González/Navas Strike Gold in Ciudad Madero, Third Consecutive Title on the 2025 NORCECA Tour

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 13, 2025.- María González and Allanis Navas have done it again. The Puerto Rican duo captured the gold medal at the fourth stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, held in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas, securing their third straight victory of the season, all against Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez.

This time, they clinched the title with a 2-1 (21-18, 21-19) win in a tightly contested final that leaned in Puerto Rico’s favor, especially after an injury disadvantaged Atenas Gutiérrez’s performance. Torres/Gutierrez finished second place in all four stages this year.

Navas and González have dominated the season with impressive gold medal runs in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Cortés, and now on Mexican soil, firmly establishing themselves as the team to beat on the tour.

The bronze medal went to Canada’s Devin Corah and Alicia Thibodeau, who battled past Mexico’s Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Ramírez in a thrilling 2-1 (21-18, 17-21, 15-13) match. The Mexican duo capped off a strong tournament with a fourth-place finish.

Before the final, the podium matchups were decided with authority. Torres and Gutiérrez defeated Vidaurrazaga and Ramírez in the semifinals 21-19, 21-16, while González and Navas cruised past Corah and Thibodeau with a dominant 2-0 (21-11, 21-9) win to book their place in the gold medal match.

In the battle for fifth place, Canada’s Emma Cudmore and Claire Simmonds delivered a clear 2-0 (21-10, 21-17) victory over Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez of Nicaragua. Earlier, López and Rodríguez had defeated Cristina Almeida and Amber Bennett (U.S. Virgin Islands) 2-0 (21-14, 21-10), while Cudmore and Simmonds eliminated Danna Aguilar and Ana Sofía Arévalo (Guatemala) with a convincing 2-0 (21-5, 21-10) scoreline.

The seventh-place match went to Aguilar and Arévalo, who beat Almeida and Bennett in two very different sets: 21-7 and a close 22-20. Megan Hands and Natalie Gazzard of Bermuda finished the tournament in ninth place.

Final Women’s Ranking NORCECA Ciudad Madero 2025

                1.            María González / Allanis Navas (PUERTO RICO)

                2.            Susana Torres / Atenas Gutiérrez (MÉXICO 1)

                3.            Devin Corah / Alicia Thibodeau (CANADÁ 1)

                4.            Yeray Vidaurrazaga / María Ramírez (MÉXICO 2)

                5.            Emma Cudmore / Claire Simmonds (CANADÁ 2)

                6.            Socorro López / Lolette Rodríguez (NICARAGUA)

                7.            Danna Aguilar / Ana Sofía Arévalo (GUATEMALA)

                8.            Cristina Almeida / Amber Bennett (ISLAS VÍRGENES)

                9.            Megan Hands / Natalie Gazzard (BERMUDAS)

Rivera and Rosich of Puerto Rico Win Gold in Tamaulipas

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 13, 2025. – William Rivera and Diego Rosich of Puerto Rico were crowned champions of the fourth stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour after defeating USA’s  Skyler Kaufman and Christopher Shaffer in the gold medal match 2-0 (21-12, 24-22).

With this victory, the Puerto Rican duo claimed the gold medal on Mexican soil following a strong and consistent performance throughout the event.

The bronze medal went to Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, who earned a 2-0 (21-19, 22-20) win over Rubén Mora and Denis López of Nicaragua. With this result, Sarabia and Osuna secured their third medal of the 2025 NORCECA Tour season: gold in Juan Dolio (Dominican Republic), bronze in Puerto Cortés (Honduras), and now another bronze in Tamaulipas, solidifying their status as one of the most consistent pairs on the circuit.

In the semifinals, Rivera and Rosich advanced after battling past Mora and López in three intense sets (21-17, 20-22, 15-7), while Shaffer and Kaufman eliminated Sarabia and Osuna with straight sets of 21-14 and 21-19.

The fifth-place match was won by the Mexican pair Inés Lares and Carlos Andrés Vargas, who came from behind to defeat Christopher and Yoel Guardado of El Salvador 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 18-16). Earlier, the Guardado twins had beaten Devin Van Siclen and Daniel Samuelson of the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-17, 21-18), while Lares and Vargas edged out Colin Lash and Dylan Devecseri of Canada 2-1 (21-14, 15-21, 15-11).

Van Siclen and Samuelson bounced back to claim seventh place by defeating Devecseri and Lash 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12). Meanwhile, Edgar Maldonado and Santiago Penagos of Guatemala secured ninth place with a dominant 2-0 (21-10, 21-13) win over Kyle Hamilton and Connor Somerville of Bermuda, who finished the tournament in tenth place.

Men’s Final Ranking NORCECA Ciudad Madero 2025

  1. William Rivera / Diego Rosich (PUERTO RICO)
  2. Skyler Kaufman / Christopher Shaffer (ESTADOS UNIDOS)
  3. Miguel Sarabia / Jorman Osuna (MÉXICO 1)
  4. Rubén Mora / Denis López (NICARAGUA)
  5. Inés Lares / Carlos Andrés Vargas (MÉXICO 2)
  6. Christopher Guardado / Yoel Guardado (EL SALVADOR)
  7. Devin Van Siclen / Daniel Samuelson (ISLAS VÍRGENES)
  8. Colin Lash / Dylan Devecseri (CANADÁ)
  9. Edgar Maldonado / Santiago Penagos (GUATEMALA)
  10. Kyle Hamilton / Connor Somerville (BERMUDAS)

Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and USA to Battle for a Spot in the Final at the NORCECA Tour in Tamaulipas

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 12, 2025.- Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna of Mexico, Rubén Mora and Denis López of Nicaragua, William Rivera and Diego Rosich of Puerto Rico, and Skyler Kaufman and Christopher Shaffer of the United States are the semifinalists of the fourth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour.

In the semifinals, Sarabia/Osuna (Mexico) will face Shaffer/Kaufman (USA), while Rivera/Rosich (Puerto Rico) will take on Mora/López (Nicaragua).

In an all-Mexican quarterfinal clash, Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna came out on top in a dramatic 2-1 victory (21-17, 14-21, 15-9) over Carlos Andrés and Jorge Lares, cheered on by a supportive Tamaulipas crowd.

Mora/Lopez (NCA)

Meanwhile, the Central American duel delivered plenty of thrills, as Rubén Mora and Denis López of Nicaragua defeated El Salvador’s’ Christopher and Yoel Guardado in straight sets 26-24, 21-18 to secure their place among the final four.

Representing the Caribbean, William Rivera and Diego Rosich of Puerto Rico dominated their quarterfinal match against Devin Van Siclen and Daniel Clements of the U.S. Virgin Islands, earning a 2-0 win (21-10, 21-13). On their part, Americans Skyler Kaufman and Christopher Shaffer eliminated Canada’s Dylan Devecseri and Colin Lash in straight sets (24-22, 21-17).

The day began with the last pool-play matches, where Rivera/Rosich topped Pool A after defeating Sarabia/Osuna 2-0 (21-13, 21-17), pushing the Mexican duo into second place.

In Pool B, Shaffer/Kaufman (USA) started strong with a 2-0 win over Clements/Van Siclen (21-14, 21-14). Later, the Guardado brothers also defeated the Caribbean pair 2-0 (21-19, 21-13). In the group’s final match, the Americans edged out the Salvadorans in a close contest, 2-0 (21-19, 21-19), claiming the top spot. El Salvador finished second, with U.S. Virgin Islands in third.

Pool C saw Lares/Carlos Andrés take first place after sweeping Hamilton/Somerville of Bermuda (21-5, 21-10). However, Mora/López shook up the group by defeating Devecseri/Lash form Canada 21-15, 21-11, earning second place in the pool.

Mexican Pairs, Puerto Rico, and one from Canada Advance to Women’s Semifinals at 4th Stop of the NORCECA Tour

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 12, 2025.- The women’s semifinals are set at the fourth stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, currently taking place at Playa Miramar in Tamaulipas, Mexico. The qualified pairs are Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez (MEX1), Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Ramírez (MEX2), Devin Corah and Alicia Thibodeau (CAN1), and María González with Allanis Navas (PUR).

Sunday’s matchups promise intense action, with an all-Mexican semifinal between Torres/Gutiérrez and Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez. The other semifinal will feature Canada’s Corah/Thibodeau against Puerto Rico’s González/Navas for a spot in the final.

TorresGutierrez (MEX1)

In the quarterfinals, Torres and Gutiérrez dominated Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez with a commanding 21-11, 21-12 win. Similarly, Vidaurrazaga and Ramírez advanced after defeating Cristina Almeida and Amber Bennett from the U.S. Virgin Islands (21-12, 21-6).

In an all-Canadian clash, Corah and Thibodeau overcame Emma Cudmore and Claire Simmonds 21-18, 21-13. Meanwhile, González and Navas of Puerto Rico cruised past Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Ana Sofía Arévalo with scores of 21-07 and 21-10.

Earlier in pool-play, home favorites Torres/Gutiérrez (MEX1) got off to a strong start, also defeating Aguilar and Arévalo (GUA) 21-11, 21-07 to top Pool A.

In Pool B, González/Navas (PUR) were dominant against López and Rodríguez (NCA), winning 21-12, 21-9. Over in Pool C, Corah/Thibodeau (CAN1) took control with a 21-15, 21-9 victory over Almeida/Bennett (ISV).

With the level of play seen so far, the semifinals are expected to deliver high-stakes, tightly contested battles. Mexico is guaranteed to compete for the gold medal, while Puerto Rico and Canada arrive with experience, consistency, and podium ambitions.

The semifinals, finals, and classification matches will be played this Sunday, July 13, starting at 10:00 a.m. at Playa Miramar.

Torres/Gutiérrez and González/Navas Start Strong at NORCECA Tour in Tamaulipas

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 11, 2025.- Mexico’s Torres/Gutiérrez and Puerto Rico’s González/Navas delivered commanding performances on the opening day of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Ciudad Madero.

In Pool A, Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez (MEX1) dominated from start to finish, defeating Canada’s Emma Cudmore and Claire Simmonds (CAN2) 21-14, 21-16. Earlier, Cudmore and Simmonds had opened pool play with a solid win over Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Ana Sofía Arévalo, with scores of 21-18 and 21-10. While the first set was closely contested, the gap widened significantly in the second.

Torres – Gutierrez (MEX1) vs Simmonds – Cudmore (CAN2)

In Pool B, Puerto Rico’s María González and Allanis Navas made a strong statement with a straight-sets victory over Mexico’s Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Ramírez (MEX2), 21-19, 21-14, in one of the most thrilling matches of the day. The Puerto Ricans held their nerve in a tightly contested first set before pulling away in the second, showcasing their experience and composure. Earlier, the Mexican duo had opened with a dominant 21-16, 21-9 win over Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez, adding even more weight to Puerto Rico’s impressive performance.

Pool C also delivered excitement. Amber Bennett and Cristina Almeida of the U.S. Virgin Islands defeated Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Natalie Gazzard in straight sets (21-14, 21-17), displaying solid court control. Later, Canada’s Devin Corah and Alicia Thibodeau (CAN1) made quick work of Hands/Gazzard, winning 21-8, 21-12 in a match that posed little challenge for the Canadians.

The women’s opening day made it clear: both local and Caribbean teams have serious podium ambitions.

WOMEN’S RESULTS

POOL A: SIMMONDS/CUDMORE (CAN2) 2-0 AGUILAR/ARÉVALO (GUA) (21-18/21-10); TORRES/GUTIÉRREZ (MEX1) 2-0 SIMMONDS/CUDMORE (CAN2) (21-14/21-16)

POOL B: VIDAURRAZAGA/RAMÍREZ (MEX2) 2-0 LÓPEZ/LOLETTE (NCA) (21-16/21-9); GONZÁLEZ/NAVAS (PUR) 2-0 VIDAURRAZAGA/RAMÍREZ (MEX2) (21-19/21-14)

POOL C: BENNETT/ALMEIDA-ANZ (ISV) 2-0 HANDS/GAZZARD (BER) (21-14/21-17); CORAH/THIBODEAU (CAN1) 2-0 HANDS/GAZZARD (BER) (21-8/21-12)

Mexican Men Duos Shine in Opening Day at Tamaulipas NORCECA Tour

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 11, 2025.-Mexican duos Lares/Carlos Andrés and Sarabia/Osuna kicked off the fourth stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas with thrilling performances and a clear message: as tournament favorites, they are here to compete, not speculate.

In Pool C, where the most exciting match of the day took place, Carlos Andrés and Miguel Lares (MEX2) defeated Canada’s Colin Lash and Dylan Devecseri in three sets (21-12, 19-21, 15-8), showing composure and resilience. Earlier, they had already edged Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Denis López in two intense sets (27-25, 21-13), with a nail-biting first set.

Lash/Devecseri had previously defeated Bermuda’s Kyle Hamilton and Connor Somerville 2-0 (21-7, 21-14). The Bermudans couldn’t bounce back in their second match either, falling to Nicaragua 2-0 (21-11, 21-8).

Guardado C. – Guardado Y. (ESA)

Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna (MEX1), placed in Pool A, dominated Guatemala’s Edgar Maldonado and Santiago Penagos with a smooth and precise performance, winning 2-0 (21-13, 21-11) to solidify their presence in the tournament. Puerto Rico’s William Rivera and Diego Rosich also defeated the Guatemalan duo 2-0 (21-15, 21-14).

Pool B featured the tightest matches of the day. El Salvador’s Christopher and Yoel Guardado beat Devin Van Siclen and Daniel Samuelson of the U.S. Virgin Islands with scores of 21-19 and 21-13, in a match that began neck and neck. The Guardado twins later faced Americans Skyler Kaufman and Christopher Shaffer, who emerged victorious in a thrilling battle, taking both sets 21-19 and proving that every point was hard-fought.

On this opening day, the teams from Mexico, the United States, and Canada showed power and poise, making it clear that it won’t be easy to take group leadership away from them. The competition is just getting started and promises even more excitement ahead.

MEN’S RESULTS

POOL A: Rivera/Rosich (PUR) 2-0 Maldonado/Penagos (GUA) (21-15/21-14); Sarabia/Osuna (MEX1) 2-0 Maldonado/Penagos (GUA) (21-13/21-11)

POOL B: Guardado/Guardado (ESA) 2-0 Clements/Van Siclen (ISV) (21-19/21-13);

Shaffer/Kaufman (USA) 2-0 Guardado/Guardado (ESA) (21-19/21-19)

POOL C: Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX2) 2-0 Mora/López (NCA) (27-25/21-13); Devecseri/Lash (CAN) 2-0 Hamilton/Somerville (BER) (21-7/21-14); Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX2) 2-1 Devecseri/Lash (CAN) (21-12/19-21/15-08); Mora/López (NCA) 2-0 Hamilton/Somerville (BER) (21-11/21-08)

Tamaulipas Joins the Global Beach Volleyball Map with the Fourth Stop of the 2025 NORCECA Tour

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 9, 2025.– The sands of Playa Miramar will host a historic moment for Mexican sports: for the first time ever, Tamaulipas will stage an international beach volleyball competition. The fourth stop of the 2025 NORCECA Tour will take place from July 11 to 14 in Ciudad Madero, featuring top teams from North, Central America, and the Caribbean.

This event marks the beginning of the 2025 NORCECA circuit in Mexico, which is set to host four stops this year. After Ciudad Madero, the tour will continue in Manzanillo (August 29–31), Guadalajara (September 5–7), and Ciudad del Carmen (October 10–12).

The tournament will bring together 19 teams—10 men’s and 9 women’s—representing nine countries.

The Mexican pairs arrive highly motivated with strong performances in the 2025 circuit. In the women’s division, Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez—winners of three silver medals—will be aiming for gold in front of their home crowd. In the men’s division, Inés Vargas and Carlos Andrés Ayala, champions in Puerto Cortés, along with Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, gold medalists in Juan Dolio and bronze medalists in Puerto Cortés, will look to dominate on home soil.

POOL DISTRIBUTION

WOMEN

POOL A: CAN1: Simmonds/Cudmore; MEX1: Torres/Gutiérrez; GUA: Aguilar/Arevalo

POOL B: MEX2: Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez; PUR: Nieves/Musignac; NIC: López/Lolette

POOL C: BER: Hands/Gazzard; CAN2: Corah/Thibodeau; ISV: Bennett/Almeida-Anz

MEN

POOL A: GUA: Maldonado/García; MEX2: Sarabia/Osuna; PUR: Rivera/Rosich

POOL B: ESA: Guardado/Guardado; USA: Shaffer/Kaufman; ISV: Clements/Van Siclen

POOL C: MEX1: Lares/Carlos Andrés; CAN: Devecseri/Lash; NIC: Mora/López; BER: Hamilton/Somerville

TEAMS

WOMEN GUA: Danna Aguilar /Ana Sofía Arevalo; MEX1: Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez; MEX2: Yeray Vidaurrazaga / María Ramírez; NIC: Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez; ISV: Cristina Almeida/Amber Bennet; PUR: María González/Allanis Navas; CAN1: Emma Cudmore/Claire Simmonds; CAN2: Devin Corah/Alicia Thibodeau; BER: Megan Hands/Natalie Gazzard

MEN BER: Kyle Hamilton/Connor Somerville; CAN: Colin Lash/Dylan Devecseri; ISV: Devin Van Siclen/Daniel Samuelson; GUA: Edgar Maldonado/Luis García; MEX1: Inés Vargas/Carlos Ayala; MEX2: Miguel Sarabia/Jorman Osuna; USA: Skyler Kaufman/Christopher Shaffer; NIC: Rubén Mora/Denis López; PUR: William Rivera/Diego Rosich; ESA: Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado

Tamaulipas to Host a NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour Stop for the First Time

CIUDAD MADERO, Tamaulipas, July 9, 2025. – For the first time ever, the state of Tamaulipas in Mexico will host an international beach volleyball competition with the arrival of the Fourth Stage of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, set to take place from July 11 to 14 at the Playa Miramar Sports Complex in Ciudad Madero.

The Tamaulipas event marks the first stop of the 2025 NORCECA Tour in Mexico, a country that will host four stages this season: Ciudad Madero, Tamaulipas – July 11–14; Manzanillo, Colima – August 29–31; Guadalajara, Jalisco – September 5–7; Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche – October 10–12

The tournament will welcome teams from nine countries in the region, with a preliminary registration of nine women’s pairs and ten men’s pairs, whose participation will be officially confirmed during the preliminary meeting held the day before the start of the competition.

Mexican teams arrive highly motivated, aiming to reach the podium in front of their home crowd.

In the women’s division, Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, who have claimed three silver medals so far in the 2025 tour, are hoping to strike gold on home soil and break past the silver barrier.

On the men’s side, Inés Vargas and Carlos Andrés Ayala, champions of the third stop in Puerto Cortés, are aiming to repeat their success in Madero. Meanwhile, the duo of Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, who took gold in Juan Dolio and bronze in Puerto Cortés, are also setting their sights on the top of the podium.

With the sands of Playa Miramar as the stage and the enthusiasm of the local fans as fuel, Ciudad Madero is getting ready to welcome the region’s top beach volleyball pairs for what promises to be an exciting competition.

USA’s Scribner/Grimes Claim Women’s Gold at NORCECA U18 Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 9, 2025.- The American duo of Jordyn Scribner and Ella Grimes captured the women’s gold medal at the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, defeating Mexico’s Angela Pérez and Melina Román in straight sets 2-0 (22-20, 21-17) in the final held on the sands of Juan Dolio.

The bronze medal went to Canada’s Ruby Cochrane and Sophie Hancock, who battled through a three-set victory over Puerto Rico’s Itzamar Arana and Yamila González, winning 2-1 (21-10, 15-21, 15-10).

The final available berth to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship 2025 was claimed by Nicaragua’s Yulimar Alvarado and Brisa Bermúdez, who defeated El Salvador’s Fátima Rendón and Devora Medina in a thrilling match 2-0 (23-21, 21-16).

Winners

The five teams qualified for the FIVB World Championship are: United States, Mexico, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Nicaragua.

In other results, Guatemala’s Harumi Monney and Mónica Cano finished seventh after a 2-0 (21-8, 21-16) win over the Dominican Republic’s Zoe Paniagua and Steyce Turbi.

Costa Rica’s Mariana Vindas and Luciana Soto took ninth place by defeating Bermuda’s Olivia Gazzard and Sophie Weikl 2-0 (22-20, 21-19).

Luna Ebanks and Krisi Smith of the Cayman Islands secured 11th place with a 2-0 (21-9, 21-8) victory over Antigua’s Philisha Burnette and Nevaeh Robertson.

Finally, Anguilla’s duo of Cynne’ Liburd and Cayla Jno-Baptiste placed 13th after beating Sarah Mohammed and Jenissa Morrison of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 (21-10, 21-11).

Other results of the day were: ESA Rendon/Medina d GUA Monney/Cano 2-0 (21-17, 21-14), NCA Alvarado/Bermúdez d DOM Paniagua/Turbi 2-0 (21-9, 21-18), USA Scribner/Grimes d CAN Cochrane/Hancock 2-1 (23-25, 21-12, 15-11), MEX Pérez/Román d PUR Arana/González 2-0 (21-16, 21-10).

USA’s Williams/Mortensen Capture Men’s Gold at NORCECA U18

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 9, 2025.- The American duo of Matix Williams and Colten Mortensen claimed the gold medal at the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, defeating Canada’s Misha Panasiouk and Bryce Kim in straight sets 2-0 (21-15, 21-15) on the sands of Juan Dolio.

The bronze medal went to Mexico’s Eduardo Escoto and José Bojórquez, who overcame Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios and Edgar Holmann 2-0 (21-15, 21-19).

The fifth and final berth to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship 2025 was secured by Guatemala’s Fredy Luna and Robin Oliva, who beat Dylan Lynee and William Duty of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-10, 21-16).

The Winners

The five teams qualified for the FIVB World Championship are: United States, Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.

In other results, Dominican Republic’s Wayner Comprés and Franklin Segura finished in seventh place after Costa Rica withdrew due to injury.

Mauro Morales and Rocco Figueroa took ninth place after a hard-fought three-set victory over Trinidad and Tobago’s Darion Sparks and Josie Cedeño 2-1 (21-11, 20-22, 15-12).

Meanwhile, Kymani Greenidge and Merchant A’Jahnai of the U.S. Virgin Islands secured 11th place with a 2-0 (21-10, 21-14) win over Julien Simon and Kaiden Smith of Grenada.

Finally, Dominica’s Anthony Caisto and Kailo Robinson placed 13th via bye.

Other results of the day were: CAY Lynee/Duty d CRC Josué Durán/Angel Carranza 2-1 (21-12, 19-21, 15-11), GUA Luna/Oliva d DOM Comprés/Segura 2-0 (21-17, 23-21), CAN Panasiouk/Kim d MEX Escoto/Bojorquez 2-1 (14-21, 21-18, 15-12), USA Williams/Mortensen d NCA Barrios/Holmann 2-0 (21-11, 21-10).

USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Mexico Women advance to NORCECA U18 Semifinals

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 8, 2025.- The pairs from the United States (Jordyn Scribes/Ella Grimes), Canada (Ruby Cochrane/Sophie Hancock), Puerto Rico (Itzamar Arana/Yamila González), and Mexico (Angela Pérez/Melina Román) advanced to the semifinals of the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, securing their spots at the FIVB World Championship to be held October 7-11 in Doha, Qatar.

The U.S. duo Scribes/Grimes reached the semifinals by defeating Guatemala’s Harumi Monney/Mónica Cano in straight sets 2-0 (21-16, 21-8). They will face Canada’s Cochrane/Hancock, who earned their spot with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) victory over El Salvador’s Fátima Rendon/Devora Medina.

Angela Perez of Mexico

In the other quarterfinal matches, Puerto Rico’s Arana/González cruised past the local team of Zoe Paniagua/Steyce Turbi 2-0 (21-12, 21-10) and will meet Mexico’s Pérez/Román in the semifinals. The Mexican duo defeated Nicaragua’s Yulimar Alvarado/Brisa Bermúdez 2-0 (21-18, 21-11).

In the classification matches for 9th to 12th place, Bermuda’s Olivia Gazzard/Sophie Weikl defeated Antigua’s Philisha Burnette/Nevaeh Robertson 2-0 (21-14, 21-17), while Costa Rica’s Mariana Vindas/Luciana Soto swept Cayman Islands’ Luna Ebanks/Krisi Smith 2-0 (21-13, 21-15).

The semifinals and placement matches will be held on Wednesday morning, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches in the afternoon.

Other day results included: DOM Paniagua/Turbi d ANT Burnette/Robertson 2-0 (21-5, 21-6), CRC Vindas/Soto d TTO Sarah Mohammed/Jenissa Morrison 2-0 (21-4, 21-7), PUR Arana/González d ESA Rendon/Medina 2-1 (21-17, 19-21, 15-12), NCA Alvarado/Bermúdez d CAY Ebanks/Smith 2-0 (21-9, 21-13), USA Scribner/Grimes d BER Gazzard/Weikl 2-0 (21-3, 21-10), MEX Pérez/Román d AGU Cynne´ Liburd/Cayla Jno-Baptiste 2-0 (21-4, 21-5).

Men’s Semifinals Set at NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 8, 2025.- The men’s pairs from Nicaragua, Canada, Mexico, and the United States advanced on Tuesday to the semifinals of the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, securing their spots at the FIVB World Championship to be held October 7-11 in Doa, Qatar.

Nicaragua’s duo Justin Barrios/Edgar Holmann cruised past Dominican Republic’ s Wayner Comprés/Franklin Segura in straight sets 2-0 (21-10, 21-10). They will face the U.S. team of Matix Williams and Colten Mortensen in the semifinals, after the Americans defeated Guatemala’s Fredy Luna/Robin Oliva 2-0 (21-17, 21-6).

Edgar Holmann of Nicaraua

Canada’s Misha Panasiouk/Bryce Kyim earned their semifinal spot with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-13) quarterfinal win over Costa Rica’s Josué Durán/Angel Carranza. They will meet Mexico’s Eduardo Escoto and José Bojorquez, who needed just two sets to overpower Dylan Lynee/William Duty of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-9, 21-7).

In the classification matches for 9th to 12th place, Darion Sparks/Josie Cedeno of Trinidad and Tobago beat the U.S. Virgin Islands team of Kymani Greeidge/Merchant A’jahani 2-0 (21-6, 21-19), while Puerto Rico’s Mauro Morales/Rocco Figueroa defeated Julien Simon/Kaiden Smith of Grenada in straight sets 2-0 (21-9, 21-12).

Semifinals and placement matches will take place Wednesday morning, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches in the afternoon.

Other results of the day were: DOM Comprés/Segura d GRN Simon/Smith 2-0 (21-5, 21-11), NCA Barrios/Holmann d ISV Greenidge/Merchant 2-0 (21-17, 21-14), GUA Luna/Oliva d TTO Sparks/Cedeno 2-0 (21-5, 21-13), USA Williams/Mortensen d DMA Anthony Caiston/Kailo Robinson 2-0 (21-3, 21-8), MEX Escoto/Bojorquez d PUR Morales/Figueroa 2-0 (21-6, 21-14).

Women’s Teams from Canada, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, and USA  Start Strong and Undefeated at NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 7, 2025.- The women’s pairs from Canada (Ruby Cochrane/Sophie Hancock), El Salvador (Fátima Rendón/Devora Medina), Puerto Rico (Itzamar Martínez/Yamila González), Nicaragua (Yulimar Alvarado/Brisa Bermúdez), and the United States (Jordyn Scribner/Ella Grimes) kicked off the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier with strong, undefeated performances on the first day of competition. The event is being held on the sands of Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic and serves as a qualifier for the FIVB U18 World Championship.

Canada’s Cochrane/Hancock were unstoppable in Pool A, winning both of their matches in straight sets. They defeated Philisha Brunette/Nevae Robertson of Antigua 2-0 (21-7, 21-2), and then Dominican Republic’s Zoe Paniagua/Steyce Turbi 2-0 (21-4, 21-11).

