Áurea Esther "Aury" Cruz Dalmau (born January 10, 1982) is an indoor and beach volleyball player from

Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...

who currently plays for the Orlando Valkyries of the

Pro Volleyball Federation The Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) is a women's professional indoor volleyball league in the United States. The league was announced on November 17, 2022, and began play in 2024. History Development The Pro Volleyball Federation was ann ...

. She is best known for competing for the Puerto Rico national team at the 2008 Olympic Qualification Tournament in

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

, where she was named Best Server at the event.

College career

Cruz accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...

in Gainesville, Florida, where she competed for coach Mary Wise's

Florida Gators women's volleyball Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

team from 2000 to 2003. The Gators competed in NCAA Division I and the

Southeastern Conference The Southeastern Conference (SEC) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference whose member institutions are located primarily in the South Central United States, South Central and Southeastern United States. Its 16 members in ...

(SEC), and were the regular season SEC champions for four straight years during Cruz's college career. In 2003, Cruz guided the Gators to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA championship final, where they lost to the University of Southern California (USC). Following her 2003 senior season, she was nominated for Best Player in NCAA Division I. She was a three-time first-team All-SEC selection, and received AVCA first-team All-American honors three consecutive years (2001, 2002, 2003). She graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in recreation in 2005, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 2014.

Career

In 1999, Cruz received the Final Series Most Valuable Player award when her team from Puerto Rico, Llaneras de Toa Baja won the League Championship. She participated at the 2002 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Germany. Cruz won the silver medal in the 2012 FIVB Club World Championship, playing with the Azerbaijani club

Rabita Baku Telekom Baku (formerly named Rabita Baku) was an Azerbaijani women's volleyball club. Telekom was an eight-time champion of Azerbaijani Superleague and the winner of the 2011 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship, FIVB Club World Champion ...

. Cruz's club,

, won the bronze medal of the

2013–14 CEV Champions League The 2013–14 CEV Champions League was the 55th edition of the highest level European volleyball club competition organised by the European Volleyball Confederation. Participating teams League round 28 teams have been drawn to 7 pools of 4 team ...

after falling 0-3 to the Russian Dinamo Kazan in the semifinals, but defeating the Turkish

Eczacıbaşı VitrA Eczacıbaşı Holding is a Turkish industrial group of companies founded in 1942. As of 2023, the Group's 50 companies employ more than 13,500 people, operate 40 production plants, and generate a combined net turnover of TL 33 billion. Group E ...

Istanbul 3-0 in the third place match. In May 2015, the Italian club Igor Novara announced the signing of Cruz for the 2015–16 season.

Clubs

* Llaneras de Toa Baja (1998–1999) * Llaneras de Toa Baja (2004–2005) * Airone Tortolì (2005–2006) * Altamura (2006–2007) * Ícaro Palma (2007–2008) * Hyundai Greenfox (2008–2009) * Llaneras de Toa Baja (2009) * MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese (2009–2012) *

(2012–2015) * Igor Volley Novara (2015–2016) * Savino Del Bene Scandicci (2016–2017) * Orlando Valkyries (2024–)

Awards

Individual

* 1999 Puerto Rican Liga de Voleibol Superior Femenino "Final Series Most Valuable Player" * 2005 NORCECA Championship "Best receiver" * 2006 Pan-American Cup "Best scorer" * 2006 Pan-American Cup "Best server" * 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games "Best receiver" * 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games "Best scorer" * 2006/2007 Italian A-1 League All Star * 2007/2008 – For her excellent performance with Icaro Palma at "Copa de la Reina", she was chosen for the All-Star Team. * 2007 Pan-American Games "Best receiver" * 2007 NORCECA Championship "Best server" * 2008 Olympic Qualifier "Best server" * 2009 Pan-American Cup "Best scorer" * 2009 NORCECA Championship "Best scorer" * 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games "Best spiker" * 2010/2011 Recipient of Gazzetta Trophy, awarded by the Italian sports newspaper ''La Gazzetta Dello Sport'' * 2010/2011 Italian A-1 League "Best receiver" * 2010/2011 Italian A-1 League "Best scorer" * 2012/2013 Azerbaijan Super League "Best receiver" * 2013 NORCECA Championship "Best outside hitter" * 2013/2014 Azerbaijan Super League "MVP", "Best receiver", "Best digger" * 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games "Best outside hitter" * 2014/2015 Azerbaijan Super League "MVP of Finals", "Best spiker" * 2015 NORCECA Champions Cup "Best outside spiker"

Club

* 1999 Puerto Rican League – Simple cup icon

Champion, with Llaneras de Toa Baja * 2007/2008 Spanish Superleague – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with Icaro Palma * 2009/2010 Italian League – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese * 2010/2011 Italian League – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese * 2011/2012 Italian League – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese * 2010 Italian Cup – Coccarda Coppa Italia

Champion, with MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese * 2011 Italian Cup – Coccarda Coppa Italia

Champion, with MC-Carnaghi Villa Cortese * 2012 FIVB Club World Championship – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with

* 2012–13 CEV Champions League – Gorm silver cup

Runner-Up, with Rabita Baku * 2012–13 Azerbaijan Super League – Simple cup icon

Champion, with Rabita Baku *

– Bronze medal, with Rabita Baku * 2013–2014 Azerbaijan Super League – Champion, with Rabita Baku * 2014–2015 Azerbaijan Super League – Champion, with Rabita Baku

References

External links

*
Áurea Cruz
at FIVB.org Women's World Olympic Qualification Tournament 2008
Aurea Cruz
at Lega Pallavolo Serie A Femminile
Áurea Cruz
at Volleybox.net * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Aureau 1982 births Living people Florida Gators women's volleyball players Orlando Valkyries players Puerto Rican women's volleyball players Puerto Rican expatriate sportspeople in Spain Expatriate volleyball players in Spain Volleyball players at the 2007 Pan American Games Volleyball players at the 2015 Pan American Games Pan American Games volleyball players for Puerto Rico Volleyball players at the 2016 Summer Olympics Central American and Caribbean Games silver medalists for Puerto Rico Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalists for Puerto Rico Competitors at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games Competitors at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games Competitors at the 2014 Central American and Caribbean Games Outside hitters Expatriate volleyball players in Italy Expatriate volleyball players in South Korea Expatriate volleyball players in Azerbaijan American expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan Summer Olympics competitors for Puerto Rico Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in volleyball 21st-century Puerto Rican sportswomen Athletes Unlimited volleyball players