The NVA finished off 2021 with a bang by bringing their all-stars to the AVCA’s 40thAnniversary Convention in Columbus, Ohio! For three days, the league’s players and coaches hit the courts with some of the world’s greatest volleyball minds to help advance the sport of volleyball, educating the next generation of American coaches. The NVA had the privilege to work alongside inspirational icons such as Karch Kiraly and John Speraw as well as hosting the All-American Banquet recognizing elite players from Women’s Collegiate Volleyball.
Those who attended the All-American Banquet and the coinciding NCAA Div. 1 championship match, between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers, witnessed some of the most extraordinary players in the history of NCAA. The game had historical precedence, with one player becoming the first-ever five-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Of course, it would be none other than the Division 1 player of the year, Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke!
The NVA had the privilege of handing out the awards to the AVCA Players of the Year, and we are excited to share their names with you again! Readers can find the complete list of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team selections from each division on the AVCA website. https://www.avca.org/awards/
AVCA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
NAIA AVCA Player of the Year- Nada Meawad, Park (Missouri)
Two-Year College AVCA Player of the Year- Marian Ovalle, New Mexico Military Institute
NCCAA AVCA Player of the Year- Sydney Schwitters, University of Northwestern-St. Paul
NCAA Division III AVCA Player of the Year- Heidi Westra, Calvin University
NCAA Division II AVCA Player of the Year- Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino
NCAA Division I AVCA Player of the Year- Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin – Madison
For many of the NVA players present for the convention, the best moment of the event came from the Athletes Unlimited Draft, which has invited nine graduating collegiate stars to join their league. Athletes Unlimited is the only pro indoor women’s volleyball league in the U.S., which premiered last year on the CBS Sports Network! Two of the draftees, Div. 1 Player of the Year, Dana Rettke, and Nebraska’s Laura Stivrins, went head-to-head, middle on middle, in the 5-Set NCAA Championship thriller. This historic draft is the first of its kind in the U.S. to provide an immediate pipeline for the nation’s most valuable volleyball players to go straight from university to the major leagues!
https://auprosports.com/read/meet-the-9-draftees-from-the-inaugural-athletes-unlimited-volleyball-draft/
Inspired by AU Sports, the NVA is preparing to eventually establish their draft, looking to bring graduating student-athletes into the fold after the NCAA Men’s Final. With another successful year at the AVCA, the NVA has done well to show attending coaches just how disciplined, determined, and hungry our athletes are. We hope that the word will continue to spread from coaches to the next generation of college players that the dream of becoming a professional volleyball athlete is just on the other side of graduation! With this much talent already on display on the women’s side, the NVA and their teams are eager to see what homegrown products come from NCAA Men’s Volleyball this summer!
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>Last season’s Libero, and primary starter from the Inland Empire Matadors, Jose Mulero, has begun his next professional contract in the Puerto Rican League de Voleibol Superior Masculino with the Changos de Naranjito. Now, in his 13th season in the league, the veteran is still as effective as ever. He has continued to produce the same numbers as he did in the NVA last season, where he finished 10th overall in the league for total digs.
The Changos de Naranjitos are the 6th team in the LVSM that Mulero has played for in his career, and they are by far the most decorated team! Since their conception in 1940, they’ve taken home a total of 36 medals, including; two bronze, 11 silver, and 26 gold, leading other LVSM teams with championship titles by 14. On top of the Changos being a powerhouse program, the move to Naranjito has also brought Mulero closer to his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“Being with the Naranjito Changos is an incredible experience! This club has an unbeatable trajectory and is even mentioned in the Guinness Book of World Records for most volleyball championships. So from the start, the shirt has a lot of weight. It is an enriching experience.” – Jose Mulero.
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-national-volleyball-championships
Mulero is joined by Tornadoes middle blocker Angel “Chomo” Rivera (@angelrivber), who has been having a notable season of his own! The team has already maintained 2nd place in the league standings and now has the best chance of disrupting the Guaynabo Mets’ four-year reign as league champions. The Mets have familiar faces from the NVA as well. They have the OC Stunners’ setter Randy Ramirez and Utah Stingers’ pin hitters Inovel Romero and Jorge Mencia leading the team.
