Canadian women's volleyball team qualifies for Olympics for 1st time since 1996

Canadian women's volleyball team qualifies for Olympics for 1st time since 1996

Canada defeats Dominican Republic 3-1 in final of NORCECA Continental Qualifier

Top-ranked Canada earned a coveted spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on Saturday with a victory over the host Dominican Republic in the championship match of the women's volleyball NORCECA Continental Qualifier.

Canada, coached by Giovanni Guidetti and assistants Carolyn O'Dwyer, Vincenzo Mallia and TJ Sanders, won the best-of-five final in four games against the fourth-ranked DR squad — 25-15, 20-25, 25-23, 25-14. The team went 5-0 in the qualifying tournament.

It's Canada's fourth appearance at the Olympics and first since 1996. Canada tied for ninth at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

"I don't think I can put it into words how this feels," said Alexa Gray, who was on the team when it attempted to qualify for the 2024 Games. "I started on the National Team in 2017, and this has been my lifelong dream. We've just come so far since that time.

"We were so, so close last quad and we were heartbroken. I'm just so proud of how we came out today; it was a tough environment, but this team means everything to me and I'm just so happy to represent Canada. So overjoyed!"

Canada's women's volleyball team advances to VNL Finals for 1st time

Gray and opposite Kiera Van Ryk led Canada's scoring effort with 22 points apiece. Dominican Republic put on a fight in front of their home crowd, but Canada led in attack points 56-40, blocks 8-7 and aces 8-3. Canada, however, gave away more points to errors (27-23).

Veteran setter Brie Fransen recognized the hard work by the team: "It's so surreal. I'm so proud of the team and staff of how much we have battled through. We deserve this and it's such an amazing feeling to feel the reward of all the work."

Before securing an Olympic berth, Canada captured its first-ever NORCECA Continental Championship, defeating the Americans in Wednesday's final.

"I cannot ask for anything better," said Guidetti who credited the hard work of the athletes and staff. "We had two goals in the start of the season — reach the VNL (Volleyball Nations League) finals and qualify for Los Angeles. This team did both and I'm extremely happy."