Eagle Wins the Silver Medal
Senior setter Chase Wallin helped Team USA's U19 squad win silver this summer — and he's bringing that international experience home to Santa Margarita Catholic High School. When Chase Wallin '27 pulled on a USA Volleyball jersey this summer, he wasn't just suiting up for another tournament — he was stepping onto the international stage to represent his country. The SMCHS setter, who helped Team USA's U19 squad capture a silver medal, says the moment was the culmination of years of dreaming and hard work finally coming together.
"It meant a lot to me to be able to represent my nation and compete at the highest level. I had dreamt of this moment for a long time, and all my hard work had finally paid off."
The road to the podium wasn't easy. Every player on the roster made real sacrifices to be there, which is part of what made the silver medal feel so earned.
"It was a deeply rewarding experience because everyone on the team had to make sacrifices in order to play, and being able to have something to show for it made it even better."
Of all the memories from the tournament, one stands above the rest: standing on the podium alongside his teammates.
"One moment from winning silver that I'll never forget would have been standing up on the podium with all of my teammates, knowing that we achieved something special — even though we were all hoping for a gold medal."
Now, Wallin is bringing that international experience back to SMCHS, where he'll look to translate lessons learned on the world stage into a strong senior campaign for the Eagles.
"It gives me a lot of confidence because I can take everything that I learned back to our team, which can help us have a more successful season."
Wallin, who is committed to Stanford University, will look to lead SMCHS boys volleyball into the new season with the poise and perspective only a national-team run can bring.
- athletics headline