El Salvador

In Pool B, El Salvador’s Rendón/Medina secured two wins, first over Sarah Mohammed/Jenissa Morrison of Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (21-3, 21-8), and then against Costa Rica’s Mariana Jiménez/Luciana Soto 2-0 (21-19, 21-16). In the same pool, Puerto Rico’s Martínez/González matched their success, defeating Jiménez/Soto (CRC) 2-0 (21-11, 21-18) and Mohammed/Morrison (TTO) 2-0 (21-7, 21-9).

In Pool C, Nicaragua’s Alvarado/Bermúdez beat Vernecia Caines/Verneeci Caines of the U.S. Virgin Islands in straight sets, 2-0 (21-16, 21-16), and then won a hard-fought three-setter against Guatemala’s Harumi Monney/Mónica Cano 2-1 (21-14, 19-21, 15-8).

Finally, in Pool D, the U.S. team of Scribner/Grimes earned a dominant 2-0 (21-5, 21-3) win over Cynne’ Liburd/Cayla Jno-Baptiste of Anguilla and followed up with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-15) victory over Mexico’s Ángela Pérez/Melina Román.

This tournament awards five qualification spots per gender to the FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championship, scheduled for October 7–11 in Doha, Qatar.

Other results of the day were: GUA Monney/Cano and CAY Luna Ebanks/Krisi Smith 2-0 (21-16, 21-9); MEX Pérez/Román and BER Olivia Gazzard/Sophie Weikl 2-0 (21-8, 21-4); BER Gazzard/Weikl and AGU Liburd/Jno-Baptiste 2-0 (21-14, 21-11).

Five Men’s Teams Remain Undefeated at NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 7, 2025.– Five men’s pairs delivered strong performances to remain undefeated on the opening day of the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, being held on the stunning sands of Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic.

The unbeaten duos are Misha Panasiouk/Bryce Kim (CAN), Justin Barrios/Edgar Holman (NCA), Fredy Luna/Robin Oliva (GUA), Darion Sparks/Josie Cedeno (TTO), and Eduardo Escoto/José Bojorques (MEX).

In Pool A, Canada’s Panasiouk/Kim easily defeated Julien Simon/Kaiden Smith of Grenada in straight sets 2-0 (21-9, 21-4), followed by another 2-0 win over Dominican Republic’s home team Wayner Comprés/Franklin Segura (21-13, 21-14).

Mexico

Nicaragua’s Barrios/Holman opened Pool B with a solid 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) victory over Costa Rica’s Josué Durán/Ángel Carranza. They had a bye in their second match of the day.

In Pool C, Guatemala’s Luna/Oliva battled past Cayman Islands’ Dylan Lynee/William Duty in three sets, 2-1 (21-17, 12-21, 15-7). Their second match was a bye. In the same pool, Trinidad and Tobago’s Sparks/Cedeno also defeated Lynee/Duty in straight sets, 2-0 (24-22, 21-13), and had a bye as well.

In Pool D, Mexico’s Escoto/Bojorques opened with a comfortable 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) win over Dominica’s Anthony Caiston/Robinson Kailo. They then had to dig deep to overcome the U.S. duo Matix Williams/Colten Mortensen in three sets, 2-1 (14-21, 21-17, 19-17).

This tournament awards five spots per gender to the FIVB U18 Beach Volleyball World Championship, set to take place October 7-11 in Doha, Qatar.

Other results of the day were: CRC Durán/Carranza d ISV Kymani Greenidge/Merchant A’jahnai 2-0 (21-16, 21-9); PUR Mauro Morales/Rocco Figueroa d DMA Caiston/Kailo 2-1 (20-22, 21-18, 15-13); USA Williams/Mortensen d PUR Morales/Figueroa 2-0 (21-12, 21-11).

17 Countries to Compete in NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 6, 2025.- A total of 17 countries will compete in the NORCECA U18 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, the official event to secure spots at the 2025 FIVB U18 World Championship. The tournament kicks off this Monday on the sand courts set up along the beach of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.

During Sunday’s preliminary inspections, 15 women’s teams and 13 men’s teams were registered, all aiming to advance from the group stage, which begins Monday at 8:00 a.m. local time.

The opening day will feature 24 matches: 10 in the men’s division and 14 in the women’s. The group stage will conclude Tuesday morning, followed by quarterfinals and the loser’s bracket matches in the afternoon. Semifinals, medal matches, and placement games will be played on Wednesday.

The top five teams per gender will earn direct qualification to the FIVB U18 World Championship, set to take place October 7-11 in Doha, Qatar.

Men’s Teams: CAN Misha Panasiouk/Bryce Kim; CAY Dylan Lynee/William Duty; CRC Josué Durán/Angel Carranza; DMA Caiston Anthony/Kailo Robinson; DOM Wayner Comprés/Franklin Segura; GRN Julien Simon/Kaiden Smith; GUA Fredy Luna/Robin Oliva; ISV Kymani Greenidge/Cole Sommer; MEX Eduardo Escoto/José Bojorquez; NCA Justin Barrios/Edgar Holmann; PUR Mauro Morales/Rocco Figueroa; TTO Darion Sparks/Josie Cedeno; USA Matix Williams/Colten Mortensen.

Women’s Teams: AGU Cynnee´Liburd/Cayla Jno-Baptiste; ANT Philisha Burnette/Nevaeh Robertson; BER Olivia Gazzard/Sophie Weikl; CAN Ruby Cochrane/Sophie Hancock; CAY Luna Ebanks/Krisi Smith; CRC Mariana Jimenez/Luciana Soto; DOM Zoe Paniagua/Steyce Turbi; ESA Fatima Rendon/Devora Medina; GUA Harumi Monney/Monica Cano; ISV Vernecia Caines/Verneeci Caines; MEX Angela Perez/Melina Roman; NCA Yulimar Alvarado/Brisa Bermudez; PUR Itzamar Martinez/Yamila Gonzalez; TTO Sarah Mohammed/Jenissa Morrison; USA Jordyn Scribner/Ella Grimes.

USA’s Brewington/Lance Capture Men’s Gold at NORCECA U21 Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 6, 2025.- The American duo of Malachi Brewington and Titus Lance claimed the gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, defeating Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Esteban González in straight sets (21-14, 21-14) in the final held on the sands of Juan Dolio.

The bronze medal went to the host team from the Dominican Republic, as Melvin de Jesús and Ramón de Jesús delivered a solid performance to beat Louis Charbonneau and Henry Heider of Canada 2-0 (21-18, 21-12).

The final berth to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship 2025 was secured by Rafael Vargas and Fernando Ortíz of El Salvador, who won a thrilling three-set battle against Julián Bristol and Jedediah Pencheon of Saint Kitts and Nevis 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-10).

Award

The five men’s teams qualified to the FIVB World Championship are: United States, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Canada, and El Salvador.

In other results, Justin Barrios and Deyner López of Nicaragua finished in seventh place after defeating Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 (21-16, 21-6).

Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederic of Dominica placed ninth, overcoming Nkoya Williams and Aaron Taylor of Barbados 2-0 (23-21, 21-18).

Ignacio Peraza and Reyko Figueroa of Puerto Rico finished 11th, defeating Fredy Luna and José Guevara of Guatemala 2-0 (21-14, 21-19).

Meanwhile, Jaden Victor and Peter Emmanuel of Saint Lucia closed out in 13th place with a hard-fought 2-1 (21-17, 14-21, 15-12) win over Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee of the Cayman Islands.

Finally, Zerick Walcott and Kibose Hamilton of Grenada also placed 13th, advancing by bye.

Other results of the day were: ESA Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz d TTO Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel 2-0 (21-17, 21-17), SKN Julian Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon d NCA Justin Barrios/Deyner Lopez 2-1 (15-21, 22-20, 15-11), USA Malachi Brewington/Titus Lance d CAN Louis Charbonneau/Henry Heider 2-1 (20-22, 21-10, 15-11), CRC Julian Araya/Victorio Gonzalez d DOM Melvin de Jesus/Ramon de Jesus 2-0 (21-17, 21-14).

USA’s Henson/Wood Win Women’s Gold at NORCECA U21

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 6, 2025.- The American duo of Zoey Henson and Sarah Wood claimed the gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, defeating Puerto Rico’s Miabella Musignac and Alanis Nieves in straight sets 2-0 (21-13, 21-11) on the sands of Juan Dolio.

The bronze went to Canada’s Ofure Odigie and Ruby Sorra, who beat Laura Molina and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica in straight sets 21-15, 21-18.

The fifth and final ticket to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship 2025 was secured by Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney, who overcame Nicaragua’s Yuliana Chávez and Ella Resau in a tight battle, winning 2-0 (24-22, 21-16).

United States

The five women’s teams qualified to the World Championship are: United States, Costa Rica, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Guatemala.

In other results, Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda of El Salvador finished seventh, edging out Dominican Republic’s Crismil Paniagua and Daneyi Arias in three sets, 2-1 (21-9, 8-21, 15-12).

Isabelle Phillip and Ericka Gaspard of Saint Lucia claimed ninth place, defeating Destiny Lane and Sierra Rayside of Barbados 2-0 (21-19, 21-19).

In 11th place, Joanna Robinson and Brianna Delapenha of the Cayman Islands beat Jassania Joseph and Jaya Carr from Antigua and Barbuda 2-0 (21-6, 21-10).

Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla took 13th place after a 2-1 (21-14, 18-21, 15-10) win over Brookling Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Finally, Sarah Mohammed and Bianca Perkins of Trinidad and Tobago also placed 13th, advancing via bye.

Other results of the day were: NCA Yuliana Chavezz/Ella Resau d ESA Daniela Vigil/Ashley Rauda 2-0 (21-19, 21-15), GUA Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney d DOM Crismil Paniagua/Daneyi Arias 2-0 (21-12, 21-14), USA Zoey Henson/Sarah Wood d CAN Ofure Odigie/Ruby Sorra 2-0 (22-20, 25-23), PUR Miabella Musignac/Alanis Nieves d CRC Laura Molina/Sofia Vega 2-0 (21-13, 21-19).

USA, Canada, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico Advance to Women’s Semifinals at NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 5, 2025.- The women’s duos from the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico have secured their spots in the semifinals of the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier, also earning qualification to the FIVB World Championship, set to take place from October 15 to 19 in Puebla, Mexico.

The U.S. team of Zoey Henson and Sarah Wood claimed a dominant win over Nicaragua’s Yuliana Chávez and Ella Resau with set scores of 21-5 and 21-12. In the semifinals, they will face the Canadian pair Ofure Odigie and Ruby Sorra, who advanced by defeating El Salvador’s Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda 2-0 (21-17, 21-16).

Miabella Musignac of Puerto Rico

Laura Molina and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica advanced with authority, defeating Dominicans  Crismil Paniagua and Daneyi Arias 2-0 (21-5, 21-6). They will meet Puerto Rico’s Miabella Musignac and Alanis Nieves in the other semifinal after the Puerto Rican duo beat Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney of Guatemala 2-0 (21-18, 21-19).

In the classification round for 9th to 12th place, Isabelle Phillip and Ericka Gaspard of Saint Lucia topped Jassania López and Jaya Carr of Antigua 2-0 (21-17, 21-17), while Destiny Layne and Sierra Rayside of Barbados edged past the Cayman Islands’ Joanna Robinson and Brianna Delapenha in a tight 2-1 battle (21-19, 18-21, 19-17).

For 13th to 16th place, Brooklyn Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan of the U.S. Virgin Islands defeated Sarah Mohammed and Bianca Perkins of Trinidad and Tobago 2-0 (21-16, 21-16). Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Jordan of Anguilla advanced via bye.

Semifinals and classification matches will take place on Sunday morning, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches in the afternoon.

Other results of the day: DOM Crismil Paniagua/Daneyi Arias d ANT Jassania Jospeh/Jaya Carr 2-0 (21-8, 21-19), CRC Laura Molina/Sofía Vigil d ISV Brooklin Donovan/D’Keisha Jordan 2-0 (21-10, 21-6), ESA Daniela Vigil/Ashley Rauda d CAY Joanna Robinson/Brianna Delapenha 2-0 (21-14, 21-18), GUA Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney d BAR Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside 2-0 (21-12, 21-13), NCA Yuliana Chávez/Ella Resau d TTO Sarah Mohammed/Bianca Perkins 2-0 (21-4, 21-2), USA Zoey Henson/Sarah Wood d LCA Isabelle Phillip/Ericka Gaspard 2-0 (21-6, 21-7), PUR Miabella Musignac/Alanis Nieves d AGU Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson 2-0 (21-10, 21-7).

Men’s Duos from Dominican Republic, USA, Canada, and Costa Rica Advance to Semifinals at NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 5, 2025.- The men’s pairs from the Dominican Republic, United States, Canada, and Costa Rica secured spots in the semifinals of the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier on Saturday, earning their qualification to the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship, scheduled for October 15-19 in Puebla, Mexico.

In a thrilling quarterfinal match, Dominican duo Melvin de Jesús and Ramón de Jesús defeated Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios and Deyner López in three sets, 2-1 (21-18, 19-21, 15-13). They will face Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Victorio González, who earned a convincing 2-0 (21-16, 21-11) win over Julián Bristol and Jedediah Pencheon of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Malachi Brewington of United States

Meanwhile, the American team of Malachi Brewington and Titus Lance overcame Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel of Trinidad and Tobago with set scores of 24-22 and 21-7. In the semifinals, they will go up against Canada’s Louis Charbonneau and Henry Heider, who came from behind to defeat Rafael Vargas and Fernando Ortiz of El Salvador in a hard-fought 2-1 match (13-21, 22-20, 15-13).

In the 9th-12th place bracket, Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederic defeated Puerto Rico’s Ignacio Pedraza and Reyko Figueroa 2-1 (16-21, 21-15, 15-11), while Nkoya Williams and Aaron Taylor of Barbados outlasted Guatemala’s Fredy Luna and José Guevara in another three-set battle (21-17, 19-21, 15-13).

For the 13th-16th classification, Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee of the Cayman Islands comfortably beat Zerick Walcott and Kibose Hamilton of Grenada 2-0 (21-9, 21-10). The pair Jaden Victor and Peter Emmanuel of Saint Lucia advanced via bye.

Semifinals and classification matches will be played on Sunday morning, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches in the afternoon.

Other results were: DOM Melvin de Jesus/Ramon de Jesus d DMA Mervin Mingo/Bill Frederic 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), NCA Justin Barrios/Deyner Lopez d BAR Nkoya Williams/Aaron Taylor 2-0 (21-13, 21-11), ESA Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz d GRN Zerick Walcott/Kibose Hamilton 2-0 (21-14, 21-16), TTO Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel d GUA Fredy Luna/Jose Guevara 2-0 (21-18, 21-11), CRC Julian Araya/Victorio Gonzalez d CAY Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee 2-0 (21-9, 21-12), USA Malachi Brewington/Titus Lance d SKN Julian Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon 2-0 (21-13, 21-14), PUR Ignacio Pedraza/Reyko Figueroa d LCA Jaden Victor/Peter Emmanuel 2-1 (15-21, 21-15, 15-13).

USA, Canada, Costa Rica, and Guatemala Women’s Duos Start Undefeated at NORCECA U21 Qualifier for the FIVB World Championship

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 4, 2025.- The women’s pairs from USA (Zoey Henson/Sarah Wood), Canada (Ofure Odigie/Ruby Sorra), Costa Rica (Laura Molina/Sofía Vigil), and Guatemala (Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney) had a strong and undefeated start on the opening day of the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier for the FIVB World Championship, taking place on the sands of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.

The U.S. duo Henson/Wood dominated Pool D easily, defeating Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla 2-0 (21-5, 21-4) and Miabella Musignac/Alanis Nieves of Puerto Rico 2-0 (21-10, 21-11).

In Pool A, Canada’s Odigie/Sorra also picked up two wins, first over Jassania Joseph/Jaya Carr of Antigua 2-0 (21-9, 21-11), and then against Dominican duo Crismil Paniagua/Daneyi Arias 2-0 (21-5, 21-19).

CRC

Costa Ricans Molina/Vega claimed two victories in Pool B, beating Joanna Robinson/Briana Delapenha of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-18, 21-10) and El Salvador’s Daniela Vigil/Ashley Rauda 2-0 (21-17, 21-12).

Finally, in Pool C, Guatemala’s Aguilar/Monney opened with a dominant 2-0 win (21-4, 21-4) against Sarah Mohammed/Bianca Perkins of Trinidad and Tobago, followed by a 2-0 victory (21-18, 21-17) over Yuliana Chávez/Ella Resau of Nicaragua.

This event awards five spots per gender to the FIVB U21 World Championship, scheduled to take place from October 15 to 19 in Puebla, Mexico.

Other results of the day were: ESA Vigil/Rauda d ISV Brooklin Donovan/D’Keisha Jordan 2-0 (21-10, 21-10), CAY Robinson/Delapenha d ISV Donovan/Jordan 2-0 (21-10, 21-12), NCA Chávez/Resau d BAR Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside 2-0 (21-16, 21-16), BAR Layne/Rayside d TTO Mohammed/Perkins 2-0 (21-11, 21-17), PUR Musignac/Nieves d LCA Isabelle Phillip/Ericka Gaspard 2-0 (21-14, 21-8) and LCA Phillip/Gaspard d AGU Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson 2-0 (21-13, 21-12).

Five Men’s Teams Remain Unbeaten on Opening Day of NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 4, 2025.- Five men’s teams wrapped up the opening day of the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Qualifier for the FIVB World Championship, with perfect records on the sand courts of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.

The unbeaten duos were: Malachi Brewington/Titus Lance (USA), Louis Charbonneau/Henry Heider (CAN), Justin Barrios/Deyner López (NCA), Julián Araya/Victorio González (CRC), and Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon (SKN).

In Pool D, USA’s Brewington/Lance defeated Jaden Victor/Peter Emmanuel of Saint Lucia 2-0 (21-11, 21-17) and Puerto Rico’s Ignacio Pedraza/Reyko Figueroa 2-0 (21-15, 21-11). In the same group, Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Bristol/Pencheon edged out Pedraza/Figueroa 2-1 (22-24, 21-16, 15-12) and also beat Victor/Emmanuel 2-0 (21-10, 21-16).

CAN

In Pool A, Canadians Charbonneau/Heider overcame Mervin Mingo/Bill Frederic of Dominica 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) and outlasted Dominicans Melvin De Jesús/Ramón De Jesús 2-1 (21-13, 19-21, 15-12).

In Pool B, Nicaragua’s Barrios/López swept Zerik Walcott/Kibose Hamilton of Grenada 2-0 (21-12, 21-16) and El Salvador’s Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz also in two sets (21-13, 21-16).

Finally, in Pool C, Costa Rica’s Araya/González dominated Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel of Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (23-21, 21-7) and Fredy Luna/José Guevara of Guatemala 2-0 (21-15, 21-12).

This tournament awards five spots per gender for the FIVB U21 World Championship, set to take place from October 15 to 19 in Puebla, Mexico.

Other results of the day were: ESA Vargas/Ortiz d BAR Nkoya Williams/Aaron Taylor 2-0 (21-16, 21-7), BAR Williams/Taylor d GRN Walcott/Hamilton 2-0 (21-14, 21-15), GUA Luna/Guevara d CAY Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee 2-1 (14-21, 21-17, 15-9), TTO Morrison/Miguel d CAY Watson/Lynee 2-0 (21-19, 21-16).

FIVB President visits the Philippines as country gears up to host its first ever Volleyball Men’s World Championship

July 4, 2025.- FIVB President Fabio Azevedo today stopped in the Philippines on his way to Palau for the Mini Pacific Games for meetings with various local authorities and stakeholders in the lead-up to a historic moment for the country

The visit comes as the Philippines prepares to host the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship from 12 to 28 September, the first time the tournament will be held in the country and only the second time ever in Asia. With just 71 days to go, anticipation is building for what promises to be a landmark edition of volleyball’s premier global event.

This year’s Volleyball Men’s World Championship will debut an expanded format, increasing from 24 to 32 teams, and marks the first edition under a new biennial cycle. Matches will be held at two major venues in the heart of Manila: the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

While in the region, President Azevedo, joined by Volleyball World Chief Business Officer Guido Betti, took the opportunity to connect with local stakeholders and check on preparations for the milestone event. AVC President Ramon Suzara also joined President Azevedo during the visit.

President Fabio Azevedo commented:

“It is a pleasure to be here in the beautiful city of Manila, where the passion for volleyball is truly inspiring. With preparations in full swing, it’s clear the Philippines is ready to make history as it hosts the Volleyball World Championship for the very first time.

“This edition will officially be the largest and most globally inclusive edition in the tournament’s history. Better yet, we will be making history in a country that lives and breathes our sport. I am delighted to meet with local authorities and see firsthand the energy going into delivering an exceptional event at two world-class venues.”

Awarded the hosting rights in 2024, the Philippines has shown strong commitment and enthusiasm at all levels, including strong government support, to delivering an unforgettable tournament.

18 Countries to Compete in NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship

JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, July 3, 2025. – A total of 18 countries will compete in the NORCECA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship, the official qualification tournament for the 2025 FIVB Age-Group World Championships, which begins this Friday on the beautiful sand courts of Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic. This event offers a great opportunity to witness the region’s rising beach volleyball stars showcasing their talent and passion.

Fifteen teams per gender were registered during Thursday’s preliminary inspections, all aiming to advance from the preliminary pool play, which starts Friday at 8:00 a.m. local time.

A total of 28 matches are scheduled for Friday, 14 in the men’s division and 14 in the women’s. The preliminary round will conclude on Saturday morning, followed by the quarterfinals and the losers’ bracket in the afternoon. Semifinals, medal matches, and placement matches will be played on Sunday.

El Salvador

The top four teams per gender will earn direct qualification to the FIVB U21 World Championship, set to take place from October 15 to 19 in Puebla, Mexico.

Men’s Teams: DOM Melvin De Jesús/Ramón De Jesús; NCA Justin Barrios/Deyner López; TTO Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel; SKN Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon; USA Malachi Brewington/Titus Lance; GUA Fredy Luna/José Guevara; BAR Nkoya Williams/Aaron Taylor; DMA Mervin Mingo/Bill Frederick; CAN Louis Charbonneau/Henry Heider; ESA Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz; CAY Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee; LCA Jaden Victor/Peter Emmanuel; PUR Ignacio Pedraza/Reyko Figueroa; CRC Julián Araya/Victorio González; GRN Zerick Walcott/Kibose Hamilton.

Women’s Teams: DOM Crismil Paniagua/Daneyi Arias; CRC Laura Molina/Sofía Vega; BAR Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside; LCA Isaballe Phillip/Ericka Gaspard; USA Zoey Henson/Sarah Wood; GUA Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney; ISV Brooklyn Donovan/D’Keisha Jordan; ANT Jassania Joseph/Jaya Carr; CAN Ofure Odigie/Ruby Sorra; ESA Daniela Vigil/Ashley Rauda; TTO Sarah Mohammed/Bianca Perkins; AGU Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson; PUR Miabella Musignac/Alanys Nieves; NCA Yuliana Chávez/Ella Resau; CAY Joanna Robinson/Brianna Delapenha.

FIVB welcome delegation from India to Volleyball House 

July 3, 2025.- The FIVB recently welcomed a high-level delegation from the Government of India and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to the Volleyball House in Lausanne, Switzerland, for productive discussions on the exciting future of volleyball in India.   

The delegation was led by Mr. Hari Ranjan Rao, Secretary Sports, Government of India, and legendary Olympian and IOA President, Ms. PT Usha. The group also included IOA CEO Mr. Raghuram Iyer; Hon. Minister of Sports, Government of Gujarat, Mr. Harsh Rameshbhai Sanghavi; Principal Secretary, Sports, Youth & Cultural Activities, Government of Gujarat, Shri Ashwani Kumar; Principal Secretary, Urban Development & Urban Housing, Shri M. Thennarasan; Municipal Commissioner of Ahmedabad, Mr. Banchhanidhi Pani, and Reliance Industries Limited President and Chief of Staff, Srinivasan B.  

FIVB President Fabio Azevedo took the opportunity to share his vision for the global development of volleyball, as outlined in the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032. This vision is focused around four key pillars: professionalism, integration, empowerment and mass participation. 

The delegation was also updated on the FIVB’s Volleyball Empowerment programme, which supports National Federations to reach their full potential. Since 2017, India has received a total investment of USD 420,000 through four coach support projects for its men’s national volleyball team. A new 12-month coaching project is currently underway. The impact of Volleyball Empowerment support has been positive, with India’s national team claiming silver last month at the CAVA Nations Volleyball League. 

The visit reaffirmed the shared commitment of both parties to harness India’s enormous volleyball potential and continue fostering stronger ties in the years ahead.

Allan Sharp elected as President of Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association

BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 3, 2025.-Belize Volleyball Association President Allan Sharp has been elected President of the Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (BOCGA), following elections held during the National Olympic Committee’s Annual General Meeting on June 28, succeeding Hilberto Martinez, who had served in the role since 2013.

Sharp has served as BOCGA’s Secretary General since 2017 and has led the Belize Volleyball Association since 2008.

The new Executive Board will serve a four-year term through 2029. Elected alongside Sharp were Herman Pastor as Vice President, Giovanni Alamilla as Secretary General, Sharon Hardwick as Assistant Secretary General, and Arturo Vasquez as Treasurer.

Three Executive Members were also elected, namely Kaya Cattouse, Raul Rosado and Leticia Westby.

The new Executive Board begins its term with a mandate to promote excellence, strengthen unity across the sporting community, and support the continued development of sport in Belize.

The leadership group is expected to build on recent progress made both nationally and through Belize’s participation in regional and international competitions.

Future Stars to Shine in Juan Dolio at NORCECA U21 and U18 Beach Volleyball World Qualifiers

Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, July 2025. – The shores of Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic are set to take center stage as the region’s most promising young athletes compete in the NORCECA U21 and U18 Beach Volleyball Championships, official qualification tournaments on the road to the 2025 FIVB Age-Group World Championships.

The vibrant coastal setting will serve as the backdrop for intense competition and rising talent, marking a key milestone in the journey of future stars aiming for global success.

Both tournaments will bring together national teams from across the NORCECA Zonal Associations, including AFECAVOL, CAZOVA, ECVA, and the Central Zone, all vying for a place on the world stage.

The competition will begin with the U21 tournament, taking place from July 3 to 7, with official matches scheduled from July 4 to 6. This will be followed immediately by the U18 championship from July 7 to 9.

The top four teams per gender in each event will earn direct qualification to the main draw of the respective world tournaments.

The FIVB U18 World Championship is scheduled to take place in Doha, Qatar, from October 7 to 11, while the FIVB U21 World Championship will be held in Puebla, Mexico, from October 15 to 19.

With the eyes on Juan Dolio, these tournaments represent a key milestone in the development of young talent and a unique chance for teams to secure their place among the world’s best.

FIVB meet with French Guyana National Federation at Volleyball House

July 1, 2025.- The FIVB this week welcomed Marc Olivier Anatole, the President of the French Guyana National Federation (NF), a Regional Member of the FIVB, to the Volleyball House in Lausanne, Switzerland, where discussions focused on the Volleyball Empowerment programme and future collaboration opportunities. 

The FIVB was represented by FIVB President Fabio Azevedo, General Sports Director Steve Tutton, Head of Empowerment and NF Relations Hitesh Malhotra and Head of Development and Sustainability Paulo Barone. 

A key topic of discussion was the Volleyball Empowerment programme. To date, the NF has received USD 130,000 in support across eight projects, ranging from volleyball equipment, knowledge transfer and coach support. Currently, a 12-month coach support project, approved for two years, with French coach Baptiste Barberon is underway for the French Guyana national volleyball team. The meeting explored both the impact of these initiatives and potential future projects. 

FIVB President Fabio Azevedo also took the opportunity to present the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032, an ambitious yet realistic roadmap designed to take volleyball to the next level globally. It focuses on four key pillars: professionalism, integration, empowerment and mass participation.  

NORCECA-FIVB Regional Development Center Announces Upcoming International Courses in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 1, 2025. – The NORCECA-FIVB Volleyball Development Center announces two important international coaching courses, aimed at continuing to strengthen technical skills and the development of volleyball in the region.

From July 21 to 25, the FIVB Beach Volleyball Coaches Course Level 1 will take place, led by FIVB Instructor Mauro Hernández, who is widely recognized for his extensive experience in teaching and developing beach volleyball at the international level.