There is still plenty of time left in the season to catch Mulero in action as he holds his team’s positioning for playoffs. Fans can follow the LVSM (@lvsm.pr) and the Changos de Naranjitos (@changosvoleibol) to get weekly updates on their upcoming games and match scores. Live stream coverage of all their matches can be found at https://regieventos.com/.
Make sure to follow Jose Mulero (@josemulero11) on Instagram to get an inside look at his time with the Changos and the Matadors! There you can find more information about his coaching program, JB11VBCLINICS, which operates locally with the San Juan Volleyball Club. Starting during the pandemic, they’ve run different forms of training, including face-to-face, individual, virtual, or group sessions. “We also provide photo and video services so that athletes can get exposed to universities and get scholarships so that they can fulfill their dreams,” shared Mulero. https://www.josemulero11.com/
You can even request a personalized video message for friends and family or your business on Mulero’s Cameo and Celevideos profiles! https://heylink.me/josemulero11/
The Matadors and the NVA wish the best of luck to Mulero and the Changos de Naranjito!
“Volley On With the NVA!”
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>Last month, following their 3rd place finish at the NORCECA Championships, Mauro Isaac and team Mexico took 1st place at the Pan American Cup! Mexico was able to pull off a clean sweep over Canada for the final, saving their best for last after two earlier losses in the preliminary rounds against Canada and the United States.
This is the first time that the Mexican Men’s National Team has won gold in the Pan-Am Cup since their victory over Puerto Rico in four sets in 2007. The two medals have helped push his volleyball career onto the international stage and break new records for his following as an internet volleyball personality.
Last week, Mauro reached over 100,000 followers on his YouTube page, outdoing even the NVA’s and Out of System’s page by 90,000 followers. His continued growth on his media sites is another sign of his growing impact on the next generation of players.
With these two championship experiences under his belt, the door is wide open for new contract opportunities abroad as the new hot talent. With already so much great content from his first seasons in Mexico, Brazil, and the United States, Mauro will indeed have more exciting and in-depth videos of his career for years to come!
The IE Matadors and the NVA are both eager to see what Mauro’s future holds as he has become one of the most notable players to compete in the league. Give him a follow-on Instagram (@mauroisaac22) to be the first to hear about Mauro’s next moves. Then make sure to check out his latest video thanking all his fans for their support! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAuXPnzz_uY
“Volley On With the NVA!”
This week’s biggest news in volleyball came from the historic conclusion of the 2021 North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Championship. There the Puerto Rican Men’s National Team took home their first NORCECA title. The team’s first gold medal has also given them an automatic bid into Russia’s 2022 FIVB World Championships.
The event also saw a momentous run from the Mexican national team taking home their third bronze medal, showing the program’s growth. The Canadian men took home second, losing to Puerto Rico, and the USA took 5th.
BYU Alumni Opposite hitter Gabriel García was the kill leader for the championship match with 11 points, 10 kills, and one ace. While Cal Baptist alumni, Arturo Iglesias, was selected as MVP for his performance as the team’s leading setter. The competing teams also had a great supporting cast of players from the NVA, with LA Blaze, Vegas Ramblers, OC Stunners, IE Matadors, and Southern Exposure being represented.
The Matadors had two previous players taking podium finishes at the event! Middle blocker Ismael Alomar won gold with Team Puerto Rico, and outside hitter Mauro Isaac took third with Team Mexico. Both players have made huge impacts with the Matadors in the NVA and now have some international championship experience to bring back to the team next season.
The Matadors will have some added experience in high-pressure situations if they can secure Isaac and Alomar again for 2022. Their involvement will be critical if the team wants to make it farther in NVA Playoffs next year.
Be sure to give Ismael (@ismael.alomar_), Mauro (@mauroisaac22), and the IE Matadors (@matadorsnvausa) a follow-on Instagram to stay updated with where they go next. Also, if you haven’t watched them already, follow the links below to watch the final matches of the 2021 NORCECA Championship. You will also find a link to watch one of Isaac’s vlogs capturing a day in the life of training with the Mexican National Team!
