PUEBLA, Mexico, July 27, 2025 – Outside hitter and captain of the Puerto Rican national team, Pedro Molina, was named Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four held at the BUAP Arena in Puebla, Mexico. He also won the tournament’s best server award.
Pedro Molina’s service was key in the fourth set of the championship-clinching match against Mexico. Also from Puerto Rico, Pelegrín Vargas won the individual award for best hitter.
Pedro Molina Named Most Valuable
For runner-up Mexico, outside hitter Oziel Aguirre received the awards for best hitter and best receiver. Axel Téllez earned the award for second-best blocker.
For the third-place team, the Dominican Republic, Luke Ramírez won the award for best setter, and for the fourth-place team, Guatemala, won five individual awards: Josué González for best defender and best libero, Jason Hernández for best blocker, and Andy Leonardo for best scorer and best opposite number.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 27, 2025 – An intense five-set match took place tonight at a BUAP Arena full ofMexican fans. The home team was motivated and took the lead in the first set, but Puerto Rico found motivation and national pride, rallying and securing victory with a score of 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 15-9).
The small point difference between the two teams was in blocking and serving. Puerto Rico made 15 effective blocks, compared to 10 for the Mexican team. In aces, Puerto Rico scored 6, while Mexico only 2. In attacks, both teams were consistent and scored a similar number of points, with a difference of 1, for a total of 51 for Mexico and 52 for Puerto Rico.
For Puerto Rico, captain Pedro Molina was crucial in the victory, scoring 17 points, 11 attacks, 1 block, and 5 service aces. Outside hitter Pelegrin Vargas contributed 16 points, 14 attacks, and 2 blocks.
PUR Monsterblock Molina and Rivera
For Mexico, the game was shared among four powerful hitters: Garay, Aguirre, Fuentes, and Rodríguez. Opposite Alexis Garay produced spectacular attacks in key spots that motivated his team, scoring 14 points, 12 on kills, 1 serve, and 1 block. Outside hitter Oziel Aguirre also contributed 14 points, all on kills.
Mexican center Axel Rodríguez excelled in blocking, with 7 points, bringing the home team’s total to 13. Captain Mauro Fuentes scored 13 points, 12 on offense and 1 on block.
Puerto Rico coach Alberto J. Torres commented: “We’re very happy. The team showed great maturity. Playing in Mexico is very difficult. The fans are spectacular, and that caused the guys a bit of anxiety, but they knew how to overcome it.
We’ve been working on a program, and this result helps solidify what we’re doing. I think Pedro Molina’s maturity and the serves he made in the fourth set were commendable because that was the motivation the team needed.”
Mexican coach Carlos Eduardo Schwanke shared: “I’m happy, although a little disappointed with the ending because we started very well, playing at a great pace, but I think they also felt the pressure of playing at home and without having played any previous preparation matches for this tournament.
This is part of a fairly long process, because we’re preparing a team that will be a winner in no time.
As this is the first event with this coaching staff, I’m satisfied. We realize there are many players with great potential. We need to integrate some who are recovering from injuries, but I think it’s a good team.”
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 27, 2025 – The match started with a lot of energy from both teams, who reached their third game without winning a single set of this competition. Guatemala fought for every point, taking the third set. However, it was the Dominican Republic who won the match with a score of 4-1 (25-22, 25-20, 20-25, 25-21) and with it, the bronze medal in the NORCECA Men’s Final Four.
Guatemala was superior in attack points with 58 to the Dominican Republic’s 47, however, they committed 32 errors and the Dominican Republic’s 25. The Dominican Republic also dominated in blocks with a total of 14 attacks to Guatemala’s 2.
For the Dominican Republic, outside hitter Héctor Cruz scored the most points with a total of 15, 12 attacks, 2 blocks, and 1 service ace. Opposite Adrián Figueroa had 14 points, 12 attacks, 1 block, and 1 serve.
Guatemala veteran Andy Leonardo led his team with key points to raise the score, connecting on a total of 27 points, 24 of them on attack, 1 block, and 2 on serves. Captain Carlos López scored a total of 16 points, all on attacks, 6 of which were key to winning the third set for his team.
