MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, 20 de julio de 2025.- Wilma Rivera, setter of the Puerto Rico National Team, was recognized this Sunday as the Most Valuable Player of the NORCECA Women’s Final Four at Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico’s setter contributed with 8 points, 4 aces and 4 kills, in the gold medal match against Mexico, and played a key role in securing the team’s third consecutive title and the ticket to the Senior’s NORCECA Women Olympic Continental Championship.
Also from Puerto Rico, Karla Santos was awarded as the first Best Spiker, alongside her teammates Neira Ortiz and Diana Reyes were named Best Blockers, Paola Santiago Best Scorer, Shara Venegas Best Digger and Decelise Champion Best Opposite.
From Mexico, Argentina Ung was awarded as Best Setter and outside hitter Samantha Bricio as Second Best Spiker.
Costa Ricans Lakysha Thompson was named Best Server while Maria Castro received the recognition of Best Receiver and Best Libero.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 20TH, 2025.- Puerto Rico secured a three-peat victory defeating Mexico in an exciting five-set thriller (25-19, 24-26, 25-18, 20-25, 15-13) in NORCECA Women’s Final Four celebrated in Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum at Manati, Puerto Rico.
With the win, Puerto Rico books a direct ticket to the 2026 Senior’s NORCECA Women Olympic Continental Championship.
This is the third gold medal in a row for Puerto Rico in this event and 5 medals overall since they won silver in 2019 and bronze in 2022. For Mexico this is their second consecutive silver medal, in the past edition of 2024 they also fell to Puerto Rico. They have a bronze medal won in 2019 and a gold medal winning the championship to Puerto Rico in 2022.
Puerto Rico finished the NORCECA Women’s Final Four undefeated with 3-0 record and Mexico with 2-1.
Decelise Champion PUR
Puerto Rico opened strong, taking the first set 25–19 behind the sharp execution of their outside hitters. It was a battle throughout the second set and answered with resilience, capitalizing on back-to-back Puerto Rican errors to steal the set in extra points 26–24. Puerto Rico surged with aggressive attacks and blocks for a 25–18 win, but Mexico held firm in the fourth, using tough serving and blocking to push the match to a tie-break. It was a nail-biting match, but Puerto Rico prevailed to clinch their third championship in a row.
Puerto Rico led 65-61 in attacks, 11-10 in blocks and 6-5 in serves, Mexico committed 27 errors and Puerto Rico 25.
Opposite Decelise Champion topped Puerto Rico scorers with 22 points (20 attacks and 2 blocks) joined by outside hitter Karla Santos with 19 points.
Mexico’s leading attackers were outside hitter Samatha Bricio with 18 points and opposite Sofia Maldonado with 16.
Juan Carlos Núñez, Puerto Rico’s coach: “We knew the match was going to be intense; they brought out their best talent. We played at home seeking qualification for the 2026 VNL, and in every match where we have the opportunity to earn points, we have to play to win. Offensively, we were at their level, and defensively, we played well. Now we have two days of rest, and then we begin training for the Pan American Cup.”
Decelise Champion, opposite of Puerto Rico: “It’s an honor and a great feeling because we’ve worked hard to get here. The match was very close, we had our ups and downs, but in the end, we were able to play together and get the win. We kept going point by point. Now it’s time for a lot of hard work and preparing for the upcoming competitions.”
Samantha Bricio, outside hitter of Mexico: “Puerto Rico clearly has a very good block; we have to work on how to improve. Today they were better than us. Our goal now is the Pan American Cup, which will help us prepare for the World Championship and perform at our best.”
Nicola Negro, head coach of Mexico: “First and foremost, congratulations to Puerto Rico for the victory. It was a very intense match that ended in five sets, but I always have great respect for Puerto Rican volleyball. I want to congratulate my players because we are in a new process of growth, and it was a match we played point by point.”
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 19th, 2025.- Costa Rica swept Trinidad and Tobago (26-24, 25-14, 25-15) to win the Bronze Medal at the fifth edition of NORCECA Women’s Final Four on Sunday at Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Costa Rica finishes the event in third place with 1-2 record and Trinidad and Tobago in fourth with 0-3. This is Costa Rica’s second medal in the history of the event after they finished in second place in 2023.
Trinidad and Tobago held strong in a tightly contested first set, but Costa Rica’s serving proved decisive in a 26–24 extra-point win. Costa Rica made some changes, but Trinidad and Tobago put up a fight. Costa Rica gained control supported by Lakysha Thompson’s offense and won set two 25-14. The Costa Ricans continue pressuring with serve and attacks to claim the third set 25-15.
