MRU’s Grant Hill helps Canada capture silver at U21 Pan Am Cup

Grant Hill from Mount Royal University helped Canada's U21 men's volleyball team win silver at the 2025 Pan American Cup, held in Calgary. The Canadian team had an impressive run through the tournament, losing narrowly to the United States in the gold medal match.

In the round robin, Canada finished with a 4-1 record. They started with a strong 3-0 win over Barbados and followed up with a 3-1 victory against Puerto Rico. Their only loss in the preliminaries was against the USA, who beat them 3-1. However, the Canadians bounced back with clear wins over Chile and Mexico, earning a spot in the final.

Before the gold medal match, Hill shared his excitement about representing Canada in his hometown. "It's super exciting and it's going to be loud tomorrow. I've got a lot of family coming and it's special because it's with Team Canada," said Hill. "I think our team has played well, today we were a little inconsistent, but we're pumped for the match tomorrow."

The championship match was a rematch against the Americans. Canada fought hard, but the visitors won 3-1 (25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-23). This loss gave Canada the silver medal in front of an energetic crowd at Seven Chiefs Sportsplex.

Hill, a Calgary native and setter for the MRU Cougars, saw his most significant playing time during the final. He entered the match in the third set and helped Canada rally to win that frame. His presence sparked the team, as their offense improved and drew energy from the crowd.

Canada's silver medal capped off a strong performance by the young squad on home soil. Beyond the podium finish, the event provided valuable international experience ahead of upcoming competitions, including the 2025 U21 World Championship cycle.

For Hill, the tournament marked a significant point in his promising career. Balancing his U SPORTS commitments with the Cougars and national team duties, the chance to contribute at the Pan Am Cup level was an important step in his growth as a setter and leader.

The U21 teams will head to the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship in China later this month.