The United States have recently made an excellent run and are looking to get their first Olympic Games gold medal. In the previous Olympic editions, they have won three silver medals in 1984, 2008 and 2012, and one bronze medal in 1992. Legendary player Karch Kiraly, who was appointed in 2012, helped shaped USA’s rise in the last couple of years. USA bounced back in spectacular fashion by winning the 2014 World Championship, then the stars aligned the following year as Kiraly’s magic aided the team to succeed in their quest for a sixth World Grand Prix triumph on home soil. They cemented their strong reign hen they seized qualification to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as they won the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament.

USA’s three-peat at the World Grand Prix from 2010 to 2012 was their strongest run at the tournament, but they failed to make the podium in the next two editions. In 2014, they finished fifth in the Intercontinental Round of Group 1 but failed to qualify for the Final Six. Their victory in the 2015 edition was a complete turnaround and the start of their new dominance in international volleyball. In 2013, USA were sixth in the World Grand Prix and yet they were able to take the silver medal at the World Grand Champions Cup. Since finishing runners-up at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, they have never been out of the top two places in the FIVB world rankings. They displaced Brazil at No.1 following their silver medal at the 2011 World Cup. The South Americans regained top spot in September 2013 after they ended USA’s three-season reign as World Grand Prix champions. But USA took the gold medal at the NORCECA Continental Championships in September 2013 and returned to the top of the rankings since winning World Championship gold in Italy in 2014.