The Pro Volleyball Federation’s first serve is two days away.
Five of the new league’s franchises will be in action this week, starting Wednesday night when the Omaha Supernovas play host to the Atlanta Vibe (8 p.m. Eastern, Stadium streaming sports network, News Channel Nebraska). The next day the Columbus Fury entertain the Grand Rapids Rise and on Friday the Orlando Valkries are home for Atlanta.
At the 11th hour, the PVF was hit with a significant defection when opposite Willow Johnson, who had been penciled in as a cornerstone of the San Diego franchise, apparently has spurned the Mojo and jumped to a team in the South Korean pro league, the Heunghkuh Life Pink Ladies. The Inchon squad posted a graphic on social media welcoming the former Oregon standout, daughter of Hall of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, who has been shown as “suspended” on the PVF transactions list. The Mojo don’t play until February 1 when they go to Atlanta.
The Supernovas lined up local TV coverage for the historic match on Wednesday at the CHI Health Center in Omaha. News Channel Nebraska will air the opener to the more than 500,000 homes it reaches statewide, with John Baylor (longtime voice of Nebraska volleyball) and former Nebraska star and Olympian Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf on the call.
Atlanta Vibe
Opening match: January 24, at Omaha Supernovas
Arena: Gas South Arena (capacity 13,100), Duluth, Georgia
Coach: Todd Dagenais
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/atlanta-vibe
Projected starting lineup
Leah Edmond (Kentucky) OH
Alli Linnehan (Kentucky) OH
Shelly Fanning (Baylor) MB
Karis Watson (Clemson) MB
Grace Cleveland (Purdue) OPP
Tori Dilfer-Stringer (Louisville) S
Morgan Hentz (Stanford) L
Key reserves
Yossiana Pressley (Baylor) OPP
Magda Jehlarova (Washington State) MB (on “exempt” list)
Leketor Member-Meneh (Pittsburgh) OH
Whitney Bower (Brigham Young) S
Regan Pittman (Minnesota) MB
Chiamaka Nwokolo (Pittsburgh) OH
Marlie Monserez (UCLA) S
Anna Lazareva (Russia) OPP (on “exempt” list)
Noteworthy: The Vibe look lethal on the left side with former Wildcat teammates Edmond and Linnehan. High-flying Pressley was picked up on waivers. The team traded up to snare Jehlarova with the No. 2 pick in the draft and the Czech national could be a breakout star, even though she will miss some matches because of visa issues and will start the season on the “exempt” list. Hentz should be the league’s best libero.
Columbus Fury
Opening match: January 25, at Grand Rapids Rise
Arena: Nationwide Arena (capacity 19,500), Columbus, Ohio
Coach: Angel Perez
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/columbus-fury
Projected starting lineup
Megan Courtney Lush (Penn State) OH
Maria Schlegel (Spain) OH
Asjia O’Neal (Texas) MB
Jenna Rosenthal (Marquette) MB
Samantha Drechsel (Washington) OPP
Gabby Blossom (Penn State, San Diego) S
Valeria Leon (Ohio State) L
Key reserves
Ray Santos (Arkansas) S
Kaitlyn Hord (Nebraska) MB
Rainelle Jones (Maryland) MB
Reagan Cooper (Kansas) OH
Ivania Ortiz DeJesus (Hofstra) OH/L
Jenaisya Moore (Tennessee) OH
Noteworthy: O’Neal, the first player picked in the college draft, will be under a microscope as the Texas NCAA champion becomes the fresh face of the new league. Rosenthal gives the Fury a second strong presence in the middle. Veteran Courtney Lush, back in the sport, should provide big firepower on the pins and top-rate defense. The Fury hope setter Gabby Blossom can do for them what she did for San Diego after leaving Penn State.
Grand Rapids Rise
Opening match: January 25, vs. Columbus Fury
Arena: Van Andel Arena (capacity 11,500), Grand Rapids, Michigan
TV: WXSP-TV, The X, Channel 15. Radio: WMAX-FM, 96.1 The Game.
Coach: Cathy George
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/grand-rapids-rise
Projected starting lineup
Claire Chaussee (Louisville) OH
Symore Abbott (Northwestern) OH
Nia Grant (Penn State) MB
Kayla Caffey (Texas) MB
Emiliya Dimitrova (Bulgaria) OPP
Ashley Evans (Purdue) S
Camila Gomez (Texas A&M) L
Key reserves
Sara Sponcil (UCLA) L/S
Marin Grote (Washington) MB
Mac Podraza (Penn State) S
Alyssa Jensen (Michigan State) MB
Erika Pritchard (Penn State) OH
Morgahn Fingall (Tennessee) OPP
Noteworthy: Dimitrova has deep international experience and could be one of the PVF’s best players. Chaussee is a dynamic athlete who put up huge numbers as a rookie in Athletes Unlimited and has a year of international experience. Beach Olympian Sponcil’s versatility is an asset because she was also an outstanding indoor player before going to the sand. Evans sets in the USA national team’s gym.
Omaha Supernovas
Opening match: January 24, vs. Atlanta Vibe
Arena: CHI Health Center (capacity 18,320), Omaha, Nebraska
Radio: Supernovas Radio Network (flagship station, KNTK-FM, 93.7 The Ticket, Lincoln).
