U.S. Girls U17 National Team Defeats Venezuela for 2026 Pan Am Cup Gold

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 31, 2026) – The U.S. Girls U17 National Team captured the gold medal at the 2026 NORCECA Girls U17 Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20) victory over a spirited Venezuela squad on Sunday evening in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The U.S. finished 4-0 in the tournament and dropped just one set.

MATCH STATISTICS

The U.S. totaled double-digit advantages in kills (44-34) and blocks (14-4), while holding a 7-5 lead in service aces. The U.S. made 11 fewer hitting errors (28-17).

Six U.S. players scored at least seven points in the gold medal-winning performance with opposite Mesa Jameson (10 kills, two blocks, two aces) and middle blocker Madlen Gloessner (nine kills and a match-high five blocks) sharing team-best honors with 14 points. Jameson led the team with 12 digs and eight successful receptions, while libero Bella Osborn added 11 digs.

Outside hitter MC Crutcher reached double digits with 10 points on eight kills and a pair of blocks. Middle Jael Smith scored nine points on six kills and three blocks. Starting setter Sophia Gregg led all players with five aces, adding a kill and a block, for seven points. Opposite Naomi Stevenson totaled seven points on six kills and a block.

The match started nearly three hours after its scheduled time after Peru defeated Canada in a five-setter for the bronze medal in the previous match, and then a power outage hit the facility. The U.S. used two Gregg aces to take a quick 4-0 lead in set one. Venezuela roared back with a 6-2 run before the U.S. ran off five consecutive points for an 11-6 lead. A Smith kill raised the U.S. lead to eight points, 18-10. A Jameson kill ended the set with the largest lead. Five U.S. players scored at least three points with Gloessner leading the way with four points.

Venezuela took its first lead of the match by scoring three of the first four points in the second set and still led by two, 10-8, when the U.S. scored the next six points to take a four-point lead. A Jameson blocked pushed the lead to six points, 19-13, and forced Venezuela to take its final timeout of the set. A Stevenson kill and Gregg ace gave the U.S. set point, 24-16, and Jameson’s third point of the set brought the U.S. one set away from the gold medal. Three other U.S. players also scored three points in the set.

A Gloessner block capped a 7-2 U.S. start to the third set. A Gregg block increased the margin to six points, 10-4. Venezuela used a 10-3 run to take its first lead of the set, 14-13, and took a two-point lead at 18-16. The U.S. called a timeout trailing 21-18 but a hitting error stretched the margin to four points. Venezuela scored four of the final six points to hand the U.S. its first set loss of the tournament. Jameson paced the U.S. with five points on four kills and an ace.

The U.S. moved out to a 7-4 lead to begin the fourth set before Venezuela put together three points in a row to even the score. Another Gregg ace and a hitting error put the U.S. back in front by three points, 12-9 and a Jameson ace increased the margin to four, 15-11. A Gloessner kill made it 17-13 but Venezuela scored the next two points to close the gap back to two points.

Three consecutive errors gave the U.S. a five-point margin, 20-15. A Gloessner block after a Venezuela timeout raised the lead to six. Venezuela used back-to-back aces to cut the deficit to three points, 22-19, before a hitting error and Jameson kill set up match point. Two points later, the U.S. took the gold medal on a Stevenson kill. Jameson led the U.S. with three kills and four points in the set.

2026 U.S. Girls U17 Pan Am Cup Roster

Name, Position, Height, Hometown, School, Region
1 McKenzie Andrews – MB, 6-5, Grosse Pointe, Mich. Mercy HS, Lakeshore
2 Chloe Burbage – S, 6-1, Cary, N.C., Green Hope HS, Carolina
4 MC Crutcher – OH, 5-11, Mansfield, Texas, Mansfield HS, North Texas
7 Madlen Gloessner – MB, 6-5, Wheat Ridge, Colo., Lakewood HS, Rocky Mountain
10 Mesa Jameson – OPP, 6-2, Cottage Grove, Minn., Eagan HS, North Country
12 Shiloh Braddick – OH, 6-1, Acworth, Ga., Etowah HS, Southern
14 Mikayla Matuszko – OH, 6-3, Wellington, Fla., The King’s Academy, Florida
17 Bella Osborn – L, 5-4, Plano, Texas, Plano Senior HS, North Texas
18 Shaun Waller – MB, 6-3, Franklin, Tenn., Centennial HS, Southern
20 Piper Coady – OH, 6-2, Newport Beach, Calif., Newport Harbor HS, Southern California
22 Sophia Gregg – S, 6-2, Chandler, Ariz., Perry HS, Arizona
23 Hope Hengler – L, 5-2, Frisco, Texas, Coram Deo Academy, North Texas
25 Jael Smith – MB, 6-2, Carson, Calif., Mater Dei HS, Southern California Southern Nevada
27 Naomi Stevenson – OPP, 6-1, Chapel Hill, N.C., Seaforth HS, Carolina

Coaches
Head Coach: Marie Zidek (DePaul University)
Assistant Coaches: Heather Olmstead (NTDP), Joshua Walker (Baylor)
Performance Analyst: Joe Skinner (Texas A&M)
Athletic Trainer: Cherryl Bueno (Coast to Coast AthletiCare)
Team Lead: Alex Purvey (NTDP)

Schedule
All times Pacific
May 26: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-0 (25-17, 25-20, 28-26)
May 28: USA def. Dominican Republic, 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-14)
May 29: Quarterfinals (USA received a bye)
May 30: Semifinals, USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-21, 25-11, 25-17)
May 31: Gold Medal Match, USA def. Venezuela, 3-1 (25-14, 25-16, 20-25, 25-20)