USA to defend the U21 title in Havana

HAVANA, Cuba, August 23, 2018 – Defending champion United States, winners of three of the last four editions of the event, will be in Havana looking to revalidate their NORCECA U21 Men’s title from August 27 to September 1.

Nine teams from NORCECA will battle at the Ciudad Deportiva Coliseum of Havana for one spot available to next year’s FIVB World Championship.

Those squads are in alphabetical order:

Barbados, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua and United States.

The USA Team will compete in Pool C with the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Pool A consists of Canada, Nicaragua and Mexico and Pool B of Cuba, Barbados and Haiti.

Three daily matches will be contested starting at 12.00 and continuing at 14:00 and 16:00.

The top two ranked teams among the pool winners will advance directly to the semifinals while the lowest ranked pool winner will clash in quarterfinals with the three second placed sides.

Cuba has won the tournament a record five times followed by United States with three. Canada took two of the first gold medals disputes in the age-group category.

The USA side claimed the crown of NORCECA in 2016 following a 3-1 (25-17, 29-27, 19-25, 25-22) victory over Cuba in Gatineau, Canada.

Preliminay Phase Schedule:

August 27

12:00    Guatemala v United States

14:00    Canada v Nicaragua

16:00    Cuba v Haiti

August 28

12:00    Nicaragua v Mexico

14:00    Dominican Republic v Guatemala

16:00    Barbados v Haiti

August 29

12:00    Mexico v Canada

14:00    United States v Dominican Republic

16:00    Cuba v Barbados

Past Podium Positions

Year    Gold    Silver  Bronze

1998     CAN      DOM     USA

2000     CUB      PUR      USA

2002     CAN      PUR      USA

2004     CUB      USA      PUR

2006     CUB      USA      CAN

2008     CUB      CAN      USA

2010     USA      CAN      PUR

2012     USA      CAN      MEX

2014     CUB      CAN      USA

2016     USA      CUB      CAN