U.S. Women Advance to 2026 Pan Am Cup Quarterfinals
The U.S. Women's National Team will play in the quarterfinals on Sept. 16 after sweeping Guatemala (25-9, 25-8, 25-14) today at the 2026 NORCECA Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Share
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sept. 17, 2026) – The U.S. Women’s National Team advanced to the gold medal match of the 2026 Pan American Cup with a 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 28-26, 26-24) victory over Puerto Rico Thursday in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.
The U.S. (5-1) will play the winner of tonight’s Mexico-Dominican Republic match. Mexico is the only team to defeat the U.S. in the tournament, while the U.S. has not met the Dominican Republic this week.
The U.S. had the advantage in kills (65-49), blocks (11-17) and aces (1-0).
Onye Ofoegbu and Temi Thomas-Ailara each had stellar nights, with Ofoegbu scoring 19 points on 13 kills and a match-high six blocks. Thomas-Ailara had 16 kills and two points for 18 points. Callie Schwarzenbach and Jess Mruzik also reached double figures, with Schwarzenbach scoring 15 (12 kills, three blocks) and Mruzik collecting 10 kills.
Eva Hudson had five kills, and Hoffman and Baird each had four. Setter Rachel Fairbanks had the lone U.S. ace, and Sami Francis had a kill. Libero Elena Oglivie had a match-high 22 digs, and Fairbanks had 15.
The first set was tight until 13-13 when the U.S. won four straight points off of two Puerto Rico errors and two blocks from Thomas-Ailara and Ofoegbu. Up 18-14, the U.S. took advantage of three more Puerto Rico errors and an Ofoegbu kill to increase the lead to eight, 22-14. Puerto Rico moved within five at 22-17, but another Ofoegbu kill and a Schwarzenbach block gave the U.S. set point. Schwarzenbach finished with her second kill of the set.
The U.S. was in control of set two early, building an early 13-7 lead. Puerto Rico eventually closed the gap to one with consecutive blocks, 16-15, forcing a U.S. timeout. Hoffman came out of the timeout with a kill to make it 17-15, but another Puerto Rico point tightened the lead. Francis was called for a lift and it was 17-17, and a few points later, Puerto Rico grabbed a 19-18 lead.
Down 20-18, the U.S. took another timeout. The break worked, as the U.S. quickly scored two to tie the game. At 21-21, Puerto Rico scored three straight for set point. The U.S. saved two set points until Puerto Rico tied the match with a kill.
Set three was a barnburner, with 15 ties and neither team getting much of an edge throughout. The U.S. broke through at 26-26 with consecutive kills from Thomas-Ailara and Hudson for the 28-26 win.
Puerto Rico held the lead for much of set four, including a four-point advantage at 16-12. The U.S. scored three, twice on Baird kills, to cut the gap to 16-15. Puerto Rico held a 19-18 advantage when a great rally ended with a Puerto Rico block to up the lead to two. But Thomas-Ailara notched a kill and Ofoegbu blocked a Puerto Rico attack to even the set at 20.
Just as in set three, the two teams traded points and the U.S. took a 23-22 lead on another Thomas-Ailara kill. Puerto Rico tied it, but Thomas-Ailara unleashed a rocket for match point, but a kill of the block tied it again. A Baird kill made it 25-24, and Mruzik tipped the ball over for the win.
2026 Women’s Pan American Cup Roster
No., Name (Pos., Height, Hometown, College)
3 Toyosi Onabanjo (MB, 6-1, Houston, Texas, Kansas)
5 Lauren Briseño (L, 5-7, San Antonio, Texas, Baylor)
7 Ella Powell (S, 6-0, Fayetteville, Ark., Washington)
9 Jess Mruzik (OH, 6-1, Livonia, Mich., Michigan/Penn State)
11 Natalie Foster (MB, 6-4, Mattawan, Mich., Wichita State/SMU)
12 Temi Thomas-Ailara (OPP, 6-2, Glenwood, Ill., Northwestern/Wisconsin)
13 Onye Ofoegbu (MB, 6-3, Cerritos, Calif., UC Irvine/Oregon)
19 Elena Oglivie (L, 5-10, Honolulu, Hawaii, Stanford)
20 Rachel Fairbanks (S, 6-0, Tustin, Calif., Pitt)
21 Claire Hoffman (OH, 6-2, Pleasant Hill, Oreg., Washington)
25 Callie Scharzenbach (OH, 6-5, Kearney, Mo., Nebraska/Long Beach State)
30 Eva Hudson (OH, 6-1, Ft. Wayne, Ind., Purdue/Kentucky)
77 Sami Francis (OPP, 6-6, San Diego, Calif., Stanford)
99 Caitie Baird (OH, 6-3, Indianapolis, Ind., Stanford)
Schedule
All times PT
Sept. 11: USA def. Cuba, 3-0 (25-16, 25-15 , 25-20)
Sept. 12: Mexico def. USA, 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20)
Sept. 13: USA def. Costa Rica, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-16)
Sept. 15: USA def. Guatemala, 3-0 (25-9, 25-8, 25-14)
Sept.16: Quarterfinals: USA def. Canada, 3-0 (25-15, 25-19, 25-12)
Sept. 17: Semifinals: USA def. Puerto Rico, 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 28-26, 26-24)
Sept. 18: Finals: USA vs. Mexico/Dominican Republoc, 7 p.m. PT
Stories
U.S. Women Sweep Costa Rica at 2026 Pan Am Cup
The U.S. Women's National Team returned to its winning ways Sunday at the 2026 NORCECA Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, with a sweep of Costa Rica (25-9, 25-8, 25-16).
Mexico Downs the U.S. Women in Four Sets at 2026 Pan Am Cup
The U.S. Women's National Team dropped to 1-1 at the 2026 NORCECA Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, with a 3-1 (25-21, 25-21, 20-25, 25-20) loss to Mexico on Saturday night.
U.S. Women Sweep Cuba to Open Pan Am Cup
The U.S. Women's National Team earned its first win in a 3-0 (25-16, 25-15 , 25-20) sweep of Cuba on Friday at the 2026 NORCECA Pan American Cup in León, Guanajuato, Mexico.
Women’s National Team Roster Named for 2026 Pan Am Cup
Many new faces are on the U.S. Women's National Team roster for the 2026 NORCECA Pan American Cup, Sept. 11-18, in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. This is the 23rd edition of the Women's Pan Am Cup, and the U.S. has won the event seven times, most recently in 2019.