Costa Rica led 41-30 in attacking points and serves 8-4 while Trinidad and Tobago held a slight 4-3 margin in blocks. Costa Rica committed 15 unforced errors and Trinidad and Tobago 24.
Lakysha Nicolle Thompson CRC
Lakysha Thompson, middle blocker of Costa Rica: “I’m very happy with the match. Participating in this event is motivating and inspiring, allowing me to continue growing. We prepared very well mentally as a team. We worked very hard on blocking and attacking and set goals to win every set. Now it’s time to train hard and support my teammates for our upcoming events.”
José Miguel Briceño, coach of Costa Rica: “We achieved our goal with this bronze. It was an event that demanded a lot from start to finish. The first set was a battle, but we prevailed. Our player, Lakysha, was instrumental and made a significant difference in the second set. Now we need to continue working with the national teams to prepare for future events.
Delicia Pierre, outside hitter of Trinidad and Tobago: “In my opinion today’s match was one of the better games that we’ve played during the tournament. I think there’s room to improve in every game we play and again it wasn’t too bad since we worked on some of the things we needed to improve. I’m pleased with the things that we were able to work on. Now we go back home to do a lot of work and improve some of the skills to get stronger for our next competitions”.
Stewart Daymian, coach of Trinidad and Tobago: “We really had a very high expectations, it was a reality check for us. Some things we did achieve and some others we need to work on. It’s a little disappointing but we will be back. In the first set I noticed the other team made adjustment and we did not, they put pressure on the serve affecting our passing and that is something we needed to work. Next, we have our players playing some important tournaments and our main goal is to do a good job at the Caribbean Championship in August”.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 20, 2025. – A historic moment in continental volleyball will unfold this Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at the Juan Aubín Cruz Coliseum, as two Puerto Rican referees will take the court for the opening match of the NORCECA Women’s Final Four between the senior national teams of Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago.
For the first time at this competitive level, the Puerto Rican duo of Eric Quirindongo (First Referee – R1) and Maricela Candelaria (Second Referee – R2) will officiate an official senior-level national team match in a NORCECA tournament. The only previous instance of two Puerto Rican referees working together in this capacity was at the U17 level, making this appointment an unprecedented milestone for Puerto Rican officiating.
“In the first match, Maricela Candelaria and Eric Quirindongo will be officiating. I believe this is the first time two Puerto Rican referees serve as R1 and R2 in a NORCECA senior national team match. It had happened before, but only at the U17 level,” said Arnaldo “El Abuelo” Piñero, referee supervisor, with clear excitement.
Meanwhile, Dr. César Trabanco, President of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation, celebrated the historic assignment as a testament to the quality and professionalism of Puerto Rico’s officiating corps. “This is a proud moment for our federation. The presence of local referees in such leading roles reaffirms our commitment to the technical development of the sport at every level,” he stated.
With this recognition, the FPV continues to demonstrate its leadership in the comprehensive development of both athletic and technical talent, raising Puerto Rico’s name across the international volleyball stage.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 19th, 2025.-Puerto Rico swept Trinidad and Tobago (25-17, 25-9, 25-) to extend their winning streak at the NORCECA Women’s Final Four at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum.
Trinidad and Tobago started strong with a three-point lead (11-8) forcing Puerto Rico to call for their first time out. The set was leveled but Puerto Rico prevailed 25-17. After making changes for set two, Puerto Rico kept their dominance in attacks and serves for a straight set win.
Puerto Rico held a huge 41-17 advantage in kills, 7-2 in blocks and 9-0 in aces, while committing 16 unforced errors against 18 from Trinidad and Tobago.
Outside hitter Paola Santiago led the offense for Puerto Rico with 12 points while Valeria Vazquez contributed with 9 points. Destiny Leon was the best scorer for Trinidad and Tobago with 8 points.
Puerto Rico attack
Paola Santiago, outside hitter from Puerto Rico: “It feels incredible to play in front of the Puerto Rican fans; representing Puerto Rico in Puerto Rico is a dream come true. We always come to every match with the mentality of winning and giving our best performance, and we were all taken by surprise by Trinidad and Tobago’s intensity until the 17th point on the first set, but we managed to capitalize on those last points. We must prepare our serves better and play hard. Mexico is a great team, and it’s going to be a great battle.
