The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus stamped its dominance on regional volleyball last weekend, sweeping all four championship titles on offer at the 2025 UWI Intercampus Volleyball Games in Antigua. Mona’s men’s and women’s teams—both at the student and club levels—produced a near-flawless campaign marked by tactical adjustments, technical maturity, and standout individual performances that saw them claim top honours in every category, along with an overwhelming share of the tournament’s individual awards.
Speaking with Sportsmax.TV from Antigua, UWI Mona head coach Ricardo Chong described the tour as a critical milestone in the programme’s development. “We won both the male and female competitions. It was a good test for us—especially on the women’s side,” Chong said. “The women had a tough path. In the preliminaries, we lost to DA Squad—a very strong team with former Cuban and Dominican Republic national players. That loss gave us the opportunity to regroup and really dig deep.”
DA Squad handed Mona’s women a 2-0 loss in the group stage (25-24, 25-22), exploiting gaps in rhythm and forcing uncharacteristic errors. But Mona responded when it mattered most. In the final, they returned with a refined game plan and powered past DA Squad in four sets (25-21, 22-25, 25-16, 25-11). “In the finals, we limited our errors and were very strong on defence and serving,” Chong explained. “We knew they were a dynamic team—players rotating a lot and attacking from unconventional angles, which is typical of Cuban volleyball. But once we adjusted, our pace and execution really broke them down.”
Mona’s road to the final was paved with convincing wins, including straight-set victories over Five Islands (25-11, 25-5), Royal Cruisers (25-20, 25-10), and Stoneville (25-16, 25-22) in the group stages, followed by a 25-18, 25-19 semi-final win against Stoneville. The depth of their squad and ability to rotate players under Antigua’s flexible substitution rules gave them a critical edge. “The rules in Antigua allowed us to use unlimited substitutions, which meant we could rotate more of our bench players in and keep the intensity high. It gave us a lot of positives coming out of the tournament,” said Chong.
On the men’s side, Mona’s dominance was no less emphatic. They cruised past every opponent in both the student and club brackets, including straight-set victories over Five Islands in the group and gold medal rounds (25-2, 25-7 and 25-13, 25-9 respectively), and a commanding 3-0 win over DA Storming Lions in the club final (25-11, 25-14, 25-17). According to Chong, the level of competition in Antigua was notably higher than what the Mona teams typically face in Jamaica, which forced his players to elevate their performance.
“The men raised their game, no question. The teams here play a different brand of volleyball—more aggressive, more tactical,” he said. “We were able to respond by speeding up our play. Our offence was quicker, and that gave our opponents real trouble. Even DA Squad said the pace of our women’s game surprised them. That’s where the international game is headed, and we’re trying to stay ahead of the curve.”
Chong added that the exposure and sustained intensity over three days was a major learning experience for his players. “Several of them told me this is the best level of competition they’ve faced in a while—better than what we get at home. It challenged them to maintain focus, adapt quickly and support each other on court. It wasn’t just about winning—it was about growth.”
The statistics bear out Mona’s comprehensive sweep. On the women’s side, they topped both the student and club divisions, while the men mirrored that feat, going undefeated across their schedules. In the student category, the final standings saw Mona ahead of Five Islands on both the male and female tables. In the club division, Mona outlasted DA Squad and Stoneville to win the women’s title, and edged DA Storming Lions and Pytonz in the men’s category.
Their dominance extended to the awards table as well. Mona’s student female MVP was setter Cavell Williams, who also earned Best Setter and Best Libero honours. She was joined by teammates Terica Nelson and Dian Beharie (Best Outside Hitters), Charity Cumberbatch and Jamelia Glaves (Best Middle Blockers), and Laurette Simon (Best Opposite). On the men’s side, setter Andrae Robb earned MVP and Best Setter, while Shavar James and Kenneth-Roy Reid were named Best Outside Hitters. Andrew Green and David Bennett won Best Middle Blockers, Leonardo Green took Best Opposite, and Ryan Hyman secured Best Libero.
In the club division, Mona continued their sweep. Erica Harris was named MVP and Best Outside Hitter on the women’s side, supported by Johanna Belmar (Best Setter), Logan Henderson (Best Opposite), and Anesia Edwards (Best Middle Blocker). Cavell Williams once again stood out, winning Best Libero. For the men, Tevario Clarke was named MVP and Best Outside Hitter, with Andrae Robb again recognised as Best Setter. Timarley Tulloch earned Best Middle Blocker alongside Dwight of Pytonz, while Ronald Hastings and Karim Mogg won Best Opposite and Best Libero, respectively.
The tournament also served as a platform to award UWI Five Islands Campus sports scholarships to two young talents—16-year-old libero Felicia Brunette of Chargers Eagles and U23 national team fame, and 17-year-old Darren Williams of Chargers Velocity.
For Chong, the event was a strong validation of the work being done at UWI Mona. “It shows we’re heading in the right direction. We’re building not just winning teams, but players with the technical skill and mental toughness to excel. That’s the real victory,” he said. “This was a successful tour—not just because of the medals, but because of the development I saw in every match. That’s what makes it worthwhile.”