COLIMA, Mexico, August 2, 2025 – The coaches of the 10 teams participating in the XXII Women’s Pan American Cup, which will be played from August 3 to 10 in the city of Colima, commented on the characteristics of their squads during the preliminary inspections conducted by the event’s Control Committee this Thursday.
Matthew Krueger (Canada): “We are going to use this tournament as a learning experience since half of the team are young players who have just moved up from the U-23 division, and this is my first time as a head coach in this type of competition. So, we are going to test ourselves in this event and try to do our best.”
Guilherme Schmitz (Colombia): “This is my first time participating in a Pan American Cup as coach of the Colombian senior team. We have high expectations for a great tournament. It’s our first competition of the season, which also serves as a great preparation for the World Championship to be held in Thailand.”
Esteban Ballestero, Assistant Coach (Costa Rica): “First, we want to compete; we want to play well on the court. Second, we want the players to adapt to playing under pressure from other teams, which we understand are stronger than us. Then, we can confront that pressure and try to find solutions during the game.”
Manuel Torres (Cuba): “Our expectations are high. We’re taking a new direction as a group. Although we came here with a limited group of players, the fundamental idea is to go out and play each match and, along the way, make adjustments to achieve the best possible result.”
Marcos Kwiek (Dominican Republic): “I think it’s going to be a good tournament. We have teams here that are also going to the World Cup, and they’ll use the tournament to fine-tune their teams, just like we are. So, we’re very focused and also want to seek a medal for the country, which is very important, and to continue our path to the World Cup.”
Nicola Negro (Mexico): “This season we’re starting a new cycle, and this will be our second competition after the Final Four in Puerto Rico. It’s an important Pan American Cup because it’s very close to the World Cup, so we hope to continue growing and get the best possible result since we’re playing at home.”
Antonio Rizola (Peru): “Peru is coming to this tournament with the expectation of testing another team. We played with a team in the Copa América, and here in the Pan American Cup we have five different players who weren’t in the first tournament we played this year, and it’s important because we’re preparing for next year. The Pan American Cup has always been an important tournament for Peru, and for me personally, Antonio Rizola.”
Juan Carlos Núñez (Puerto Rico): “This tournament is very important for us because it’s the last one we’ll have in preparation for the World Cup. We’ll also try to earn as many points as possible to remain ranked among the top 16 in the world. It’s incredibly important for us because there are many teams that can give us points. Thank God, the team arrived healthy, and we’ll fight for a spot on the podium.”
Adrian Fiorenza (Venezuela): “Our expectations are high after having participated in the Copa America in Brazil, where we competed with a very young team. We are coming to this Pan American Cup with girls who already have international experience. While it is true that Venezuela has not been in this category of performance for four years, we believe we have the talent and potential to perform well.”
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