Destiny Leon, middle blocker from Trinidad and Tobago: “We tried our best and did a very good job on the first set and I think once we get more training, and we can watch films and the other teams that will be able to come against them and perform better. Once we take the time and practice tomorrow and really focus, we can come against Costa Rica and put up a fight.”
Puerto Rico is looking for a three-peat and will play for the championship of the NORCECA Women’s Final Four against Mexico while Trinidad and Tobago will face Costa Rica for the third place.
Participating teams will be awarded FIVB World Ranking points valid for the qualification process to the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the FIVB World Championship 2027. Additionally, the champion team will earn the qualification to the Senior’s NORCECA Women Olympic Continental Championship.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 19th, 2025.- Mexico remains unbeaten at NORCECA Women’s Final Four with a straight-set victory over Costa Rica (25-15, 25-13, 25-18) at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum.
Costa Rica fought the beginning of the match keeping the score close, but Mexico put pressure with the serve and adjusted the defense to win 25-15. The Mexicans came strong with a 9-1 lead in the second set, Costa Rica tried to comeback but lost the set 25-13. Mexico started set three trailing by three points (4-7) and had to make adjustments to overcome Costa Rica.
The Mexican team was dominant in the attack points 38-19, blocking 7-4 and service aces 11-2 but committed more errors than Costa Rica 21-19.
Melanie Parra led Mexico with 11 points followed by Grecia Castro with 8 points. For Costa Rica, Tamara Espinosa and Tatiana Sayles finished with 6 points each.
Melanie Parra, outside hitter of Mexico: “I’m very happy to be back on the national team, starting over, and being with this group of girls. I feel very happy to be able to represent Mexico again. It was a good match. The Costa Ricans played very well, and I think we played better, but there’s no easy match, and for the next match, we need to improve our serve and reception, which are our weaknesses.”
Tamara Espinosa, outside hitter of Costa Rica: “I think it was a pretty tough match at the start. As the match progressed, we improved as a team. In the end, we gave opportunities to some of the U-23 girls who are training for the Junior Pan American Games. I’m very happy because today’s match against Mexico we saw a lot of progress. When we started enjoying the match and letting go of that fear, everything flowed better. For tomorrow, we need a lot of concentration and focus on what we can do. Stay calm and trust in ourselves.
Tomorrow, Mexico (2-0) will play for the championship of the NORCECA Women’s Final Four against host team Puerto Rico, while Costa Rica (0-2) will play for third place against Trinidad and Tobago.
Participating teams will be awarded FIVB World Ranking points valid for the qualification process to the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the FIVB World Championship 2027. Additionally, the champion team will earn the qualification to the Senior’s NORCECA Women Olympic Continental Championship.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 19th, 2025.- Puerto Rico started on a high note beating Costa Rica 3-0 (25-12, 25-10, 25-7) in their opening match of NORCECA Women’s Final Four at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico and Costa Rica fought at the beginning of the first set but Puerto Rico’s experience prevailed blocking away the Costa Ricans to win 25-12. Supported by their powerful serve and consistency in blocking, Puerto Rico dominated the rest of the match winning in straight sets.
The Puerto Ricans were dominant, leading 42-16 in attacks, 13-0 in blocks, and 7-0 in service points. Puerto Rico gave away 12 points from unforced errors compared to 13 from Costa Rica.
Puerto Rico
Shara Venegas, captain of Puerto Rico: “I’m very happy with our first match in our first tournament of the summer. We have many new players, and I think the veterans and the new players complemented each other well, and I’m very satisfied with today’s match. We must continue improving the consistency and serves in our individual game to reach the goals we want.”
Juan Carlos Núñez, coach of Puerto Rico: “For us, this is our first match. We didn’t have any preparation games, and we were evaluating our game and how we played. It was a match where I was able to see all the players in action and prepare for tomorrow’s match. We have to continue aligning as a group since half of the players are new, and we have to continue working to be more aggressive on our serves.”
María Castro, captain of Costa Rica: “It was a tough match. We knew Puerto Rico was going to go all out since they were at home, and we came in with the goal of doing a good job. In the end, things didn’t go as we thought. They had a great block and a very good serve. We tried to follow our coach’s instructions, and some things went well for us, others didn’t, but they helped us prepare for tomorrow’s match.”
