Volleyball: Cuba to Norceca with top players and a newcomer

The Cuban men’s volleyball team will go with its starters and a debutant to the Norceca Continental Final Six, scheduled for Sept. 5-10 in Charleston, United States.

In Group B, the Cubans will debut on September 5 against defending champion Puerto Rico, a day later they will play against Suriname, and on September 7 they will close the preliminary phase against the United States.

The tournament counts towards the world ranking, in which the island is in 12th place.

 Key A is made up of the Dominican Republic, Canada and Mexico.

Leading the 14-player roster are World Cup players Miguel Angel López, Jesús Herrera, Marlon Yant and Osniel Mergarejo, top-level players and first-team players in their clubs in Europe and America.

Back to the team after overcoming injuries are center back Roamy Alonso and sweeper Yonder Garcia.

The biggest novelty in the sextet, led for the first time in a foreign competition by the recently appointed DT Jesús Cruz, is the call-up of center back Alexis Wilson, 19 years old and 2.08m.

Completing the squad are brothers Miguel David Gutierrez (opposite) and Jose Miguel (auxiliary), Lyvan Taboada and Christian Thondike (passers), Jose Carlos Romero (opposite) and Javier Concepcion (center).

Regarding the players called to the Nations League (VNL) and the Centrocaribes of San Salvador, Adrian Goide, Endriel Pedroso and Jose Maso are absent this time.

The Cuban sextet will not have its inspirational spark plug, Robertlandy Simón, who requested to stay away for the rest of the year to take care of a herniated disc and to better prepare for the upcoming season.

Cuban volleyball remained in the Nations League this season, ranking 13th among 16 teams, and won the gold medal at the Centrocaribes in San Salvador.

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