June  9,2004, The Puerto Rican women's team is hoping to make a big improvement in the Third Annual Pan American Cup to be staged in Mexicali and Tijuana, two cities of Baja California, Mexico where volleyball is an extremely popular sport. The “Girls from Borinquen” finished in seventh place last year in Saltillo.

The squad coached by David Aleman is coming of participating in the last Olympic Qualiying Tournament in Japan where they ended with a 2-5 record and triumphs over Chinese Taipei and Nigeria.

The core of the squad has been together for the past few years and they combine a good mix ox veterans with upcoming players looking for one of the top four places assigned to the America Continent for the 2005 World Grand Prix, the premier annual event of women’s volleyball.

During the Olympic Qualifier in Japan, a few Puerto Ricans had strong individual performances and there is no doubt they will be key ingredients for the islanders during for their showing in the Mexican arenas on June 18-26.

Karina Ocasio was the eighth leading scorer of the event with a total of 82 points while Shannon Torregrosa and Aury Cruz had 70 and 68 good for the fourteenth and seventeenth positions respectively.

Ocasio, who plays professionally in Italy, was the seventh best blocker and teammate Alexandra Oquendo was in the ninth place of the category. Veteran Xiomara Molero, the team captain, finished among the best setters, and Torregrosa qualified as one of the best server of the competition.

Cruz, who made her debut in the national team in 1997 when she was just 15 years old, has also improved her reception game and she will be joined by her older sister Eva Cruz. Karina Ocasio has a sister in the squad in Sheila Ocasio, one of the best blockers in the 2002 World Championships in Germany.

The members of the team are: Charlene Dominguez, Michelle Cardona, Vilmarie Mojica, Tatiana Encarnacion, Sara Alvarez, Yarleen Santiago, Wilma Blasini, Eva Cruz, Aurea Cruz, Glorimar Ortega, Karina Ocasio, Sheila Ocasio, Xiomara Molero, Shirley Perez, Omayra George, Shanon Torregrosa and Alexandra Oquendo.