José Briceño, coach of Costa Rica: “We knew it was going to be a very tough match emotionally, technically, tactically, since we were going to face the host and had the crowd on their side. At times, we had good rallies, but Puerto Rico’s block was quite overwhelming for our hitters, and their setter’s serve greatly affected our reception. I think we’ll get better and better, and we want to give all the players plenty of practice so they can get into their rhythm and develop.”
Costa Rica will play versus Mexico on day two of the tournament while Puerto Rico will face Trinidad and Tobago.
Before the match, a small inauguration ceremony took place with the presence of Manati’s Mayor Mr. José Sánchez González, Secretary of State Madam Rosachely Rivera Santana, President of NORCECA Mr. Cristóbal Marte Hoffiz, the Director of Recreation and Sports Madam Pamela Rosado and the President of the Puerto Rican Federation Mr. César Trabanco.
The mayor of Manati expressed the importance of this tournament in the municipality for the sport, to help develop tourism and the economy. Also, he said to be honored that this event was brought to the city which will open the door to bring more high-level volleyball competitions at the international level.
The Secretary of the State was very excited for this tournament taking place in Manati: “This event is very important for Puerto Rico to develop the tourism and the sport. We thank the mayor for his support and for having this event celebrated here. I’m very happy to have the opportunity to host all these countries and witness the support of fans.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 18th, 2025. Mexico kicked off the NORCECA Women’s Final Four with a dominant 3-0 (25-8, 25-11, 25-14) win over Trinidad and Tobago at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Mexico quickly jumped to a 6-0 lead with a block from Karina Flores. Trinidad and Tobago tried to keep up, but Gloria Ung’s tactical serving led them into a nine-point advantage. In the second set Mexico took full advantage of Trinidad and Tobago mistakes taking a 11-3 lead thanks to the offense of Sofia Maldonado. Trinidad and Tobago fought at the beginning of the third set with Mexico’s new rotation, but the Mexicans gained their rhythm and won the set 25-14.
Mexico outperformed Trinidad and Tobago in attacks (39-15), serves (4-1) and blocks (8-1). Trinidad and Tobago capitalized on 24 errors while Mexico finished with 16.
Mexico celebrates
Middle Blocker Karina Angelica Flores was the top scorer for the winning team with 11 points followed by the opposite Sofia Maldonado with 10 points. For Trinidad and Tobago, Delicia Pierre finished with 5 points and middle blocker Destiny Leon with 4 points.
Nicola Negro, head coach of Mexico: “For us, it was a good match, only affected by the serve errors in the final set. It was a match we played in an orderly fashion, doing what we had to do. We must improve a lot for tomorrow. It’s the first game of the season, and it was a good match for the first game, but there’s always room for improvement.”
Jocelyn Urias, Captain of Mexico: “It’s great to be able to return for another year with the national team and play here representing Mexico. I feel like we’re confident in doing our job. Before we go in and play, I tell the girls to work on our own game with a lot of respect for the opponent, but at the same time, we have a lot of room for improvement. The idea is to give everyone a chance to get into rhythm and prepare for tomorrow’s game.”
Daymian Stewart, coach of Trinidad and Tobago: “First, I’m happy for all the girls as we said this tournament is the first of the season and give us an idea where we are and there are some things we need to work on, but I’m satisfied with the overall performance of the girls. For tomorrow’s match we need to make an adjustment at blocking; the girls were playing a little timid at times looking for more control and power but at this level we need to hit the ball”
Kaylon Cruickshank, captain of Trinidad and Tobago: “It was a very good game. I’m really happy with the performance of my team. This was the first time we played at this level and I’m happy that even though we were down in points, we fought till the end. I think that in the third set we improved in our passing, and we adjusted our defense, and we were able to make more points. For tomorrow we need to work a little more in defense and in confidence.”
On the second day of the event, Mexico will face Costa Rica while Trinidad and Tobago will play host team Puerto Rico.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 17th, 2025.- Coaches of the teams at the NORCECA Women’s Final Four taking place at Manatí, Puerto Rico from July 18-20 commented about their expectations ahead of the competition during the preliminary inquiry expecting a high-level competition and to gain experience for their future events.
Juan Carlos Núñez, Head coach of Puerto Rico: Our first home tournament begins with high expectations, with our goals this summer is to have a strong representation and earn points in pursuit of qualification for the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
My team is a mix of veteran and young players. It’s an interesting mix, and it’s important for these young players to gain experience. We have several training sessions before tomorrow’s match to get off to a good start. It’s a deeper team than last year’s because we have more experienced players to take on the challenge of the summer.
