FIBA Women’s AmeriCup 2025 – Team Profile: Colombia

MIAMI (United States) – One word that describes the Colombian national team is consistency. They have maintained the same core group of players and coaching staff for over half a decade, producing remarkably consistent results. Currently ranked No. 30 in the FIBA Women’s World Ranking presented by Nike and No. 5 in the Americas, the Colombian squad captured its fourth consecutive bronze medal at the 2024 South American Women’s Championship. At the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup in 2023, they finished fifth, for the third tournament in a row.

For this generation of players—and for Colombian basketball as a whole—maintaining at this level right behind the continent’s top-tier teams is a significant accomplishment.

Tournament history

This will be Colombia’s seventh appearance at the continental tournament and its fifth straight. The team debuted in 1997 and returned in 2011. While they have not yet reached the medal rounds, they’ve been knocking at the door with three straight fifth-place finishes.

Players to watch

Manuela Ríos is the team's engine. The point guard usually controls the tempo and brings flair on both ends of the floor. She was named to the All-Star Five at the 2021 AmeriCup. At the 2024 South American Championship, she averaged 9.4 points and 4.6 assists, though a physical ailment limited her impact. Currently, she’s playing at a very high level in Brazil’s league with Sao Jose, posting averages of 16.4 points, 6.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.3 steals.

Daniela González continues to take on a larger role, and once again, much will be expected of her. She had her best offensive outing with the senior national team at the recent South American Championship, where she contributed 10.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.0 block per game. Yuliany Paz dominates the boards and is a key presence on both ends of the court. At the 2024 South American Championship, she recorded 10.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. Veterans Jenifer Muñoz and Mabel Martínez will—as always—be ready to provide a scoring spark off the bench.

Head coach: Luis Cuenca

This group of players has fully embraced Cuenca’s game plan, and together they’ve led Colombia to solid results in both the South American and continental competitions. Cuenca has skillfully integrated young talent into the rotation, which complements the more seasoned players and adds overall balance. The coach has also successfully translated his club-level achievements into national team success, having guided Indeportes Antioquia to back-to-back titles in the Women’s Basketball League Americas.

Outlook

Colombia will compete in Group B, opening against Puerto Rico before facing the United States, Mexico and host nation Chile. On paper, the team has a good chance of securing one of the four Quarter-Final spots. With Colombia's recent performances and also retaining their core players and coaching staff, the team is well-positioned to meet its goal of clinching one of the six tickets to next year’s World Cup Qualifying Tournaments.

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