At the tail end of the 2024 Volleyball Men’s Nations League, Team USA captain Micah Christenson was still uncertain about his participation in the following year’s World Championships.
When asked at the time, the multiple-time VNL Best Setter simply remarked, “Let’s see.”
Fast forward a year, and Christenson was officially named to a revamped U.S. men’s national team — a move that thrilled Filipino fans eager to once again witness volleyball’s “Captain America” in action.
For Christenson, however, the call-up meant more than just fanfare. It was a deep source of pride.
“It is an honor to play for Team USA. Most people — actually, I think everybody — would feel that way when representing their country. But this is also the World Championships, right?” the 32-year-old setter said.
“It’s one of the biggest tournaments in international volleyball. So, I’m honored and privileged to be back on the team. And here we are, making a run.”
He added that returning after a break made the experience even more meaningful.
“I’m very honored that I was able to take a little time off, and this team and this coaching staff welcomed me with open arms to come back and work with these guys. I watched them throughout VNL — they played really well and gained a lot of experience. I see myself as someone joining this new group,” Christenson shared.
Now that the pool phase is complete — with the U.S. finishing with a perfect 3-0 record — Christenson is looking ahead, hoping his squad carries the same energy into the knockout rounds.
“This is just step one, but a pretty good first step so far. We just need to keep doing what we’re doing — it’s working well. The goal is to continue improving and refining the areas we need to get better at as we push forward,” the seasoned playmaker said.
Coming back for #MWCH2025 was all worth it for USA captain Micah Christenson 🏐🇺🇸
📹 @seol_gongchan /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/EtxKNexg25
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 17, 2025
