Canada’s women’s volleyball team secured a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics by defeating the Dominican Republic in the NORCECA Continental Qualifier championship match. The Canadian team, led by coach Giovanni Guidetti and assistants Carolyn O’Dwyer, Vincenzo Mallia, and TJ Sanders, won the final in four games with scores of 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 25-14. This victory marked Canada’s fourth Olympic appearance and their first since 1996 when they tied for ninth place in Atlanta.
Alexa Gray, expressing her joy, highlighted the team’s journey since 2017 and their resilience after narrowly missing out on the previous Olympic qualification. Gray, along with Kiera Van Ryk, led Canada’s scoring with 22 points each. Despite a spirited effort by the Dominican Republic, Canada dominated in attack points, blocks, and aces, although they made more errors.
Setter Brie Fransen commended the team’s hard work and expressed her pride in their achievement. Canada had earlier claimed its first NORCECA Continental Championship by defeating the United States.
Head coach Guidetti praised the team’s dedication and performance, emphasizing their success in meeting their season goals of reaching the VNL Finals and securing a spot in the upcoming Olympics. The team’s success was a result of the collective effort and commitment of the athletes and staff.