For the Dominican Republic, coach José Gutiérrez commented: “Our goal in coming to this tournament was to gain experience. Yesterday’s match wasn’t that great, but today I think we showed that we have players who can perform at that level in the long run, and we will look to win first place in this event in the future.
We are leaving happy and in good shape, as this group travels to Guatemala tomorrow, and we have several events coming up with the U-23 national team.”
After this result, Guatemala coach Reider Lucas shared: “It’s a hard job for us to get here. The best players are here, and we need to achieve good results to be in this tournament. We fought hard to get the opportunity, but of course, we expected more and couldn’t achieve it. We have to improve and keep working, which is what we have left.
I think the players need maturity, and the way to achieve it is to give them these experiences so they can continue playing and develop them for the future.”
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 26, 2025 – With an opening point from captain Mauro Fuentes, a full BUAP Arena, and three consecutive aces from Axel Rodríguez, Mexico demonstrated superiority from the start of the first set, securing a 3-0 victory (25-19, 25-18, 25-19) against Dominican Republic.
One of the errors Mexico made yesterday in the match against Guatemala was its serves; however, in this match, they improved dramatically, scoring eight service points compared to just one from the Dominican Republic. In attacks, the Mexican team doubled its opponent’s effectiveness with 47 points, compared to 23 from the Dominican Republic.
MEX celebrates
Mexican opposite hitter, Ridl Alexis Garay, scored the most points in the match, with a total of 15, 13 of them on attacks, 1 on blocks, and 1 on a service. Garay commented, “We’re happy with this win. It was something we’ve been working on for months at training camp. I think we were a little nervous about being the home team yesterday, but today we knew how to work with that and embrace the support of the fans.
We know tomorrow’s game will be tough. Puerto Rico is coming with a full team, and we hope it’s a great match, and we’ll go for the win.”
Aguirre again scored key points for Mexico, adding a total of 13, 12 of them on attacks and 1 on blocks. For the Dominican Republic, Moisés A. Ortíz contributed the most points for his team, with a total of 7, 5 of them on blocks and 2 on attacks.
The Dominican middle blocker shared, “I’m happy with the work I did in the match, but more than mine, the team’s. Both teams played very well. Mexico had the advantage of winning, but it was difficult. This was a very important game, and even though we lost, we took home the knowledge and continue to praise our country in every game.”
Tomorrow, Mexico will face Puerto Rico. Both teams are coming off wins in their first two matches and will be fighting for first place in this NORCECA Men’s Final Four.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 26, 2025 – Puerto Rico has become increasingly decisive in the NORCECA Men’s Final Four, earning its second victory 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-19) against Guatemala.
Guatemala started the match with great enthusiasm, just as in the first match yesterday against Mexico, managing to take a couple of points ahead of its opponent during the set. It was in the final points that Puerto Rico stepped up its attacks, distracting Guatemala’s defense, which was unable to contain them.
In the second and third sets, Puerto Rico was far superior throughout. The key to the victory was the huge difference in decisive attacks (43-18). Once again, Pelegrin Vargas led Puerto Rico with 12 points, including 9 on attack and 3 blocks.
PUR celebrates
Vargas commented: “I think the group has bonded well, and depending on the role I play in each match, I’ll be there for the team as needed. Today we rotated a bit to allow the younger players to play, and we also had to support them.
We have bigger tournaments coming up, so we’re getting back into the swing of things. Personally, I was out of action for 5-6 months, and I think it’s a good return.
I was very surprised by the great organization of the tournament and the warmth of the Mexican crowd, although it certainly won’t be the same tomorrow against them.”
For Guatemala, Jason Hernández scored 7 points, 5 of them on blocks, and their veteran Andy Leonardo scored 6 points, 5 of them on attack and 1 ace.
The captain of Guatemala, Carlos López, shared: “We started off in good spirits again, but as Puerto Rico picked up the pace, we started making more mistakes.
