Champions Unlimited is continuing to make tremendous strides both on and off the court during our Italy Tour.
Day one saw CU open competition in impressive fashion, winning all four sets in our opening match. The team established the standard early with relentless serving pressure, disciplined serve receive, and a balanced offensive attack that allowed us to control the tempo throughout the match.
Our Day 2 Men of the Match were Noah Nelson and Isiah Pruitt, whose outstanding play, leadership, and consistency helped lead Champions Unlimited to a dominant opening performance.
On Friday morning, the team departed Milan for a breathtaking four-hour journey through the mountains to Pisa. The players had the opportunity to experience one of Italy’s most iconic landmarks, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, while taking in the city’s incredible history and architecture. The day was topped off with an unforgettable lunch featuring authentic Fiorentina steaks, giving our athletes a true taste of Italian culture and cuisine.
Later that day, Champions Unlimited faced a talented New Era Volleyball squad in an exciting five-set battle. After splitting the first four sets, New Era narrowly claimed the deciding set 19-17. Although the result didn’t fall our way, the growth in our game was evident. The biggest improvements came in the areas we’ve emphasized throughout the tour. Our serving was much more consistent, especially after long rallies, allowing us to sustain pressure and eliminate unnecessary errors. In serve receive, our athletes showed better platform discipline, moved their feet more efficiently to the ball, and delivered cleaner first contacts, giving our setters more opportunities to run a faster, balanced offense. Those improvements also led to tighter transition sets and a more dynamic attack throughout the match.
Our Day 3 Men of the Match were Rory Rand, Jake Sueki, and Finn Kearny, whose composure, competitiveness, and all-around performances kept Champions Unlimited battling until the final point.
This tour continues to be about much more than volleyball. It’s about developing elite players, building lifelong friendships, embracing new cultures, and representing Champions Unlimited with pride. Every match, every training session, and every experience is helping this group grow stronger together. We are Champions Unlimited—one team, one standard, one identity—and we’re just getting started. Thank you for following our journey, supporting these athletes, and staying tuned for the next match and update
To finish the day in standard practice, the guys ate an amazing Italian meal with the two other teams
Onward and upward! 🏐🇺🇸 🇮🇹