Eric Anthony Sato (born May 5, 1966, in Santa Monica, California) is an American former volleyball player and two-time Olympian. He was a member of the United States national volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea.[1] He also played in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and won a bronze medal.[1] He was a defensive specialist, and was widely considered to be the best defensive player in the world.[1][2] After the Olympics, he played professional beach volleyball.[1]
| Eric Sato | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Eric Anthony Sato | ||
| Nationality | American | ||
| Born | May 5, 1966 (age 58) Santa Monica, California, U.S. | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| College / University | Pepperdine University | ||
| Volleyball information | |||
| Position | Defensive specialist | ||
| Number | 11 (1988) 14 (1992) | ||
| National team | |||
| |||
Medal record | |||
Though 5'11" (1.80 m) in height, Sato's 41" (1.04 m) vertical jump allowed him to be an effective spiker for the national team, including from the back row.[3]
College edit
Sato played college volleyball at Pepperdine University.[1]
Personal life edit
Sato's sister Liane played volleyball with the United States women's national team in both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games, capturing a bronze medal in 1992.[4][5][6] For the Sato family, a capstone was the 1988 Olympic Games, when Eric and Liane were both competing, and their brother Gary was a coach on the men's volleyball team.[4]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "Eric Sato". Olympedia. Archived from the original on April 16, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Yost, Heather (1999). "The libero rules". NCAA. Archived from the original on July 24, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
- ^ Hazeltine, Rick (July 30, 1988). "Sato Helps U.S. Complete Sweep of Sweden". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 6, 2024. (subscription required)
- ^ a b Chan, Ed (October 2, 2020). "Family matriarch Elissa Sato leaves behind an incredible volleyball legacy". Volleyball Magazine. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
- ^ Drooz, Alan (May 28, 1992). "Olympic Hopes Still Flourish for Volleyball Veteran Sato". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 27, 2023. (subscription required)
- ^ "Ex-SDSU Standout on Women's Team". Los Angeles Times. June 26, 1992. Retrieved June 27, 2023. (subscription required)