Tue. Sep 16th, 2025

Puerto Rico and Mexico Medal Again on NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour


Teams from Puerto Rico and Mexico, beneficiaries of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, once again demonstrated their prowess on the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, securing multiple podium finishes at the recent Zapopan stop in the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. Their consistent performance highlights the success of these development initiatives.

Women`s Tournament Highlights

The highly successful Puerto Rican duo, Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas, clinched the women`s gold medal. Their national federation`s beach volleyball program, under coach Angel Pena, has thrived with significant FIVB Volleyball Empowerment funding, including USD 168,000 for coach support and USD 17,500 for equipment. Gonzalez and Navas, seeded second, showcased their dominance by reaching the final flawlessly, winning all four matches without dropping a single set. This included a commanding 2-0 (21-17, 21-13) semifinal victory over Canada`s Akash Grewal and Katarina Pantovic.

The final match proved to be a challenging three-set thriller against the sixth-seeded American pair, Michelle Shaffer and Rachael Kramer. Despite losing the first set, Gonzalez and Navas orchestrated a powerful comeback, winning 2-1 (14-21, 21-18, 15-9) to claim their fifth continental gold medal this year in five NORCECA Tour appearances. This remarkable victory brings their total Tour medal count to an impressive 18, half of which are gold.

USA`s Shaffer and Kramer, making their NORCECA Tour debut as a team, earned silver after a hard-fought 2-1 (21-12, 17-21, 15-11) semifinal against Cuba`s Kailin Garrido and Maykelin Drik. The Cuban duo, seeded tenth, then secured the bronze medal by defeating Grewal and Pantovic 2-0 (21-16, 21-19), marking their second continental medal of the year.

Men`s Tournament Highlights

The host nation, Mexico, also celebrated a significant achievement with Jose Angel Cardenas and Jorman Osuna earning the men`s silver medal. Mexico`s national volleyball programs, including beach volleyball, have received substantial support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, totaling USD 1,328,000 for coach assistance and USD 23,000 for beach volleyball equipment. The men`s beach volleyball teams train under Argentinean coach Ruben Barrera.

Cardenas and Osuna, seeded 12th, advanced to the final, with their only losses in the tournament coming against the eventual gold medalists, USA`s Evan Cory and Derek Bradford. After a swift 2-0 (21-12, 21-13) semifinal victory over Canada`s Robert Kemp and Cameron Chadwick, the Mexican pair fell to the American duo 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) in the final, securing their second consecutive NORCECA Tour medal.

USA`s Evan Cory and Derek Bradford made a dominant debut, winning gold after an impressive run, dropping only one set in six matches. They defeated Cuba`s Damian Gomez and Eblis Veranes 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) in their semifinal. Gomez and Veranes then secured their third consecutive continental bronze medal by beating Kemp and Chadwick 2-0 (21-14, 23-21).

Tournament Overview

The Zapopan stop featured competition from 14 women’s and 15 men’s teams, representing 12 different national federations. The next stop on the 2025 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour will be in San Salvador, El Salvador, scheduled from September 12 to 14.

By Oliver Wrenwick

A passionate volleyball correspondent based in Brighton, Oliver has spent the last decade covering the sport's highs and lows. Known for his pitch-perfect analysis and courtside interviews, he brings readers closer to the game with vivid storytelling and insider perspectives.

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