Recent University of Toronto Varsity Blues graduate Heather Bansley teamed up with partner Elizabeth Maloney to win a North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) tournament on Tuesday, July 13 at Boqueron Beach in Puerto Rico.

Over the next two years, the NORCECA tour is a part of the qualifying process for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.

Bansley and Maloney claimed their first title together by defeating the hometown pair of Yarleen Santiago and Dariam Acevedo 2-0 (26-24, 21-14). The duo advanced to the final after downing Tealle Hunkus and Heather Lowe of the United States 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 15-6).

A native of Waterdown, Ont., Bansley led the Varsity Blues to the 2010 OUA championship title and a berth to the CIS championship in her fifth-and-final year of eligibility. She was the OUA's nominee for the player of the year award and earned her second consecutive CIS all-Canadian nod at the national tournament.

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