Later, from September 17 to 21, the FIVB Volleyball Coaches Course Level 2 will be held, designed for experienced coaches looking to advance their knowledge and skills in indoor volleyball. The instructor for this course will be announced soon.

Both courses will be held at the NORCECA-FIVB Volleyball Development Center in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and are officially certified by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).

For more information and registration, interested participants can contact the Center directly via email: centrofivb_rdom@yahoo.es.

Navas and González from Puerto Rico, Undefeated Champions in Puerto Cortés

PUERTO CORTÉS, Honduras, June 29, 2025.- Puerto Rico’s women’s duo, Allanis Navas and María González, were crowned undefeated champions of the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, held from June 27 to 29 at Playa Municipal El Porvenir in Puerto Cortés, Honduras.

The Puerto Ricans delivered an impeccable performance, dropping only one set throughout the entire tournament. That lone setback came in the semifinals against the U.S. pair of Emma Donley and Portia Sherman, whom they defeated in three sets 2-1 (21-8, 18-21, 15-11). They won all their other matches in straight sets.

In the final, Navas and González showcased their strength, defeating Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez 2-0 (21-16, 21-17). The Mexican duo had advanced to the gold medal match after beating Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus in straight sets 2-0 (21-15, 21-19).

Meanwhile, the bronze medal match was one of the most competitive of the day. Donley and Sherman from the United States claimed the podium after defeating Canada’s McNabney and Kunaus in three sets (21-18, 16-21, 15-9).

Final placement matches:

5/6: Vidaurrazaga/Ramirez MEX vs Valenciana/Buckner ISV (21-12, 21-16)

7/8: Rivera/Bruhier HON vs Vigil/Rauda ESA (21-12, 21-16)

9/10: Ramírez/Quesada CRC vs Silva/N. Brenes NCA (21-13, 21-19)

11/12: Molina/Sofi V CRC vs Murillo/Clarke HON (21-12, 21-5)

13/14: Simmonds/Cudmore CAN vs Aguilar/Arevalo GUA (21-7, 21-9)

15/16: Smith/Lumsden JAM vs Villegas/Rodriguez HON (21-18, 21-13)

Final Positions

1.Allanis Navas/María Claudia González PUR 2. Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez MEX 3. Emma Donley/Portia Sherman USA 4. Maya McNabney/Emma Kunaus CAN 5. Yamilet Vidaurrazaga/María Jimena Ramírez MEX 6. Melanie Valenciana/Taylor Buckner ISV 7. Shanna Rivera/Reizel Bruhier HON 8. Daniela Vigil/Fabiola Rauda ESA 9. Eugenia Ramírez/Kianny Quesada CRC 10. Nahima Silva/Norma Brenes NCA 11. Laura Molina/Sofia Vega CRC 12. Nicolle Murillo/Shanttle Siliezar HON 13. Claire Simmonds/Emma Cudmore CAN 14. Mariela Aguilar/Ana Sofia Arévalo GUA 15. Petal Smith/Kristina Lumsden JAM 16. Ruth Villegas/Alejandra Rodríguez HON 17. Fátima Rendon/Devora Medina ESA

Lares and Carlos Andrés Lead Mexico to the Title at the Third Stop of the NORCECA Beach Tour

PUERTO CORTÉS, June 29, 2025. – Antonio Vargas Lares and Carlos Andrés Ayala clinched the title for Mexico at the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, held at Playa Municipal El Porvenir in Puerto Cortés, Honduras, from June 27 to 29.

The Mexican duo delivered a solid and efficient performance in the final, defeating the American pair Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox in straight sets, 21-17 and 21-18, with no major difficulties.

Mexico also claimed the bronze medal thanks to Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, who came from behind to defeat Americans James Drost and Robert Harrison in an exciting match that ended 16-21, 21-18, 15-13.

The all-Mexican semifinal was grueling, leaving Sarabia and Osuna physically drained after falling to Lares and Ayala in a hard-fought battle that extended to three sets, 29-27, 25-27, 15-7.

Meanwhile, the semifinal between the two U.S. pairs was also closely contested, with Field and Wilcox prevailing over Drost and Harrison in straight but competitive sets, 21-16 and 21-18.

Final placement matches:

5/6: Rahnavard/Gannett CAN vs Mora/López NCA (21-19, 21-15)

7/8: Araya/Varela CRC vs Ratter/Van Siclen ISV (21-14, 21-17)

9/10: Encarnación/Rivera PUR vs Cascante/López NCA (21-15, 18-21, 15-6)

11/12: Licht/de Greeff CAN vs Morton/Nage SKN (21-15, 21-13)

13/14: Leonardo/Maldonado GUA vs Izaguirre/Penagos GUA (21-11, 21-18)

15/16: Reyes/Serrano HON vs R Vargas/Ponce ESA (21-17, 21-15)

17/18: Esteban/Solano CRC vs Theodore/Enile TTO (21-14, 21-19)

Final Positions

1. Antonio Vargas Lares/Carlos Andrés Ayala MEX 2. Troy Field/Ryan Wilcox USA 3. Miguel Sarabia/Jorman Osuna MEX 4. James Drost/Robert Harrison USA 5. Rouzbeh Rohnavard/Tynan Gannett CAN 6. Rubén Mora/Danny López NCA 7. Julián Araya/Jhostin Varela CRC 8. Kendall Ratter/Devin Van Siclen ISV 9. Cristian Encarnacion/William Rivera PUR 10. Jefferson Cascante/Denis López NCA 11. Martin Lich/Luke de Greeff CAN 12. Elkreen Morton/Nage Hendrickson SKN 13. Andy Leonardo/Edgar Maldonado GUA 14. Jose Miguel Izaguirre/Santiago Penagos GUA 15. Armando Reyes/Manuel Serrano HON 16. Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz ESA 17. Esteban González/Justin Solano CRC 18. Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile TTO 19. Kevin Herrera/Isaac Méndez HON

Puerto Rico, USA, Canada, and Mexico Advance to Women’s Semifinals

PUERTO CORTÉS, Honduras, June 28, 2025.- Women’s teams from Puerto Rico, United States, Canada, and Mexico advanced to the semifinals of the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, taking place at Playa Municipal El Porvenir in Puerto Cortés, Honduras.

In the quarterfinals, the Puerto Rican duo of Allanis Navas and María González had no major difficulties defeating Melanie Valenciana and Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands with dominant scores of 21-5 and 21-12.

McNabney-kanaus CAN (9)

Similarly, the American pair Emma Donley and Portia Sherman controlled their match against Daniela Vigil and Ashley Rauda of El Salvador, winning comfortably 21-7 and 21-16.

Later in the afternoon, Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus overcame the home team, Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier, with straight sets 21-11 and 21-12. In the evening, the all-Mexican showdown went to Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, who defeated Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Jimena Ramírez with scores of 21-13 and 21-14.

The women’s semifinals on Sunday will feature: Navas/González (PUR) vs Donley/Sherman (USA) and McNabney/Kunaus (CAN) vs Torres/Gutiérrez (MEX)

Action kicks off Sunday at 8:00 a.m. (local time), with the medal matches scheduled for the afternoon.

Torres-Gutierrez MEX

Final positions group phase

Group A: 1. Navas/González PUR, 2. Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez MEX, 3. Molina/Sofi V CRC, 4.  Simmonds/Cudmore CAN, 5. Rendon/Medina ESA

Group B: 1. Torres/Gutiérrez MEX, 2. Valenciana/Buckner ISV, 3. Murillo/Clarke HON, 4.  Aguilar/Arévalo GUA

Group C: 1. Rivera/Bruhier HON, 2.  Vigil/Rauda ESA, 3.  Silva/N. Brenes NCA, 4. Smith/Lumsden JAM      

Group D: 1. Donley/Sherman USA, 2. McNabney/Kunaus CAN, 3.  Ramírez/Quesada CRC, 4. Villegas/Rodríguez HON.

Results position matches:

Classification 13-16: Aguilar/Arévalo GUA vs Smith/Lumsden JAM 2-0 (21-8, 21-12) y Simmonds/Cudmore CAN vs Villegas/Rodríguez HON 2-0 (21-11, 21-6).

Classification 9-12: Silva/N. Brenes NCA vs Murillo/Clarke HON 2-0 (21-13, 21-7) y Ramírez/Quesada CRC vs Molina/Sofi V CRC 2-1 (18-21, 21-9, 15-6).

USA and Mexico Double Up in Men’s Semifinals

PUERTO CORTÉS, Honduras, June 28, 2025.-  Both duos from the United States and both duos from Mexico advanced to the men’s semifinals at the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour on Saturday in Puerto Cortés, Honduras.

The American duo of James Drost and Robert Harrison battled their way to a hard-fought quarterfinal victory over Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Tynan Gannett of Canada in a thrilling three-set match, winning 21-18, 19-21, 18-16.

Meanwhile, the other U.S. pair, Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox, eliminated defending champions Rubén Mora and Dany López of Nicaragua with a dominant performance, posting scores of 21-12 and 21-11.

The Mexican teams also secured their spots in the semifinals. Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna overcame Costa Rica’s Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela in a tight match, winning 21-18, 21-18. On the other side, Inés Lares and Carlos Andrés had little trouble defeating Kendall Ratter and Devin Van Siclen from the U.S. Virgin Islands in straight sets, 21-12, 21-14.

Miguel Sarabia MEX

The semifinals between compatriots: Drost/Harrison (USA) vs Field/Wilcox (USA) and Sarabia/Osuna (MEX) vs Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX)

The final day of the competition starts Sunday at 8:00 a.m. (local time), with the medal matches scheduled for the afternoon.

Final positions group phase:

Group A: 1. Sarabia/Osuna MEX, 2.  Rahnavard/Gannett CAN, 3. Encarnación/Rivera PUR, 4.  Leonardo/Maldonado GUA, 5. Esteban/Solano CRC

Group B: 1.  Drost/Harrison USA, 2. lugar Araya/Varela CRC, 3. Cascante/Lopez NCA, 4. Izaguirre/Penagos GUA, 5. Theodore/Enile TTO

Group  C: 1. Lares/Carlos Andres MEX, 2. Mora/Lopez NCA, 3. Licht/de Greeff CAN, 4. R Vargas/Ponce ESA, 5. Herrera/Mendez HON.

Group  D: 1. Field/Wilcox USA, 2.  Ratter/Van Siclen ISV, 3. Morton/Nage SKN, 4.  Reyes/Serrano HON

Results position matches:

Clasification pos. 17-20: Esteban/Solano CRC vs Herrera/Méndez HON 2-0 (21-14, 21-11)

Clasification pos. 13-16: Izaguirre/Penagos GUA vs R Vargas/Ponce ESA 2-0 (21-17, 21-12); Leonardo/Maldonado GUA vs Reyes/Serrano HON 2-0 (21-17, 21-17).

Clasification pos. 9-12: Cascante/Lopez NCA vs Licht/de Greeff CAN  2-0 (21-12, 21-12).

Six Women’s Teams Remain Undefeated on Day One in Puerto Cortés

PUERTO CORTÉS, Honduras, June 27, 2025. –The teams from Puerto Rico (Navas/González), U.S. Virgin Islands (Valenciana/Buckner), Mexico 1 (Torres/Gutiérrez), Honduras 1 (Rivera/Bruhier), Canada (McNabney/Kunaus), and the United States (Donley/Sherman) remain unbeaten after day one of the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Puerto Cortés, Honduras.

Allanis Navas and María González of Puerto Rico went undefeated in Pool A. However, the pool is currently led by Yamilet Vidaurrazaga and María Jimena Ramírez of Mexico. Puerto Rico holds 4 points from two wins, while Mexico leads with 5 points after earning two wins and one loss.

Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico said, “This is our first time in Honduras. The stadium is amazing; there are three courts, which makes the schedule move faster. We have a pretty long pool phase since we’re in the only group with five teams. We are taking it match by match and always aiming for the maximum, chasing that gold medal once again. The Puerto Rican duo comes off winning the second stop of the NORCECA Tour held in Juan Dolio.

Donley-Sherman USA

In Pool B, Melanie Valenciana and Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands remain undefeated with three wins, while Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez finished the day with two victories. The two teams will battle for the top spot in the final pool match scheduled for 12:40 p.m. (local time) on Saturday.

In Pool C, Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier also finished undefeated with two wins but sit in third place in the standings. This is due to Nicaragua’s Silva/N. Brenes and El Salvador’s Vigil/Rauda playing three matches (one more than Honduras), both finishing with two wins and one loss for a total of 5 points.

Pool D is set for an exciting North American showdown on Saturday. Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus lead with three wins, followed by the U.S. team of Emma Donley and Portia Sherman with two victories. Canada and the United States will face each other on Saturday, no earlier than 1:20 p.m. (local time).

Complete results from Friday, June 27

Group A:Navas/González PUR vs Simmonds/Cudmore CAN (21-6, 21-8); Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez MEX vs Molina/Sofi V CRC (18-21, 21-7, 15-5); Navas/González PUR vs Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez MEX (21-15, 21-13); Simmonds/Cudmore CAN vs Rendon/Medina ESA (22-20, 21-11); Molina/Sofi V CRC vs Rendon/Medina ESA (17-21, 21-14, 15-10); Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez MEX vs Simmonds/Cudmore CAN (21-19, 21-13)

Group B: Torres/Gutiérrez MEX vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Valenciana/Buckner ISV vs Murillo/Clarke HON (21-16, 21-4); Torres/Gutiérrez MEX vs Murillo/Clarke HON (21-8, 21-11); Aguilar/Arévalo GUA vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Valenciana/Buckner ISV vs Aguilar/Arévalo GUA (21-18, 21-10); Murillo/Clarke HON vs Bye (21-0, 21-0)

Group C: Rivera/Bruhier HON vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Vigil/RAUDA ESA vs Silva/N. Brenes NCA (21-18, 22-20); Rivera/Bruhier HON vs Vigil/Rauda ESA (21-17, 20-22, 15-10); Smith/Lumsden JAM vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Silva/N. Brenes NCA vs Smith/Lumsden JAM (21-6, 21-16); Vigil/Rauda ESA vs Bye (21-0, 21-0)

Group D: Donley/Sherman USA vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); McNabney/Kunaus CAN vs Ramírez/Quesada CRC (21-17, 12-21, 15-11); Donley/Sherman USA vs Ramírez/Quesada CRC (21-14, 21-9); Villegas/Rodríguez HON vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); McNabney/Kunaus CAN vs Villegas/Rodríguez HON (21-6, 21-7); Ramírez/Quesada CRC vs Bye (21-0, 21-0)

Costa Rica, both teams from USA, and both from Mexico lead their groups in the men’s division

PUERTO CORTÉS, June 27, 2025.– After a long day due to the large number of registered teams at the third stop of the NORCECA Tour, at Playa Municipal El Porvenir in Puerto Cortés, the dominant teams on the first day were Costa Rica, both United States pairs, and both Mexican pairs.

Group A was led by the Mexican duo of Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, who won both of their matches, defeating Esteban/Solano from Costa Rica 21-15, 21-16 and Rahnavard/Gannett from Canada 22-20, 21-13.

Jorman Osuna of Mexico said, This is my first time in Honduras, and the organization, the courts, and the level are very good and beautiful. This is our fourth adventure on the NORCECA Tour. We’ve won two stops, and we hope to win gold again at this one.”

Miguel Sarabia added, “The quality of players at this tournament is exactly what we expected. Strong pairs like the ones from the United States, Canada, and Nicaragua raise the level. We won the last stop of last year in Costa Rica and the one in Juan Dolio this year, and we hope to repeat here in Puerto Cortés”.

Osuna MEX

In Group B, Araya/Varela from Costa Rica and Drost/Harrison from the United States both finished with a 2-0 record. These two teams will face each other on Saturday at 10:40 a.m.

The Mexican pair of Antonio Vargas and Carlos Andrés Ayala dominated with two victories, including a surprise win over last year’s champions at this stop, Mora/López from Nicaragua, defeating them 2-0 (21-18, 21-13).

The United States team of Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox also finished undefeated in Group D of the tournament.

Results of Friday, June 27

Group A: Sarabia/Osuna MEX vs Esteban/Solano CRC (21-15, 21-16); Rahnavard/Gannett CAN vs Encarnación/Rivera PUR (12-21, 21-13, 15-6); Sarabia/Osuna MEX vs Rahnavard/Gannett CAN (22-20, 21-13); Leonardo/Maldonado GUA vs Esteban/Solano CRC (21-18, 21-15); Encarnación/Rivera PUR vs Leonardo/Maldonado GUA (21-8, 21-19); Rahnavard/Gannett CAN vs Esteban/Solano CRC (21-0, 21-0)

Group B: Drost/Harrison USA vs Izaguirre/Penagos GUA (21-13, 21-9); Araya/Varela CRC vs Cascante/López NCA (21-19, 21-16); Drost/Harrison USA vs Cascante/López NCA (19-21, 21-15, 15-13); Izaguirre/Penagos GUA vs Theodore/Enile TTO (21-19, 21-19); Araya/Varela CRC vs Theodore/Enile TTO (21-14, 21-7); Cascante/Lopez NCA vs Izaguirre/Penagos GUA (21-6, 21-16)

Group C: Mora/López NCA vs Herrera/Méndez HON (21-7, 21-3); Lares/Carlos Andrés Ayala MEX vs Licht/de Greeff CAN (21-19, 17-21, 15-11); Lares/Carlos Andrés MEX vs Mora/López NCA (21-18, 21-13); R Vargas/Ponce ESA vs Herrera/Méndez HON (21-18, 17-21, 15-7); Licht/de Greeff CAN vs R Vargas/Ponce ESA (21-15, 21-5); Lares/Carlos Andrés MEX vs Herrera/Méndez HON (21-12, 21-12)             

Group D: Reyes/Serrano HON vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Field/Wilcox USA vs Ratter/Van Siclen ISV (21-18, 21-14); Field/Wilcox USA vs Reyes/Serrano HON (21-13, 21-17); Morton/Nage SKN vs Bye (21-0, 21-0); Ratter/Van Siclen ISV vs Morton/Nage SKN (21-19, 21-17).

Rubén Mora and Dany López from Nicaragua Aim to Repeat Last Year’s Title

PUERTO CORTÉS, June 26, 2025. – The Nicaraguan duo of Rubén Mora and Dany López arrives at the third stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour hoping to repeat the feat they achieved in 2024, when they were crowned champions in Puerto Cortés.

Dany López commented, “We are participating in this third stop of the NORCECA Tour, which is very special for us because last year we won the gold medal here. We hope we can once again achieve a satisfying result.”

Rubén Mora added, “Last year I think it was a bit easier since there were only about 10 teams. This year the competition has nearly doubled, with around 20 teams. It’s going to be a very tough tournament. In fact, this entire season has been challenging from the very first stop, since every event has had more than 15 teams,” he pointed out.

Control committee

This year, the groups are divided as follows:

Pool A: Andy Blanco/Edgar Maldonado (GUA), Rouzbeh Rahnavard/Tynan Gannett (CAN), Miguel Sarabia/Jorman Osuna (MEX), Sarabia is the Central American and Caribbean champion and the pair won gold at the second stop in Juan Dolio, Cristian Encarnación/Diego Rosich (PUR), and Esteban González/Justin Solano (CRC).

Pool B: Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile (TTO), Jefferson Cascante/Denis López (NCA), James Drost/Harrison (USA) – Drost is a veteran of the world tour, having competed in FIVB and NORCECA tournaments since 2011, Julián Araya/Jhostin Varela (CRC), and José Izaguirre/Santiago Penagos (GUA).

Pool C: Rafael Vargas/Ponce (ESA), Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX), Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA), Martin Licht/Luke de Greeff (CAN), and Herrera/Méndez (HON).

Pool D: Elkreen Morton/Nage Hendrickson (SKN), Troy Field/Ryan Wilcox (USA), Irvin Reyes/Manuel Serrano (HON), and Kendall Ratter/Devin Van Siclen (ISV).

Just like the women’s competition, the men’s event will start at 8:00 a.m. (local time) with the opening match between Mexico’s Sarabia/Osuna and Costa Rica’s Esteban/Solano.

High Expectations for the Third Stop of the NORCECA Women’s Beach Volleyball Tour

PUERTO CORTÉSJune 26, 2025.– The third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour kicks off this Friday at the El Porvenir Municipal Beach in Puerto Cortés, featuring 17 women’s teams divided into four pools, one with five teams and three with four teams each.

Canada’s number 1 duo, Emma Kunaus and Maya MacNabney, are feeling confident and hope to improve on their previous fifth-place finish. Emma shared, “I’m really excited for this tournament because there’s strong international competition. My partner (Maya) and I are looking to reach the podium after having a good tournament last time in Juan Dolio, where we finished fifth. Puerto Rico and Mexico are definitely the teams to beat, they give  great competition, and we’re very excited to face them again this weekend.”

Canada

Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and María González, reigning Central American and Caribbean champions and gold medalists at the second stop in Juan Dolio, will lead Pool A, which also includes Laura Molina/Sofía Vega from Costa Rica, Fátima Rendón/Devora Medina from El Salvador, Yeray Vidaurrazaga/María Jimena Ramírez from Mexico, and Claire Simmonds/Emma Cudmore from Canada.

The Mexican duo of Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, who earned silver medals at both the first stop in Varadero and the second in Juan Dolio, aim to dominate Pool B. Joining them are Melanie Valenciana/Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands, Danna Aguilar/Ana Sofía Arévalo from Guatemala, and Xue Murillo/Clark from Honduras.

Pools C and D are set as follows: Pool C: HON (Shanna Rivera/Reizel Bruhier), NCA (Nahima Silva/Norma Brenes), JAM (Petal Smith/Kristina Lumsden), ESA 2 (Daniela Vigil/Ashley Rauda) and Pool D: USA (Emma Donley/Portia Sherman), CAN (Maya MacNabney/Emma Kunaus), HON 2 (Ruth Villegas/Valery Rodríguez), CRC 2 (Eugenia Ramírez/Quezada)

Matches begin at 8:00 a.m. (local time).

Puerto Cortés to Host the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour for Second Year in a Row

PUERTO CORTÉS, Honduras, June 25, 2025.– The heart of the Honduran Caribbean will once again come alive with world-class beach volleyball. For the second consecutive year, Puerto Cortés will host a stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, welcoming the third leg of the 2025 circuit, set to take place from June 27 to 29 at El Porvenir Municipal Beach.

There is high anticipation for the event, with 37 teams from 13 pre-registered countries, all aiming to collect crucial ranking points. The final list of participating teams and pool distribution will be officially confirmed during the preliminary meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 26.

The list is highlighted by Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Danny López, current champions of Puerto Cortés and silver medalists at the first stop of the 2025 season in Varadero, Cuba. Also, Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna, along with Inés Vargas Lares and Carlos Andrés Ayala, who captured gold and silver medals, respectively, at the second stop of the Tour in Juan Dolio.

On the women’s side, standouts include Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and María González, gold medalists at the second stop of the Tour in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, as well as Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, who have reached the podium with silver medals at both of the first two stops of the 2025 NORCECA Tour.

Puerto Cortés continues to establish itself as one of the key destinations for the growth and development of beach volleyball in the region, offering a splendid venue on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. The event promises a top-level sporting spectacle for both the athletes and the local and visiting fans.

The competition will feature the best men’s and women’s pairs from the NORCECA region, who will not only battle for a place on the podium but also strive to earn points towards major international competitions, including the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games.

USA’s Durish and Koenig Crowned NORCECA U23 Champions at Seven Mile Beach

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 22, 2025. – Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig of the United States claimed the gold medal at the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour with a commanding straight-sets victory over Costa Rica’s Sofia Vega and Laura Molina, 2-0 (21-10, 21-14), at the stunning Seven Mile Beach.

The American duo delivered a flawless performance throughout the tournament, going undefeated and not dropping a single set in route to the top of the podium.

In the bronze medal match, El Salvador’s Karla Tovar and Daniela Vigil defeated Barbados’ Sierra Rayside and Destiny Layne 2-0 (21-16, 21-10) to secure third place.

Tovar and Vigil had previously fallen to Durish and Koenig in the semifinals 2-0 (21-11, 21-8), while Vega and Molina earned their place in the final by overpowering Rayside/Layne of Barbados (2-0: 21-7, 21-5).

male and female winners

In the battle for fifth place, Anjia Delapenha and Joanna Robinson of the Cayman Islands delivered a strong performance to defeat Guatemala’s Ana Sofía Arévalo and Danna Aguilar in straight sets, 2-0 (21-16, 21-12).

Canada’s Ariel Forgarty and Bailey Royston secured seventh place after a thrilling three-set match against Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Hailey Moss. The Canadians came from behind to win 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 15-11).

For ninth place, fellow Canadians Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben cruised past the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Brooklyn Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan with a dominant 2-0 (21-11, 21-9) win.

Trinidad and Tobago’s L’fe Robers and Meeka Johnson earned 11th place after defeating Cayman Islands’ Luna Ebanks and Brianna Delapenha in straight sets, 2-0 (21-17, 21-14).

In the 13th-place match, Hensley Philip and Alwani of St. Kitts and Nevis claimed a 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) victory over Jamaica’s Sibblies and Brandy.

Results for Classification 5/8: A. Delapenha/J. Robinson CAY d Forgarty/Royston CAN 2-0 (22-20, 21-14); Arevalo/Aguilar GUA d Hands/Moss BER 2-1 (21-5, 22-24, 15-4)

Costa Rica’s Araya and Varela Capture Back-to-Back NORCECA U23 Gold at Seven Mile Beach

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 22, 2025.-  Costa Rica’s Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela successfully defended their title, claiming back-to-back gold medals at the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour with a decisive 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) win over El Salvador’s Christopher and Yoel Guardado in Sunday’s final at the iconic Seven Mile Beach.

Araya and Varela showed composure throughout the competition, overcoming a thrilling semifinal against the USA’s Ayden Keeter and Carson Barnes. After dropping the first set and facing two set points in the second, the Costa Rican duo rallied for a remarkable comeback, winning 2-1 (15-21, 26-24, 15-10) to advance to the gold medal match.

CRC Gold

Asking what it took to get to the final and win, Jhostin remarked “It was hard work, after winning a couple of weeks ago in the Dominican Republic, we trained for this”.

“It’s been many days and hours of practice, training hard to be in good condition is difficult and we are very proud of winning another gold medal” Julian added.

The Guardado twins of El Salvador also earned their place in the final with a gritty 2-1 (18-21, 21-15, 15-12) victory over Canada’s Brandon Burnside and Reed Venning, staying calm under pressure to force and win a decisive third set.

ESA Silver

In one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, Keeter and Barnes bounced back from their semifinal disappointment to take the bronze medal with a hard-fought 2-1 (18-21, 21-17, 15-12) win over the Canadian pair Burnside/Venning. The match was packed with momentum swings and drew strong applause from the local crowd.

In the battle for fifth place, Canada’s Charles Ellinas and Colin Lash delivered a dominant performance, defeating Julian Briston and Clarique Ward of St. Kitts and Nevis in straight sets, 2-0 (21-9, 21-16).

Seventh place went to the Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee, who secured a close victory over Daniel Delgado and José Guevara of Guatemala. The local pair held on in the second set to win 2-0 (21-13, 23-21).

USA BRONZE

For ninth place, Miguel and Morrison of Trinidad and Tobago staged an impressive comeback to defeat Nkoya and Taylor of Barbados in three sets, 2-1 (17-21, 21-17, 15-13).

Jamaica’s Blake and Softley claimed eleventh place with a solid 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) win over the Aruban duo of Coutinho and Kock.

The U.S. Virgin Islands’ Anderson and Rojas finished in thirteenth place after defeating Van Dam and Chisholm of the Cayman Islands in straight sets, 2-0 (21-15, 21-17).In the final placement match, Cayman Islands’ Duty and Cardenas closed the tournament with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) win against Brown and Wathey from the U.S. Virgin Islands to secure fifteenth place.

