Opposite Evan Patak (Pleasanton, Calif.) has had a big impact during his short time on the U.S. Men’s National Team. In 2008 he was an alternate to the Olympic team and was named MVP and best server of the Pan American Cup in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as the United States won the gold medal.

Patak finished a four-year career at Cal State Northridge in 2007, when he led the country in kills (5.78/game), service aces (.948/game), and points (7.09/game). He was named a first team All-American that year, as he was in 2005. Later in 2007, Patak was the United States’ leading scorer on the World University Games team that won a bronze medal in Bangkok. He was also on the 2003 bronze-medal winning World University Games team.

Patak was born in 1984, in Santa Maria, Calif. His parents are Kim and Gloria Patak. He has an older sister named Jessica. Patak played basketball and volleyball for Foothill High School (1998-2002) in Pleasanton. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara in 2009. He majored in sociology and minored in sports management. He enjoys mountain biking, wakeboarding, and golfing.