VEGA BAJA, Puerto Rico, November 5, 2026. – The race for NORCECA’s direct berth to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games begins Friday at the Areia Sports Complex in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, where ten women’s teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean will compete in the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifier.
Competition details were confirmed during Thursday’s Preliminary Inquiry, where officials outlined the tournament format. The ten teams have been divided into two pools of five, with the top three teams from each pool advancing to the knockout stage.
Among the leading contenders is Canada’s experienced duo of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. Humana-Paredes, a two-time Olympian who competed at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, highlighted the team’s extensive international experience and confidence gained through the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, emphasizing their goal of competing for gold at every event.
Representing the United States, Megan Kraft will make her first attempt at Olympic qualification alongside two-time Olympian Kelly Cheng. Kraft explained that the pair completed an intensive month-long training block in preparation for the tournament and will focus on executing their game plan and performing at their highest level.
Host Puerto Rico will be represented by Allanis Navas and Kelly Sánchez. Navas praised the rapid progress Sánchez has made since joining the team, while Sánchez expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent Puerto Rico in such an important competition.
For Navas, competing in Vega Baja carries special significance, as Marbella Beach is where her beach volleyball journey began. Playing in front of family, friends and home fans, with an Olympic berth at stake, makes this one of the most meaningful tournaments of her career.
The women’s tournament features ten teams divided into two pools, A and B, of five teams each. Pool play will take place Friday and Saturday, with the top three teams from each pool advancing to the knockout stage.
The winners of each pool will advance directly to the semifinals, while the second- and third-place teams will compete in crossover quarterfinal matches: second place in Pool A against third place in Pool B, and second place in Pool B against third place in Pool A.
The quarterfinal winners will advance to the semifinals, while the losing teams will compete for fifth place.
The fourth- and fifth-place teams from each pool will play classification matches to determine the remaining positions, including seventh and ninth place.
Pool Distribution
Pool A: Navas/Sánchez (PUR), Torres/Flores (MEX), Infante/Paniagua (DOM), Vargas/Vigil (ESA), Austin/Buckner (ISV).
Pool B: Kraft/Cheng (USA), Melissa/Brandie (CAN), Chavarría/Molina (CRC), Alvarado/Mendoza (GUA), N. Ramírez/Sabal (BLZ).
Women’s Teams
Belize (N. Ramírez/Sabal), Canada (Melissa Humana-Paredes/Brandie Wilkerson), Costa Rica (Chavarría/Molina), Dominican Republic (Infante/Paniagua), El Salvador (Inés Vargas/Vigil), Guatemala (Alvarado/Mendoza), Mexico (Susana Torres/Atenas Flores), Puerto Rico (Allanis Navas/Kelly Sánchez), U.S. Virgin Islands (Kristina Austin/María Buckner), and the United States (Megan Kraft/Kelly Cheng).
With one direct Olympic berth at stake, the women’s teams are ready to begin their quest for a place at Los Angeles 2028 on the sands of Vega Baja.