teammates as he was forced to pull out of the tournament due to injury. Dowhaniuk was the captain of Canada's junior national team that included Liu and Neaves which just two short months ago earned a silver medal at the U-21 Men's Volleyball Pan American Cup in Lima, Peru. The result tied the country's best-ever showing at the Under-21 Men's Volleyball Pan American Cup, as Canada won its first silver medal at the 2011 tournament.


 
Canada is one of Sixteen teams that will vie for the title with matches to be played in two competition halls at Isa Sport City.

The teams have been divided into four pools of four each. Pool A comprises hosts Bahrain, China, Morocco and Puerto Rico. Pool B features Argentina, Cuba, Egypt and Korea. Pool C includes the Czech Republic, Iran, Russia and Tunisia, while defending champions Poland are placed in Pool D with Brazil, Canada and Italy.

In the last edition, Poland defeated Cuba in straight sets to win the title, while Russia bested Brazil also in straight sets to claim the bronze medal.
 
Canada earned an eighth-place finish in its last time competing at the U-21 World Championship in 2017 in Czech Republic.
 
For more information, the U-21 World web site is below:
 
http://u21.men.2019.volleyball.fivb.com/en
 
Team Canada
 
Setters
Mathias Elser, Calgary, AB
Colm Guyn, Lethbridge, AB
Tomas Sorra, Toronto, ON

Left side
Jordan Canham, Newington, ON
Michael Dowhaniuk, Richmond, BC
Braedon Friesen, Swift Current, SK
Brodie Hofer, Langley, BC
Coltyn Liu, Vancouver, BC
Alexis Tournier, Gatineau, QC
Right side
Xander Ketrzynski, Toronto, ON

Middles
Jackson Bere, Toronto, ON
Luis Lange, Calgary, AB
Fynnian McCarthy, Lake Country, BC
Matthew Neaves, Calgary, AB
Navreet Suhan, Mississauga, ON

Libero
Jesse Elser, Calgary, AB
Justin Lui, Pickering, ON

Staff:
Joao Paulo Bravo, Head coach
Adam Simac, Assistant coach
Shayne White, Assistant coach
Daniel Cuzmar Grimalt, Statistician
Seadon Pereira, Athletic therapist
Melanie Desrochers, Team manager