Results Classification 5/8: Ellinas/Lash CAN d Watson/Lynee CAY 2-0 (22-20, 21-15); Bristol/Ward SKN 2-0 d Delgado/Guevara GUA (21-19, 12-21, 15-8)

Tandems from Barbados, Costa Rica, USA & El Salvador Reach Semifinals at Seven Mile Beach

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 21, 2025.- The semifinal women’s lineup is set at the U23 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in the Cayman Islands, with teams from Barbados, Costa Rica, the United States, and El Salvador earning their places after standout performances in Saturday’s quarterfinal action.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd on the iconic sands of Seven Mile Beach, the Barbadian duo of Sierra Rayside and Destiny Layne booked their semifinal ticket after a hard-fought 2-1 victory (21-15, 18-21, 15-10) over Cayman Islands’ Anjia Delapenha and Joanna Robinson.

Costa Rica’s Sofia Vega and Laura Molina delivered a commanding performance against Canada’s Ariel Forgarty and Bailey Royston, winning in straight sets (21-8, 21-7) to secure their place in the final four.

Americans Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig continued their dominant form with a swift 2-0 (21-3, 21-4) triumph over Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Hailey Moss, advancing with authority to the semifinals.

USA

Completing the semifinal quartet are El Salvador’s Karla Tovar and Daniela Vigil, who earned a 2-0 (21-17, 21-11) win over Guatemala’s Ana Sofía Arévalo and Danna Aguilar.

Earlier in pool play, the Cayman Islands’ duo A. Delapenha/J. Robinson mounted a strong comeback to defeat L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson of Trinidad and Tobago in a three-set thriller (19-21, 21-8, 15-10).

In Pool B, the American pair Durish/Koenig delivered a dominant performance, sweeping Brooklyn Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan of the U.S. Virgin Islands with a commanding 21-4, 21-0.

El Salvador’s Tovar and Vigil, featured a key win over Canada’s Ariel Forgarty and Bailey Royston in straight sets (21-15, 21-18) in Pool C. Meanwhile, Cayman Islands’ Luna Ebanks and Brianna Delapenha secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Jamaica’s Brandy McCarthy and Damia Sibblies (17-21, 21-8, 15-8).

In Pool D, Costa Rica’s Sofi V/Molina opened the day with a thrillin 2-1 win (21-10, 18-21, 15-8) over Ana Sofía Arévalo and Danna Aguilar of Guatemala. Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben also picked up a straight-sets win, defeating Celina Alwani and Jontelle Hensley Philip of St. Kitts and Nevis (21-11, 21-9).

Sunday’s action will begin with placement matches before the semifinal clashes take center stage. The winners will face off later in the day in the gold medal match.

Position matches:

9/12: Jordan/Donovan ISV d L. Ebanks /B Delapenha CAY (forfeit); Neagle/Houben CAN d Johnson/Roberts TTO 2-1 (19-21, 21-17, 15-12)

North Americans Face Central Americans in Seven Mile Beach Semifinals

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 21, 2025.- The semifinal matchups are set at the U23 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in the Cayman Islands, and they will see North America take on Central America as teams from the USA and Canada go head-to-head with El Salvador and Costa Rica on the stunning shores of Seven Mile Beach.

Following a competitive round of quarterfinals on Saturday, El Salvador’s twin brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado continued their undefeated run, dispatching St. Kitts and Nevis’ Julian Bristol and Clerique Ward in straight sets, 21-11, 21-16.

The Salvadoran duo will now take on the American team of Ayden Keeter and Carson Barnes, who maintained their dominance with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-15) win over Canada’s Charles Ellinas and Colin Lash.

On the other side of the bracket, Canada’s Brandon Burnside and Reed Venning battled past Guatemala’s Daniel Delgado and Jose Guevara in a thrilling three-setter, 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 15-8).

The Canadians now face Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica, who put in a convincing 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) victory over local favorites Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee of the Cayman Islands.

Costa Rica

In pool play, all four semifinalist teams showed early signs of strength. The Guardado brothers of El Salvador overcame Canada’s Ellinas/Lash in a tough Pool D battle (21-13, 18-21, 15-13), while Araya/Varela of Costa Rica earned a solid win over Guatemala’s Delgado/Guevara in Pool B (21-17, 21-15). Keeter/Barnes of USA breezed past St. Kitts and Nevis (21-17, 21-15) in Pool C, and Canada’s Burnside/Venning dominated U.S. Virgin Islands of Anderson/Rojas 2-0 (21-2, 21-10) in Pool A.

Also standing out in earlier matches were Aruba’s Jeandre Kock and Thelion Coutinho, who beat the Cayman Islands’ D. Van Dam/Chisholm in Pool B 2-0 (21-15, 21-16), and Barbados’ Nkoya Williams-Bailey and Aaron Taylor, who secured a strong 2-0 (21-11, 21-13) win in Pool C over Brown/Wathey of the U.S. Virgin Islands . Jamaica’s Love-Let Blake and Ithran Softley were victorious in Pool D, defeating Duty/Cardenas of Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-10, 21-15).  

Sunday’s schedule starts with position matchups, followed by the semifinals. The semifinal winners will meet later in the day to battle for gold on the iconic sands of Seven Mile Beach.

Position Matches:

13/16: Anderson/Rojas ISV d Duty/Cardenas CAY 2-1 (12-21, 21-19, 15-11); D. Van Dam/Chisholm CAY d Brown/Wathey ISV 2-0 (21-16, 21-13)

9/12: Miguel/Morrison TTO d Blake/Softley JAM 2-0 (21-10, 21-12); Nkoya/Taylor BAR d Kock/Coutinho ARU 2-0 (21-17, 23-21)

Central American Teams and Canada-1 Off to Winning Start at Women’s NORCECA U23 in Cayman Islands

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 20, 2025. – Women’s duos from El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Guatemala along with Canada-1 enjoyed a perfect start at the 2025 NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour, each securing two victories on opening day at the picturesque Seven Mile Beach in the Cayman Islands.

El Salvador’s Karla Tovar and Daniela Vigil, Costa Rica’s Sofia Vega and Laura Molina, Guatemala’s Ana Sofía Arévalo and Danna Aguilar, along with Ariel Forgarty and Bailey Royston of Canada-1, all remained unbeaten with two wins in as many matches.

El Salvador’s Tovar/Vigil were in top form in Pool C, winning both of their matches in straight sets. First against Jamaica’s Brandy McCarthy and Damia Sibblies (21-11, 21-4), and then against Cayman Islands’ Luna Ebanks and Brianna Delapenha (21-9, 21-7). Canada’s Forgarty/Royston edged out Ebanks/Delapenha in a tight 2-1 (20-22, 21-19, 18-16) thriller and later defeated McCarthy/Sibblies 2-0 (21-11, 21-8).

BER #2 Moss In defense

In Pool D, Costa Rica’s Sofia V/Molina overpowered with convincing victories, starting with a 2-0 (21-7, 21-7) over St. Kitts and Nevis’ Celina Alwani and Jontelle Hensley Philip, and then a 2-0 (21-17, 21-8) over Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben. Guatemala’s Arévalo/Aguilar were equally dominant, defeating Neagle/Houben in a highly-competitive 2-0 (21-12, 23-21) and then taking down Alwani/Hensley Philip 2-0 (21-18, 21-7).

In other results, Cayman Islands’ Anjia Delapenha and Joanna Robinson claimed a hard-fought 2-1 victory (17-21, 21-17, 15-5) over Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Hailey Moss in Pool A. Earlier in the day, the Bermudian duo had opened with a straight-set win, 2-0 (21-7, 21-15), against L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson of Trinidad and Tobago.

In Pool B, Americans Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig delivered a commanding 2-0 (21-4, 21-3) win over Barbados’ Sierra Rayside and Destiny Layne. Earlier, the Rayside/Layne had opened strong with a 2-0 (21-11, 21-5) victory against Brooklyn Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Pool play continues Saturday morning, followed by the quarterfinal round and classification matchups for positions.

Costa Rica’s Araya and Varela Lead U23 NORCECA Tour in Cayman Islands Stage

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 19, 2025.– After claiming gold in the opening stop of the 2025 NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour, Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Jhostin Varela arrive in the Cayman Islands as the team to watch for the second leg of the tour, which will take place from June 20 to 22 on the iconic shores of Seven Mile Beach.

Araya and Varela were crowned men’s champions in the first stage of the tour held in May at Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic. They triumphed in a thrilling three-set final against the United States’ Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst, winning 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 15-12).

All eyes now turn to the second stage of the tour, where 14 women’s teams and 16 men’s teams representing 13 countries will compete over three days. A total of 28 matches are expected on the opening day alone.

The tournament serves as a crucial stepping stone for rising beach volleyball athletes aiming to compete at major international events, including the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay.

The competition begins at 9:00 a.m. (local time) on Friday with pool play and continues Saturday with the quarterfinals and classification matches. The event concludes on Sunday with semifinals and medal matches, promising a weekend full of high-level action and emerging talent on the sand.

Pool distribution

WOMEN

POOL A: Anjia Delapenha/Joanna Robinson CAY-1, Meeka Johnson/L’fe Roberts TTO, Megan Hands/Hailey Moss BER

POOL B: Alexis Durish/Audrey Koenig USA, Brooklyn Donovan/D’Keisha Jordan ISV, Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside BAR

POOL C: Ariel Forgarty/Bailey Royston CAN-1, Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil ESA, Brandy McCarthy/Damia Sibblies JAM, Brianna Delapenha/Luna Ebanks CAY2

POOL D: Ana Sofía Arevalo/Danna Aguilar GUA, Sofia Vega/Laura Molina CRC, Celina Alwani Jontelle Hensley Philip  SKN, Claire Neagle/Nolyn Houben CAN2

MEN

POOL A: Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee CAY, Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel TTO, Armani Anderson/Aden Rojas ISV-1, Brandon Burnside/Reed Venning CAN-2

POOL B: Julian Araya/Jhostin Varela CRC, Daniel Delgado/Jose Guevara GUA, Jeandre Kock/ Thelion Coutinho ARU, Liam Chisholm/Declan Van Dam CAY-3

POOL C: Ayden Keeter/Carson Barnes USA, Julian Bristol/Clerique Ward SKN, Nkoya Williams-Bailey/Aaron Taylor BAR, Armani Anderson/Aden Rojas ISV-2

POOL D: Charles Ellinas/Colin Lash CAN, Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado ESA, Love-Let Blake/Ithran Softley JAM, William Duty/Dimitri Cardenas CAY-2 

Cayman’s Delapenha and Ebanks Capture CAZOVA U21 Women’s Beach Volleyball Gold at Home

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 19, 2025. – In a thrilling display of skill and resilience on home sand, Brianna Delapenha and Luna Ebanks clinched the women’s gold medal at the inaugural CAZOVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship.

The Cayman Islands duo edged out Barbados’ Destiny Layne and Sierra Rayside in a hard-fought three-set final, sealed dramatically with a service ace by Brianna for a 2-1 victory (21-10, 14-21, 15-9).

In the bronze medal match, Anjia Delapenha and Joanna Robinson gave the Cayman Islands a double podium finish, defeating Trinidad and Tobago’s L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson in straight sets, 21-18, 21-6.

The top three ranked countries in the event, Cayman Islands, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago, earned a berth to compete in the NORCECA Qualifier Tournament for the World Championship.

Brianna Delapenha and Luna Ebanks triumphed in the all-Cayman Islands semifinal showdown, rallying past Anjia Delapenha and Joanna Robinson 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 15-5).

Meanwhile, Barbados’ Destiny Layne and Sierra Rayside secured their spot in the final with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Trinidad and Tobago’s L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson (21-9, 17-21, 15-9).

top 3 Qualifiers

Sibblies/Brandy of Jamaica finished fifth place with a 2-0 (21-11, 21-15) victory over the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Jordan/Donovan.

In pool play action, both Cayman Islands’ teams delivered dominant performances to top their respective groups and advance with confidence.

In Pool A, Anjia Delapenha/Joanna Robinson overcame a strong challenge from Barbados’ Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside in a tight 2-1 win (21-15, 18-21, 15-10), before cruising past Jamaica’s Brandy McCarthy/Damia Sibblies in straight sets (21-5, 21-9). Meanwhile, in Pool B, Brianna Delapenha and Luna Ebanks were equally impressive, defeating the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Brooklyn Donovan and D’Keisha Jordan (21-9, 21-9), and following up with another straight sets win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Lfe Roberts and Meeka Johnson (21-19, 21-13).

Barbados’ Williams and Taylor Crowned CAZOVA U21 Men’s Beach Volleyball Champions

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 19, 2025. – Nkoya Williams and Aaron Taylor of Barbados claimed the men’s gold medal at the inaugural CAZOVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship, prevailing in the final over Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee.

Williams/Taylor bounced back after dropping the first set, winning the second and then sealing the match when an injury forced their opponents to withdraw, with a final score of 2-1 (19-21, 21-13, 15-0).

In the bronze medal match, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel delivered a strong performance to defeat Jamaica’s Love-Let Blake and Ithran Softley in straight sets, 21-15, 21-12.

BAR Champions

The top three ranked countries in the event, Barbados, Cayman Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago, earned a berth to compete in the NORCECA Qualifier Tournament for the World Championship.

In the semifinals, Nkoya Williamsand Aaron Taylor of Barbados staged a comeback to defeat Jamaica’s Love-Let Blake and Ithran Softley in a thrilling three-set match, 2-1 (16-21, 21-19, 15-6).

While Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee from the Cayman Islands also rallied after dropping the first set, overcoming Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel 2-1 (21-23, 21-15, 15-8) to advance to the final.

Anderson/Rojas of the U.S. Virgin Islands overcame a three-set battle 2-1 (17-21, 21-16, 15-8) against Duty/Cardenas of Cayman Islands for fifth place.

all awardees

Pool play featured intense matchups, with all teams battling for a spot in the knockout rounds.

Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee secured two victories in Pool A, defeating the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Armani Anderson/Aden Rojas in straight sets (21-14, 21-6) before edging out Barbados’ Nkoya Williams and Aaron Taylor in a thrilling three-setter (15-21, 21-19, 15-12). Barbados bounced back with a 2-0 win over the U.S. Virgin Islands (21-13, 22-20) to finish second in the group.

In Pool B, Cayman Islands’ William Duty/Dimitri Cardenas opened with a straight-sets win over Jamaica’s Love-Let Blake/Ithran Softley (21-15, 21-17) but fell to Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel (21-13, 21-15), who went on to top the group after also defeating Jamaica 2-0 (21-19, 21-14).

Panam Sports Confirms Indoor and Beach Volleyball for the Lima 2027 Pan American Games

SANTIAGO, CHILE, June 19, 2025 .– With just over two years to go until the start of the 20th Pan American Games, Panam Sports has officially announced the 36 sports that will be included in the Lima 2027 Sports Program. Among the confirmed disciplines are Indoor Volleyball and Beach Volleyball, both of which have gained significant popularity and prestige across the continent.

The decision was made by the Panam Sports Executive Committee based on a participatory process that considered the preferences of the organization’s 41 member National Olympic Committees. Of the 36 sports, 33 were selected by the National Olympic Committees, while the remaining three were proposed by the Lima 2027 Organizing Committee.

“As Panam Sports, we have taken a very important step with the approval of the 36 sports for Lima 2027. We carried out a highly democratic process among all the National Olympic Committees, and today, the Executive Committee has confirmed the sports included in the Sports Program of our Pan American Games,” emphasized Panam Sports President Neven Ilic.

The Lima 2027 Pan American Games will be held from July 16 to August 1, bringing together more than 7,000 athletes from 41 countries across the continent.

The Pan American Volleyball Union (UPV), the body that brings together the NORCECA Confederation and the South American Volleyball Confederation (CSV), confirmed the qualification system for Lima 2027, which must be completed no later than December 31, 2026.

In indoor volleyball, each gender (men and women) will feature eight national teams, according to the following criteria:

  • Peru, as the host country, qualifies automatically.
  • 1 team per confederation (NORCECA and CSV): the highest-ranked team at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
  • NORCECA: the top three teams at the 2026 Senior Pan American Cups.
  • CSV: the top two teams at the 2026 Senior Pan American Cups.

In beach volleyball, each gender (men and women) will feature 16 national teams. The qualification system includes:

  • Peru, as the host, qualifies automatically.
  • 1 team per confederation (NORCECA and CSV): the highest-ranked team at the 2025 Junior Pan American Games.
  • NORCECA: the top seven non-qualified teams based on the final standings of the 2026 NORCECA Tour.
  • CSV: the top six non-qualified teams based on the final standings of the 2026 CSV Beach Tour.

NORCECA and the Cuban Volleyball Federation Strengthen Regional Cooperation

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, June 18, 2025.- A productive working meeting was held this week at the headquarters of the North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation NORCECA between the new leadership of the Cuban Volleyball Federation (FCV) and NORCECA President Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz.

The Cuban delegation was led by MSc. Osvaldo Idel Martínez Arias, President of the FCV; Mireya Luis, OLY, Vice President; and Lorenzo Martínez Cordero, Treasurer. This marked the new administration’s first official visit to NORCECA’s offices in Santo Domingo following their election.

The meeting addressed a range of topics of mutual interest related to the development of volleyball in the region. Discussions focused on designing joint programs between NORCECA and the Cuban Volleyball Federation aimed at strengthening institutional and technical collaboration.

Projects centered on the training of referees and coaches through courses and seminars were also reviewed, along with Cuba’s active participation in NORCECA’s competitive calendar, including Confederation qualifying tournaments.

Both parties highlighted the strength and stability of the bonds between NORCECA and the Cuban Volleyball Federation and agreed on the importance of maintaining the necessary support for Cuba to regain its historic prominence in international volleyball.

They also welcomed the possibility of a future meeting between the FIVB, NORCECA, and the FCV, with the goal of enhancing institutional cohesion and addressing key issues for the development of Cuban and regional volleyball.

The meeting concluded in an atmosphere of mutual cooperation and shared vision for the growth of volleyball in the region.

Inaugural CAZOVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship Begins at Seven Mile Beach

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 16, 2025.– The inaugural Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Under-21 Beach Volleyball Championship is set to take place on June 19 at the iconic Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

This one-day tournament will feature 12 teams representing Barbados, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Host nation Cayman Islands will field two teams per gender.

Teams are divided into two pools per gender, competing in round-robin play, followed by semifinals and finals, all packed into a single day of high-energy action.

Team Cayman Ladies

The top three teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions will qualify for NORCECA World Championship Qualifier Tournament in Juan Dolio, advancing on the international stage.

“This championship is not just a qualifier, it’s a celebration of youth beach volleyball in our region,” said CAZOVA President Mushtaque Mohammed.

The competition begins at 9:00 a.m.

Pool distribution

WOMEN

Pool A:Anjia Delapenha/Joanna Robinson (Cayman Islands-1), Brandy McCarthy/ Damia Sibblies (Jamaica), Destiny Layne/Sierra Rayside (Barbados)

Pool B:Lfe Roberts/Meeka Johnson(Trinidad and Tobago), Brianna Delapenha/Luna Ebanks (Cayman Islands-2), Brooklyn Donovan/D’Keisha Jordan (U.S. Virgin Islands)

MEN

Pool A:Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee (Cayman Islands-1), Nkoya Williams-Bailey/Aaron Taylor (Barbados), Armani Anderson/Aden Rojas (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Pool B:Jahreef Miguel/Jerome Morrison (Trinidad and Tobago), William Duty/Dimitri Cardenas (Cayman Islands-2), Love-Let Blake/Ithran Softley (Jamaica)

Seven Mile Beach Set for Double Dose of International Beach Volleyball

SEVEN MILE BEACH, Cayman Islands, June 17, 2025. – The famous shores of Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, are set to become the epicenter of regional beach volleyball this week, as two important international competitions take place back-to-back.

Kicking off the action on June 19 is the CAZOVA Under-21 Beach Volleyball Championship, a one-day event organized by the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association. This high-stakes tournament serves as CAZOVA qualifier for the 2025 NORCECA U21 Championships, a key step towards qualification for the FIVB U21 World Championships later this year.

The top three teams in both the men’s and women’s competitions will compete at the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier, which will be held from 3 to 7 July in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. 

This event reflects CAZOVA’s dedication to developing young beach volleyball talent and expanding competitive opportunities for athletes across the Caribbean.

Immediately following, from June 20 to 23, the spotlight remains on Seven Mile Beach as it hosts the second stage of the 2025 NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour. Aimed at up-and-coming players, this developmental tournament offers crucial international experience and ranking points. The competition also plays a key role in preparing athletes for future events, such as the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay.

The back-to-back tournaments not only showcase Seven Mile Beach as a prime venue for elite beach volleyball but also reinforce NORCECA’s commitment to athlete growth and the sport’s continued expansion across the North, Central America and the Caribbean region.

Spectacular Coastal Venue Elevates 2025 ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championships in St. Kitts & Nevis

BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, June 9, 2025.- The 2025 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U21 Beach Volleyball Championships came to a thrilling conclusion after three days of intense action, excitement, and competition on one of the most beautiful venues. Held from June 6 to 8 on the scenic shores of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the event featured a magnificent court layout with four competition courts and two warm-up courts, perfectly blending sport with scenery.

The championship brought together 24 teams from 10 countries, all showcasing the best of U21 beach volleyball talent in a setting that wowed both athletes and fans alike. Against the backdrop of turquoise waters and golden sands, two teams emerged victorious with standout performances.

In the men’s division, Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick successfully defended their crown, becoming back-to-back ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Champions. Their chemistry and tactical execution powered them through a competitive field, solidifying their status as one of the region’s premier pairs.

In the women’s division, St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip turned in a flawless 5-0 run, capturing gold without dropping a single set. Their dominance, paired with remarkable composure, set the tone for an unforgettable tournament.

“This year’s championship was more than just a tournament—it was a celebration of youth, excellence, and the unmatched beauty of the Caribbean,” said the ECVA President, Glenn Quinlan. “The court setup along the Saint Kitts and Nevis coastline was truly spectacular and raised the bar for future ECVA events.”

The top three teams in each gender category, Dominica, St. Lucia and Grenada in men, and St. Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica in women, will now move forward to represent ECVA at the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier Tournament, taking the next step on their international journey.

St. Lucia’s Phillip and Ericka Crowned Undefeated ECVA U21 Women’s Champions

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts & Nevis, June 8, 2025.- St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip delivered a flawless performance at the ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship, capturing the women’s gold medal with an undefeated 5-0 record and without dropping a single set.

In the final, Phillip and Ericka overpowered Antigua and Barbuda’s Jassania Joseph and Jaya Carr in straight sets, 2-0 (21-11, 23-21), sealing their championship run in dominant fashion on the sands of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The St. Lucian duo controlled the opening set with authority but had to dig deep in the second after trailing 19-20. With calm under pressure and sharp execution, Phillip and Ericka rallied to close the match 23-21, completing their perfect tournament and claiming the gold medal.

ALL MEDALLISTS U21 ECVA BEACH

In an interview after the victory, Phillip said “We feel great, we are excited, we are happy. This is what we came to do, win the Gold!”

Speaking about the match, Ericka said “We really had to work hard in the last set. Our confidence allowed us to push through the last points”.

Dominica’s Alyssa Bully and Joyan Pascal secured an exciting bronze medal victory in three sets over Anguilla’s Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson. Bully/Pascal came out strong to take the first set 21-14, but Fleming/Richardson fought back in a tight second set, edging it 22-20 to force a decider. In the third, Bully and Pascal regained control with a dominant 15-7 finish to clinch the 2-1 win and a spot on the podium.

The top three finishers of the event move on to represent the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) at the NORCECA World Championships Qualifier Tournament.

St. Lucia’s Ericka/Phillip advanced to the championship match, with consistent play, to earn a straight-set 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) victory over Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla.

In a hard-fought semifinal, Joseph and Carr edged Dominica’s Bully and Pascal 2-1 (21-12, 15-21, 15-12). After splitting the first two sets, Joseph and Carr led 13-9 in the decider before withstanding a late Dominican rally to secure their spot in the final.

Positioning matches:

POS 11-12: Drayton/Farrington IVB vs. Andrew/Campbell SKN 2-0 (21-7, 21-16)

POS 9-10: Gibson/Matthews VIN vs. Amritt/Pinney SKN 2-0 (21-13, 21-19)

POS 5-8: Hamilton/Moss BER vs. Teasia/Collins GRN 2-0 (21-17, 21-10); Alwani/Hensly Phillip SKN vs. Spanner/Brown EUX 2-0 (21-14, 21-15)

POS 7-8: Spanner/Brown EUX vs. Teasia/Collins GRN 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-13)

POS 5-6: Hamilton/Moss BER vs. Alwani/Hensly Phillip SKN 2-0 (21-8, 21-13)


Results U21 ECVA Women’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

Dominica’s Mingo and Frederick Defend ECVA U21 Men’s Title with Back-to-Back Gold

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts & Nevis, June 8, 2025.- Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick were crowned ECVA U21 Men’s Beach Volleyball Champions for the second year in a row, delivering a confident 2-0 win (21-17, 21-15) over St. Lucia’s Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel in Sunday’s gold medal match at the scenic shores of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The Dominican duo reaffirmed their dominance in the region with another stellar performance, despite going through the round of 12 after finishing second in Pool A of the preliminary round, coincidently losing to St. Lucia’s duo Rio/Emmanuel.

In the championship match, Mingo and Frederick displayed control, keeping their composure under pressure and dictating the pace of the match. Their consistency and experience proved too much for the St. Lucian team, who fought hard but couldn’t break through.

ALL PLAYERS U23 ECVA BEACH

Speaking after winning the gold medal, Frederick said “We feel very excited, because it’s another accomplishment in our books and I can’t even explain it, I am flabbergasted”.

Mervin Mingo added a warm thank you to their parents, coaches and fans “their support was very important for us”.

In an exciting bronze medal match, Grenada’s Walcott Zerick and Kibose Hamilton battled past home favorites Jedediah Pencheon and Vikash Sundar of St. Kitts and Nevis in a thrilling 2-1 victory (21-17, 12-21, 15-11). After taking the opening set, Zerick and Hamilton faced a fierce response in the second but regrouped with determination to seal the deciding set and claim the bronze medal.

The top three finishers of the event move on to represent the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) at the NORCECA World Championships Qualifier Tournament.

Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick of Dominica took a confident step toward back-to-back titles with a straight-sets semifinal victory 2-0 (21-18, 21-15) against  Grenada’s Walcott Zerick and Kibose Hamilton. The Dominican pair showcased their experience and composure in key moments.

St. Lucia’s duo, Rio/Emmanuel, secured a swift and convincing 2-0 (21-11, 21-11) victory in their semifinal match against the home team of Sundar and Puncheon. They took both sets by comfortable margins, while Rio was particularly effective at the net, consistently shutting down St. Kitts’ scoring efforts.

Positioning matches:

POS 11-12: Dos Santos Martin/Mello BER vs. Hassel/De Jesus EUX 2-0 (21-19, 21-15)

POS 9-10: Smith/Reid AGU vs. Alexander/Stephen VIN 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-12)

POS 5-8: Bristol/Fraites SKN vs. Lugo/Joseph ANT 2-0 (21-14, 21-8); Lall/Walters SKN vs. Wheatley/Dunkley IVB 2-0 (21-10, 21-17)

POS 7-8: Lugo/Joseph ANT vs. Wheatley/Dunkley IVB 2-0 (21-18, 21-16)

POS 5-6: Bristol/Fraites SKN vs. Lall/Walters SKN 2-0 (28-26, 21-12)


Results U21 ECVA Men’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

FIVB and Qatar Foundation explore new opportunities for collaboration

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 8, 2025.- Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation and a member of the FIVB Volleyball Foundation Board, visited Volleyball House this week.

During the visit, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo presented the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 and shared the organisation’s plans for the future of volleyball over the next eight years.

The Strategic Vision 2032 is an ambitious but realistic roadmap designed to take volleyball to the next level globally. It focuses on four key pillars: professionalism, integration, empowerment and mass participation. Together, these pillars aim to make the sport more accessible and impactful – bringing people together, inspiring social change, and helping to ensure a bright future for volleyball.

After extensive consultation with National Federations and stakeholders across the Global Volleyball Movement, the FIVB identified 15 main areas of focus for the years ahead. One of the major elements is the Volleyball Foundation, launched in May 2024, which uses the global reach and power of volleyball to support projects around the world that have a positive impact.

The Volleyball Foundation was one of the key topics discussed at Volleyball House during the meeting with Her Excellency Sheikha Hind, who plays an active role on its Board.

