Historic Silver: USVI Women Reach First-Ever Central American and Caribbean Games Final

The USVI Women's National Softball Team has won a silver medal at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It is the women's program's first-ever appearance in a CAC Games final, and the territory's first medal of these Games.

The team went 4–1 and earned it on the field. They opened pool play with a 7–0 shutout of Cuba, scoring four runs in the first inning, while Alexis Handley and Courtney Wyche combined to hold Cuba to four hits with seven strikeouts. A 15–0 run-rule win over El Salvador followed the same day, and the Virgin Islands finished pool play unbeaten.

In the Super Round, the USVI met Puerto Rico in a game between the tournament's last two unbeaten teams. The Virgin Islands forced extra innings, but Puerto Rico scored twice in the bottom of the eighth to win 10–9. It was the USVI's only loss of the tournament.

They bounced back in the semifinals, beating the host Dominican Republic 10–3 to set up a rematch with Puerto Rico for gold.

Then the weather took over. Heavy rain and wind left Juan Pablo Duarte Softball Stadium unplayable. The gold and bronze medal games were postponed and then cancelled, and final standings were based on the Super Round. Puerto Rico took its third straight CAC Games title, the Virgin Islands took silver and the Dominican Republic took bronze.

Not getting to play for gold hurts. Still, the medal is historic. Renee Christian of the softball team carried the flag for Team ISV at the Opening Ceremony, and the team gave the territory one of its best moments of the Games.

THE ROSTER Alexandra Brown, Alexis Handley, Alexis Hastings, Amanda Thompson, Autumn Owen, Courtney Wyche, Emily Kepple, Emily LeGette, Hailey Cripe, Jada Cooper, Molly Yoo, Renee Christian, Sanaa Thompson, Tallen Edwards, Taylor White.

Two players tie this team to other recent USVI successes: Amanda Thompson went on to win the Nike RBI 18U World Series weeks later, and Taylor White was part of the team that won the inaugural One Caribbean Invitational in 2023. Next up for the program: the road to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.