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Which familiar faces in Ohio will fill the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation rosters?

Kori Stewart, Cincinnati Enquirer
·10 min read

The Pro Volleyball Federation began its inaugural season last week with a record-breaking crowd in Omaha, Nebraska, according to the league website.

In the league's first three games players with Ohio roots showed the country why the Buckeye State has long been considered a hotbed for the sport.

From former All-Ohio high school athletes to college champions, here is a rundown of the local talent ready to spike the ball for this brand-new league.

Georgia Bulldogs outside hitter Kacie Evans (23) waits for the serve during the first set against the Florida Gators at Exactech Arena at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]
Georgia Bulldogs outside hitter Kacie Evans (23) waits for the serve during the first set against the Florida Gators at Exactech Arena at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. [Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun]

Kacie Evans, outside hitter, Atlanta Vibe

Hometown: Wadsworth, Ohio

High school: Wadsworth High School, 2015-2019. Evans played varsity all four years for the Wadsworth Grizzlies. She finished her high school volleyball career with 1,312 kills, averaging 5.5 kills per set, and 1,147 digs, averaging 4.8 digs per set. In her junior year, she helped the Grizzlies to a district championship while earning All-Ohio honors.

College: University of Georgia, 2019-2023. While playing for the Georgia Bulldogs, Evans was a three-time All-SEC selection and was the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2019. She also holds the UGA record for most sets played with 517 and is a member of the 1,000 Dig Club, 1,000 Kill Club and the 2,000 Point Club for her alma mater.

Professional: 2024 is Evans' first season as a professional volleyball player. As of Jan. 31, 2024, Evans has played in all of the Vibes' matches this season but has not recorded any points, kills or aces so far.

STANFORD, CA -- December 9, 2017. Stanford Cardinal women's volleyball sweeps the Texas Longhorns 3-0 at Maples Pavilion in the NCAA Regional tournament.
STANFORD, CA -- December 9, 2017. Stanford Cardinal women's volleyball sweeps the Texas Longhorns 3-0 at Maples Pavilion in the NCAA Regional tournament.

Morgan Hentz, libero, Atlanta Vibe

Hometown: Lakeside Park, Kentucky. (Ok, so it's not Ohio, but she lives within Greater Cincinnati in Northern Kentucky)

High school: Notre Dame Academy, 2012-2016. Hentz played varsity all four years for the Pandas and was captain in her junior and senior years. She was the 2015 Miss Kentucky Volleyball and was selected to the PrepVolleyball.com All-American team the same year. The following year, Hentz was ranked No. 22 among senior aces by PrepVolleyball.com and was a finalist for their National Player of the Year award.

College: Stanford University 2016-2020. As a member of the Stanford team, Hentz is a three-time NCAA champion, winning in 2016, 2018 and 2019. In her senior season, she broke the school record for career digs with 2,310, making her the third player in school history to register 2,000 career digs. Hentz is currently fourth all-time in Pac-12 history with her 2,310 career digs and in her senior year, she led the Pac-12 with 5.03 digs per set.

Professional: Hentz has played three previous seasons of professional volleyball in two leagues.

Dec 15, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Pittsburgh Panthers Chiamaka Nwokolo (20) waits on a serve against the Louisville Cardinals in the semi-final match at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Pittsburgh Panthers Chiamaka Nwokolo (20) waits on a serve against the Louisville Cardinals in the semi-final match at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Chiamaka Nwokolo, middle blocker, Atlanta Vibe

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

High school: Bishop Hartley High School, 2015-2019. Nwokolo's time at Bishop Hartley included being selected for the 2017 All-Ohio team and in her final year she was ranked No. 66 nationally by Prep Volleyball Senior Ace.

College: University of Pittsburgh, 2019-2023. While representing the Pitt Panthers, Nwokolo helped the team to three consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances and three ACC championships. Individually, Nwokolo is a two-time All-ACC Second Team honoree and had 624 kills in 137 matches for the university.

Professional: After playing her fifth and final collegiate season in 2023, this is Nwokolo's first year as a professional volleyball player. The Atlanta Vibe drafted her with the No. 6 overall selection in the 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft but as of the time of writing has not hit the court for the Vibe yet.

Jan. 19, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Outside hitter Megan Courtney-Lush practices with the Columbus Fury pro women's volleyball team at Fieldhouse USA.
Jan. 19, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Outside hitter Megan Courtney-Lush practices with the Columbus Fury pro women's volleyball team at Fieldhouse USA.