There were also discussions around future collaboration between the FIVB, Volleyball Foundation and Qatar Foundation, especially in areas such as sport promotion, coach education and women’s empowerment.

This partnership was first launched in December 2024 and is focused on growing and promoting volleyball in Qatar. It aims to support athletes, develop leadership in sport and facilitate the development of volleyball at all levels.

One of the first activations between the organisations was the ‘Women in Sports: Creating Pathways’ event, held at Education City Stadium. The event brought together international sports administrators, Olympians and Olympic medallists to explore the role of sport – in particular, volleyball – in empowering women. The panels were hosted by the FIVB and Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA), in collaboration with Qatar Foundation.

Read more about the Women in Sports event here.

Antigua, Anguilla, St. Lucia, and Dominica Reach Women’s Final Four at ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts & Nevis, June 7, 2025.- The duos of Jassania Joseph/Jaya Carr of Antigua and Barbuda, Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla, St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard/Clio Phillip and Dominica’s Alyssa Bully/Joyan Pascal are the final four women’s teams at the 2025 ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship being held in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Sunday’s semifinal matchups will see Jassania Joseph and Jaya Carr of Antigua and Barbuda go head-to-head with Dominica’s Alyssa Bully and Joyan Pascal, while St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip will clash with Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla for a place in the championship final.

Joseph/Carr of Antigua and Barbuda overcame a slow start and battled through rain and strong winds to claim a hard-fought 2-1 (18-21, 21-15, 15-12) victory over Bermuda’s Kayley Hamilton and Hailey Moss. Despite losing the opening set, the Antiguan pair adjusted their game and showed resilience under the challenging weather conditions to secure the win.

Richardson and Fleming of Anguilla advanced to the semifinals with a straight-sets victory over Gereliva Spanner and Gercia Brown of St. Eustatius, winning 2-0 (21-14, 21-11) in the quarterfinals

St. Lucia’s Phillip/Ericka delivered a dominant performance in the quarterfinals, displaying confidence to overpower  the home team of Celina Awlani and Hensley Phillip 2-0 (21-12, 21-6).

Dominica’s Bully and Pascal  delivered a solid performance in the final quarterfinal match of the day. The duo secured a straight-set victory over Grenada’s Xenia Collins and Teasia Jones, winning 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) to punch their ticket to the semifinals.

In the Round of 12, Awlani/Hensley Phillip of St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN) claimed a straight-set victory over Dryaton/Farington of the British Virgin Islands  2-0 (21-19, 21-11). Teasia and Collins of Grenada edged out Amritt/Pinney from SKN in a tightly contested match, winning 2-1 (21-9, 18-21, 16-14). Spanner and Brown of Sint Eustatius cruised past Andrew/Campbell, also from SKN, with a convincing 2-0 (21-7, 21-15). Meanwhile, Joseph/Carr from Antigua and Barbuda bounced back after dropping the first set to defeat Gibson/Matthews of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines  2-1 (21-23, 21-6, 15-10).

Results U21 ECVA Women’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

Dominica, St. Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, and St. Lucia Headed to ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Men’s Semifinals

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts & Nevis, June 7, 2025.- Despite intermittent rain and strong winds, Defending champions Mervin Mingo/Bill Frederick of Dominica, Jedediah Pencheon/Vikash Sundar of St. Kitts and Nevis, Grenada’s Walcott Zerick/Kibose Hamilton, along with St. Lucia’s Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel, emerged as the top four men’s teams of the 2025 ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship.

Sunday’s semifinals will see Jedediah Pencheon and Vikash Sundar of St. Kitts and Nevis face Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel of St. Lucia, while Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick take on Walcott Zerick and Kibose Hamilton of Grenada.

Sundar/Pencheon of St. Kitts and Nevis thrilled the home crowd with a commanding performance, defeating Antigua and Barbuda’s Khaliq Joseph and Miguel Lugo in straight sets, 2-0 (22-20, 21-13), in the quarterfinals.

Dominica’s Mingo/Frederick delivered a powerful performance in their quarterfinal match, defeating Alex Lall and Joash Walters of St. Kitts and Nevis in straight sets, 2-0 (21-17, 21-7). After a competitive first set, the Dominican duo tightened their grip on the match, dominating the second set with a decisive scoreline to advance to the semifinals.

Zerick and Hamilton of Grenada showed composure and consistency throughout the quarterfinal clash, earning their spot in the semifinals with a 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) victory over the British Virgin Islands duo, Maduro Dunkley and Alexander Wheatley.

Finally, St. Lucia’s team Rio/Emmanuel clinched the last spot in the semifinals with a composed and efficient 2-0 (21-17, 21-17) victory over Julian Bristol and Komarr Fraties of St. Kitts and Nevis, sealing their place among the tournament’s top four teams.

Earlier in the day, in the Round of 12, Lugo/Joseph of Antigua and Barbuda dominated D’jario Hassell/De Jesus of Sint Eustatius with a commanding 2-0 win (21-10, 21-10). Mingo/Frederick of Dominica also secured a straight-set victory, defeating Bermuda’s Dos Santos Martin/Mello Kyle Mello 2-0 (21-11, 21-9). Bristol/Fraties from St. Kitts and Nevis overpowered Smith/Reid of Anguilla, also with a 2-0 score (21-12, 21-12). In a more competitive encounter, Maduro Dunkley Maduro/Wheatley of the British Virgin Islands edged past Alexander/Stephen from St. Vincent and the Grenadines in three sets, 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 15-10).

Results U21 ECVA Women’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

One month to go: get ready for first-ever World Volleyball Day

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 7, 2025.- 7 July 2025 marks a historic moment for our sport – the inaugural World Volleyball Day, and it is now just one month away!

The date commemorates the first public demonstration of volleyball by William Morgan in 1895 and will annually serve as a global celebration of volleyball.

The day will bring the Global Volleyball Movement together like never before, uniting players, fans, clubs, FIVB stakeholders, partners and friends from every corner of the world. Whether it is played on a beach, a court, in a park or in the home, volleyball is for everyone. The very nature of the sport encourages teamwork and collaboration. It’s fast, exciting, fun, and it has a unique power to bring people together. The FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 speaks to this power through the pillars of professionalism, integration, empowerment and mass participation. Now, through World Volleyball Day, our sport has its very own day to celebrate these values.

By playing, watching, promoting or engaging with volleyball in all its forms, you will have the opportunity to be part of a shared global experience. Whether you are a player, coach, supporter, organisation or partner, your voice and your passion will help make World Volleyball Day 2025 a truly memorable occasion.

This is a day for us all to demonstrate that volleyball is for everyone, everywhere.

For any enquiries, please contact us at press@fivb.com

Let’s come together and make history. Let’s celebrate volleyball – Together as One.

Anguilla Women Defend their ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Title on Day One

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis, June 6, 2025.- Defending champions Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson of Anguilla won Pool A defeating the local duo of Celina Alwani and Jontelle Hensley Philip and Roneika Gibson alongside Veronique Matthews of St. Vincent and the Grenadines on day one of the Women’s 2025 ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Joining Richardson/Fleming in the quarterfinals are St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip, Kayley Hamilton and Hailey Moss of Bermuda, and Dominica’s Alyssa Bully and Joyan Pascal.

Anguilla’s Deandra Fleming and Lavesha Richardson secured a 2-0 victory (21-12, 23-21) over Celina Alwani and Jontelle Hensley Philip of St. Kitts and Nevis to win Pool A. Earlier in the day, Richardson/Fleming had also defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Gibson/Matthews in straight sets (21-18, 21-15), while Alwani/Hensley Philip claimed a 2-0 win (21-8, 21-14) over the same Vincentian duo.

St. Lucia’s Ericka Gaspard and Clio Phillip dominated Pool B to finish at the top with two commanding victories. They opened with a dominant 2-0 win (21-4, 21-7) over St. Kitts and Nevis’ Jahzara Andrew and Asia Campbell, then sealed first place by defeating Grenada’s Xenia Collins and Teasia Jones in straight sets (21-14, 21-14). Earlier, Teasia/Collins had swept Andrew/Campbell 2-0 (21-13, 21-11).

Kayley Hamilton and Hailey Moss of Bermuda emerged as the winners of Pool C with a flawless performance, winning both of their matches in straight sets. The pair displayed dominance throughout, first defeating Azarraha Amritt and Shaylee Pinney of St. Kitts and Nevis 2-0 (21-4, 21-10) and then overpowering Gereliva Spanner and Gercia Brown of St. Eustatius 2-0 (21-8, 21-9). Spanner/Brown were coming from a three-set victory 2-1 (4-21, 21-16, 15-12) against Amritt/Pinney.

Dominica’s Alyssa Bully and Joyan Pascal claimed the top spot in Pool D with back-to-back three-set victories. They opened the day by rallying from a set down to defeat the British Virgin Islands’ Natalia Drayton and Megan Farrington 2-1 (16-21, 21-16, 15-10). Bully and Pascal then secured the pool win with a gritty 2-1 triumph (21-15, 23-21, 15-6) over Antigua and Barbuda’s Jassania Joseph and Jaya Carr. Earlier, Joseph and Carr swept Drayton and Farrington 2-0 (21-11, 21-14).

Day two of the event will start with round of 12 to determine the quarterfinal matchups.

Results U21 ECVA Women’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

Defending Champs Dominica fall to St. Lucia in ECVA U21 Men Beach Opening Day

BASSETERRE, Saint Kitts and Nevis, June 6, 2025.- Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick lost to Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel of St. Lucia in a hard-fought 2-1 battle (17-21, 21-19, 15-12) in Pool A on opening day of the Men’s 2025 ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship in Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel of St. Lucia, along with Jedediah Puncheon/Vikash Sundar and Alex Lall/Joash Walters of St. Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada’s Zerick Walcott and Kibose Hamilton advanced to quarterfinals after winning their respective pools.

Pool A was claimed by Victor Rio and Peter Emmanuel of St. Lucia, who rallied to defeat Dominica’s Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick. Both teams advanced to the pool-deciding match by defeating Anguilla’s Trevon Smith and Shaquoy Reid in straight sets. Mingo and Frederick won their matchup 2-0 (21-8, 21-14), while Rio and Emmanuel dominated with a 2-0 victory (21-7, 21-13).

Host country duos Jedediah Puncheon/Vikash Sundar and Alex Lall/Joash Walters emerged as winners of Pools B and C, respectively.

Jedediah Puncheon and Vikash Sundar clinched first place in Pool B with a straight-sets victory over St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Dishawn Alexander and Stephen Woods, 2-0 (21-12, 25-23). Earlier in the day, both pairs had secured wins against St. Eustatius’ D’jario Hassell and Zjondre De Jesus. Puncheon and Sundar triumphed 2-0 (21-8, 21-12), while Alexander and Woods also posted a 2-0 result (21-4, 21-10).

Alex Lall and Joash Walters faced a tougher road to claim the top spot in Pool C. They opened their campaign with a hard-fought three-set win (21-18, 16-21, 15-10) over the British Virgin Islands duo of Maduro Dunkley and Alexander Wheatley. In the decisive match, Lall and Walters battled fiercely to secure a straight-sets victory (21-19, 22-20) against Antigua and Barbuda’s Khaliq Joseph and Miguel Lugo, who had previously swept Wheatley and Dunkley 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).

Grenada’s Zerick Walcott and Kibose Hamilton opened Pool D play with a commanding 2-0 win (21-8, 21-13) over Bermuda’s Kyle Mello and Anijahe Dos Santo Martin. The home team, Julian Bristol and Komarr Fraties, also swept Bermuda in straight sets (21-8, 21-16). In a thrilling pool-deciding showdown, Walcott and Hamilton edged out Bristol and Fraties 2-0 (24-22, 23-21) to claim the top spot in Pool D.

Saturday starts with the round of 12, the winner will face group winners in the quarterfinal round. 

Results U21 ECVA Women’s Beach Championship

Watch the event on: Twitch.TV

FIVB reaffirms commitment to building a better world through volleyball during Olympism365 Summit

LAUSSANNE, Switzerland, June 6, 2025.- At the inaugural Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne from 4 to 5 June, the FIVB stood at the heart of a transformative conversation on sport’s potential to drive sustainable development.  

Featured in the final plenary session, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo joined Olympic legend and changemaker Abhinav Bindra OLY on stage to speak candidly about how volleyball, and sport at large, can make a real difference through collective action. It was here that the FIVB President also pledged coordinated action with the FIVB and Volleyball Foundation to further scale and sustain Volley4Change in Vanuatu and extend the initiative into the wider Pacific region. 

The session, “Strengthening the Role of Sport as an Enabler of Sustainable Development: Summit Outcomes and Concrete Actions”, explored how sport can serve as a practical tool to help realise the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

President Fabio Azevedo opened by aligning the volleyball vision with that of the IOC – building a better world through sport. He then noted how the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 is focused on making volleyball more affordable, accessible and understandable to people around the world. From elite arenas to grassroots courts in remote villages, the vision is about transforming volleyball into a truly global movement. 

At the centre of that transformation is the Volleyball Empowerment programme, a landmark initiative launched in 2021. With over USD 50 million invested in more than 1,489 projects across 205 countries, the programme supports coaching, equipment, and capacity-building to enable national teams to reach their full potential.  

However, realising these efforts needed to be expanded to projects not necessarily within the FIVB ecosystem, but still promoting the values of volleyball, the FIVB launched the Volleyball Foundation in 2024.  

The FIVB President spoke with passion about the Volleyball Foundation-supported Brahmaputra Volleyball League (BVL) in India, a grassroots league founded by former national captain Abhijit Bhattacharya, and emphasised how it reshaped his own sense of purpose. 

“I’ve been working for volleyball for 35 years now, but this was a lifetime experience for me,” said FIVB President Fabio Azevedo. “I saw kids playing barefoot, playing on dirt. I saw kids and a community, far from being privileged, donating everything. I met a lady, 93-years old, who donates 20% of her 150-dollar monthly pension to an under-12 volleyball team. And she’s following every single match. I saw kids playing barefoot like lions. That gave me, humbly, a greater responsibility to lead our sport towards society and to allow more people to have access to our sport.” 

IOC President-elect Kirsty Coventry also addressed the Summit to conclude the final session. During her speech, she reflected on the stories from the BVL, commenting: 

“Fabio, you felt the Ubuntu spirit. That fight of the lion of those kids, the 93-year-old lady sharing the little that she has, that’s exactly what it is. Ubuntu is a huge foundation for me; it’s a part of my legacy. It’s a part of my everyday life. And it is: I am because we are. And it means that any little thing I do has a ripple effect onto you and everyone around us.” 

Indian Olympic gold medallist and Founder of the Abhinav Bindra Foundation, Abhinav Bindra, stressed the importance of collective action when discussing the impact of the Olympic Values Education Programme (OVEP) in India.  

“Meaningful progress only happens when it is co-owned. When public systems, civil society and the sports movement not only align in purpose but design and sustain sports programmes together. Transformation only becomes real when ownership is shared, when these sectors come together, not just to align, but to co-create.  

“Sport must meet people where they are. Whether the priority is gender equality, mental health or climate action, sport must connect to what matters. People invest in what they can see, feel and benefit from.” 

In addition, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice President of the Qatar Foundation, who is also a member of the Volleyball Foundation Board, joined a panel alongside UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Ending Violence Against Children, Najat Maalla M’jidm.  

Addressing the Summit, Her Excellency stated: “One of the partnerships we worked on just yesterday was with the FIVB. We have committed to developing female coaches in volleyball and, once we pilot the real framework of developing female coaches, we would like to see that across all the different sports.”  

Other speakers during the final plenary session included Zeph Nhleko, Chief Economist at the Development Bank of Southern Africa; Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability Officer at Visa; Auvita Rapilla, IOC Member and Chair of the IOC Olympism365 Commission; and Emma Terho OLY, Chair of the IOC Athletes’ Commission.

ECVA U21 Beach Volleyball Championship Kicks Off in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis, June 5, 2025.- The Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) U21 Beach Volleyball Championship is set to begin on Friday at the Marriott Beach, North Frigate Bay on the beautiful shores of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

This prestigious tournament will showcase twenty-four talented young teams, twelve per gender, representing ten different countries across the region, promoting sportsmanship and competition.

The top three teams in both genders will qualify for the NORCECA World Championship Qualifier Tournament in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from July 3-7.

Crucial preparatory activities took place on the eve of the event, including registration process, ensuring their eligibility and documentation are in order. All teams had the opportunity to utilize the four tournament courts for training sessions, allowing them to acclimatize to the environment and fine-tune their strategies.  Finally, Glenn Quinlan, ECVA President, presided over the general technical meeting to discuss the tournament schedule, regulations and specific guidelines.

Teams are distributed in four groups. Pool play will be completed on the first day of the competition, where the winner of each group advances directly to Saturday’s quarterfinals. On day two, the round of 12 will decide who advances to the next round. The tournament will conclude on Sunday with position matches, semifinals and medal matches. 

WOMEN

Pool A: Deandra Fleming/Lavesha Richardson (AGU); Roneika Gibson/Veronique Matthews (VIN); Celina Alwani/Jontelle Hensley Philip (SKN).

Pool B: Ericka Gaspard/Clio Phillip (LCA); Xenia Collins/Teasia Jones (GRN); Jahzara Andrew/Asia Campbell (SKN).

Pool C: Kayley Hamilton/Hailey Moss (BER); Gereliva Spanner/Gercia Brown (EUX); Azarraha Amritt/Shaylee Pinney (SKN).

Pool D: Jassania Joseph/Jaya Carr (ANT); Alyssa Bully/Joyan Pascal (DMA);
Natalia Drayton/Megan Farrington (IVB)

MEN

Pool A: Mervin Mingo/Bill Frederick (DMA); Trevon Smith/Shaquoy Reid (AGU); Victor Rio/

Peter Emmanuel (LCA).

Pool B: Jedediah Puncheon/Vikash Sundar (SKN); Dishawn Alexander/Stephen Woods (VIN); D’jario Hassell/Zjondre De Jesus (EUX.

Pool C: Khaliq Joseph/Miguel Lugo (ANT); Maduro Dunkley/Alexander Wheatley (IVB);
Alex Lall/ Joash Walters (SKN).

Pool D: Zerick Walcott/ Kibose Hamilton (GRN); Kyle Mello/ Anijahe Dos Santo Martin (BER); Julian Bristol/Komarr Fraties (SKN).

Americans Donley/Sherman Claim Gold at NORCECA U23 Tour in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 25, 2025 – The American duo of Emma Donley and Portia Sherman were crowned champions of the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour after a commanding 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) victory over Canada’s Sophie Hancock and Emma Cudmore in the final, held at the sand courts of beautiful Juan Dolio beach.

Donley/Sherman advanced to the gold medal match by defeating Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes with a dominant 2-0 (21-12, 21-12) win in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Hancock/Cudmore reached the final by taking down the Dominican team of Crismil Paniagua and Yari Cleto, also in straight sets (21-17, 21-16).

The podium was completed by Dominicans Paniagua and Cleto, who claimed the bronze medal after beating Silva/Brenes with scores of 21-15 and 21-18.

In the battle for fifth place, Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney edged Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier in a three-set thriller (21-19, 21-13, 16-14).

Seventh place went to Costa Rica’s Aliza Aguilar and Sofía Vega, who secured a 2-0 (21-9, 21-19) win over Joanna Robinson and Luna Ebanks from the Cayman Islands.

El Salvador’s Ashley Rauda and Keiry Guzmán took ninth place by defeating the Virgin Islands’ Kirra Lambert and Sophia Peifer, 2-0 (21-13, 21-18).

Dominicans Zoe Paniagua and Steyce Turbi finished in eleventh place after a 2-0 (21-14, 21-13) win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Kristiana Richards and Adalia Badroe. Meanwhile, Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben placed thirteenth.

Araya/Varela from Costa Rica Crowned Champions of the First Stage of the NORCECA U23 Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 25, 2025.– Julián Araya and Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica were crowned champions of the first stage of the NORCECA U23 Tour, held on the spectacular beach of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic. They clinched the title in a thrilling three-set match 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 15-12) against Americans Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst.

Araya and Varela reached the gold medal match after defeating Nicaragua’s Josué Meneses and Jesy Umaña in the semifinals in straight sets (21-15, 21-18). On the other side, Hasey and Hurst advanced to the final after beating Dominican duo Ramón De Jesús and Rolvin Maldonado 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).

Third place went to Meneses and Umaña, who claimed the bronze medal by defeating De Jesús and Maldonado 2-0 (21-19, 21-14).

Fifth place was secured by Canadians Connor Dorsey and Aiden Hilkowitz, who beat El Salvador’s Gabriel Vargas and Carlos Mejía 2-0 (21-8, 27-25).

In the battle for seventh place, fellow Canadians Aidan Labossiere and Mason Doering earned a solid 2-0 victory (21-18, 21-12) over Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee of the Cayman Islands. Ninth place went to Hondurans Jairo Gálvez and Isaac Méndez, who came from behind to defeat Barbados’ Julián Bristol and Jedediah Pencheon in three sets, 2-1 (13-21, 21-19, 17-15).

Daniel Delgado and José Guevara of Guatemala finished in eleventh place after a straight-set win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel, 2-0 (21-16, 21-16).

Thirteenth place was claimed by Suriname’s Jamal Atman and Guy Lieveld, who defeated Kymani Greenidge and Cole Sommer of the Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-16, 21-19). Finally, Jared Brown and Kanif Wathey of the U.S. Virgin Islands finished in fifteenth place.

Dominican Republic, Canada, USA, and Nicaragua in Women’s Semifinals at NORCECA U23 Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 24, 2025.-  The Dominican duo of Crismil Paniagua and Yari Cleto, Canada’s Sophie Hancock and Emma Cudmore, USA’s Emma Donley and Portia Sherman, and Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes have all advanced to the women’s semifinals of the 2025 NORCECA U23  Beach Volleyball Tour, taking place on the beautiful shores of Juan Dolio.

The host team, Paniagua and Cleto, will face Hancock and Cudmore from Canada in the first semifinal. In the other matchup, Donley and Sherman of the United States will go head-to-head with Nicaragua’s Silva and Brenes.

Portia Sherman of United States

In the quarterfinals, Paniagua and Cleto cruised past Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney in straight sets, 21-8, 21-14. Hancock and Cudmore followed with a dominant 2-0 win (21-12, 21-10) over Aliza Aguilar and Sofía Vega of Costa Rica. Donley and Sherman overpowered Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier 21-15, 21-9, while Silva and Brenes took a convincing 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) victory over Joanna Robinson and Luna Banks of the Cayman Islands.

Earlier in the competition, all four semifinalist teams topped their respective groups in pool play.

In the classification matches for 9th to 12th place, El Salvador’s Ashley Rauda and Keiry Guzmán defeated Kristiana Richards and Adalia Badroe of Trinidad & Tobago 2-0 (21-10, 21-13), while the U.S. Virgin Islands’ Kirra Lambert and Sophia Peifer beat Dominicans Zoe Paniagua and Steyce Turbi 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).

For 13th to 16th place classification, Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben advanced by a bye.

Semifinals and placement matches will take place on Sunday morning, with the bronze and gold medal matches scheduled for the afternoon.

Other results:

Hancock/Cudmore (CAN) d Richards/Badroe (TTO) 2-0 (21-16, 21-3); Silva/Brenes (NCA) d Aguilar/Vega (CRC) 2-0 (21-18, 21-5); Donley/Sherman (USA) d Aguilar/Monney 2-0 821-14, 21-12); Paniagua/Cleto (DOM) d Rauda/Guzmán (ESA) 2-0 (21-7, 21-9); Rivera/Bruhier (HON) d Neagle/Houben (CAN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-6).

Dominican Republic, USA, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua Secure Spots in Men’s Semifinals at NORCECA U23 Tour in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 24, 2025.- The men’s teams of Ramón De Jesús/Rolvin Maldonado of Dominican Republic, USA’s Gage Basey/Thomas Hurst, Julián Araya/Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica and Josué Meneses/Jesy Umaña of Nicaragua secured their spots in the semifinals of the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour, currently taking place on the sand courts set up along the beach in Juan Dolio.

In Sunday’s semifinals, De Jesús and Maldonado (DOM) will face Basey and Hurst (USA), while Meneses and Umaña (NCA) will meet Araya and Varela (CRC).

Thomas Hurst of United States

In the quarterfinals, the Dominican duo De Jesús/Maldonado won a thrilling match against Canada’s Aidan Labossiere and Mason Doering in three sets, 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 15-12). Meanwhile, Americans Basey and Hurst claimed a convincing 2-0 victory (21-12, 21-14) over Canadians Connor Dorsey and Aiden Hilkowitz. Costa Rica’s Araya and Varela were dominant over  Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-8, 21-10), while Nicaragua’s Meneses and Umaña earned a solid 2-0 win (21-17, 21-14) over El Salvador’s Gabriel Vargas and Carlos Mejía.

Just like in the women’s competition, the four men’s semifinalist duos also topped their respective pools in the preliminary round.

In classification matches for 9th to 12th place, Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez and Isaac Méndez defeated Daniel Delgado and José Guevara of Guatemala 2-0 (21-11, 21-12).

In the battle for 13th to 16th place, Suriname’s Jamal Atman and Guy Lieveld advanced via bye, while Kymani Greenidge and Cole Sommer of the U.S. Virgin Islands defeated compatriots Jared Brown and Kanif Wathey 2-0 (21-15, 21-12).

The semifinals and placement matches will be played Sunday morning, followed by the bronze and gold medal matches in the afternoon.

Other results:

De Jesús/Maldonado (DOM) d Delgado/Guevara (GUA) 2-0 (21-10, 21-11); Araya/Varela (CRC) d Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon (SKN) 2-0 )21-11, 21-8); Labossiere/Doering (CAN) d Brown/Wathey (ISV) 2-0 (21-5, 21-7); Meneses/Umaña (NCA) d Dorsey/Hilkowitz (CAN) 2-1 (11-21, 21-13, 15-11); Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel (TTO) d Greenidge/Sommer (ISV) 2-0 (21-16, 21-6); Basey Hurst (USA) d Vargas/Mejía (ESA) 2-0 (21-19, 22-20); Gálvez/Méndez (HON) d Atman/Lieveld (SUR) 2-0 (21-8, 21-5).

Six Women’s Teams Undefeated on Opening Day of U23 Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 23, 2025.- Six women’s pairs finished undefeated on the opening day of the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour, which kicked off Friday at the beautiful Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic.

In Pool A, the Canadian duo of Sophie Hancock and Emma Cudmore earned a win over Joanna Robinson and Luna Ebanks of Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-10, 21-11), while their second match was a bye.

Costa Rica’s Aliza Aguilar and Sofia Vega, along with Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes, ended the day undefeated in Pool B. Both teams defeated Kirra Lambert and Sofia Peifer from the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Aguilar and Vega dominated Lambert/Peifer 2-0 (21-10, 21-5), while Silva and Brenes also secured a straight-sets victory (21-11, 21-12).

In Pool C, the U.S. pair of Emma Donley and Portia Sherman defeated Dominican duo Zoe Paniagua and Steyce Turbi 2-0 (21-6, 21-8). Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney also triumphed over Paniagua/Turbi, winning 2-0 (21-5, 21-4).

Dominicans Crismil Paniagua and Yari Cleto, in Pool D, beat Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Reizel Bruhier 2-0 (21-14, 25-23). Canada’s Claire Neagle and Nolyn Houben also defeated the Honduran team 2-0 (21-17, 21-9).

Other results:

Joanna Robinson/Luna Ebanks (CAY) d TTO Kristiana Richards/Adalia Badroe 2-1 (21-9, 22-24, 15-8), Ashley Rauda/Keiry Guzmán (ESA) d Claier Neagle/Nolyn Houben 2-0 (21-14, 21-9), and Shanna Rivera/Reizel Bruhier (HON) d Rauda/Guzmán (ESA) 2-1 (21-6, 19-21, 15-10).

Men’s Competition Kicks Off Fiercely at U23 Tour in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 23, 2025.- The teams from Costa Rica, Canada, Nicaragua, the United States, and El Salvador had a strong start at the NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour in Juan Dolio, each closing the opening day of the men’s competition with two wins in as many matches.

