2003 Men's NORCECA Volleyball Championship

The 2003 Men's NORCECA Volleyball Championship was the 18th edition of the Men's Continental Volleyball Tournament, played by eight countries from September 25 to September 30, 2003 in Culiacan, Sinaloa (Mexico). The top two finishers qualified for the 2003 FIVB World Cup in Japan, where the top three finishers will qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

Cuba and the United States are the traditional powers in the NORCECA zone, which encompasses North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Since the first men's NORCECA Championship in 1969 – the tournament is held every other year in odd-numbered years – Cuba has won thirteen out of seventeen times. The United States has won the remaining four championships (1973, 1983, 1985 and 1999) and has finished second eight times.

Eight teams, divided in two pools, played a preliminary round with the winner of each pool advancing directly to the semi finals. Teams placed in second and third places met in the quarterfinals phase in crossed matches.

Competing Nations

*Friday 2003-09-26
*Thursday 2003-09-25

Final Round

Round4-with third
RD1=Semi Finals
RD2=Final
Consol=3rd place
2003-09-29 – Culiacan, Sinaloa|vb|CAN|3|vb|MEX|1
2003-09-29 – Culiacan, Sinaloa|vb|USA|3|vb|CUB|1
2003-09-30 – Culiacan, Sinaloa|vb|CAN|1|vb|USA|3
2003-09-30 – Culiacan, Sinaloa|vb|MEX|0|vb|CUB|3

Quarterfinals

*Sunday 2003-09-28
*Tuesday 2003-09-30 — Bronze Medal Match
*Tuesday 2003-09-30 — Gold Medal Match----

Final ranking

1. vb|USA

2. vb|CAN

3. vb|CUB

4. vb|MEX

5. vb|PUR

6. vb|PAN

7. vb|GUA

8. vb|HON
:*"United States and Canada qualified for the 2003 FIVB Men's World Cup"

Individual Awards

*Most Valuable Player
** flagicon|USA Clay Stanley
*Best Attacker
** flagicon|CUB Raydel Contreras
*Best Blocker
** flagicon|CAN Murray Grapentine
*Best Server
** flagicon|CUB Osmany Juantorena
*Best Setter
** flagicon|USA Lloy Ball
*Best Defender
** flagicon|CUB Javier Brito
*Best Receiver
** flagicon|PUR Gregory Berrios
*Best Libero
** flagicon|CAN Lucas Zinder

References

* [http://www.usavolleyball.org/volleyballnews/news.asp?id=532 Results]