USA to host Brazil in August's USA Volleyball Cup in California

Lausanne, Switzerland, May 12, 2017 - The United States women's national team will renew its long rivalry with Brazil as part of the USA Volleyball Cup series in August.

The matches will be played August 27 and August 29 at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena in southern California. Anaheim serves as the official host city for the U.S. Women’s National Volleyball Teams.

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The U.S. is ranked No. 2 in the current FIVB world ranking after earning bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games. Brazil, which lost to eventual 2016 Olympic Games champion China in a five-set match in the quarterfinals in Rio, is ranked No. 4 in the world.

“Brazil has built one of a handful of legendary programs in international volleyball, and this year’s USA Volleyball Cup matches will be a wonderful opportunity for American fans to see both programs live,” USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly said. “Every time we square off across the net, it’s a battle - both teams test each other, and learn, and we cherish experiences like that. We’ll see you in August!”

The matches will come a month after the teams meet in Cuiaba, Brazil in the FIVB World Grand Prix pool play, and three weeks after the World Grand Prix Finals in Nanjing, China.

The USA Volleyball Cup will serve as final preparations for both the USA and Brazil before they compete in the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in Japan. The event is a six-team round-robin event played over the course of six days from Sept. 5-10. Other countries participating in the season-ending World Grand Champions Cup are China, Russia, host Japan and Korea.

The U.S. and Brazil had competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games gold-medal match with the Brazilians winning both times. Until the 2016 Olympic Games, Team USA’s final match in four straight Olympics were losses to Brazil – including the bronze-medal match in 2000 and quarterfinal round in 2004.

The two rivals have played 24 times since 2011 with the USA holding a 14-10 edge. Six of the 24 matches have been in tournament gold-medal matches. Since 1983, USA and Brazil have played 114 times with Brazil leading the series 67-47. The two teams last played in the final of the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix in Bangkok, Thailand. Brazil won that match 3-2 to win the gold medal.
Kim Hill of the United States spikes over the Brazilian blockers during the final of the 2016 FIVB World Grand Prix in Bangkok.

The USA Volleyball Cup was initiated in 2013 and the U.S. Women have played in the event every year since except for 2016 due to a constricted Olympic year schedule. Team USA hosted Japan in the inaugural event in 2013, followed by Brazil in 2014 and China in 2015. During the 2014 USA Volleyball Cup, the Americans defeated Brazil in all four matches of the series with two matches in Southern California and two matches in Hawaii.

Tickets for the matches will go on sale on May 12.

Most Recent U.S. Women vs. Brazil Matches
July 10, 2016: Brazil def. USA 18-25, 25-17, 25-23, 22-25, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-21, 28-26 in Pan American Games (gold-medal match)
July 25, 2015: USA def. Brazil 25-16, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Grand Prix (gold-medal match)
July 20, 2015: Brazil def. USA 22-25, 25-21, 18-25, 25-22, 15-11 in Pan American Games (pool play)
Oct. 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-18, 29-27, 25-20 in FIVB World Championship (semifinals)
Oct. 5, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 in FIVB World Championship (pool play)
Aug. 15, 2014: Brazil def. USA 29-31, 22-25, 25-22, 25-19, 15-9 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
Aug. 10, 2014: Brazil def. USA 25-20, 25-22, 29-27 in FIVB World Grand Prix (pool play)
July 12, 2014: USA def. Brazil 22-25, 27-25, 23-25, 25-23, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 11, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-19, 22-25, 27-25, 25-27, 15-11 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 6, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-21, 25-23, 25-20 in USA Volleyball Cup
July 5, 2014: USA def. Brazil 25-22, 25-27, 25-19, 25-19 in USA Volleyball Cup
Nov. 12, 2013: Brazil def. USA 26-24, 26-24, 25-20 in FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
Aug. 28, 2013: Brazil def. USA 25-19, 25-12, 25-10 in FIVB World Grand Prix Finals Round
June 15, 2013: USA def. Brazil 25-11, 25-20, 25-22 in Pan American Cup (semifinals)