Coach: Shelton Collier
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/omaha-supernovas
Projected starting lineup
Bethania De La Cruz (Dominican Republic) OH
Gina Mancuso-Prososki (Nebraska) OH
Danielle Hart (Wisconsin) MB
Tori Dixon (Minnesota) MB
Nia Reed (Penn State) OPP
Sidney Hilley (Wisconsin) S
Kendall White (Penn State) L
Key reserves
Brooke Nuneviller (Oregon) OH
Natalia Valentin-Anderson (Florida International) S
Hristina Vuchova (Bulgaria) MB (on “exempt” list)
Emma Willis (Denver) MB
Paige Briggs (Western Kentucky) OH
Allison Mayfield (Kansas) OH
Noteworthy: The Supernovas are the team to beat in PVF with stars at every position and more stars on the bench. Veteran De La Cruz will be a must-stop factor for every opponent. Dixon and Hart are rock-solid in the middle. Nuneviller, a workhorse hitter and precision passer, should press for court time. Reed won the starting job at opposite and Yossiana Pressley was waived.
Orlando Valkyries
Opening match: January 26, vs. Atlanta Vibe
Arena: Addition Financial Arena (capacity 9.500), UCF campus, Orlando, Florida
Coach: Amy Pauly
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/orlando-valkyries
Projected starting lineup
Adora Anae (Utah) OH
Caryl Skjodt (Pepperdine) OH
Kaz Brown (Kentucky) MB
M’Kaela White (James Madison) MB
Shainah Joseph (Florida) OPP
Carly Graham (Rice) S
Georgia Murphy (Oregon) L
Key reserves
Paula Cerame (Indiana) L
Wilma Rivera (Louisville) S
Blake Mohler (Purdue) MB
Aury Cruz (Florida) OH
Caryl Skjodt (Pepperdine) OH
Jill Gillen (Arkansas) OH
Melissa Evans (North Carolina State) OPP
Noteworthy: Slowing down the incredibly. hard-hitting Anae will be foes’ main mission. Graham seems likely to be among the few rookie starters in PVF. All five of the Valkyries’ drafted rookies figure to stick on the active roster or as the two “practice players.”
San Diego Mojo
Opening match: February 1, at Atlanta Vibe
Arena: Viejas Arena (capacity 12.414), San Diego State campus, San Diego, California
Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/san-diego-mojo
Projected starting lineup
Nia Parker-Robinson (North Carolina) OH
Lindsey Vander Weide (Oregon) OH
Hannah Tapp (Minnesota) MB
Ali Bastianelli (Illinois) MB
Genesis Collazo (Puerto Rico) OPP
Nootsara Tomkom (Thailand) S
Nomaris Velez Agosto (Puerto Rico) L
Key reserves
Valeria Papa (Italy) OH
Katie Lukes (San Diego) OH
Ronika Stone (Oregon) MB
Lindsay Stalzer (Bradley) OPP
Shara Vegegas (Puerto Rico) L
Grace Loberg (Wisconsin) OH
Noteworthy: Tomkom, Tapp and Velez Agosto are among the league’s best at their positions. The Mojo sent a second-round pick to the Supernovas for Vander Weide, shoring up the left side. Collazo, who enjoyed a stellar AU campaign, will assume a more prominent role since Johnson has been suspended and has signed with a South Korean league team.
Vegas Thrill
Opening match: February 7, at Omaha Supernovas
Arena: Dollar Loan Center (capacity 5.567), Henderson, Nevada
TV: KVVU-TV, Channel 5 (Fox 5); Silver State Sports and Entertainment Network, Channel 5.2, Cox Cable channel 125
Coach: Fran Flory
Website: https://provolleyball.com/teams/vegas-thrill
Projected starting lineup
Khat Bell (Texas) OH
Janet Kalaniuvala (Miami) OH
Molly McCage (Texas) MB
Layne Van Buskirk (Pittsburgh) MB
Saskia Hippe (Germany) OPP
Alisha Glass Childress (Penn State) S
Anna Church (Kansas) L
Key reserves
Hannah Pukis (Oregon) S
Berkley Oblad (Utah) MB
Gabby Gonzales (Oregon) OH
Taylor Borup (Oregon) OH
Paula Prieto-Cerame (Texas) OPP
Kylie Murr (Minnesota) L
Hannah Maddux (South Alabama) OH
Maddie Schermerhorn (Purdue) L
Noteworthy: The Thrill were the last to start training camp and their roster might see some shake-ups before the opener. McCage is coming off a monster Athletes Unlimited season that saw her lead all middles in points. Childress, Hippe and Bell are quality veterans. Competition in camp is tight for the libero and OH2 spots, Flory told VBM.
The Athletes Unlimited influence
PVF rosters are dotted with players who competed during the 2023 Athletes Unlimited season. Note that by league rule, the rosters of the Mojo and Thrill do not have to be made final on the opening week, since they do not have matches scheduled. Here’s a team-by-team list of those crossover AU-PVF athletes:
Supernovas (8): Bethania De La Cruz, Brooke Nuneviller, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sidney Hilley, Natalia Valentin-Anderson, Kendall White, Nia Reed and Emma Willis.
Vibe (6): Leah Edmond, Alli Linnehan, Morgan Hentz, Shelly Fanning, Yossiana Pressley, and Karis Watson.
Rise (4): Claire Chaussee, Symone Abbott, Kayla Caffey and Marin Grote.
Fury (4): Jenna Rosenthal, Gabby Blossom, Maria Schlegel and Ray Santos.
Valkyries (3): Kaz Brown, Aury Cruz and Blake Mohler.
Mojo (7): Nootsara Tomkom, Willow Johnson (suspended), Nia Parker-Robinson, Ali Bastianelli, Lindsay Stalzer, Katie Lukes and Nomaris Velez-Agosto.
Thrill (3): Alisha Childress, Molly McCage and Saskia Hippe.
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