Megan Courtney-Lush, outside hitter, Columbus Fury

Hometown: Kettering, Ohio

High school: Archbishop Alter High School, 2008-2012. Courtney-Lush was a four-year varsity player for Alter and helped take the team to the state semifinals as a freshman, junior and senior. After her final season, Courtney-Lush was selected the Ohio Gatorade Player of the Year.

College: Penn State University, 2012-2016. Courtney-Lush played four seasons at Penn State. As a freshman, she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Her freshman campaign preceded top performances as a sophomore and again as a junior. She helped Penn State to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2013 and 2014. As a junior, in her second NCAA tournament appearance, she was named Most Outstanding Player on the way to winning her second title. Courtney-Lush finished her Penn State career with 1,154 kills on a .259 hitting percentage, 1,141 digs and 364 blocks.

Professional: Courtney-Lush is a seven-year pro, playing in Puerto Rico, Italy, Poland and Turkey. She has also been a member of the USA National Team since 2016 and was part of the 2019 team that won gold at the FIVB Nations League.

Ohio State's Valeria Leon celebrates after the Buckeyes registered a kill against the Badgers. Dec. 12, 2014
Ohio State's Valeria Leon celebrates after the Buckeyes registered a kill against the Badgers. Dec. 12, 2014

Valeria Leon, libero, Columbus Fury

Hometown: Ponce, Puerto Rico

High school: Colegio Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, 2009-2013. Leon was a five-year starter in high school and was named Most Valuable Player at the 2011 Senior Varsity Sagrado Corazon championship in Puerto Rico. In 2012, Leon was selected for the 2012 Puerto Rico National High School All-Star game where she was the starting libero.

College: Ohio State University, 2013-2017. Leon had a standout career as a Buckeye and left as the all-time program leader in total digs with 1,795 and set the all-time school record for digs per set in a season, averaging 4.31 digs per set as a junior.

Professional: Leon is a six-year pro, playing the last six seasons in the Puerto Rican League. She was named Best Libero in the League for the 2022-23 season.

Jan. 19, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Outside hitter Jenaisya Moore practices with the Columbus Fury pro women's volleyball team at Fieldhouse USA.
Jan. 19, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Outside hitter Jenaisya Moore practices with the Columbus Fury pro women's volleyball team at Fieldhouse USA.

Jenaisya Moore, outside hitter, Columbus Fury

Hometown: Germantown, Maryland

High school: Northwest High School, 2015-2019. Moore was a four-year starter for the Jaguars and helped the team to four straight Maryland Class 4A State Championships. She is a three-time Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a one-time All-Met Player of the Year.

College: Ohio State University, 2019-2023. As a freshman, Moore was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team after leading the Buckeyes with 3.45 kills per set. Moore scored her 800th career kill in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament against Tennessee State.

Professional: This is Moore's first professional season. She was selected in the fourth round of the 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation draft by the Columbus Fury.

Ashley Wenz, opposite hitter, Columbus Fury

Hometown: Springboro, Ohio

High school: Springboro High School, 2010-2014. Wenz was a four-time All-District 15 selection and a one-time All-Ohio First-Team selection.

College: Ohio State University, 2014-2018. Wenz played four seasons at Ohio State and finished her college career with 509 kills, 181 digs and 149 blocks. After graduating from Ohio State, Wenz played one year of beach volleyball at Arizona State where she was a graduate student.

Professional: 2024 is Wenz's first professional season.

Ashley Evans, playing against St. Ursula for Lakota East in October 2012, will play professionally in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation.
Ashley Evans, playing against St. Ursula for Lakota East in October 2012, will play professionally in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation.

Ashley Evans, setter, Grand Rapids Rise

Hometown: Liberty Township, Ohio

High school: Lakota East, 2009-2013. As a Thunderhawk, Evans was a two-time All-Ohio First-Team honoree and a two-time Greater Miami Conference Player of the Year. In her final year of high school volleyball, she averaged 3.81 kills, 3.57 digs and 1.38 assists per set to go with 54 aces.

College: Purdue University, 2013-2017. After being redshirted her freshman year, Evans quickly made her presence known to Boilermaker fans. In five seasons, Evans became one of only seven setters in program history to reach 4,000 career assists and was the first Boilermaker to earn 4,000 assists and 1,000 digs. In 2016, she set a Purdue NCAA Tournament record with a .454 hitting percentage against Iowa State in the first round.

