Bethania de la Cruz Biography: Net Worth, Volleyball Career, Husband, Age, Parents, Son, Height, Nationality
Bethania de la Cruz de Peña, known professionally as Bethania de la Cruz, is a Dominican professional volleyball player.
A longtime captain of the Dominican Republic national team, the “Reinas del Caribe,” she has earned eight gold, nine silver, and six bronze medals in international competition, including gold at the 2019 Pan American Games.
Trending Now!!:
She has played professionally across Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Indonesia, and the United States, winning the 2015 European Champions League with Eczacıbaşı VitrA and the 2022 Athletes Unlimited championship.
| Bethania de la Cruz | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Real Name: | Bethania de la Cruz de Peña |
| Stage Name: | Bethania de la Cruz |
| Born: | 13 May 1987 (age 39 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Nationality: | Dominican |
| Height: | 1.84 m |
| Parents: | Fidelina de Peña, Mr. de la Cruz |
| Siblings: | Eduardo de Peña |
| Spouse: | Fermín Mejía Gala |
| Relationship: | Married |
| Children: | Fer Isaías Mejía de la Cruz |
| Occupation: | Volleyball player |
| Net Worth: | $2 million |
Early Life and Education
Bethania de la Cruz was born on 13 May 1987 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Of Afro-Dominican origin and raised in a Christian household, she grew up in a humble family with no sporting tradition.
Her father passed away when she was just one year old, and her mother, Fidelina de Peña, worked hard to provide a solid upbringing with the support of a new partner. She grew up alongside eight siblings, one of whom, Eduardo, played baseball.
De la Cruz discovered volleyball by chance as a teenager, accompanying a friend to the Pabellón and falling in love with the sport on sight.
She trained under coaches Mayo Sibilia and Gioriver Arias at Club Mirador, where she learned the fundamentals of the game.
She had considered studying psychology at university but chose to pursue volleyball as a profession when her career began to take shape.
Career
Bethania de la Cruz joined the Dominican Republic national team in 2006 and immediately secured a spot in the starting lineup.
She made her mark in junior competition at the 2006 U-20 NORCECA Championship, where she won a silver medal, and quickly transitioned to the senior squad.
Her early international years saw her play alongside legends such as Milagros Cabral, Annerys Vargas, and Prisilla Rivera, learning from one of the strongest generations in Dominican volleyball history.
She became a fixture on the outside, earning a reputation for powerful hitting and reliable serving that made her one of the team’s primary scoring options. Her rise to prominence accelerated through the late 2000s and early 2010s.
She won gold at the 2009 NORCECA Championship and the 2010 Pan American Cup, and in February 2013 she was named captain of the national team.
De la Cruz led the Dominicans to qualification for the London 2012 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and guided the team to a fifth-place finish at the 2014 FIVB World Championship, the country’s best-ever result. Her club career flourished in parallel.
She won national titles in five different countries, lifted the 2014–15 European Champions League with Eczacıbaşı VitrA, and was named the tournament’s best outside hitter.
In the United States, she became a cornerstone of Athletes Unlimited, winning the 2022 championship and setting league records for career kills, service aces, and MVP honours, while also claiming the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation title with the Omaha Supernovas.
De la Cruz closed her professional career in 2026 after a two-season stint with Jakarta Popsivo Polwan in Indonesia’s Proliga, announcing her retirement on Instagram.
Across two decades with the Reinas del Caribe, she integrated three Pan American Games championship teams, three Central American and Caribbean Games gold-medal squads, and four Pan American Cup winners.
Her influence extends beyond statistics: she is widely regarded as the face of Dominican volleyball’s golden era, a role model for younger players, and an ambassador for the sport across every league she entered.
Social Media
- Instagram Handle: @thebigbeth
- Facebook Handle: @bethaniadelacruz18
Personal Life
Bethania de la Cruz is married to Fermín Mejía Gala, a former player for the Dominican Republic men’s national volleyball team.
The couple’s son, Fer Isaías Mejía de la Cruz, was born in 2009, a discovery that came during the NORCECA Continental Championship in Puerto Rico when De la Cruz learned she was pregnant while competing.
She has often spoken of Fer as the driving force behind her career, and he frequently accompanied her during Athletes Unlimited seasons in the United States.
Net Worth
Bethania de la Cruz has a net worth of $2 million.
Her wealth was built through professional volleyball contracts across more than a decade of international play in Puerto Rico, Poland, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Russia, Italy, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Thailand, and the United States.
She has also earned from national team appearances, championship bonuses with clubs such as Eczacıbaşı VitrA and the Omaha Supernovas.
What People Ask
NOTICE!! NOTICE!! NOTICE!!
At TheCityCeleb, we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date biographies and entertainment news, focusing on celebrities. Our editorial team researches information from reputable sources, including interviews, official statements, and verified media.If you spot an error or have additional details, please contact us at editor@thecityceleb.com. We value your feedback and are committed to maintaining trustworthy content.