NORCECA Main Website
Championship Final: Puerto Rico vs Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ9X9g1UYJI
Bronze Match: Mexico vs Cuba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pES5GksbBxE
UN DÍA CON LA PRESELECCIÓN MEXICANA DE VOLEIBOL (Mauro Isaac Vlog)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znrKLavJur4
“Volley On With the NVA!”
– NVA Staff Writer
]]>With the 2022 NVA Season already in the works, here is a look at the rankings for the top five players for each statistical throughout the season. These rankings exclude players who competed in less than ten sets or had less than 100 attempts. Check them out to see which if your favorite players made the cut as one of the Top 5 All-Stars for each category.
Best Scorer (Points/Sets Played)
Best Server (Service Aces/Sets Played)
Best Blocker (Blocks/Sets Played)
Best Scorer (Total Points)
Best Server (Total Service Aces)
Best Blocker (Total Blocks)
Best Passer (Perfect Reception + Positive Reception/All Receptions)
Best Attacker (Kills/All Attack Attempts)
Best Defender (Total Digs)
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Although the Ontario Matadors still have some time before they need to be ready for next season, the team is already preparing for significant line-up changes. After his last match of Event 3 against the Las Vegas Ramblers, Opposite Jacob Vander-Beek shared his decision to play for Team Durham team in the Volleyball England Super League.
Team Durham, which the University of Durham funds, has recently won the last English Cup Tournament in 2018/19 and has taken second the previous two years of the English Super League. It’s Jacob’s plan, like many others, to use the experience to gain his masters degree and gain more international exposure in the hopes of finding a full-time paid contract to play overseas.
“I’m most looking forward to meeting more good volleyball players around the world. Also, since my mom is from England, I’ll be seeing a lot of my family that I haven’t seen much growing up in California.” – Jacob Vander Beek.
Jacob won’t be the only Matador alum to be headed to Durham this next year as Zackary Philyaw returns to Durham to pursue a Doctorate in Social Psychology. Zackary Philyaw was a team member when Team Durham won the English Cup, and Jacob will likely have the same impact on the league this year. As excited as Jacob is to be embarking on his new journey, he has enjoyed being part of the league’s growth this season.
“I’ve liked the NVA more this season than last year as we’ve been able to play more than one event. It’s nice having more opportunity to correct your record after a bad weekend performance. To be able to play in a full season over a couple of months rather than a weekend is a great change.” – Jacob Vander Beek.
Check out the link below to watch the replay of Jacob Vander Beek’s best performance so far of the 2021 season against the LA Blaze. There, fans will also find live coverage of the Matadors quarterfinals against the Vegas Ramblers on the first day of the championship weekend, July 9th – 10th. Make sure to follow Jacob (@the_beek), Zackary (@zphilyaw), the Ontario Matadors (@matadorsnvausa), and the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to stay connected with the team and catch highlight clips from Event 3.
(154) 2021 NVA CUP: LA BLAZE V. ONTARIO MATADORS – YouTube
Leading the way for the Matadors during the first 2021 NVA event, opposite Jacob Vander Beek scored a total of 37 points for the team and is now ranked 8th in the league for total points. Vander Beek was the spark plug for the Matadors, starting every comeback and scoring multiple game-winners throughout their three matches. Catching fire and stepping in as the team’s ace, attacking at .380%, Jacob put on streaks of consecutive kills, which helped the team pull away with the lead. Even more, Vander Beek’s defensive game played a crucial role in the Matadors’ wins, keeping them afloat against powerful offenses like the Stingers. In their win against the LA Blaze, Vander Beek racked up double-digit digs, proving to be a well-rounded opposite which is just effective in the back and frontcourt.
To catch up on all the Event 1 matches and see Vander Beek in action on the court, head on over to Youtube at NVA USA. Fans can also head on over the NVA News page to read a written recap of all three of the Matador’s matches. Don’t forget to follow Jacob (@the_beek), the Ontario Matadors (@matadorsnvausa), and the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram and Facebook to get weekly updates of the team and your favorite players.
