Taylor Sander facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taylor Sander
Script error: The function "getImageLegend" does not exist.
Personal information
Full name	Taylor Lee Sander
Nickname	The Sandman Prince-Ti-Tey
Born	(1992-03-17) March 17, 1992 (age 33) Fountain Valley, California, U.S.
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight	180 lb (80 kg)
Spike	141 in (358 cm)
Block	130 in (330 cm)
College(s)	Brigham Young University
Volleyball information
Position	Outside hitter
Number	3
Career
Years Teams 2011–2014 2014–2016 2016–2017 2017 2017–2018 2018–2019 2020–2021 2024–Present BYU Cougars Verona Volley Beijing Volleyball Al Arabi Doha Volley Lube Sada Cruzeiro Skra Bełchatów Bogor LavAni
National team
2012–2021  USA
Medal record Men's volleyball Representing  United States Olympic Games Bronze 2016 Rio de Janeiro FIVB World Championship Bronze 2018 Bulgaria/Italy FIVB World Cup Gold 2015 Japan FIVB World League Gold 2014 Florence Bronze 2015 Rio de Janeiro FIVB Nations League Silver 2019 Chicago Bronze 2018 Lille Pan American Cup Gold 2012 Santo Domingo NORCECA Championship Gold 2017 Colorado Springs

Taylor Lee Sander (born March 17, 1992) is an American professional volleyball player. He plays both beach volleyball and indoor volleyball. Taylor was a key player for the U.S. national team. With the team, he won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He also helped them win the 2014 FIVB Volleyball World League and the 2015 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Cup.

About Taylor Sander

Taylor Sander was born on March 17, 1992. His parents are Steven and Kera Sander. He has an older sister and a younger brother named Brenden. Brenden also plays volleyball professionally.

Taylor went to Norco High School in California. He later studied Global Studies at Brigham Young University (BYU). His family is part of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In July 2015, Taylor married Rachel McQuivey. Rachel was a long jumper and hurdler for the BYU Track & Field team. They have two children together.

Taylor's Volleyball Journey

Taylor Sander has played volleyball at many levels. He has been successful in college, with club teams, and for the U.S. national team.

Beach Volleyball Career

In the summer of 2022, Taylor started playing professional beach volleyball. He teamed up with Taylor Crabb. They quickly found success. The team won the 2022 AVP Phoenix Open in September. Two months later, in November 2022, Sander and Crabb also won the 2022 AVP Tour Series Huntington Beach Open. They were the top-ranked team in that tournament.

College Volleyball Success

Many top universities wanted Taylor to play for them. These included USC, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, and BYU. He chose to attend Brigham Young University.

At BYU, Taylor was an amazing player. He was named an AVCA All-American four times. In 2014, he was even named the AVCA Player of the Year. He also won the MPSF Player of the Year award twice. Taylor holds several BYU records. These include the most career kills and career service aces. He once had nine service aces in a single match, which is a record for BYU.

Taylor shared why he chose BYU. He said he grew up a big fan of the school. His family's faith also played a role in his decision.

Playing for Clubs

After college, Taylor began playing for professional clubs. On June 10, 2014, he signed with Verona Volley. This is a top-level team in Italy's Serie A1 league. Over the years, he played for several other clubs around the world. These include teams in China, Qatar, Brazil, and Poland.

Representing the National Team

Taylor Sander was a key player for the U.S. national team. He joined the team in 2012 and played until 2021.

In 2014, he competed in the FIVB World League. The U.S. team, ranked 4th, surprised everyone by beating 1st-ranked Brazil to win the tournament. Taylor was named the "best outside spiker" and the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

He also played in the 2014 FIVB World Championships in Poland. He was recognized as the U.S. Volleyball Men's Team Rookie of the Year.

In 2015, Taylor helped the U.S. team in the NORCECA Champions Cup. They won against Mexico and Cuba. This secured their spot in the 2015 FIVB World Cup in Japan. In the World Cup, the U.S. team won the gold medal.

Taylor continued to play in the FIVB World League. In one match against Iran, he led all players with 19 points. He sometimes faced injuries, but he always worked hard to return to the court.

Taylor Sander's Awards and Honors

Taylor has earned many awards throughout his career, both with his teams and as an individual player.

Club Achievements

• CEV Champions League
  • 2017–18 – with Cucine Lube Civitanova
• FIVB Club World Championship
  • Poland 2017 – with Cucine Lube Civitanova
• CSV South American Club Championship
  • Belo Horizonte 2019 – with Sada Cruzeiro
• CEV Challenge Cup
  • 2015–16 – with Calzedonia Verona
• Domestic Titles
  • 2016–17 Qatari Cup, with Al Arabi Doha
  • 2018–19 Brazilian Cup, with Sada Cruzeiro

Youth National Team Achievements

• 2008 NORCECA U19 Championship
• 2010 NORCECA U21 Championship

Individual Awards

• 2012: Pan American Cup – Most Valuable Player
• 2013: NCAA National Championship – All-Tournament Team
• 2013: Pan American Cup – Best Server
• 2014: AVCA National Player of the Year
• 2014: NCAA National Championship – All-Tournament Team
• 2014: FIVB World League – Most Valuable Player
• 2014: FIVB World League – Best Outside Hitter
• 2016: CEV Challenge Cup – Most Valuable Player
• 2018: FIVB Nations League – Best Outside Hitter
• 2019: CSV South American Club Championship – Most Valuable Player