Professional: Evans has spent six years playing professional volleyball with stints in Spain, Hungary, France and Germany. She most recently played one season in Romania before joining the Rise this year. In the 2022-23 season, she claimed bronze at the German Cup with Ladies in Black Aachen.

Penn State Nittany Lions middle hitter Nia Grant serves the ball. The Nittany Lions defeated the WisconsinBadgers, 3-1 to win the the NCAA Louisville Regional Championship and move on to the national semifinal game.11 December 2014
Penn State Nittany Lions middle hitter Nia Grant serves the ball. The Nittany Lions defeated the WisconsinBadgers, 3-1 to win the the NCAA Louisville Regional Championship and move on to the national semifinal game.11 December 2014

Nia Grant, middle blocker, Grand Rapids Rise

Hometown: Warren, Ohio

High school: Howland High School, 2008-2011. Grant was a three-year varsity player and team captain. As a junior, Grant was the OHSAA District I Volleyball Player of the Year and was named to the Under Armour Watch List as a senior.

College: Penn State University, 2011-2015. As a Nittany Lion, Grant won back-to-back NCAA national titles in 2013 and 2014. As a senior, she recorded a .458 hitting percentage which ranked her second nationally and in the Big Ten.

Professional: Grant made her professional debut in 2015 with Ayutthaya A.T.C.C. in Thailand. In addition to Thailand, she has played in Germany, France, Italy and Poland. She was named Best Blocker of the German Bundesliga in 2018-19 while playing for SC Potsdam.

Mac Podraza, setter, Grand Rapids Rise

Hometown: Sunbury, Ohio

High school: Big Walnut High School, 2015-2019. Podraza played varsity all four years for Big Walnut. She was named District and OCC Player of the Year for her senior season.

College: Ohio State University, 2019-2023. In four years at Ohio State, Podraza became the first player in program history to be named Big Ten Setter of the Year (2022) and was selected to the All-Big Ten First Team three times. She finished her Buckeye career with 707 digs and 202 kills. As a graduate student, Podraza played one season for Penn State University where she had 219 digs and 52 kills in 28 matches.

Professional: 2024 is Podraza's first year playing professionally.

Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State University’s Gabby Gonzales (8) watches the ball at Covelli Center during the NCAA division I women’s volleyball game between Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch
Nov 26, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State University’s Gabby Gonzales (8) watches the ball at Covelli Center during the NCAA division I women’s volleyball game between Ohio State University and the University of Wisconsin. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Scheller-The Columbus Dispatch

Gabby Gonzales, outside hitter, Vegas Thrill

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

High school: Walton High School 2015-2019. Gonzales played varsity all four years and helped the Walton Raiders to four consecutive state championship titles. In her junior year, she was named to the MaxPreps All-American First Team and was PrepVolleyball.com Junior of the Year.

College: Ohio State University, 2019-2023. As a Buckeye, Gonzales played three seasons and finished her time in Columbus with 928 kills and 759 digs in 83 matches. After graduating, Gonzales played one season at the University of Oregon where she helped the team to an appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Professional: 2024 is Gonzales' first year playing professional volleyball. She was drafted in the second round of the 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft by the Vegas Thrill.

Dec 2, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes Kylie Murr (6) celebrates a point with Emily Londot (22) during the NCAA women's volleyball tournament first round match against the Tennessee State Tigers at the Covelli Center. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch
Dec 2, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes Kylie Murr (6) celebrates a point with Emily Londot (22) during the NCAA women's volleyball tournament first round match against the Tennessee State Tigers at the Covelli Center. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-The Columbus Dispatch

Kylie Murr, libero, Vegas Thrill

Hometown: Yorktown, Indiana

High school: Yorktown High School 2015-2019. Murr earned All-Indiana, All-Hoosier Heritage Conference and All-County honors in all four years of her high school career. She helped the Yorktown Tigers to two state championships in 2016 and 2018. Murr broke the school's single-season record for digs in her junior year with 754.

College: Ohio State University 2019-2023. While in Columbus, Murr broke the program record for career digs in her senior season with 1,935 career digs, the previous record was 1,795, and she also holds the single-season record for total digs with 559 that she set as a freshman. Murr played her fifth collegiate season at the University of Minnesota and is now ranked 13th all-time for digs per set in a single season at Minnesota and 17th all-time for total digs.

Professional: Murr is a rookie this year after being drafted in the third round of the 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation draft by the Vegas Thrill.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Pro Volleyball Federation inaugural season: Ohio connections on team