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

   RecapThe Canadian Press | Posted: August 30, 2026 1:13 AM |
   Last Updated: 9 hours ago

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

   Image | vball

   Caption: Canada's women's volleyball team is Olympics-bound
   after defeating the host Dominican Republic 3-1 (25-15, 20-25,
   25-23, 25-14) in the final of the NORCECA Continental Olympic
   Qualification Tournament on Saturday in Santo Domingo.
   (Volleyball Canada)
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   Mission accomplished.
   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."

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