Taylor Sander facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taylor Sander
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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 BYU Cougars Verona Volley Beijing Volleyball Al Arabi Doha Volley Lube Sada Cruzeiro Skra Bełchatów
National team
2012–2021  USA
Honours 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 beach volleyball player. He used to play indoor volleyball. As a member of the U.S. national team, he won a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics. He also won a bronze medal at the 2018 World Championship. Taylor was a winner of the 2014 World League and the 2015 World Cup.

About Taylor Sander's Life

Taylor Sander was born to Steven and Kera Sander. He has an older sister and a younger brother named Brenden. Brenden also plays volleyball and is part of the Brazilian team Sada Volei Cruzeiro. Taylor finished high school at Norco High School in Norco, California.

At BYU, Taylor studied Global Studies. His parents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he grew up in that faith. In July 2015, he married Rachel McQuivey. Rachel was a long jumper and hurdler for the BYU Track & Field team. Taylor and Rachel welcomed their first child in June 2018 and their second child in November 2021. Taylor is now in a relationship with Hannah Tapp, who is also a USA volleyball player.

Taylor Sander's Volleyball Career

Beach Volleyball Journey

In the summer of 2022, Taylor Sander began playing professional beach volleyball. He teamed up with Taylor Crabb. This new team won the 2022 AVP Phoenix Open on September 24-25.

Just two months later, on November 13, 2022, Sander and Crabb won the 2022 AVP Tour Series Huntington Beach Open. They were the top-ranked team going into the tournament. They earned $8,000 in prize money from this win.

College Volleyball Success

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

At BYU, Taylor was a four-time AVCA All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country for four years. In 2014, he was named the AVCA Player of the Year. He was also the MPSF Player of the Year in 2013 and 2014.

Taylor holds several records at BYU. He has the most service aces (points scored directly from a serve) in a single match (nine). He also has the most career service aces (182). In the modern scoring era, he is number one at BYU for career kills (1,743), which are successful attacks that result in a point.

Taylor explained why he chose BYU in 2012. He said, "Growing up in Huntington Beach, I've always been a big BYU fan. I grew up in the LDS faith, and with my parents being LDS, that was the school we always cheered for. I've always wanted to go to BYU since I was a kid."

Professional Club Play

On June 10, 2014, Taylor Sander signed a contract to play for Verona Volley. This is a team in Italy's top volleyball league, Serie A1. He has played for several clubs around the world, including teams in China, Qatar, Brazil, and Poland.

Playing for the National Team

Taylor Sander played for the U.S. national team in the 2014 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 Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament. He also received a $30,000 prize award.

He was part of the U.S. team for the 2014 FIVB World Championships in Poland. After this, he was chosen as U.S. Volleyball's Men's Team Rookie of the Year.

In 2015, Taylor was on the U.S. team that played in the NORCECA Champions Cup. This tournament helped the U.S. qualify for the 2015 FIVB World Cup in Japan. During the World Cup, the U.S. team won the gold medal.

Taylor continued to play for the U.S. in the 2015 FIVB World League. He was a key player, often leading his team in points. He sometimes faced injuries, but he always worked hard to return to the court and help his team.

Taylor Sander's Awards and Honors

Club Achievements

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

Youth National Team Achievements

• 2008 NORCECA U19 Championship (Gold Medal)
• 2010 NORCECA U21 Championship (Gold Medal)

Individual Awards

• 2012: Pan American Cup – Most Valuable Player (MVP)
• 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 (MVP)
• 2014: FIVB World League – Best Outside Hitter
• 2016: CEV Challenge Cup – Most Valuable Player (MVP)
• 2018: FIVB Nations League – Best Outside Hitter
• 2019: CSV South American Club Championship – Most Valuable Player (MVP)