Brazil, ranked No. 1 in the current FIVB World Ranking, finished second at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup with a roster mainly of junior-level players. It won all five of its pool matches and only lost to Dominican Republic in five sets in the gold-medal match. At the 2008 Olympic Games, Brazil muscled its way through pool play and the semifinals without dropping a single set. The Brazilians faced Team USA in the Olympic Games gold-medal match and came away with a four-set victory. In 2008, Team USA and Brazil faced each other in three exhibition matches in Colorado Springs (Brazil won two of three matches), a scrimmage in Beijing prior to the Olympics and the highlight match of the Olympic Games.

USA, ranked No. 2 in the current FIVB World Ranking, finished fifth at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup with a very young roster that included just one Olympian from the 2008 Beijing Games. Team USA completed Pool A with a 4-1 record and in a three-way tie for first place. However, it was upset by Puerto Rico in the quarterfinal round and needed to defeat Peru and Venezuela in the classification matches to qualify for the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix as the third-best NORCECA team in the Pan American Cup. Team USA went on to finish fourth at the 2008 FIVB World Grand Prix by mixing up its roster with veterans and newcomers. The Americans placed second in the 2008 Olympic Games Pool A with a 4-1 record. Team USA collected a quarterfinal victory over then-second-ranked Italy and a sweep of then-third-ranked Cuba in the semifinals. The U.S. lost a four-set match to top-ranked Brazil in the gold-medal match, but was the only team to take at least one set off the Olympic champions. In 2009, Team USA will have a new coach but one not unfamiliar with USA Volleyball. Hugh McCutcheon assumed the head coach position of the U.S. Women’s National Team in December of 2008 after leading the U.S. Men’s Olympic Team to the gold medal in Beijing.

Dominican Republic, ranked No. 13 in the current FIVB World Ranking, won the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup after upsetting Brazil in the final. Dominican Republic won four of its five Pool A matches, but earned the tiebreaker over USA and Argentina who also had 4-1 records. Dominican Republic defeated the U.S. to open the tournament. Dominican Republic, which missed out on its opportunity to compete in the 2008 Olympic Games as Cuba won the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament and placed fourth at the World Olympic Qualification Tournament (needed to place third).

Peru, ranked No. 17 in the current FIVB World Ranking, placed seventh at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup. The Peruvians were 2-3 in Pool B and lost a straight set match to Team USA in the first classification match. Peru ended the tournament with a five-set victory over Canada. Earlier in 2008, Peru finished second in the South American (CSV) Olympic Qualification Tournament and missing out on its chance to participate in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Puerto Rico, ranked No. 19 in the current FIVB World Ranking, placed fourth at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup. After a 3-2 record in last year’s pool play, Puerto Rico upset the United States in the quarterfinals before it lost to Dominican Republic and Argentina in the semifinals and third-place match, respectively. As the second-highest ranked NORCECA team at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup, Puerto Rico qualified for the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix event later this summer.

Canada, ranked No. 23 in the current FIVB World Ranking, placed eighth at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup. It finished Pool B with a 4-1 record, but lost all three of its classification matches in five sets. Canada and USA did not meet in 2008, with the last meeting a three-set American victory at the 2007 NORCECA Continental Championship held at Winnipeg.

Mexico, ranked No. 26 in the current FIVB World Ranking, finished 10th at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup in which it hosted. Mexico won two of five Pool A matches for fourth place, but stumbled in its two classification matches.

Costa Rica, ranked No. 30 in the current FIVB World Ranking, placed ninth at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup. The Costa Ricans finished Pool A with a 1-4 record and win over Trinidad & Tobago. In classification matches, Costa Rica defeated Mexico in the ninth-place match.

Argentina, ranked No. 31 in the current FIVB World Ranking, placed third at the 2008 Women’s Pan American Cup. It tallied a 4-1 record in Pool A and finished in a three-way tie for first place with Dominican Republic and USA.