08252025 SPORTS

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO WINS LADIES’ TITLE

By BRENT STUBBS Chief Sports Editor

TRINIDAD & Tobago

reclaimed their prominence in women’s volleyball, winning their ninth title at the 2025 Caribbean Volleyball Championships on Saturday night at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium.

The winningest women’s team in the history of the 19 tournaments held prevailed with a hard-fought 23-25, 25-23, 26-24 and 31-29 marathon win over the youthful team from Barbados.

Dion Hutchinson, the head coach for Trinidad & Tobago, said this was a combination of “hard work, determination and a desire to take home the trophy.

“From our journey from Mexico at the Pan Am Cup, we had a rough time,” Hutchinson said.

“We have a lot of stars on this team and we had our ups and downs.

“But this team really peaked here. We got closer as a team. We are leaving this tournament, not just

as champions, but closer as friends as a result of all the obstacles that we had to overcome.”

In avenging their loss to Jamaica in the last CVC, Trinidad & Tobago dethroned the champions in their semifinal match to win their ninth title out of the 19 CVC tournaments held.

One of their key players Krystle Esdelle, who played on every championship team for Trinidad & Tobago, except for 2023 when they lost to Jamaica, said it was good to be in The Bahamas to cap off her 19-year career in CVC.

“The feeling is one of nostalgia because when we won our first title in 2006 in The Bahamas, we won over Barbados,” said the 41-year-old Esdelle, a 6-foot, two-inch opposite player who currently plays professionally in Europe in her 17th year. “This is sweet. It’s a very good feeling to walk out here as the champion. I can now leave and pass on the baton and pass it on to the others and let them run with it.”

Trinidad & Tobago, after winning their first title in 1996, reeled off seven straight titles from 2006 to 2018 and are now back on top of the region in 2025. The bronze medal went to Jamaica, who won their first title in 2023 after coming in second fiddle in 1996, 2004 and back-toback in 2014 and 2015. The Bahamas finished in sixth place this time around, leaving the host nation in another drought after its

last victory came in 1994. The Bahamas also won in 1992. In pulling off this year’s win, Channon Thompson led the way for Trinidad & Tobago taking home the most valuable player, best outside hitter and best server awards.

She was joined by teammates Kaylon Cruickshank, the second best outside hitter, Natassia Baptiste, the best middle blocker and Cheyenne Chin Choy,

the best libero and receiver.

Shonte Seale led Barbados’ attack as the best scorer and Ashley Jordan was the best opposite player.

Shenelle Pierre, the assistant coach for Barbados, said they had an outstanding performance because they had nothing to lose.

“Trinidad has professional players on their team and so they were expected to win,” she said.

“Barbados wasn’t supposed to get out of the preliminary rounds.

“But in our very first game, we took out the defending champions Jamaica and we came into this game saying win or lose, we are going to take it to Trinidad. So we’re very proud.”

Barbados’ team comprised two 16-year-olds, a 19-year-old and the oldest at 26, so Pierre said the future is certainly bright for them.

The Bahamas, runners up in 1993, 1994 and 1998, had best showing in recent times, coming fourth in 2018.

The Bahamas was also sixth in 2012, seventh in 2010, fourth three consecutive years from 2000-2002 and fifth in 1996.

Renaldo Knowles, head coach of the Bahamas women’s national team, said they gave it their best shot with what they had to work with.

“We have a lot of young players and a lot of players who are new to high level volleyball,” said Knowles, a former long-time player for the men’s national team.

“Seeing this, I think it will give them a better opportunity to work harder and strive to be better to get to this level again.”

Team Bahamas was led by captain Raechal Knowles, Sari Albury, Leandra Armbrister, Zarria Rose and libero Chnadra Mackey. Other individual awards went to Anesia Edwards of Jamaica as the second best middle blocker, Thais Tomietto of Guadeloupe as the best setter and Chelleney Soiedamah of Suriname

Bahamas men fall short of winning gold at Caribbean Volleyball Championships

get to the final.”

Curacao now joins The Bahamas (2012), Aruba (1991) and Martinique (2008) as the only countries to win the title once.

Barbados holds the record for winning 10 straight from 1992-2006, Trinidad & Tobago held it three times in 2010, 2014 and 2015 and Suriname won back-to-back titles in 2018 in 2023.

The Bahamas’ head coach Glen Rolle said the goal was not just to get to the final but to win it, so the performance left a kind of “bitter-sweet” feeling in the atmosphere.

“We didn’t leave with what we came for. It was a good showing, but it wasn’t good enough,” said Rolle, who was assisted by Prince Wilson and on the coaching staff.

“Consistency wins ball games and tonight, we were not consistent and that’s

how we lost. But at home in the goal-medal match, this was an awesome feeling. We fell short, but all we can do is build from here.”

The team will have to do it all over again in two years without two of their players in Shonari Hepburn, who suffered an injury from game one, but was still able to hobble through perhaps his final tournament as the best middle blocker.

He, along with Jamaal Ferguson, the libero, who started out as a rookie when The Bahamas last hosted the CVC Championships in 2006, probably won’t be back for another sting. But whatever happens, Curacao will certainly relish in their accomplishments as head coach Hanwick Deal called it a momentous occasion as they rise from sixth to champions.

“Our guys played a hell of a game today,” he said.

“The Bahamas played well, but we stayed the course and we are now the

champions for the first time.

“We had better players, better training and better preparation.”

Team captain Carlos Iseina, who earned the second best middle blocker award, said he was proud of the way the team came together and played as champions.

“I cannot explain it. This is beyond what we have dreamed of,” he stated.

“We dream of it, but to get it, we knew it was going to be difficult. The crowd was really into it, so we were happy to get the win.”

What Iseina didn’t provide up front, especially on the defensive end, Derwin Culmer made up for it by producing the most valuable player performance in their 1-2 punch attack. In each set, Curacao managed to jump ahead of The Bahamas.