We’re happy with the work the juniors did; this was their opportunity, and they came in to solve many situations in the match well. That’s our intention: to take advantage of the high level of these opponents to gain experience.”
For Guatemala, this is their second loss in the competition, with a match to play tomorrow against the Dominican Republic.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 25, 2025 – The BUAP Arena witnessed a hard-fought match from start to finish tonight between the host nation and Guatemala, where Mexico earned its first victory in the NORCECA Men’s Final Four in front of spectators that consistently supported the home team.
In three thrilling sets, the match concluded with a score of 3-0 (27-25, 28-26, 30-28). Guatemala was superior in effective attacks with a total of 43 to Mexico’s 41, and in blocking points, 12-9. Andy Leonardo was the Guatemala´s top scorer, adding 15 total points, 13 of them on attacks, 1 on aces, and 1 on blocks.
Mexican outside hitter Oziel Aguirre, in his first experience with the senior team, led his team with 18 points, 15 on kills and 3 blocks, becoming the player with the most total points on the first day of competition.
Mexico celebrates
At the end of the match, Aguirre commented: “We’re here to give our best, and I want to keep working hard to contribute as much as I can to the team. It’s great to play at home with the fans supporting us.
This is just the beginning; it’s the first game, but we’re going to keep improving, getting into the swing of things, and I hope it turns out as well as possible.”
Mexico’s captain commented, “I think the victory was a good first step, but not how we got it.
I think we have a lot to improve, especially on the service line. There were specific moments where we missed serves and gave away a large number of points to Guatemala at the end of the set. Perhaps it was a mix of nervousness, pressure, and indecision that we need to work on, but playing at home with our families is always very motivating, and we’re sure to improve.”
Guatemala’s captain shared, “We come to these events knowing they’re high-level events. The three opposing teams are strong, and today the team gave their all. We never gave up. In the third set, we were way down and we managed to tie it, on the verge of winning, but our mistakes cost us the match.
It leaves us feeling good, especially because of the participation of the U-23 youth team. They played very well, and that motivates us.”
Tomorrow, Guatemala will face Puerto Rico, and Mexico will face the Dominican Republic.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 25, 2025 – In the first match of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four, Puerto Rico defeated the Dominican Republic 3-0 (26-24, 25-20, 25-21) at the BUAP Arena.
With an opening point by Pelegrin Vargas, the top attacker in this match with 13 total points, the scoring opened in favor of Puerto Rico. The Dominican Republic reacted immediately, outscoring their opponent at the start of the first set, which was tied 24-24 and decided in the final points in favor of Puerto Rico with an ace from their captain, Pedro Molina.
In the second and third sets, Puerto Rico showed superiority in attack, blocking, and serving from the start, securing victory in an exciting match. Puerto Rico outscored its opponent 42-35 in attack points, 8-4 in effective blocks, and 4-2 in aces. Dominican Republic hitter Héctor Cruz added 14 total points, 13 on attacks and one on serve. For Puerto Rico, opposite Klistan Lawrence tied his teammate Vargas with 13 points, 9 on attacks, 3 blocks, and 1 serve.
PUR – Rivera serve
Captain Pedro Molina scored 9 points for his team. At the end of the match, he commented: “We’ve been preparing for this all summer and are very confident about what’s coming.
Like in all tournaments, it’s a bit difficult for us to get into the swing of things here because of the altitude we’re at. But as the match progressed, we found our rhythm, and I know that with each passing set, we’re feeling better and more confident. Very excited for the upcoming matches.”
For Dominican Republic, captain Henry Tapia said: “We started well, with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, but these are matches that make us realize how we’re really doing. The reception didn’t help, nor did the ball distribution.
Personally, I recognize that, knowing my potential, I know I needed to give more of myself to the team, but sometimes we get discouraged by some mistakes that make us lose focus of the game.”
Tomorrow, Puerto Rico will face Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic will face the host team, Mexico. Live broadcasts of the matches can be viewed on the Mexican Volleyball Federation’s YouTube page.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 24, 2025 – One day before the start of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four, the participating teams are ready to compete for the title of this fifth edition. The coaches shared their impressions and expectations for the tournament, which will be held from July 25 to 27 at the BUAP Arena.