Puerto Rico
Nicola Negro, Head coach of Mexico: This is our first event of the season where we have a young group, and we’ve been making a lot of changes. It’s the beginning of an Olympic cycle, and the goal is to start building our game. Prior this event, we had a training camp at the high-performance center in Mexico, as well as several friendly matches with teams from the United States, all with the goal of having a strong season.
We have a stable roster, the addition of about four athletes coming from college, and the return of Samantha Bricio, a very important player for our team, and we are very positive.
Mexico
José Miguel Briceño Torres, Head coach Costa Rica: We begin our national team participation phase with an eye toward this year’s regional tournaments, which include the Final Four and the Central American Games.
We have an experienced team and young players, and we want to prepare them to develop their game in this event. Since the beginning of the year, we’ve been training twice a week and have also used the national tournament to give the players a rhythm. Our goal is for the players to experience what it’s like to play against teams that will demand technical and tactical demands from them, expecting a progressive performance in this event.
Costa Rica
Daymian Stewart, Head coach Trinidad and Tobago: We are honor to be here and play at this level and for us is a big initial of our international season. Our main goal is the Caribbean championship in the Bahamas, so this is part of our preparation. We will face very tough opponents, but we expect Costa Rica to be the closes to our level and give them a challenge and to put our best foot forward against Puerto Rico and Mexico.
It is a new team. We are transitioning from the team that qualified from the world championship in 2018. We have some young players as young as 15 years old so this is an opportunity to give them exposure at this level, and this will really prepare us to continue dominating in our zone.
Trinidad and Tobago
Participating teams will be awarded FIVB World Ranking points valid for the qualification process to the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and the FIVB World Championship 2027. Additionally, the champion team will earn the qualification to the Senior’s NORCECA Women Olympic Continental Championship.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, July 16th, 2025.- Puerto Rico is set to defend its title at the fifth edition of the NORCECA Final Four Women’s tournament taking place from July 18 to 20 in Manati, Puerto Rico.
Four national teams, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago, will compete in pursuit of the championship, following Cuba’s withdrawal due to unexpected travel complications.
Participating teams will be awarded FIVB World Ranking points valid for the qualification process to the 2026 FIVB Volleyball Nations League and for the qualification to the FIVB World Championship 2027.
As the back-to-back reigning champion, Puerto Rico is one of the top contenders aiming to defend their title. In the last tournament held in Puerto Rico, the host team finished first, Mexico second and Cuba secured the third seed.
The competition will feature three days of round-robin matches starting this Friday at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum, which is set to accommodate up to 8,000 spectators.
MANATÍ, Puerto Rico, June 3, 2025.- The Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation (FPV), led by President Dr. César Trabanco, has officially announced that the city of Manatí will host the prestigious 2025 NORCECA Women’s Final Four tournament, scheduled to take place from July 18 to 20 at the Juan Aubin Cruz Abreu Coliseum.
The event will bring together the national teams of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico, and Costa Rica in an exciting round-robin format that promises high-level matchups. Additionally, this will be the first tournament to award ranking points toward qualification for the Volleyball Nations League (VNL), adding extra incentive to the competition and increasing its relevance on the international stage.
Coliseo Juan Aubin Cruz, Manati
Dr. César Trabanco, President of the Puerto Rican Volleyball Federation, expressed deep gratitude to the Mayor of Manatí, the Honorable José A. Sánchez, for his support to Puerto Rican volleyball and his commitment to the development of sports in the region.
“We greatly value the support of Mayor Sánchez and his team, who have opened the doors of the Juan Aubin Cruz Coliseum to host a top-tier event. Their backing is a clear demonstration of Manatí’s commitment to the growth of volleyball and the strengthening of our national teams,” said Trabanco.
He also emphasized the importance of the 2025 NORCECA Women’s Final Four for the Puerto Rican national team and the sport on the island:
“This tournament is a great opportunity for our players to showcase their talent and continue raising the level of volleyball in Puerto Rico. Facing strong opponents like Cuba, Mexico, and Costa Rica will allow us to compete at the highest level and demonstrate our team’s progress on the international stage. We look forward to an exciting event, with thrilling matches and passionate fans supporting our team as it aims to defend its title.”
As the reigning champion, Puerto Rico will look to maintain its dominance in the tournament and take full advantage of the home court to deliver an unforgettable experience for its fans.
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