]]>Playing in his first-ever NVA event at the 2020 Championships in Utah, middle blocker Martín Petris was a reliable and resilient front row threat. As a seasoned veteran with over 14 years of high-level professional and World League experiences, Petris looked cool, calm, and collected throughout the tournament. Martín was the guiding presence for his teammates, helping the younger teammates navigate through the pressures and adversities of playing in elimination championship matches. Returning to the NVA in 2021, Petris’ knowledge and expertise will go a long way in developing and honing his new team’s skills, the Ontario Matadors.
Originally from Los Angeles, Martín started his high-performance volleyball career in 2007 when he participated with the U19 Mexican National Team, finishing 12th in the U19 World Championship. That same year Martín was part of the Mexican National Selection team and competed in the NORCECA Championships. His biggest year playing on the international stage came in 2014 when he played with the team in four separate tournaments traveling to Tunisia (FIVB World League), Veracruz, Mexico (Central American and Caribbean Games), Tijuana, Mexico (Pan American Cup), and Poland (FIVB World Championship). Since then, Martín’s career has been a little less hectic since 2014. He has stayed back to play in the Liga Mexicana and pursue a degree in Business Engineering and IT. In the last six years, Martín has played with the Halcones DF (Mexico City), the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterey school team, and the Jaguares de Nuevo Laredo; where he has won two consecutive silver medals!
Looking back at the accomplishments so far in his life, Petris had one piece of advice for other aspiring athletes looking to pursue a professional career: “Resultados de traducción… to get the best results, one must always give his all and best effort to succeed.”
Already Martín has tested his mettle against the most exceptional players and teams in the world, and now that he has joined the NVA, he’s ready to keep the tradition alive! You can follow Martín Petris (@mgpetris15), the Ontario Matadors (@matadorsnvausa), and the NVA (@nvausa) on Instagram to get weekly media updates. You can also catch them in action this season with live streams and even replays from the NVA 2020 Championship on our Youtube channel. Don’t miss out on all the exciting news and coverage to come from this new season!
]]>The Ontario Matadors, who joined the NVA this past December, have a plethora of elite athletes looking to make an impact on the league in their inaugural season. One of those players, whom we were lucky enough to sit down with, is Jaydon Corby-Potter, a 6’6 middle blocker from Riverside. Interestingly enough, when Jaydon is not playing volleyball he is serving our country as a part of the United States Air Force. We sat down with Jaydon because we were interested in his story, as well as his thoughts on the creation of the team, his own volleyball history, and his feelings about being a middle blocker.
In talking about what brought him to the great sport of volleyball, Jaydon mentioned some things that many in the men’s volleyball community can resonate with. “I never thought I would be playing volleyball” he said, “It just so happened that my high school started a team while I was there, and they needed players. I asked myself ‘why not?’ and a few years later I find myself on the Matadors.” The growth of high school men’s volleyball teams over the past ten years is a great example of how the game is growing, and with these additions, the love of the game is growing too. Jaydon then shared his thoughts on playing for the Matadors and the growth of the NVA in general. “I love that this great game is growing, it seems to get bigger every day,” He continued, “I love that I get to continue my volleyball career with the Matadors and the NVA. To be able to play at a high and competitive level here in the States is a dream come true for me, and I love every second.”
Jaydon went on to mention his affinity for the middle blocker position. When prompted, he answered adamantly, “Yes, I love it. You’re involved in every play and you are the glue to the defense to make it work.” Then when asked what the toughest part of playing the position was, Jaydon responded, “Blocking, definitely blocking. Especially when the setter can run a good tempo offense, it makes it that much harder to read and close the block.” The Matadors are hoping Jaydon’s size 16 sneakers can help him move across the net and close some blocks this season and beyond. Jaydon has a pure love for the game, for someone to serve their country and play professional volleyball is a huge commitment, and the NVA is lucky to have someone of such stature in the league.
Follow Jaydon and the Matadors here
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