Carlos Eduardo Schwanke, coach of Mexico: “This event will be an opportunity to test the players and our system of play against important opponents, since we are entering the competition without any previous friendly matches, so it is very important for the process we are undertaking with the team.
For us, as a new coaching staff, this is a special occasion because it will be our first competition in Mexico, and we have high expectations from the Mexican public. We hope they will strongly support the team and that it will be a great event for everyone.”
Alberto J. Torres, Puerto Rico coach: “We’re bringing a group similar to the one that played a year ago in Puerto Rico, and we’re bringing three U-21 players. We want to test them in this competition. But after winning this tournament in Puerto Rico, our expectation is to win here as well.
They’re a young team, but already have a lot of international experience, and there are some very iconic players in Puerto Rico who will be participating in this event, and we hope to put on a great show for the Mexican public.”
José Gutiérrez, coach of the Dominican Republic: “The foundation of our team is 11 U-23 players, and our goal in this competition is to give them experience as part of their preparation for the Junior Pan American Games, which will be held in August in Asunción, Paraguay. In this transition and long-term generational change, we are proposing, they are accompanied by our captain, Román Tapia, a 33-year-old key figure on the Dominican team.
Mexico has been the home of men’s events for many years, and we know the passion that exists among the fans who support their teams, so we expect a spectacular event as always.”
Reider Lucas, Guatemala coach, said: “We’re coming with a fairly young team because we prioritized preparation for the Junior Panamanian Games in Paraguay. 10 players are from this team, and some of them are also from the senior team.
We know we’re coming to a high-level event in the NORCECA region, and all the teams are very well prepared. We want to take advantage of the opportunity to raise our level of play by going out to fight in every match.”
The teams had the opportunity to conduct field reconnaissance training today, and tomorrow they will begin their matches with the Dominican Republic vs. Puerto Rico match at 6:00 PM.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 23, 2025. – The Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP) Arena is ready to host the teams that will compete in the fifth edition of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four, which begins on July 25, 2025.
The event’s control committee and organizing committee inspected the facilities, equipment, and all the necessary facilities for the important international competition, which will take place from July 25 to 27, 2025.
Alberto Arreola, competition director, led the supervision of each work area that will host the event. He commented: “The venue is first-class and meets all the requirements of NORCECA and the FIVB regarding its facilities and court setup. My appreciation to the organizing committee, which has done a great job.” They have given us every opportunity to have an excellent event”.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., prior to the host Mexico’s match against Guatemala.
The live broadcast of the Final Four can be viewed on the Mexican Volleyball Federation’s YouTube channel.
The event will award the champion a ticket to the NORCECA Men’s Olympic Continental Championship and provide teams with FIVB World Ranking points.
PUEBLA, Mexico, July 21, 2025. – Puebla is ready to welcome top-level men’s volleyball as it hosts the fifth edition of the NORCECA Men’s Final Four tournament, set to take place from July 25 to 27 at the state-of-the-art Arena BUAP.
The competition will feature reigning champions Puerto Rico, along with Dominican Republic, Guatemala, and host nation Mexico, battling in a round-robin format across three days of high-level action.
In addition to the NORCECA Men’s Final Four title, teams will earn FIVB World Ranking points, contributing to their qualification campaigns for the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the 2027 FIVB World Championship. Moreover, the tournament champion will secure a spot in the Senior NORCECA Men’s Olympic Continental Championship.
Teams are scheduled to complete preliminary inquiries and official preparations on the eve of the tournament that kicks off on Friday, July 25.
Competition Schedule:
Friday – July 25
6:00 pm Dominican Republic vs Puerto Rico
8:00 pm Mexico vs Guatemala
Saturday – July 26
6:00 pm Puerto Rico vs Guatemala 8:00 pm Mexico vs Dominican Republic
Sunday – July 27
5:00 pm Dominican Republic vs Guatemala 7:00 pm Mexico vs Puerto Rico
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