IRVINE, Calif. -- Former Anteater All-American David Smith is one of 19 players on the U.S. Men's National Team long-list roster competing in the 2021 FIVB Volleyball Nations League (VNL) May 28-June 27 in Rimini, Italy.

Sixteen teams will compete against each other in three-day round-robin segments during the five-week preliminary round May 28-June 23. The top four teams will advance to the final round. The semifinals will be played June 26 and the medal matches on June 27.

The U.S. starts with matches against No. 10 Canada, No. 1 Brazil and No. 5 Argentina. The first match against Canada is Friday (May 28) at 9:00 a.m. PST.

The VNL is the only official international competition for the U.S. prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games, which begin July 24.

The U.S., ranked No. 3 in the world, will compete in a bubble with no fans for the health and safety of all participants. Fourteen players from the long list will be selected for each three-day segment of the preliminary round.

At previous VNL competitions, the United States won silver in 2019 and bronze in 2018.

Smith is one of eight Olympians returning for the U.S. The middle blocker is attempting to make his third Olympic team (2012, 2016).

Former All-American and national champion Kevin Tille will also be competing for France. The two Anteaters will face off on June 16.

Rounding out the list of Anteaters at the event is USA assistant coach Brian Thornton. Thornton was a teammate of Smith's on the 2007 national championship team and competed in the Olympics as a player for the U.S. in 2012.

The VNL will be broadcast in the United States on the FIVB's streaming service Volleyball World TV.

U.S. & France Men's Schedule for FIVB Volleyball Nations League (all times Pacific)
May 28 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Canada / at 1:00 a.m. France vs Bulgaria
May 29 at noon: USA vs Brazil / at 1:00 a.m. France vs Brazil
May 30 at 7 a.m.: USA vs Argentina /at 1:00 a.m. France vs Australia 

June 3 at noon: Russia vs USA / at 6:00 a.m. Brazil vs France
June 4 at 9 a.m.: Poland vs USA / at 6:00 a.m. Serbia vs France
June 5 at 9 a.m.: USA vs Australia / at 4:00 a.m. France vs Japan

June 9 at 7 a.m.: Iran vs USA / at 4:00 a.m. France vs Russia
June 10 at 7 a.m.: Germany vs USA / at 4:00 a.m. France vs Slovenia
June 11 at 7 a.m.: USA vs Serbia / at 10:30 a.m. Canada vs France

June 15 at noon: Italy vs USA / at noon Netherlands vs France
June 16 at 10:30 a.m.: USA vs France
June 17 at 9 a.m.: Netherlands vs USA / at 10:30 a.m. France vs Italy

June 21 at 9 a.m.: Slovenia vs USA / at 4:00 a.m. France vs Iran
June 22 at 4 a.m.: Bulgaria vs USA / at 9:00 a.m. France vs Argentina
June 23 at 4 a.m.: USA vs Japan / at 6:00 a.m. France vs Poland

June 26: Semifinals 1 and 2
June 27: Bronze and Gold medal matches

Full story at USA Volleyball
VNL Website