In Pool B, Costa Rica’s duo of Julián Araya and Jhostin Varela delivered commanding performances in their two outings. They first defeated Canada’s Aidan Labossiere and Mason Doering 2-0 (21-10, 21-13), then followed up with a convincing 2-0 victory (21-5, 21-9) over Jared Brown and Kanif Wathey of the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In Pool C, Canadians Connor Dorsey and Aiden Hilkowitz claimed two straight-set victories; 2-0 (21-7, 21-10) against Kymani Greenidge and Cole Sommer of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) over Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison and Jahreef Miguel.

Nicaragua’s team, Josué Meneses and Jesy Umaña, also enjoyed a strong start in the same pool. They defeated Morrison/Miguel (TTO) 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) and then Greenidge/Sommer (ISV) 2-0 (21-10, 21-6).

In Pool D, Gage Basey and Thomas Hurst of the United States dominated their two matches, first against Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez and Isaac Méndez (2-0, 21-10, 21-7), and then against Suriname’s Atman and Guy Lieveld (2-0, 21-8, 21-12).

Likewise, El Salvador’s Gabriel Vargas and Carlos Mejía had a successful debut, defeating Gálvez/Méndez (HON) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13) and then overcoming Suriname’s Atman/Lieveld 2-0 (21-18, 21-8).

In Pool A, the Dominican duo of Ramón De Jesús and Rolvin Maldonado secured a victory over Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson and Dylan Lynee with a score of 2-0 (21-10, 21-17).

Other results:

Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee (CAY) d Daniel Delgado/José Guevara (GUA) 2-1 (18-21, 21-13, 15-9), Julián Bristo/Jedediah Pencheon (SKN) d Jared Brown/Kanif Wathey (ISV) 2-0 (21-10, 21-11), Aidan Labossiere/Mason Doering (CAN) d Bristol/Pencheon (SKN) 2-0 (22-20, 21-16).

28 Teams to Battle at NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour Opener

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 22, 2025.- The opening event of the 2025 NORCECA U23 Beach Volleyball Tour will feature 28 teams from 13 countries. The competition will take place from May 23 to 25 on the beautiful sand courts of Juan Dolio Beach, Dominican Republic.

The NORCECA U23 Tour is a great opportunity to watch the beach volleyball rising stars in action and enjoy a tournament full of talent and energy. It also serves as preparation for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.

Fifteen men’s teams and thirteen women’s teams registered during Thursday’s preliminary inspections, all aiming to advance from the group stage, which begins this Friday at 8:00 a.m. local time.

Team of United States

A total of 24 matches are scheduled for Friday, 14 in the men’s division and 10 in the women’s. The preliminary round will conclude Saturday morning, followed by the quarterfinals and the losers’ bracket in the afternoon. Semifinals and medal matches will be played on Sunday, along with classification matches.

Men’s Teams: DOM Ramón De Jesús/Rolvin Maldonad; CRC Julián Araya/Jhostin Varela; USA Gage Basey/Thomas Hurst; NCA Josue Meneses/Jesy Umaña; SKN Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon; CAY Stephen Watson/Dylan Lynee; ISV Jared Brown/Kanif Wathey, Kymani Greenidge/Cole Sommer; TTO Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel; HON Jairo Galvez/Isaac Villalobos; SUR Joshua Dwarkasing/Dean Kasdi; ESA Gabriel Vargas/Carlos Mejía; GUA Daniel Delgado/José Guevara; CAN Connor Dorsey/Aiden Holkowitz, Aidan Labossiere/Mason Doering.

Women’s Teams: CRC Aliza Aguilar/Sofía Vega; USA Emma Donley/Portia Sherman; DOM Crismil Paniagua/Yari Cleto, Zoe Paniagua/Steyce Turbi ; ESA Ashley Rauda/Keiry Guzmán; NCA Nahima Silva/Norma Brenes; TTO Kristianna Richards/Adalia Badroe; CAY Joanna Robinson/Luna Ebanks; ISV Kirra Lambert/Sophia Peifer; HON Shanna Rivera/Reizel Bruhier; GUA Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney; CAN Sophie Hancock/Emma-Joy Cudmore, Claire Neagle/Nolyn Houben.

Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María González Win Gold in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 18, 2025.- Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María González claimed the gold medal after defeating Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Rodríguez in a thrilling match 2-0 (21-19, 21-19) in the second stage of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour, held on the beach of Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic.

The bronze medal went to Mexico’s Yeray Vidaurruzaga and María Ramírez, who bounced back after dropping the first set to defeat Corine Quiggle and Megan Rice from the United States 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 15-12).

Fifth place was claimed by Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus, who needed three sets to overcome Dominicans Yari Cleto and Crismil Paniagua 2-1 (21-12, 20-22, 15-13).

In the match for seventh place, Americans Kelly Kool and Tiffany Svenssohn outlasted Dominican duo Julibeth Payano and Bethania Almanzar 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-8), while Canada’s Emily Anderson and Amanda Harnett secured ninth place by defeating Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez 2-0 (21-13, 21-7).

Eleventh place went to Melanie Valenciana and T’ara Austin of the U.S. Virgin Islands, who beat Cayman Islands’ Deajra Tulloch and Maryn McCoombs 2-0 (21-17, 21-12). Venezuela’s Oriana Granadilla and Reibeth Artigas claimed 13th place after a 2-0 (21-19, 21-13) victory over Costa Rica’s Aliza Aguilar and Sofía Vega.

El Salvador’s Donnina Argueta and Keiry Guzmán finished in 15th place with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-4) win over Trinidad and Tobago’s Meeka Johnson and Paige Alexander, while Guatemala’s Laura Quiñones and Naomi Monney took 17th place.

Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna of Mexico Champions of the Second Stage of the NORCECA Beach Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 18, 2025.- The Mexican duo of Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna claimed top honors in the second stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Tour after outlasting Americans Timothy Brewster and Ryan Ierna in a hard-fought three-set battle, 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12).

The bronze medal went to fellow Mexicans Antonio Lares and Carlos Ayala, who came from behind to defeat Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Dany López 2-1 (16-21, 21-15, 15-13).

Fifth place was secured by Americans Lev Priima and Brian Miller, who beat U.S. Virgin Islands’ Garrett Bucklin and Devin Van Siclen 2-0 (25-23, 21-14).

Canada’s Dylan Devecseri and Rouzbeh Rahnavard took seventh place after a 2-1 (21-12, 18-21, 15-11) win over Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Jhostin Varela. In ninth place were Puerto Ricans Richard Timm and Diego Rosich, who topped Dominican duo Hayerlin De Jesús and Rolvin Maldonado 2-0 (21-15, 21-17).

Guatemala’s Luis García and Edgar Maldonado finished in 11th place due to a withdrawal by the team from Trinidad and Tobago. Canada’s Cameron Chadwick and Robert Kemp claimed 13th place by defeating Dominicans R. De Jesús and Alexander Wilmore 2-0 (21-12, 21-15).

El Salvador’s Gabriel Vargas and Carlos Mejía earned 15th place with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-12) win over Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Julián Bristol and Jedediah Pencheon. Venezuela’s Harrison Riveros and Luis Méndez took 17th place by defeating Cayman Islands’ Stephen Watson and Ricardas Kazinec 2-0 (21-13, 21-19), while Guy Lieveld and Jamal Atman of Suriname finished in 19th place.

Women’s Tandems of USA, Puerto Rico and Mexico Advance to Semifinals in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 17, 2025.- The duos of Corine Quiggle and Megan Rice from the United States, Allanis Navas and María González of Puerto Rico, and Mexico’s Susana Torres with Atenas Gutiérrez, along with Yeray Vidaurruzaga and María Ramírez, have all advanced to the semifinals of the second stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour. The event is taking place on the beautiful sandy courts of Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic.

The American pair Quiggle/Rice, champions of the first stage held in Varadero, secured their semifinal berth by defeating the Dominican duo of Julibeth Payano and Bethania Ramírez in straight sets 2-0 (21-14, 21-13).

Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and María González, playing their first event of the 2025 NORCECA Tour, cruised past the U.S. team of Kelly Kool and Tiffany Svenssohn with a dominant 2-0 (21-7, 21-9) win.

Corinne Quiggle of United States

Meanwhile, Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez comfortably overcame Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus 2-0 (21-15, 21-10), and their compatriots Yeray Vidaurruzaga and María Ramírez defeated the Dominican pair Yari Cleto and Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-13, 21-11) to reach the next round.

In the semifinals, Quiggle/Rice from the United States will face Puerto Rico’s Navas/González, while the other semifinal will feature a repeat of the all-Mexican clash from Varadero between Torres/Gutiérrez and Vidaurruzaga/Ramírez.

The tournament concludes this Sunday with placement matches, the semifinals, and the grand finale.

Other results of the day were:

DOM Payano/Almanzar d GUA Quiñones/Monney 2-0 (21-16, 21-8), MEX Vidaurrazaga/María d VEN Granadilla/Artigas 2-0 (21-13, 21-16), DOM Payano/Almanzar d VEN Granadilla/Artigas 2-0 (21-15, 21-13), CAN Anderson/Harnett d GUA Quiñones/Monney 2-0 (21-7, 21-15), USA Quiggle/Rice d ISV Valenciana/Austin 2-0 (21-12, 21-16), USA Quiggle/Rice d TTO Johnson/Alexander 2-0 (21-3, 21-7), DOM Cleto/Paniagua d ISV Valenciana/Austin 2-0 (21-18, 21-17), MEX Torres/Gutierrez d CRC Aguilar/Vega 2-0 (21-7, 21-15), USA Kool/Svenssohn d CRC Aguilar/Vega 2-0 (21-14, 21-9), MEX Torres/Gutierrez d NCA López/Rodríguez 2-0 (21-6, 21-12), CAN McNabney/Kunaus d ESA Argueta/Guzmán 2-0 (21-11, 21-8), PUR Navas/González d CAN McNabney/Kunaus 2-0 (21-10, 21-15), CAY Tulloch/McCoombs d Argueta/Guzmán 2-0 (21-12, 21-19).

United States, Nicaragua, and Mexico Reach Men’s Semifinals in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 17, 2025.- Teams from the United States, Nicaragua, and Mexico have secured their spots in the semifinals of the second stop of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, after claiming victory in their respective quarterfinal matches on Saturday. The event takes place on the sandy courts set up along the beach in Juan Dolio.

The U.S. duo of Timothy Brewster and Ryan Ierna advanced to the next round with a dominant straight set win over Garrett Bucklin and Devin Van Siclen of the U.S. Virgin Islands, 2-0 (21-14, 21-18).

In a tightly contested Central American battle, Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Dany López emerged victorious over Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Jhostin Varela, rallying for a 2-1 win with scores of 19-21, 21-17, 15-11.

Miguel Sarabia of Mexico

Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna moved on to the next round after staging an impressive comeback against Americans Lev Priima and Brian Miller, taking the match in three exciting sets, 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 15-11).

Meanwhile, the other Mexican pair, Antonio Lares and Carlos Ayala, booked their place in the semifinals with a determined performance, defeating Canada’s Dylan Devecseri and Rouzbeh Rahnavard in another three-set battle, 2-1 (17-21, 21-18, 15-12).

The first semifinal will be an all-Mexican showdown, as Sarabia and Osuna face their compatriots Lares and Ayala, guaranteeing a spot in the final for Mexico.

In the second semifinal, the United States duo Timothy Brewster and Ryan Ierna will face Nicaragua´s Rubén Mora and Dany López, who will be aiming to reach the final once again, just as they did in the first stage of the NORCECA Tour held in Varadero.

Sunday’s schedule includes placement matches, the semifinals, and the tournament final.

Other results of the day:

DOM H. De Jesús/Maldonado d VEN Riveros/Méndez 2-0 (21-19, 21-19), CRC Araya/Varela d CAN Chadwick/Kemp 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 15-9), USA Priima/Miller d VEN Riveros/Méndez 2-0 (21-17, 21-16), CRC Araya Varela d SUN H. De Jesús/Maldonado 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-11), NCA Mora/López d TTO Theodore/Enile 2-0 (21-14, 21-14), MEX Sarabia/Osuna d NCA Mora/López 2-1 (21-15, 16-21, 16-14), TTO Theodore/Enile d CAY Watson/Kazinec 2-0 (21-19, 21-17), MEX Sarabia/Osuna d DOM R. De Jesús/Wilmore 2-0 (21-14, 21-14), PUR Tiim/ Rosich d SUR Lieveld/Atman 2-0 (21-6, 21-9), MEX Lares/Ayala d ISV Bucklin/Van Siclen 2-0 (21-8, 21-15), SKN Bristol/Pencheon d SUR Lieveld/Atman 2-0 (21-9, 21-18), ISV Bucklin/Van Siclen d PUR Tiim/Rosich 2-0 (21-16, 21.15), USA Brewster/Ierna d GUA García/Maldonado 2-0 (21-13, 21-16), USA Brewster/Ierna d CAN Devecseri/Rahnavard 2-0 (21-15, 21-15), GuUA García/Maldonado d ESA Vargas/Mejía 2-0 (21-13, 21-18).

USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico Women’s Teams Unbeaten in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 16, 2025.- Women’s duos from the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Mexico remained undefeated on the first day of competition in the second stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour. Their performances showcased the high level of competition and talent present at the tournament, which is taking place on the beautiful sand courts set up at Juan Dolio beach in the Dominican Republic, a setting that surely adds a special touch to the event.

In Pool A, Mexico’s Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Ramírez defeated the Dominican duo Julibeth Payano/Bethania Almanzar 2-1 (16-21, 21-14, 15-12), Guatemala’s Laura Quiñones/Naomi Monney 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), and Canada’s Emily Anderson/Amanda Harnett 2-0 (21-16, 21-17).

Aliza Aguilar of Costa Rica

Winners of the first stage in Varadero, Americans Corine Quiggle and Megan Rice, topped Pool B by beating Dominican pair Yari Cleto/Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-13, 21-12). Their second scheduled match was a bye. Meanwhile, Melanie Valenciana and Austin T’ara of the U.S. Virgin Islands defeated Trinidad and Tobago’s Meeka Johnson/Paige Alexander 2-0 (21-9, 21-5), with their other match also a bye.

In Pool C, Mexicans Susana Torres and Atenas Rodríguez, silver medalists in the Varadero stop,  overcame Americans Kelly Kool and Tiffany Svenssohn 2-0 (21-17, 21-12), while their second match was a bye.

Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and María González, gold medalists at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in El Salvador, earned two dominant victories in Pool D. They first beat Deajra Tulloch and Joanna Robinson of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-8, 21-7), then took down El Salvador’s Donnina Argueta and Keiry Guzmán 2-0 (21-7, 21-7). Additionally, Canada’s Maya McNabney and Emma Kunaus defeated Tulloch/Robinson 2-0 (21-9, 21-11), with their second match resulting in a bye.

The competition continues Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (local time) with the remainder of the preliminary round, followed by the quarterfinals and the loser’s bracket.

Other results from the opening day are:

CAN Emily Anderson/Amanda Harnett d VEN Oriana Granadilla/Reibeth Artigas 2-1 (17-21, 21-12, 15-12), DOM Julibeth Payano/Bethania Almanzar d CAN Anderson/Harnett 2-1 (23-21, 17-21, 15-13), VEN Granadilla/Artigas d GUA Laura Quiñones/Naomi Monney 2-0 (21-8, 21-16), DOM Yari Cleto/Crismil Paniagua d TTO Meeka Johnson/Paige Alexander 2-0 (21-8, 21-7), USA Kelly Kool/Tiffany Svenssohn d NCA Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez 2-0 (21-7, 21-7), NCA López/Rodríguez d CRC Aliza Aguilar/Sofía Vega 2-0 (21-16, 21-8).

Six Men’s Teams Undefeated in Second Phase of NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 16, 2025.- Teams from the United States, Canada, Mexico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica remain undefeated in the preliminary round of the second stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour. This highlights the strength and talent of these squads, who are giving it their all to advance in the tournament being held at the beautiful Juan Dolio beach in the Dominican Republic, a perfect setting for this thrilling event.

Timothy Brewster/Ryan Ierna of the United States easily defeated El Salvador’s Gabriel Vargas/Carlos Mejía 2-0 (21-11, 21-13), while their second match was a bye. Meanwhile, Canada’s Dylan Devecseri/Rouzbeh Rahnavard beat Guatemala’s Luis García/Edgar Maldonado 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) and also overcame Vargas/Mejía from El Salvador 2-1 (21-14, 14-21, 17-15).

Julian Araya and Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica

Mexico’s Antonio Lares/Carlos Ayala secured victories over Puerto Rico’s Richard Timm/Diego Rosich 2-0 (21-15, 21-17), Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon 2-0 (21-11, 21-14), and Suriname’s Guy Lieveld/Jamal Atman 2-0 (21-10, 21-6). The other Mexican duo, Miguel Sarabia/Jorman Osuna, defeated Stephen Watson/Ricardas Kazinec of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-11, 21-12) and also beat Trinidad and Tobago’s Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile 2-0 (21-12, 21-13).

Garrett Bucklin/Devin Van Siclen of the U.S. Virgin Islands won their matches against Bristol/Pencheon 2-0 (21-17, 21-8) and Lieveld/Atman 2-0 (21-12, 21-10). Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora/Dany López triumphed over the Dominican pair Ramón De Jesús/Alexander Wilmore 2-0 (21-17, 21-6) and beat Watson/Kazinec 2-0 (21-13, 21-11).

Another undefeated team was Costa Rica’s Julián Araya/Jhostin Varela, who prevailed over Lev Priima/Brian Miller of the United States 2-1 (21-14, 16-21, 15-9), and defeated Venezuela’s Harrison Riveros/Luis Méndez 2-0 (21-18, 27-25).

The preliminary round continues Saturday, followed by the quarterfinals and the loser’s bracket.

Other results of the day were:

DOM Hayerlin De Jesús/Rolvin Maldonado d CAN Cameron Chadwick/Robert Kemp 2-1 (16-21, 21-19, 15-13), USA Lev Priima/Brian Miller d DOM H. De Jesús/Maldonado 2-0 (21-16, 21-18), CAN Chadwick/Kemp d VEN Harrison Rivers/Luis Méndez 2-1 (21-19, 25-27, 15-8), TTO Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile d DOM R. De Jesús/Wilmore 2-1 (20-22, 21-19, 15-12), DOM R. De Jesús/Wilmore d CAY Stephen Watson/Ricardas Kazinec 2-0 (21-11, 21-14), PUR Richard Timm/Diego Rosich d SKN Julián Bristol/Jedediah Pencheon 2-0 (21-12, 21-15).

FIVB launches landmark athlete career transition seminar: “Beyond the Court”

May 16, 2025.- In a landmark moment for the Global Volleyball Movement, the FIVB Athletes’ Commission with support from the FIVB has launched its first-ever athlete post-career seminar – “Beyond the Court”. This pioneering program is designed to guide volleyball and beach volleyball athletes as they transition from elite competition into post-professional-athlete careers. 

Taking place from 6 to 10 October 2025 at the FIVB Volleyball House in Lausanne, Switzerland, the seminar has been developed by the FIVB Athletes’ Commission in collaboration with the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), the FIVB and other key partners. The initiative aligns with the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032, which is driven by the motto “Together as One” and anchored in the core values of professionalism, integration, empowerment and mass participation. By offering structured support for life beyond the court, the FIVB is not only preserving the heritage of its athletes but is also actively building pathways for them to remain at the heart of the sport – as leaders and mentors. 

Over five days, participants will engage in expert-led workshops, connect with global industry leaders and receive personalized mentorship opportunities.  

The seminar is open to retiring or recently retired high-performance volleyball and beach volleyball athletes. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and have represented their national team or club at top World or Continental level events. 

Speaking about the upcoming seminar, FIVB President Fabio Azevedo stated:  

“I am extremely proud that the FIVB is launching ‘Beyond the Court’. Through the seminar, we are turning another pillar of the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 – ‘Athletes, History and Heritage’ – into reality. Athletes are at the very heart of our sport, and we want to celebrate them, while also empowering them to create new chapters of success. Together as One, we are encouraging future leaders and strengthening bonds across the Global Volleyball Movement.” 

FIVB Athletes’ Commission President Louise Bawden added: 

“Every athlete reaches a point where the focus begins to shift from performance on the court to what comes next—and that transition isn’t easy. ‘Beyond the Court’ is about recognizing the wide horizon of opportunities beyond playing. It’s great to see the FIVB supporting athletes in building those new pathways—offering the tools, networks and confidence needed to thrive in the next chapter, while staying connected to the sport we love.” 

Click HERE to Apply.

Osvaldo Idel Martínez, Mireya Luis elected to lead Cuban Volleyball Federation

May 14, 2025.- Osvaldo Idel Martinez Arias and Mireya Luis Hernandez have been elected to lead the Cuban Volleyball Federation (FCV), following General Assembly held in Havana on May 9 to define the sport’s leadership for the 2025-2028 cycle.

Osvaldo Idel Martinez Arias, a long-time coach and sport administrator, was elected President, while Mireya Luis, one of the most celebrated figures in international volleyball, was named Vice President. The session was chaired by Cuban Olympic Committee President Roberto Leon Richards and Minister of Sport Osvaldo Vento Montiller.

Martinez’s connection to volleyball spans more than four decades, starting as a physical education teacher in Camaguey before moving into coaching and national team development. His track record includes guiding youth and school teams, international assignments in Venezuela, and leadership within the FCV, where he most recently served as Secretary General.

The strength of the newly elected Executive Committee lies in shared experience and commitment, as he works alongside Mireya Luis and Yumilka Ruiz, both fellow Olympians and former teammates from Camaguey.

Mireya Luis brings exceptional stature and international influence on the role. She is a three-time consecutive Olympic gold medalist, having led Cuba to titles in 1992, 1996 and 2000. She captained Cuba’s golden generation and remains one of the sport’s most recognizable figures.

She currently serves as Executive Vice President of the FIVB and is a member of its Board of Administration and Executive Committee, playing a central role in global governance and development initiatives.

Yumilka Ruiz, also a former Olympic champion and now the national commissioner, joins the FCV executive as a board member, alongside Ricardo Borroto (Secretary General), Lorenzo Martinez (Treasurer), Jorge Sosa, and Jorge Luis Garcia.

The appointments come at a decisive moment, as Cuba prepares for the men’s VNL, World Championships at multiple age levels, and the Junior Pan American Games in both indoor and beach volleyball. Teams are also expected to compete in the NORCECA Beach Circuit and the Beach Pro Tour.

Before Cuba start their VNL campaign in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, they will play two warm-up matches against Argentina in San Juan.

In compliance with the FIVB Regulations, a detailed verification of the documentation for every National Federation election is conducted by the FIVB.

36 Duos to Compete in the Second Stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Juan Dolio

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, May 15, 2025.- A total of 36 duos from 19 different countries will compete in the second stage of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, set to take place from May 16 to 18 on the beautiful beach of Juan Dolio in the Dominican Republic.

Undoubtedly, it will be an event full of talent, energy, and excitement in a paradisiacal setting, featuring 19 men’s teams and 17 women’s teams that confirmed their participation during Thursday’s preliminary meeting.

All teams will give their best in the preliminary round, which kicks off Friday at 8:00 AM, as they aim to advance from the group stage to the knockout round.

Team of United States

On the opening day, 36 group matches will be played, 21 in the men’s division and 15 in the women’s. The preliminary round will conclude on Saturday, along with the quarterfinal matches. Sunday promises to be a spectacular day, featuring the semifinals, the consolation matches, and the grand finale to crown the champions.

Teams:

Men’s Teams: DOM Hayerling De Jesús/Rolvin Maldonado, Ramón De Jesús/Alexander Wilmore; NCA Ruben Mora/Dany López; PUR William Rivera/Cristian Encarnación; USA Timothy Brewster/Ryan Ierna, Lev Priima/Bryan Miller; CAN Dylan Devecseri/Rouzbeh Rahnavard, Cameron Chadwick/Robert Kemp; ISV Garrett Buckling/Devin Van Siclen; MEX Miguel Sarabia/Jorman Osuna, Ines Vargas/Carlos Ayala; CRC Julian Araya/Jhostin Varela; VEN Harrison Riveros/Luis Mendez; TTO Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile; SUR Joshua Dwarkasing/Dean Kasdi; GUA Edgar Maldonado/Luis Garcia; ESA Gabriel Vargas/Carlos Mejia; SKN Julian Bristol/Jededia Pencheon; CAY Stephen Watson/Ricardas Kaziznec.

Women’s Teams: DOM Julibeth Payano/Bethania Almanzar, Yari Cleto/Crismil Paniagua; USA Terese Cannon/Megan Kraft, Hailey Harward/Kelley Kolinske; MEX Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez, Yeray Vidaurrazaga, Maria Ramirez; CAN Maya McNabney/Emma Kunaus, Emily Anderson/Amanda Harnett; PUR Allanis Navas/Maria Gonzalez; NCA Socorro Lopez/Lolette Rodriguez; TTO Apphia Glasgow/La Teisha Joseph; VEN Oriana Granadilla/Luisiana Linares; GUA Laura Quiñones/Naomi Monney; ISV Melanie Valenciana/T’ara Austin; CRC Aliza Aguilar/Sofía Vega; ESA Donnina Argueta/Keiry Guzmán; CAY Deajra Tulloch/Maryn McCoombs.

AFECAVOL Approves Final Four Events for FIVB Ranking, Confirms Host for U19 Women’s Championship and New Competition Formats

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, May 7, 2025.– In a productive virtual session, the Executive Committee of the Central American Volleyball Association (AFECAVOL) approved key measures to boost volleyball development in the region. Highlights include the official recognition of Final Four tournaments as ranking events for the FIVB World Ranking, the implementation of new competition formats, and confirms El Salvador as host country for the  Central American U19 Women’s Championship.

AFECAVOL President Félix Sabio emphasized the need to reach the highest competitive standards in the region. “It is imperative for our zone to pursue the highest standards. If our events don’t grant world ranking points, we limit opportunities for our countries.” In line with FIVB regulations, Sabio stressed the importance of aligning the calendar and competition criteria to avoid disadvantaging any member federation. “We must put aside national interests and think collectively.”

Sabio also stressed that all AFECAVOL member countries must make the effort to participate in the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour stages to be held in Central America. The aim is to promote this discipline throughout the region and secure valuable ranking points for qualification to continental, Pan American, and world events.

Additionally, Sabio shared that during the recent FIVB Board of Administration meeting, it was decided that multi-sport events in the Olympic cycle would not award world ranking points. Consequently, it was confirmed during the discussions that, this year, the Final Four tournaments will be the ranking events for the region, with the Senior Volleyball Cups to be included starting next year to meet FIVB point requirements. The calendar for these ranking events will take place annually between May and October.

New Competition Formats

With the goal of enhancing the sporting spectacle and creating new revenue streams, AFECAVOL agreed to replace the traditional round-robin format with a competition system that includes a preliminary group stage, qualification rounds, semifinals, and medal matches. Each tournament’s regulations will detail the competition format based on the number of participating teams.

El Salvador to Host U19 Women’s Championship

El Salvador has been confirmed as the host of the 15th Central American U19 Women’s Volleyball Championship, scheduled for November 7–15, 2025.

Visibility, Equality, and Development

AFECAVOL will promote and strengthen female representation within the coaching staff of each national team in all women’s competitions in the zone, in compliance with the requirements approved by FIVB and NORCECA. Additionally, members were informed that Carlos Enrique Santis was appointed as the international technical delegate for the 2025 Central American Games in Guatemala, where indoor volleyball will take place from October 15 to 23 at the Teodoro Palacios Flores Gymnasium, and beach volleyball from October 23 to 31 in Jalapa.

Technical Training and Digital Tools

It was also announced that member countries are required to train at least three referees per country in the use of the electronic scoresheet via the FIVB e-learning platform. This tool, key to the professionalization of volleyball in the region, will be mandatory for referees and scorers in official tournaments. Additionally, during the U23 Men’s Pan American Cup in Guatemala from July 27 to August 4, AFECAVOL VIS staff will receive training as part of the Zonal Development Plan approved during the AFECAVOL General Assembly. This training responds to NORCECA’s push for the standardization and strengthening of zonal associations. The goal is for each national federation, or each zonal association, to have VIS supervisors to reinforce the statistical structure and ensure continuous growth.

