The United States are entering in a third season under head coach John Speraw. They could not defend the World League title they won by defeating arch-rivals Brazil last year, but took the bronze medal following a straight sets win over Poland in Rio de Janeiro. At the Pan-American Games in Canada, USA were placed sixth after losing 3-1 to Cuba. They won only one of five matches. Of the nine times that USA have competed at the World Cup, they have finished fourth five times, most recently in 2007. They won the event in 1985, and last time out in 2011 they finished in sixth place, eight points away from the medal positions.

At the 2014 World Championship, they missed out on the third round by two points and were ranked joint-seventh overall. In 2013 the US team took the gold medal in the NORCECA Championship. They are aiming for a return to the glory days of the 1980s and 1990s when they won two Olympic gold medals (1984 and 1988) and a bronze (1992), as well as triumphing at the World Championship in 1986. They achieved Olympic glory again when they defeated Brazil 3-1 to win gold at Beijing 2008, but failed to defend their title in 2012, losing in the quarterfinals. The team’s success at the 2014 World League was their first title since 2008.