The Professional Volleyball Federation’s first serve is 2 days away.
5 of the brand new league’s franchises shall be in motion this week, beginning Wednesday night time when the Omaha Supernovas play host to the Atlanta Vibe (8 p.m. Jap, Stadium streaming sports activities community, Information Channel Nebraska). The subsequent day the Columbus Fury entertain the Grand Rapids Rise and on Friday the Orlando Valkries are house for Atlanta.
On the eleventh hour, the PVF was hit with a major defection when reverse Willow Johnson, who had been penciled in as a cornerstone of the San Diego franchise, apparently has spurned the Mojo and jumped to a staff within the South Korean professional league, the Heunghkuh Life Pink Girls. The Inchon squad posted a graphic on social media welcoming the previous Oregon standout, daughter of Corridor of Fame pitcher Randy Johnson, who has been proven as “suspended” on the PVF transactions record. The Mojo don’t play till February 1 once they go to Atlanta.
The Supernovas lined up native TV protection for the historic match on Wednesday on the CHI Well being Middle in Omaha. Information Channel Nebraska will air the opener to the greater than 500,000 properties it reaches statewide, with John Baylor (longtime voice of Nebraska volleyball) and former Nebraska star and Olympian Nancy (Meendering) Metcalf on the decision.
Atlanta Vibe
Opening match: January 24, at Omaha Supernovas
Enviornment: Fuel South Enviornment (capability 13,100), Duluth, Georgia
Coach: Todd Dagenais
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/atlanta-vibe
Projected beginning 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” record)
Leketor Member-Meneh (Pittsburgh) OH
Whitney Bower (Brigham Younger) S
Regan Pittman (Minnesota) MB
Chiamaka Nwokolo (Pittsburgh) OH
Marlie Monserez (UCLA) S
Anna Lazareva (Russia) OPP (on “exempt” record)
Noteworthy: The Vibe look deadly on the left aspect with former Wildcat teammates Edmond and Linnehan. Excessive-flying Pressley was picked up on waivers. The staff traded as much as snare Jehlarova with the No. 2 decide within the draft and the Czech nationwide may very well be a breakout star, regardless that she is going to miss some matches due to visa points and can begin the season on the “exempt” record. Hentz needs to be the league’s finest libero.
Columbus Fury
Opening match: January 25, at Grand Rapids Rise
Enviornment: Nationwide Enviornment (capability 19,500), Columbus, Ohio
Coach: Angel Perez
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/columbus-fury
Projected beginning 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 primary participant picked within the faculty draft, shall be beneath a microscope because the Texas NCAA champion turns into the contemporary face of the brand new league. Rosenthal provides the Fury a second sturdy presence within the center. Veteran Courtney Lush, again within the sport, ought to present massive firepower on the pins and top-rate protection. 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
Enviornment: Van Andel Enviornment (capability 11,500), Grand Rapids, Michigan
TV: WXSP-TV, The X, Channel 15. Radio: WMAX-FM, 96.1 The Sport.
Coach: Cathy George
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/grand-rapids-rise
Projected beginning 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 worldwide expertise and may very well be one of many PVF’s finest gamers. Chaussee is a dynamic athlete who put up enormous numbers as a rookie in Athletes Limitless and has a yr of worldwide expertise. Seashore Olympian Sponcil’s versatility is an asset as a result of she was additionally an impressive indoor participant earlier than going to the sand. Evans units within the USA nationwide staff’s fitness center.
Omaha Supernovas
Opening match: January 24, vs. Atlanta Vibe
Enviornment: CHI Well being Middle (capability 18,320), Omaha, Nebraska
Radio: Supernovas Radio Community (flagship station, KNTK-FM, 93.7 The Ticket, Lincoln).
Coach: Shelton Collier
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/omaha-supernovas
Projected beginning 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 Worldwide) S
Hristina Vuchova (Bulgaria) MB (on “exempt” record)
Emma Willis (Denver) MB
Paige Briggs (Western Kentucky) OH
Allison Mayfield (Kansas) OH
Noteworthy: The Supernovas are the staff to beat in PVF with stars at each place and extra stars on the bench. Veteran De La Cruz shall be a must-stop issue for each opponent. Dixon and Hart are rock-solid within the center. Nuneviller, a workhorse hitter and precision passer, ought to press for courtroom time. Reed gained the beginning job at reverse and Yossiana Pressley was waived.
Orlando Valkyries
Opening match: January 26, vs. Atlanta Vibe
Enviornment: Addition Monetary Enviornment (capability 9.500), UCF campus, Orlando, Florida
Coach: Amy Pauly
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/orlando-valkyries
Projected beginning lineup
Adora Anae (Utah) OH
Vanessa Agbortabi (Germany) 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
Noteworthy: Slowing down the extremely. hard-hitting Anae shall be foes’ most important mission. Graham appears more likely to be among the many few rookie starters in PVF. All 5 of the Valkyries’ drafted rookies determine to stay on the energetic roster or as the 2 “observe gamers.”
San Diego Mojo
Opening match: February 1, at Atlanta Vibe
Enviornment: Viejas Enviornment (capability 12.414), San Diego State campus, San Diego, California
Coach: Tayyiba Haneef-Park
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/san-diego-mojo
Projected beginning 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 many league’s finest at their positions. The Mojo despatched a second-round decide to the Supernovas for Vander Weide, shoring up the left aspect. Collazo, who loved a stellar AU marketing campaign, will assume a extra outstanding position since Johnson has been suspended and has signed with a South Korean league staff.
Vegas Thrill
Opening match: February 7, at Omaha Supernovas
Enviornment: Greenback Mortgage Middle (capability 5.567), Henderson, Nevada
TV: KVVU-TV, Channel 5 (Fox 5); Silver State Sports activities and Leisure Community, Channel 5.2, Cox Cable channel 125
Coach: Fran Flory
Web site: https://provolleyball.com/groups/vegas-thrill
Projected beginning 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 have been the final to start out coaching camp and their roster would possibly see some shake-ups earlier than the opener. McCage is coming off a monster Athletes Limitless season that noticed her lead all middles in factors. Childress, Hippe and Bell are high quality veterans. Competitors in camp is tight for the libero and OH2 spots, Flory informed VBM.
The Athletes Limitless affect
PVF rosters are dotted with gamers who competed through the 2023 Athletes Limitless season. Observe that by league rule, the rosters of the Mojo and Thrill would not have to be made ultimate on the opening week, since they don’t have matches scheduled. Right here’s a team-by-team record of these 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.