In his closing remarks, President Sabio highlighted AFECAVOL’s commitment to seriousness and professionalism. “We must ensure that the majority of countries participate in all competitions and that our authorities recognize that, as a Zonal Association, we are working responsibly, promoting mass participation and raising the competitive level. AFECAVOL will continue to implement technological tools and stay at the forefront of international trends. Our zone is moving forward.”

St. Lucia remains ECVA Men’s Beach Volleyball Champion

CUL- DE- SAC, St Lucia, May 4, 2025.-  St Lucia’s durable duo of Joseph Clercent and Sheldon Descartes has champed the 2025 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Championship here at the Cul- de- Sac Bay.

A come from behind, 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 15-8) win over Bermuda’s Benjamin Barnet and Sean Tucker, gave Clercent and Descartes their third straight lien on the title.

Reflecting on their continued success in the championships, Joseph said, “It is an honour to win again, because we put in the work, and in order to get the results, you have to put in the work. I am glad that the youngsters want to challenge us and that is good for the sport in this region”.

On behalf of silver medalist – Bermuda, Tucker expressed delight in at least being ranked in the top two of the championships.

“It is deflating to lose in the gold medal match. We really wanted to win, but second is big for Bermuda in general and we are really proud of how we performed. Coming up against the home country, back-to-back champions in the final, they gave us a big challenge, and ended up prevailing, as they are a very skillful team”.

The finalists emerged from the semi-finals in contrasting styles over their opponents.

Clercent/ Descartes beat St Kitts and Nevis’ Bristol /Pencheon 2-1(18-21, 21-16, 15-8), while Barnett/ Tucker outlasted Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick of Dominica Two, 2-0 (32-30, 21-16).

The Bristol/ Pencheon pair went on to secure third place and the bronze medal for their country, by defeating Mingo/ Frederick 2-1(21-19, 10-21, 15-11).

FINAL STANDINGS

1. Clercent/ Descartes (SLU-1) 2. Barnett/ Tucker (BER) 3. Bristol/ Pencheon (SKN)4. Mingo/ Frederick (DMA-2)

Rankings 5-8:  Robinson/ Florent (DMA-1) def Franklyn/ Delpesche (VIN) 21-17, 22-20; Oxford/ Nelson (GRN -1) def Walcott/ Hamilton (GRN -2) 22-24, 21-17, 15- 11; Robinson/ Florent def Oxford Nelson 21-19, 21-19; Walcott/ Hamilton def Franklyn/ Delpesche (forfeit)

Classification: Hazzard/ Fredericks (AGU) def. Emmanuel/ Joseph (LCA) 21-19, 21-16; Davis/ Joseph (ANT) def Albert/ Clarke (SLU) 21-18, 21-13

Quiggle and Rice from the USA Crowned Champions of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Varadero

VARADERO, Cuba, May 4, 2025.- Corinne Quiggle and Megan Rice of the United States earned their first international podium finish by winning the women’s tournament of the opening stage of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, held in this renowned resort destination.

The American duo accomplished the goal they had set for themselves by convincingly defeating Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez in straight sets, 21-12 and 21-18, to return home with the desirable top prize.

“We’re very happy because this is only our second international event. We set this goal, and we achieved it. I first came to Varadero in 2016 with a different partner and we finished fifth. I’m thrilled,” said Corinne.

USA Corinne Quiggle-Megan Rice

Her partner, Megan, added, “We’ve felt great here. The beaches are beautiful, and so are the people. There’s a strong culture and Cuban athletes are very professional and full of warmth.”

The bronze medal went to local favorites Kailin Garrido and Maykelin Drik, who battled hard against Mexico’s Yeray Vidaurrazaga and María Ramírez in a match that went to a tie-break, finishing 21-18, 12-21, 15-8.

Earlier on Sunday in the semifinals, Corinne and Megan defeated Kailin and Maykelin 2-0 (21-15, 21-18), showcasing a level of play that confirmed their title chances at a venue where Quiggle placed fifth back in 2016.

In the all-Mexican semifinal, Susana and Atenas beat Yeray and María in straight sets (21-16, 26-24). A foot injury briefly paused the match in the second set, but Atenas recovered and helped seal the win.

Canada’s Amy Ozee and Darby Dunn took fifth place after an injury forced a withdrawal by one of their compatriots, Dana Roskic or Katarina Pantovic, from the opposing team.

Seventh place went to Puerto Rico’s Camila Nazario and Karla Sánchez after a 2-1 victory (18-21, 21-12, 15-12) over Honduras’ Zoe Ebanks and Shanna Rivera, one of only five matches in the tournament to go to three sets.

Cuba’s second team, Amanda Armenteros and Selena Spek, finished ninth after defeating Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez in straight sets (21-12, 21-13).

Rounding out the standings were Suriname’s Chagnaz Frankel and Sharon Balkaran in 11th place after defeating Trinidad and Tobago’s Apphia Glasgow and La Teisha Joseph 2-0 (21-12, 22-20), and Venezuela’s Oriana Bermúdez and Luisiana Linares in 13th, after dominating Dominican Republic’s Crismil Paniagua and Yari Cleto 2-0 (21-16, 21-12).

Díaz and Alayo Crowned Kings in Varadero Stage of the NORCECA Beach Circuit

VARADERO, Cuba, May 4, 2025.- Cubans Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo were crowned kings of the first stage of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, successfully held at this traditional venue since 2011.

Díaz and Alayo, ranked in the FIVB world top ten, claimed their first gold on home soil by convincingly defeating the experienced Nicaraguan duo of Rubén Mora and Dany López in two easy sets, 21-10 and 21-12.

“For us, this medal carries a tremendous sense of honor, pride, and sacrifice, it’s a gift to the Cuban people, and we’re incredibly happy. Playing here is very motivating; it’s a chance to be seen in our homeland and have our family and friends cheering nearby,” said an passionate Alayo to the press.

CUB Noslen Diaz-Jorge Luis Alayo

His towering partner added, “This means a lot to us. We’ve wanted to win gold here for four years. We’ve earned five medals on the world tour, but never in Varadero. This is our gift to the people and all who support us. We’ll keep fighting to bring more victories, and we’re thrilled that the final stage of this circuit is scheduled to be held right here on this wonderful beach.”

The bronze medal went to their compatriots Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes, who dominated Puerto Rico’s Arnaldo Y. Torres and Cristian Encarnación in straight sets, 21-10 and 21-9, a remarkable achievement considering they debuted in Varadero just a year ago with a ninth-place finish.

In the semifinals, Noslen and Jorge Luis defeated Damián and Eblis 2-0 (21-16, 21-10), while the Nicaraguans Rubén and Dany edged out the Puerto Ricans Torres and Encarnación in a hard-fought 2-1 (21-16, 19-21, 17-15) battle, with the Caribbean pair pushing them to the limit in a thrilling tie-break that could have gone either way.

Fifth place went to Americans Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox, who outplayed Canada’s Steven Abrams and Tynan Gannett 2-0 (21-15, 21-19).

Seventh place was secured by fellow Americans Charles Siragusa and Dexter Campbell after defeating William Clements and Devin Van Siclen of the U.S. Virgin Islands in straight sets, 21-15 and 21-16.

Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia and Jorman Osuna finished ninth by nonattendance after one of the players of the Canadian duo, Martin Licht and Luke de Greeff, was injured and unable to compete. The eleventh position went to Costa Rica’s Justin Solano and Jevan Coronado, who overcame Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez and Irvin Reyes 2-0 (21-18, 21-10).

Mexico’s Antonio Vargas and Carlos Andrés Ayala defeated Venezuela’s Enyenser Delgado and Juliangel Zaid in a tight 2-1 match (21-23, 21-19, 20-18) to claim 13th place.

They were followed by Trinidad and Tobago’s Stephen Enile and Joel Theodore, who beat Suriname’s Joshua Dwarkasing and Dean Kasdi 2-0 (21-15, 21-11), and the Dominican Republic duo Hayerling De Jesús and Rolvin Maldonado, who won over Guatemala’s Andy Blanco and Luis García 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) to round out the standings from 15th to 18th place.

Cuba, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico Reach Men’s Semifinals in Varadero

VARADERO, Cuba, May 3, 2025.- Both Cuban duos, along with teams from Nicaragua and Puerto Rico, secured their spots in the men’s semifinal round of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, taking place on the courts near the Barceló Arenas Blancas Hotel.

The highest-ranked team in the tournament, Cubans Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo, will face fellow countrymen Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes, young, energetic players who have made remarkable progress since their debut last year at this same venue.

The other semifinal will feature Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Dany López against Puerto Rico’s Arnaldo Y. Torres and Cristian Encarnación.

NCA-Mora (1) – Lopez (2)

For Olympians Díaz and Alayo, this semifinal is particularly meaningful, as they have yet to claim the top spot on the podium in the last two Varadero editions, settling for bronze in 2023 and silver last year.

In Saturday’s quarterfinals, Díaz and Alayo dominated Americans Charles Siragusa and Dexter Campbell, cruising to a convincing 2-0 victory with scores of 21-7 and 21-11.

Gómez and Veranes had a tougher challenge in the first set but found their rhythm in the second, defeating U.S. Virgin Islands’ Williams Clements and Devin Van Siclen 2-0 (28-26, 21-13).

Meanwhile, Puerto Ricans Torres and Encarnación overcame a rough second set to edge Americans Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox in three sets (21-16, 14-21, 15-10).

The final ticket to the penultimate round went to Nicaragua’s Mora and López, who won the tournament’s longest and most hard-fought match so far. After one hour and eight minutes, they triumphed over Canadians Steven Abrams and Tynan Gannett in three sets (22-24, 28-26, 15-12).

Day’s Results (pool-play):

A: Diaz/Alayo (CUB) a Sarabia/Osuna (MEX) 2-0 (21-15, 21-9) y a De Jesús/Maldonado (DOM) 2-0 (21-16, 21-12), Field/Wilcox (USA) a Sarabia/Osuna (MEX) 2-0  (21-17, 21-14),  Esyenser/Juliangel (VEN) a De Jesus/Maldonado (DOM) 2-0 (21-16, 21-21)

B: Torres/Encarnación (PUR) a Licht/de Greeff (CAN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-19), Blanco/García (GUA) a Siragusa/Campbell (USA) 2-0 (24-22, 24-22), Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX) a Blanco/Garcia (GUA) 2-0 (21-17, 21-13), Siragusa/Campbell (USA) a Torres/Encarnación (PUR) 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 15-8)          

C:  Gómez/Veranes (CUB) a Enile/Theodore (TTO) 2-0 (21-18, 21-6), Abrams/Gannett  (CAN) a Solano/Coronado (CRC) 2-0 (21-9, 21-17), Abrams/Gannett (CAN) a  Enile/Theodore  (TTO) 2-0 (21-11, 21-10)

D: Clements/Van Siclen (ISV) a Gálvez/Reyes (HON) 2-0 (21-17, 21-14), Mora/López (NCA) a Clements/Van Siclen (ISV) 2-0 (21-18, 25-23), Gálvez/Reyes (HON) a Dwarkasing/Kasdi (SUR) 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-7)

MEN’S RESULTS VARADERO

Women from Mexico, Cuba, and USA Reach Semifinals at NORCECA Beach Circuit in Varadero

VARADERO, Cuba, May 3, 2025.- Two teams from Mexico, one from Cuba, and one from the United States have advanced to the women’s semifinals of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, which concludes this Sunday on the sands of the renowned tourist resort.

The Mexican duos of Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez and Yamilet Vidaurrazaga/María Jimena Ramírez, the Cuban pair of Kailin Garrido/Maykelín Drik, and the American team of Corinne Quiggle/Megan Rice were victorious in their respective quarterfinal matches.

This Sunday morning, the two Mexican teams will face off across the net semifinals, while the representatives from the United States and Cuba will clash in the other.

In the quarterfinals, Kailin and Maykelín advanced by defeating Puerto Ricans Camila Nazario and Karla Sánchez in straight sets (21-15, 21-11), marking their third win of the tournament, which is part of their preparation for the 2025 Junior Pan American Games in Asunción.

USA-Corinne Quiggle-Megan Rice

Next, Corinne Quiggle and Megan Rice of the United States cruised over Varadero’s soft white sands against Honduras’ Jeanette Ebanks and Shanna Rivera, winning comfortably with set scores of 21-5 and 21-7.

Meanwhile, the two Mexican and two Canadian teams faced each other, with the first win going to Latin Americans Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, who claimed a 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) victory over Canadians Dana Roskic and Katarina Pantovic.

The women’s day concluded with a hard-fought win by Yamilet Vidaurrazaga and María Jimena Ramírez over Amy Ozee and Darby Dunn in the closest match of the round, finishing 21-18 and 26-24.

Among these semifinalists, the only team without World Beach Pro Tour experience is the Cuban pair, while the Mexican and American players have competed in both Elite and Challenge level events.

In addition to the semifinals, Sunday’s schedule includes classification matches from fifth place onward and will end with the gold and bronze medal matches.

Results from Day Two (pool-play):

A: Ebanks/Rivera (HON) Bye, Kailin/Drik (CUB) a Glasgow/Joseph (TTO) 2-0 (21-6, 21-12).

B: Frankel/Balkaran (SUR), Quiggle/Rice (USA) a Nazario/Sánchez (PUR) 2-0 (23-21, 21-9)

C: Amanda/Spek (CUB) a Ori/Luisiana (VEN) 2-1 (21-19, 20-22, 15-10), Ozee/Dunn (CAN) a Torres/Gutiérrez (MEX) 2-0 (21-14, 21-11)

D: Roskic/Pantovic (CAN) a Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez (MEX) 2-0 (21-13, 21-18), López/Lolette (NCA) a Paniagua/Cleto (DOM)  2-1 (19-21, 21-11, 15-11)

WOMEN’S RESULTS VARADERO

Exciting action on Day One of ECVA Senior Women’s Beach Championships

CUL- DE- SAC, St Lucia, May 2, 2025.- The sunbaked venue did not deter the women from giving it their all on day one of the 2025 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Championships here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

At the end of the day’s high energy action, the winners of Pool C and D, Dominica and St. Lucia,  respectively, were determined.

Topping Pool C was Dominica’s Joeanna Pascal and Zahidu Henry, who defeated Grenada’s duo of Teasis Jones and Sienna Dominique 2-0 (21-15, 21-10) and won on forfeiture from Marie Therese St Clair and Kurtrice Jules of St Lucia.

Meanwhile, Pool D was champed by the St Lucia’s Kerin Neptune and Erica Gaspard. They recorded a 2-1 (15-21, 21-18, 15-9) win over Antigua and Barbuda’s Jassania Joseph and Rayana Regis. Neptune and Gaspard then defeated Hailey Moss and Megan Hands of Bermuda, 2-0(21-13, 21-19).

Also on day one, in Pool A, St Lucia’s Denila Prospere and Chenoa Evans trumped 2-0(21-16, 21-10) over Anguilla ‘s Lavesha Richardson and Deandre Fleming. This, after Richardson and Fleming had overcome St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Nikita Campbell and Veronique Matthews, 2-1 (11-21, 21-16, 15-4).

In Pool B, there were wins for St Lucia and Grenada.

The St Lucian combination of Tenayestlgni Joseph and Clio Phillip defeated St Kitts and Nevis’ Shajunee Gumbs and Shanicia Dyer 2-1(21-15, 18-21, 15-12). Likewise, Grenada’s Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford beat Gumbs and Dyer 2-1(13-21, 21-18, 15-8).

Pool A and B winners will be decided on day two. In Pool A, Prospere/ Evans meet Campbell, with Mitchell and Stafford facing Joseph and Phillip in Pool D decider.

The other preliminary match on day two features Moss/ Hands versus Joseph/ Regis, as Pool D closes off.

Following the completion of the preliminary matches, the playoff takes place to determine the matchups in the quarter finals against the winners of the four pools.

Men’s Pool winners emerge from ECVA Beach Championships

CUL- DE- SAC, St Lucia, May 2, 2025.-  St Lucia Team One, Dominica Two, Grenada Team Two and Dominica Team One, finished day one with two wins each, to lead their respective pools in the Men’s segment of the 2025 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Championships here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

St Lucia Team One of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent were clinical in Pool A play, beating Bermuda’s Benjamin Barnett and Sean Tucker of Bermuda, 2-0(21-18, 21-9). Descartes and Clercent also offloaded Anguilla’s duo of Aiden Hazzard and Da’ Qwan Fredericks, 2-0(21-14, 21-16).

Dominica’s Team Two of Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick beat Julian Bristol and Jedediah Pencheon 2-0(21-18, 21-12) then swished the duo of Ronaldo Franklyn and Shadron Delpesche of St Vincent and the Grenadines also 2-0(21-9, 21-14).

Meanwhile, Grenada’s Team Two comprising Zerick Walcott and Kibose Hamilton, headed up Pool C.

They had the better of St Lucia Team Two, of Peter Emmanuel and Jentezen Joseph, 2-0(21-13, 21-14) and recorded a hard fought 2-1(21-19, 20-22, 15-12) win over Antigua and Barbuda’s pair of Khaliq Joseph and Cairon Davis.

Completing the double victors on the day, was Dominica Team One, comprising Tyrel Robinson and Yahn Florent who were unbeaten in Pool D.

Robinson/ Florent defeated St Lucia Team Three of Diallo Albert and Lindan Clarke, 2-0(21-12, 21-7,) and overcame Grenada Team One of Christopher Oxford and Isaac Nelson, 2-0(21-18, 21-18)

The pool winners earn direct tickets to the quarterfinals.

Day two features the playoffs in Round of 12, with eight teams other than the pool winners. The quarterfinals pit the pool winners matched up against the Round of 12 winners.

Round of 12:  Barnett/ Tucker vs Albert/ ClarkeFranklyn/ Delpesche vs Emmanuel /JosephJoseph/ Davis vs Bristol/ Pencheon; Oxford/ Nelson vs Hazzard/ Fredericks

Other Day One Results:

Franklyn/ Delpesche (VIN) def Bristol/ Pencheon (SKN) 2-0(21-18, 21-19)

Barnett/ Tucker (BER) def Hazzard /Fredericks (ANU) 2-0 (21-11, 21-19)

Oxford/ Nelson (GRN) def. Albert/ Clarke (SLU), 2-0 (21-8, 21-8)

Joseph/ Davis (ANT) def Albert/ Clarke (SLU), 2-1 (21-19, 11-21, 15-7)

Several Women’s Pairs with Chances to Advance in NORCECA Beach Circuit

VARADERO, Cuba, May 2, 2025.- Pairs from five countries remain undefeated and have strong chances of advancing this Saturday to the quarterfinals of the first phase of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, taking place on four courts set up near the Barceló Arenas Blancas hotel.

The host duo Kailin Garrido/Maykelin Drik in Pool A, Puerto Ricans Camila Nazario/Karla Sánchez and Americans Corinne Quiggle/Megan Rice in Pool B, and Canadians Amy Ozee/Darby Dunn along with Mexicans Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez in Pool C all won their first two matches.

Susana Torres (1)-Atenas Gutiérrez (2) MEX

Also, the pair of Dana Roskic/Katarina Pantovic from Canada and the Mexican duo Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez in Pool D secured victories and have equal chances to advance on Saturday when the preliminary round concludes.

First day results:

Grupo A: Ebanks/Rivera (HON) a Glasgow/Joseph (TTO) 2-0 (21-14, 21-14) , Kailin/Drik (CUB) a Ebanks/Rivera (HON) 2-0 (21-9, 21-16),

Grupo B: Nazario/Sanchez (PUR) a Frankel/Balkaran (SUR) 2-0 (21-3, 21-8), Quiggle/Rice (USA) a Frankel/Balkaran (SUR)    2-0 (21-8, 21-4) .                             

Grupo C: Torres/Gutiérrez (MEX) a Ori/Luisiana (VEN) 2-1 (21-11, 25-27, 15-8), Ozee/Dunn (CAN) a Amanda/Spek (CUB) 2-0 (21-17, 21-13), Ozee/Dunn (CAN) a Ori/Luisiana (VEN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-14), Torres/Gutiérrez (MEX) a Amanda/Spek (CUB) 2-0 (21-11, 21-19).

Grupo D: Roskic/Pantovic (CAN) a Paniagua/Cleto (DOM) 2-0 (21-6, 21-16), Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez (MEX) a López/Lolette (NCA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13), Roskic/Pantovic (CAN) a López/Lolette (NCA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-16), Vidaurrazaga/Ramírez (MEX) a Paniagua/Cleto (DOM) 2-0 (21-11, 22-20).

Cuba and Nicaragua Men Remain Undefeated at Start of NORCECA Beach Tour

VARADERO, Cuba, May 1, 2025.- Both Cuban teams and Nicaragua’s duo were the only undefeated squads in the opening of pool play at the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, which kicked off its season in this tourist hotspot.

Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo lived up to their status as tournament favorites, defeating Venezuela’s Enyenser Delgado and Juliangel Zaid 2-0 (21-19, 21-16), and the U.S. team of Troy Field and Ryan Wilcox, also in straight sets (21-17, 21-19) in Pool A.

Their fellow Cubans, Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes, also picked up two victories, this time in Pool C, beating Costa Rica’s Justin Solano and Jevan Coronado 2-0 (21-12, 21-14), and Canada’s Steven Abrams and Tynan Gannett 2-0 (21-18, 21-15). They had a bye in their third match.

Jorge Alayo CUB

Also undefeated on this sunny day were Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora and Dany López, who dominated Suriname’s Joshua Dwarkasing and Dean Kasdi 2-0 (21-11, 21-4), and Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez and Irvin Reyes 2-0 (21-7, 21-11) in Pool D.

Pool play will conclude Saturday morning, followed by the quarterfinals. Semifinals and medal matches are scheduled for Sunday at the beautiful venue near the Barceló Arenas Blancas hotel.

Results first day:

Pool A: Díaz/Alayo (CUB) a Esyenser/Juliangel (VEN) 2-0 (21-19, 21-16), Field/Wilcox (USA) a De Jesús/Maldonado (DOM] 2-0 (21-17, 21-11), Diaz/Alayo (CUB) a    Field/Wilcox (USA) 2-0 (21-17, 21-19), Esyenser/Juliangel (VEN) a Sarabia/Osuna (MEX) 2-0 (21-17, 21-19), Sarabia/Osuna (MEX) a De Jesús-Maldonado 2-0 (21-18, 21-10), Field/Wilcox (USA) a Esyenser/Juliangel (VEN) No Show.       

Pool B: Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX) a Siragusa/Campbell (USA) 2-0 (21-16, 21-16), Licht/de Greeff (CAN) a Blanco/García (GUA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-15), Siragusa/Campbell (USA) a Licht/de Greeff (CAN) 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 15-8), Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX) a Torres/Encarnacion (PUR) 2-0 (21-17, 21-16), Torres/Encarnación (PUR) a Blanco/García (GUA) 2-1 (18-21, 21-13, 15-11), Licht/de Greeff (CAN) a Lares/Carlos Andrés (MEX) No Show.

Pool C: Gómez/Veranes (CUB) a Solano/Coronado (CRC) 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) y a Abrams/Gannett (CAN) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), Solano/Coronado (CRC) a Enile/Theodore (TTO) 2-0 (21-17, 21-9).

Pool D: Mora/López (NCA) a Dwarkasing/Kasdi (SUR) 2-0 (21-11, 21-4) y a Galvez/Reyes (HON) 2-0 (21-7, 21-11), Clements/Van Siclen (ISV) a Dwarkasing/Kasdi (SUR) 2-0 (21-15, 21-18).

Four Countries with the Best Podium Chances at Varadero NORCECA Tour

VARADERO, Cuba, April 25, 2025.- Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Cuba are seen as the countries with the strongest podium chances, as each will have two teams competing in the men’s tournament of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit in Varadero.

The host nation is counting on the strong form of its top duo, Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo, thanks to their impressive start this year on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. However, despite playing at home, they have yet to claim the top spot in Varadero, settling for bronze in 2023 and silver in 2024.

“I think third time’s the charm, but we respect all our opponents, no one comes to a tournament to lose,” said Alayo.

Mexico arrived on the island under the guidance of the renowned Brazilian coach Ricardo Santos, Olympic champion in Athens 2004, silver medalist in Sydney 2000, and bronze medalist in Beijing 2008.

Canada and the United States have traditionally been among the most successful teams at this event, which also marks the beginning of the qualification process for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo.

Eighteen matches will be played this Friday as the qualification round kicks off, continuing Saturday with the decisive matches that will determine who advances to the quarterfinals.

Pool A: Noslen Diaz-Jorge Luis Alayo (CUB), Troy Field-Ryan Wilcox (USA), Miguel Sarabia-Jorman Osuna (MEX), Enyenser Delgado-Juliangel Zaid (VEN) y Hayerling De Jesus-Rolvin Maldonado (DOM)

Pool B: Martin Licht-Luke de Greeff (CAN), Antonio Vargas-Carlos Andrés Ayala (MEX), Charles Siragusa-Dexter Campbell (USA), Andy Blanco-Luis Garcia (GUA) y Arnaldo Torres-Cristian Encarnación (PUR)

Pool C: Steven Abrams-Tynan Gannett  (CAN), Damián Gómez-Eblis Veranes (CUB), Justin Solano -Jevan Coronado (CRC) y Stephen Enile-Joel Theodore (TTO)

Pool D: Ruben Mora-Dany López (NCA), William Clements-Devin Van Siclen (ISV), Jairo Galvez-Irvin Reyes (HON) y Joshua Dwarkasing-Dean Kasdi (SUR)

Fourteen Women’s Duos in Varadero NORCECA Beach Circuit

VARADERO, Cuba, April 25, 2025.- Fourteen teams from eleven countries will compete at the opening of the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit, which will take place from this Friday through Sunday on courts near the Barceló Arenas Blancas Hotel.

Canada, Mexico, and Cuba will each field two pairs, while the United States, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Nicaragua, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela will each participate with one team.

This circuit awards points toward the continental and world rankings and also marks the start of the qualification process for the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo. With the aim of securing spots for that multi-sport event, South American nations Venezuela and Colombia are also included.

Among the standout competitors in this tourist city – a regular host of the NORCECA Tour since 2011 – are Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez, medalists at several stops and participants this year in the World Pro Beach Tour in Yucatán (Challenge) and Quintana Roo (Elite), under the guidance of Brazilian coach Regis Castro, a bronze medalist at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Also with World Pro Tour appearances, though with different partners, are American Corinne Quiggle and Canadian Dana Roskic.

Pool A: Kailin Garrido-Maykelin Drik (CUB), Zoe Ebanks-Shanna Rivera (HON), and Apphia Glasgow-La Teisha Joseph (TTO)

Pool B: Corinne Quiggle-Megan Rice (USA), Camila Nazario-Karla Sánchez (PUR) and Chagnaz Frankel-Sharon Balkaran (SUR)

Pool C: Amy Ozee-Darby Dunn (CAN), Amanda Armenteros-Selena Spek (CUB), Susana Torres-Atenas Gutiérrez (MEX) and Oriana Bermudez-Luisiana Linares (VEN)

Pool D: Dana Roskic-Katarina Pantovic(CAN), Crismil Paniagua-Yari Cleto (DOM), Yeray Vidaurrazaga-María Ramírez (MEX) and Socorro López-Lolette Rodríguez (NCA)

Eight countries chasing ECVA Senior Beach honours

CUL- DE- SAC, St Lucia, May 1, 2025: Eight countries, twenty- four teams all together will be toughing it out in the sand in the 2025 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Championships here at the Cul de Sac Bay.

At stake is the coveted prize of champion, as twelve teams each are listed in both genders.

The St Lucia pair of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent, champions in 2023 and 2024, will be looking to make it three in succession, as Men’s winners, while Grenada’s Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford, are confident of retaining the Women’s title, they champed last year.

The teams are divided in four Pools, with three teams stashed in each pool.

