The top nine teams of the region will take part in the competition that will qualify the winner to the Volleyball World Cup to take place in Japan in November, the first step in the qualification process for the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Teams were divided in three groups. Pool A includes host country Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Costa Rica; Pool B comprises Canada, the United States, and Trinidad & Tobago; and Pool C consists of defending champions Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Panama.

Cuba has won 13 crowns in the biannual competition followed by United States with five. Cuba’s “Morenas del Caribe” have always finished among the top-three in the 21 previous tournaments with seven second places and one bronze medal.

The Cuban squad is led by opposite strikers Kenia Carcaces and young Gisselle de la Caridad, as well as auxiliary attackers Wilma Salas and Yoana Palacio.

The team includes setters Yusidei Silie (team captain), veteran Yanelis Santos, and Ana Yilian Cleger; and middle blockers Rosanna Giel, Alena Rojas, Lianne Castañeda and Daymara Lezcay. Libero Emily Borrell completes the squad.