Sisters who both live in Guatemala City, Maria Andrea/Maria Jose will be seeded 48th in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. The first team to qualify for this event from Guatemala, Maria A., 19 and 5-7 and Maria J., 34, 5-4, will be playing their first FIVB international event. The sisters have played in five NORCECA Continental events, earning finishes of 13th, eighth, sixth, 10th and ninth place. Older sister Maria J. has played in 40 NORCECA events overall and Maria A. is a freshman at Louisiana State University in the United States, majoring in Athletic Training and playing on the LSU Sand Volleyball team. Maria A. and LSU teammate Katie Lindelow compiled a 20-13 record as LSU’s No. 1 pair and made it to the AVCA National Championships where they were eliminated in pool play.