Men’s Play

Pool A St Lucia: Sheldon Descartes/ Joseph Clercent; Anguilla: Aiden Hazzard/ Da’ Qwan Frederick; Bermuda: Benjamin Barnett/ Sean Tucker

Pool B St Vincent and the Grenadines: Ronaldo Franklyn/ Shadron Delpesche; St Kitts and Nevis: Julian Bristol/ Jedediah Pencheon; Dominica: Mervin Mingo/ Bill Frederick

Pool C Antigua and Barbuda: Khaliq Joseph/ Cairon Davis; St Lucia: Peter Emmanuel/ Jentezen Joseph; Grenada: Zerick Walcott/ Kibose Hamilton

Pool D Dominica: Tyrel Robinson/ Yahn Florent; Grenada: Christopher Oxford/ Isaac Nelson; St Lucia: Didllo Albert/ Lindan Clarke

Women’s Play

Pool A St Lucia:  Denila Prospere/ Chenoa Evans; Anguilla: Lavesha Richardson/ Deandre Fleming; St Vincent and the Grenadines: Nikita Campbell/ Veronique Matthews

Pool B Grenada: Thornia Mitchell/ Renisha Stafford; Shajunee Gumbs/Shanicia Dyer; St Lucia: Tenayestlgni Joseph/ Clio Phillip

Pool C Dominica: Joeanna Pascal/ Zahidu Henry, St Lucia: Marie Therese St Clair/ Kurtrice Jules; Grenada: Teasis Jones/ Sienna Dominique

Pool D Bermuda: Hailey Moss/ Megan Hands; Antigua and Barbuda: Jassania Joseph/ Rayana Regis; St Lucia: Kerin Neptune/ Erica Gaspard

Twenty- one matches, twelve in Men’s play and nine among the Women’s pools, are carded for day one.

100 Days To Go: ASU 2025 Presents Its Medals

ASUNCION, Paraguay, April 30, 2025.- In an emotional ceremony at the Ignacio A. Pane Municipal Theater in Asuncion, Paraguay, the medals for the II Junior Pan American Games were unveiled.

The medals, which were created inspired by the guarania, a musical expression that embodies the Paraguayan soul, have the score of Jejuí (first guarania) in their design.

As the sun set over the heart of the Mother of Cities, the iconic Ignacio A. Pane Municipal Theater welcomed guests to a special evening that celebrated culture, history, and sport. In a ceremony filled with symbolism, one of the most anticipated emblems of the Games was revealed: the official medal of the Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025—a piece that honors Paraguay’s soul and identity.

During this symbolic evening, with words shared by Camilo Pérez López Moreira, President of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee and IOC member; Neven Illic, President of Panam Sports; and César Ramírez Caje, Minister of Sports, the most emblematic symbol of the event was officially unveiled: the medal of the Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025.

Inspired by the guarania, a musical expression that embodies the Paraguayan soul, the medal was presented alongside an emotional reinterpretation of Jejuí, the first guarania composed by José Asunción Flores, the father of the genre.

With just 100 days to go before the most important youth sporting event of the continent, Asunción is preparing to welcome hundreds of young athletes who will chase Olympic glory and seal their dreams with the highest honor worn on their chest: the medal.

From Inspiration and Design to a Symbol of Continental Sport

One hundred years ago, in Asunción, a young José Asunción Flores, at just 21, composed a piece whose emotional depth and lyrical beauty would come to define the Paraguayan spirit. He translated the emotions of an entire people into song, immortalizing the Paraguayan soul in the form of the guarania. This legacy, now recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, was the starting point for designing the ASU2025 medal.

The Local Organizing Committee, in collaboration with biographer Antonio Pecci—who provided invaluable insights into Flores’ life—and with the brilliant work of María Victoria Sosa Zárate, Director of the Asunción Symphony Orchestra, who succeeded in visually translating the score of Jejuí—the first guarania—into the official design of the medal. After countless hours of research and design, the medal took shape with a minimalist aesthetic, deeply rooted in the cultural identity of Paraguay.

The front of the medal begins with the characteristic 6/8 tempo of the guarania and continues with the musical notes of Jejuí, engraved within the staff that circles most of the medal’s edge. On the back, the inscription reads: “Tribute to the Centennial of the Guarania: Jejuí.” This icon will accompany each athlete as a reminder that Asunción was a turning point on their path to glory—just as it was for the creator of the genre that represents us.

Jejuí x ASU2025

As part of this tribute, Jejuí was reinterpreted by the National Symphony Orchestra. This moving version was performed live during the gala, filling the Ignacio A. Pane Municipal Theater with its sound. A renewed rendition that conveys the strength and energy that will define the Junior Pan American Games Asunción 2025.

In total, 1,077 medals will be awarded at ASU2025: 333 gold, 333 silver, and 411 bronze.

The Junior Pan American Games will officially open in Asunción on August 9 and run through August 23, bringing together over 4,000 athletes from across the continent to make history.

FIVB hosts delegation from Orlando to explore strategic collaboration ahead of LA28

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 30, 2025.- The FIVB welcomed a senior delegation from Orlando, Florida, to the Volleyball House in Lausanne for high-level discussions centered on strategic collaboration and the advancement of volleyball initiatives in the region. 

The Orlando delegation was led by Mayor Buddy Dyer (City of Orlando), Mayor Jerry Demings (Orange County) and Jason Siegel, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission. 

The visit began with a tour of the Volleyball House, followed by a formal presentation of the FIVB Strategic Vision 2032 by FIVB President Fabio Azevedo. This long-term framework is built on four key pillars: Professionalism, Integration, Empowerment, and Mass Participation. These principles are designed to ensure the continued global development of volleyball, with a focus on broad accessibility, growth and positive impact. 

During the visit, discussions were held on the potential hosting and activation opportunities in Orlando in the lead-up to the Olympic Games LA28. This follows a highly successful Olympic Games Paris 2024 for the USA in volleyball. The USA clinched the silver medal in the women’s competition and bronze in the men’s competition. 

The discussions today demonstrate the FIVB’s ongoing efforts to further elevate the profile of volleyball and amplify its reach and impact around the world.  

FIVB, Volleyball Foundation & KIIT-KISS strengthen partnership to empower youth through volleyball

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, April 29, 2025.- FIVB President Fabio Azevedo and the FIVB Volleyball Foundation President Dr Ary Graça met with representatives from the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS). Their meeting aimed to further deepen their growing collaboration aimed at transforming lives through volleyball and education. 

The KIIT and KISS delegation was led by Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and KISS, and Dr Varun Suthra, the universities’ Director of International Relations. 

During the meeting, both parties discussed a wide range of exciting initiatives, including further collaboration opportunities through volleyball events, expanded coach education opportunities and beach volleyball coaching support for the universities. Discussions also included a prospective FIVB visit to a KIIT-KISS Centre of Excellence, scholarship opportunities for talented athletes and joint celebrations for World Volleyball Day, which was recently confirmed by the FIVB Executive Board as 7 July.  

This meeting builds upon the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in October 2024 between the FIVB Volleyball Foundation, KIIT and KISS. The agreement marked a new chapter in the organization’s shared mission to drive youth participation in volleyball and open pathways for education, empowerment and development through sport. 

The strength of this partnership was demonstrated during the KISS Volleyball Foundation Festival in Bhubaneswar, India, in October 2024 which set a Guinness World Record for the most players in a volleyball exhibition match, bringing together 430 participants. The festival welcomed more than 40,000 children, including 5,000 young volleyball players, in a powerful celebration of the sport’s ability to unite and inspire. 

Through the FIVB’s Strategic Vision 2032, the FIVB is committed to creating more opportunities for young people through volleyball, and the collaboration with KIIT and KISS helps to make volleyball more accessible, impactful and a force for positive societal change worldwide. 

Costa Rica Women and El Salvador Men Dominate the Central American U23 Beach Volleyball Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 27, 2025.- Laura Molina/Aliza Aguilar from Costa Rica and twins Yoel and Christopher Guardado from El Salvador captured the titles at the inaugural Central American U23 Beach Volleyball Championship.

Molina/Aguilar won a hard-fought final 2-1 (21-14, 7-21, 15-11) against Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva/Norma Brenes, who forced a third set with a gritty performance in the second. In the end, the Costa Ricans sealed the victory thanks to their effective serving and sharp line shots.

In the battle for third place, El Salvador’s Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil defeated Honduras’ Shanna Rivera/Zoe Ebanks 2-0 (21-14, 21-12).

For fifth place, Panama’s Analia Díaz/Krisleen Gonzalez beat Guatemala’s Joselyn F. López/Joselyn A. López 2-0 (21-19, 21-9).

Women Podium

ALBUM DE FOTOS EN FLICKR

In the men’s competition, Salvadoran twins Christopher and Yoel Guardado maintained their high level, finishing the tournament undefeated by beating Costa Rica’s Edwin Delgado/Juan Delgado 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) in the final.

The Guardado twins showed great rhythm and preparation, progressing from a ninth-place finish in 2019 to two silver medals in previous tournaments, and finally claiming the title in 2025.

Meanwhile, Nicaragua’s Cristopher Cascante/Jesy Umaña won the bronze medal by defeating Panama’s José Ureña/Víctor Pérez 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).

For fifth place, Guatemala’s Daniel Delgado/Javier Lucero defeated Honduras’ Javier Mongue/Miguel Marín 2-0 (21-14, 21-16).

Men Podium

Results Day 3

Women

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 16-14) Silva/Brenes NCA

Lopez/Lopez GUA 2-1 (21-17, 20-22, 15-8) Diaz/González PAN

Tovar/Vigil ESA 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 15-13) Rivera/Ebanks

Third Place

Tovar/Vigil ESA 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) Rivera/Ebanks

Gold Medal

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-1 (21-14, 7-21, 15-11) Silva/Brenes NCA

Men

Cascante/Umaña NCA 0-2 (17-21, 14-21) Guardado/Guardado ESA

Delgado/Lucero GUA 0-2 (12-21, 11-21) Ureña/Pérez PAN

Delgado/Delgado CRC 2-0 (21-8, 21-5) Mongue/Marin HON

Third Place

Cascante/ Umaña NCA 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) Ureña/Pérez PAN

Gold Medal

Guardado/Guardado ESA 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) Delgado/Delgado CRC

Nicaragua Women and Costa Rica Men Crowned U21 Beach Volleyball Champions

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 27, 2025.- Yuliana Chavez/Elia Resau from Nicaragua and Julián Araya/Stanley Grant from Costa Rica captured the titles at the XV Central American U21 Beach Volleyball Championship.

Yuliana and Elia clinched the crown by defeating Costa Rica’s Mariana Fallas/Sofia Vega 2-0 (21-13, 21-17).

The Nicaraguan duo finished second in the round-robin phase, while Fallas/Vega went undefeated in the preliminary round. However, in the final, Chavez/Resau took control from the start with strong serving and solid defense. They managed to maintain a slight edge in the second set to secure the championship.

Meanwhile, Keisy Janeth/Dayanaris Ríos from Panama earned the bronze medal by winning a hard-fought 2-1 (21-17, 15-21, 15-13) battle against Fátima Rendón/Devora Medina from El Salvador.

Women Podium

For fifth place, Honduras’ Valery Rodríguez/Ruth Villegas defeated Guatemala’s Andrea Grijalva/Danna Aguilar 2-0 (21-8, 21-8).

ALBUM DE FOTOS EN FLICKR

In the men’s final, Costa Rica’s Julián Araya/Stanley Grant claimed the championship by defeating Panama’s Víctor Aráuz/Adamit del Cid 2-0 (21-15, 21-13).

Araya/Grant remained unbeaten throughout the regular round and maintained their high level in the final, giving the Panamanians little room to maneuver. Panama tried everything, but Costa Rica’s solid defense and precise touches proved too strong.

Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios/Deyner López secured the bronze medal by defeating El Salvador’s Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).

Men Podium

For fifth place, Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez/Isaac Méndez defeated Guatemala’s Fredy Luna/Robin Oliva 2-1 (21-13, 18-21, 15-11).

Day’s Results

Women

Fallas/Vega CRC 2-0 (21-14, 21-3) Grijalva/Aguilar GUA

Chavez/Resau NCA 2-1 (15-21, 21-6, 15-9) Janeth/Ríos PAN

Rendon/Medina ESA 2-0 (21-7, 21-14) Rodriguez/Villegas HON

Bronze

Rendón/Medina ESA 1-2 (17-21, 21-15, 13-15) Janeth/ Ríos PAN

Final

Fallas/Vega CRC 0-2 (13-21, 17-21) Chavez/Resau NCA

Men

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-12, 21-9) Vargas/Ortiz ESA

Luna/Oliva GUA 0-2 (18-21, 14-21) Aráuz/ Cid PAN

Barrios/López NCA 2-0 (21-11, 21-7) Galvez/Méndez HON

Bronze

Barrios/López NCA2-0 (21-16, 21-13) Vargas/Ortiz ESA

Oro

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-15, 21-13) Aráuz/Cid PAN

Costa Rica with Two Finalists at the U21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 26, 2025.- Costa Rica secured its place in both the women’s and men’s finals at the 15th Under 21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship, awaiting their opponents as the round-robin phase still needs to be completed.

In the women’s competition, María Fallas/Sofia Vega defeated Nicaragua and El Salvador, reaching four victories with no losses. In second place are Panama’s Keisy Janeth/Dayanaris Ríos with a 3-1 record, after defeating Fátima Rendón/Devora Medina of El Salvador and Valery Rodríguez/Ruth Villegas of Honduras.

The Salvadoran duo holds a 2-2 record, the same as Nicaragua’s Yuliana Chavez/Elia Resau, who fell to Costa Rica but defeated Guatemala’s Andrea Grijalva/Danna Aguilar.

Sofia Vega CRC

On Sunday, Fallas/Vega (CRC) will face Grijalva/Aguilar (GUA), while Chavez/Resau (NCA) will play against Janeth/Ríos (PAN). Rendón/Medina (ESA) will meet Rodríguez/Villegas (HON), with only one available spot remaining for three teams.

Album de fotos en Flickr

In the men’s division, Costa Rica’s Julián Araya/Stanley Grant have a perfect 4-0 record. Panama’s Victor Araúz/Adamit Del Cid follow at 3-1; Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios/Deyner López and El Salvador’s Rafael Vargas/Fernando Ortiz both sit at 2-2.

Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez/Isaac Méndez have a 1-3 record, while Guatemala’s Fredy Luna/Robin Oliva remain winless in four matches.

Araya/Grant defeated Luna/Oliva and later overcame Barrios/López of Nicaragua. Araúz/Cid claimed a 2-1 victory over Barrios/López and then defeated Gálvez/Méndez.

On Sunday, Araya/Grant (CRC) will face El Salvador’s Vargas/Ortiz. Luna/Oliva (GUA) will play Araúz/Cid (PAN), and the preliminary round will conclude with Barrios/López (NCA) facing Gálvez/Méndez (HON). These matches will determine who earns the other spot in the final against Costa Rica.

Day 2 Results

Women

Fallas/Vega CRC 2-1 (21-17, 16-21, 19-17) Chavez/Resau NCA

Janeth/Ríos PAN 2-0 (21-19, 21-14) Rendon/Medina ESA

Rodriguez/Villegas HON 1-2 (21-19, 18-21, 14-16) Grijalva/Aguilar PAN

Fallas/Vega CRC 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) Rendón/Medina ESA

Janeth/Ríos PAN 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) Rodriguez/Villegas HON

Chavez/Resau NCA 2-1 (19-21, 21-5, 15-7) Grijalva/Aguilar GUA

Men

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-8, 21-8) Luna/Oliva GUA

Aráuz/Cid PAN 2-1 (21-19, 7-21, 15-6) Barrios/López NCA

Luna/Oliva GUA 0-2 (17-21, 16-21) Vargas/Ortiz ESA

Arauz/Cid PAN 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) Galvez/Mendez HON

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-12, 24-22) Barrios/Lopez NCA

Galvez/Mendez HON 0-2 (14-21, 16-21) Vargas/Ortiz ESA

Only One Spot Left to Be Decided for the U23 Central American Finals

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 26, 2025.- Nicaragua and Costa Rica will play for the women’s title at the inaugural U23 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship, while in the men’s division, El Salvador has already secured a spot in the final, and Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama are vying for the other ticket.

Costa Rica’s Laura Molina/Aliza Aguilar completed four victories by defeating El Salvador and Guatemala. Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva/Norma Brenes also reached four wins after defeating Panama and El Salvador.

On Sunday morning, the two teams will face each other to determine the final preliminary round standings, but no other team can catch up to their 4-0 records.

Honduras’ Shanna Rivera/Zoe Ebanks will face El Salvador’s Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil, while Guatemala’s Joselyn F. López/Joselyn A. López will play against Panama’s Analia Díaz/Krisleen Gonzalez to complete the preliminary round schedule.

Christopher Guardado ESA

The matches for the final positions will start at two o’clock in the afternoon.

Link del album de fotos en Flickr

In the men’s division, El Salvador’s twins Cristopher and Yoel Guardado have a 4-0 record after defeating Panama and Costa Rica, securing their place in the final. Nicaragua’s Cristopher Cascante/Jesy Umaña defeated Costa Rica’s Edwin and Juan Delgado as well as Guatemala’s Daniel Delgado/Javier Lucero, finishing with a 3-1 record.

Nicaragua will face El Salvador on Sunday, while Costa Rica and Panama’s José Ureña/Víctor Pérez will play a decisive match, both teams currently holding a 2-2 record. The winner will earn the second spot in the final.

Honduras’ Javier Mongue/Miguel Marín will face Guatemala’s Delgado/Lucero duo in the final match of the round-robin phase.

Day 2 Results

Women

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 15-11) Tovar/Vigil ESA

Rivera/Ebanks HON 2-0 (23-21, 21-14) López/López GUA

Diaz/González PAN 0-2 (13-21, 13-21) Silva/Brenes NCA

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-0 (21-17, 21-13) López/López GUA

Tovar/Vigil ESA 0-2 (7-21, 8-21) Silva/Brenes NCA

Rivera/Ebanks HON 2-1 (21-23, 21-17, 15-10) Diaz/González PAN

Men

Ureña/Pérez PAN 0-2 (11-21, 10-21) Guardado/Guardado ESA

Mongue/Marín HON 0-2 (11-21, 11-21) Delgado/Lucero GUA

Cascante/Umaña NCA 2-0 (21-17, 24-22) Delgado/Delgado CRC

Mongue/Marin HON 0-2 (7-21, 7-21) Ureña/Perez PAN

Delgado/Delgado CRC 0-2 (14-21, 18-21) Guardado/Guardado ESA

Cascante/Umaña NCA 2-0 (21-13, 21-10) Delgado/Lucero GUA

Three Countries Undefeated at the U23 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 25, 2025.- Teams from Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and El Salvador each secured two victories on the opening day of the first U23 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship.

Nicaragua’s Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes earned a 2-0 (21-7, 21-15) win over Honduras’ Shanna Rivera and Zoe Ebanks, then followed up with another 2-0 victory (21-13, 21-15) against Guatemala’s Joselyn F. López and Joselyn A. López.

Costa Rica’s Laura Molina and Aliza Aguilar started strong with a 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) win  over Panama’s Analia Díaz and Krisleen González, then finished the day with another 2-0 result (21-13, 21-10) against Rivera/Ebanks.

El Salvador’s Karla Tovar and Daniela Vigil did their part, also collecting two wins. They first defeated López/López 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), then topped Díaz/González 2-0 (21-14, 21-12).

In the men’s division, Costa Rica’s Edwin and Juan Delgado began with a dominant 2-0 victory (21-12, 21-8) over Guatemala’s Daniel Delgado and Javier Lucero, then completed the day undefeated by beating Panama’s José Ureña and Víctor Pérez 2-0 (21-17, 21-18).

Ureña and Pérez had previously defeated Nicaragua’s Cristopher Cascante and Jesy Umaña 2-0 (21-12, 22-20).

El Salvador’s Guardado twins, Cristopher and Yoel, won 2-0 (21-13, 21-12) over Honduras’ Javier Mongue and Miguel Marín, and later triumphed 2-0 (21-11, 21-18) against Delgado/Lucero of Guatemala.

Galería de imágenes en Flickr

This Saturday, each pair will play two matches in the round-robin phase, and on Sunday, the finalists and bronze medal contenders will be determined.

Men’s Results Day 1

Delgado/Lucero GUA 0-2 (12-21, 8-21) Delgado/Delgado  CRC

Guardado/Guardado ESA 2-0 (21-13, 21-12) Mongue/Marin HON

Cascante/Umaña NCA 0-2 (12-21, 20-22) Ureña/Perez PAN

Guardado/Guardado ESA 2-0 (21-11, 21-18) Delgado/Lucero GUA

Ureña/Perez PAN 0-2 (17-21, 18-21) Delgado/Delgado CRC

Cascante/Umaña NCA 2-0 (21-10, 21-4) Mongue/Marín HON

Women’s Resutls Day 1

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) Díaz/González PAN

Silva/Brenes NCA 2-0 (21-7, 21-15) Rivera/Ebanks HON

López/López GUA 0-2 (13-21, 12-21) Tovar/Vigil ESA

Molina/Aguilar CRC 2-0 (21-13, 21-10) Rivera/Ebanks HON
Diaz/Gonzalez PAN 0-2 (14-21, 12-21) Tovar/Vigil ESA

Silva/Brenes NCA 2-0 (21-13, 21-5) López/López   GUA

Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Nicaragua Strong at U21 Central American Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 25, 2025.- Costa Rica’s Mariana Fallas and Sofía Vega got off to a strong start at the 15th Central American U21 Women’s Beach Volleyball Championship, winning both of their matches on opening day at Paseo Xolotlán in Managua.

Fallas/Vega opened with a 2-0 (21-10, 21-11) victory over Honduras’ Valery Rodríguez and Ruth Villegas. In the afternoon, the Costa Rican duo defeated Panama’s Keisy Janeth and Dayanaris Ríos 2-0 (21-10, 21-14).

Another team that started strong was El Salvador’s Fátima Rendón and Devora Molina, who earned a hard-fought and important three-set win (21-17, 17-21, 16-14) against local favorites Yuliana Chávez and Elia Resau.

Panama’s Janeth/Ríos duo claimed a 2-0 (21-10, 21-19) victory over Andrea Grijalva and Danna Aguilar of Guatemala, while Chávez/Resau bounced back with a 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) win against Rodríguez/Villegas of Honduras.

In the men’s division, Costa Rica’s Julián Araya and Stanley Grant recorded two wins; first a dominant 2-0 (21-11, 21-5) result against Honduras’ Jairo Gálvez and Isaac Méndez, followed by another 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) victory over Panama’s Víctor Aráuz and Adamit Del Cid.

Another pair with two wins was Nicaragua’s Justin Barrios and Deyner López, who defeated Guatemala’s Fredy Luna and Robin Oliva 2-0 (21-10, 21-17), then closed the day with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-19) win over Rafael Vargas and Fernando Ortiz of El Salvador.

Album de fotos en Flickr

This Saturday, all duos will play two more matches, setting up a potentially decisive match on Sunday morning that could determine who advances to the final, as the top two teams will play for the championship.

Women’s Results Day 1

Fallas/Vega CRC 2-0 (21-10, 21-11) Rodríguez/Villegas HON

Grijalva/Aguilar GUA 0-2 (10-21, 19-21) Janeth/Ríos PAN

Rendón/Medina ESA 2-1 (21-17, 17-21, 16-14) Chavez/Resau NCA

Fallas/Vega CRC 2-0 (21-10, 21-14) Janeth/Ríos PAN

Grijalva/Aguilar GUA 0-2 (12-21, 6-21) Rendón/Medina ESA

Rodríguez/Villegas HON 0-2 (9-21, 10-21) Chavez/Resau NCA

Men’s Results Day 1

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-11, 21-5)  Galvez/Mendez HON            

Vargas/Ortiz ESA 0-2 (18-21, 15-21) Araúz/Cid PAN                     

Barrios/Lopez NCA 2-0 (21-10, 21-17)  Luna/Oliva GUA              

Araya/Grant CRC 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) Araúz/Cid PAN                                 

Galvez/Mendez HON 2-1 (21-17, 16-21, 17-15) Luna/Oliva GUA Vargas/Ortiz ESA 0-2 (15-21, 19-21) Barrios/Lopez NCA  

In Pursuit of the First U23 Central American Beach Volleyball Title

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 24, 2025.– A key link between the youth and senior categories is what the inaugural AFECAVOL U23 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship represents, which began this Thursday with preliminary inquiries.

This will be the first time the Under 23 category is contested, unlike the U21 division which began in 2008. The tournament will serve as a platform for athletes aiming to make the leap to the senior level in both Central American and NORCECA events.

ALBUM FLICKR ENTREVISTA PRELIMINAR

Duos from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Panama are set to compete for the first-ever title in this category. Many of the players have progressed through the underage divisions and bring valuable experience to the tournament.

Notable male competitors include El Salvador’s twin brothers Yoel and Cristopher Guardado, silver medalists at the last U21 tournament in Panama; Nicaragua’s Cristopher Cascante and Jesy Umaña; and Guatemala’s Daniel Delgado and Javier Lucero.

On the women’s side, Costa Rica’s Laura Molina and Aliza Aguilar, bronze medalists at the last U21 event, are strong contenders. Also competing are Karla Tovar and Daniela Vigil from El Salvador, and local players Nahima Silva and Norma Brenes.

After the round-robin preliminary phase, the top two teams will face off in the final, while the third and fourth place teams will compete for the bronze medal.

Matches will be held at the Paseo Xolotlán courts in Managua, a venue that has hosted several major events such as the 2017 Central American Games and multiple stages of the NORCECA Tour, starting Friday at 8:30 AM.

Participating Duos

Women
Laura Molina / Aliza Aguilar (CRC)
Joselyn F. López / Joselyn A. López (GUA)
Shanna Rivera / Zoe Ebanks (HON)
Nahima Silva / Norma Brenes (NCA)
Analia Díaz / Krisleen González (PAN)
Karla Tovar / Daniela Vigil (ESA)

Men
Edwin Delgado / Juan Delgado (CRC)
Daniel Delgado / Javier Lucero (GUA)
Javier Mongue / Miguel Marín (HON)
Cristopher Cascante / Jesy Umaña (NCA)
José Ureña / Víctor Pérez (PAN)
Yoel Guardado / Cristopher Guardado (ESA)

Great Rivalry in the U21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship

MANAGUA, Nicaragua, April 24, 2025.- The XV AFECAVOL U21 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship is set to begin this Friday, following the conclusion of team registration and uniform presentations.

Six Central American countries have confirmed their participation, each with one pair per gender, competing for the regional title in a tournament that began in 2008.

ALBUM FLICKR ENTREVISTA PRELIMINAR

Costa Rica is the defending women’s champion, though Guatemala holds the most titles overall with eight. Costa Rica has been crowned champion three times, Nicaragua twice, and El Salvador once.

In the men’s division, Nicaragua has claimed the top spot on the podium seven times, followed by Guatemala with four and Costa Rica with three, including the most recent edition held in Panama in 2022.

Costa Rica will be represented by María Fallas and Sofía Vega, the latter a bronze medalist three years ago, who will face tough competition from experienced players such as Fátima Rendón and Devora Medina of El Salvador, as well as home favorites Yuliana Chávez and Elia Resau.

In the men’s bracket, Costa Rica features Julián Araya, champion in the previous edition in Panama, this time partnered with Stanley Grant. Their rivals include Rafael Vargas and Fernando Ortiz from El Salvador, local duo Justin Barrios and Deyner López, and a promising Panamanian pair in Víctor Aráuz and Adamit Del Cid.

Matches will take place at the Paseo Xolotlán courts in Managua, starting Friday at 8:30 AM and concluding on Sunday.

The tournament will follow a round-robin format in the first phase, with the top two teams advancing to the final, which will be played on Sunday afternoon.

Participating Duos

Women
Mariana Fallas / Sofía Vega (CRC)
Fátima Rendón / Devora Medina (ESA)
Andrea Grijalva / Danna Aguilar (GUA)
Valery Rodríguez / Ruth Villegas (HON)
Yuliana Chávez / Ella Resau (NCA)
Keisy Janeth / Dayanaris Ríos (PAN)

Men
Julián Araya / Stanley Grant (CRC)
Rafael Vargas / Fernando Ortiz (ESA)
Fredy Luna / Robin Oliva (GUA)
Jairo Gálvez / Isaac Méndez (HON)
Justin Barrios / Deyner López (NCA)
Víctor Aráuz / Adamit Del Cid (PAN)

en_USEnglish