The National Volleyball Association is now bigger than ever before, moving into the upcoming 2022 season, bringing you: more games, larger events, new teams, a new league structure, and even greater volleyball action! The American and National Conferences have each split into two divisions during the off-season. You will now see a Coastal and Central division within each conference. In addition, each conference has inducted a new franchise, bringing the league to a total of 12 teams, which has opened the door to a full regular-season schedule. From April to July, fans will be able to watch 60 matches with teams grinding their way through the rankings to solidify a spot in the 2022 NVA Championships! Here is the release for this year’s NVA Regular Season Event Schedule without further ado.
2022 NVA Regular Season Schedule
Event 1: April 8th – 10th
Event 2: May 6th – 8th
Event 3: May 28th – 30th
Event 4: June 17th – 19th
Event 5: July 8th – 10th
NVA Championship: August 5th-7th
Each event will feature twelve matches over three days with four games a day. Each team competes in two matches per event weekend, totaling ten matches throughout the season. The teams will be fighting each game to bolster their overall record and rack up NVA Points to win their respective division. Winning your division will automatically advance you to the playoffs.
Some of the highlight matches include…
– Saturday 04/09 @ 12:00 PM PST: Dallas Tornadoes vs. Colorado Kraken, the Tornadoes grudge match against their previous head coach and his new team, the Colorado Kraken.
– Friday 05/06 @ 9:00 AM PST: Las Vegas Ramblers vs. Utah Stingers, both of last year’s top regular-season teams who have both made the final podium two years running, will face off in this newly-formed rivalry.
– Friday 05/06 @ 12:00 PM PST: OC Stunners vs. Texas Tyrants, a rematch of their five-set, quarterfinals thriller, which is regarded as the best match of the 2021 playoffs.
– Sunday 05/30 @ 9 AM PST: Chicago Untouchables vs. Southern Exposure, a rematch of a highly gritty quarterfinal matchup from last season that ended in a five-set Exposure win.
– Sunday 06/19 @ 6 PM PST: LA Blaze vs. Inland Empire Matadors, as they battle for dominance in this cross-town rivalry.
– Sunday 06/30 @ 9 AM PST: New Jersey Freedom vs. Seattle Sasquatch, the first matchup between the Northwest and Northeast Coast teams.
Next week, be sure to check back in to delve into the ranking system that includes divisional and cross-conference play. Also, stay tuned for more information on the league’s two new teams, the Colorado Kraken and the Seattle Sasquatch! Follow the NVA on Instagram and Facebook to get weekly media updates on league developments and player stories if you haven’t already. Fans can also jump back in and watch all of last year’s matches on YouTube and get a taste of what is to come!
Follow the link below to get a breakdown of the 2022 season and conference divisions!
https://www.nvausa.com/news/detail?id=158
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>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
]]>In just under a week, the National Volleyball Association will be partnering once again with the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio! Now, celebrating its 40th anniversary, the AVCA was formed back in 1981 by Terry Liskevych and Andy Banachowski as an advocacy group for coaches. Since their conception, the AVCA has significantly expanded, adding tons of new services and clinics, all with the same core dedication to serving volleyball coaches and the volleyball community.
From December 15th-18th, the convention halls will be jam-packed with seminars regarding coaching skills, skill development, career advancement, club management, and even sports psychology. Each educational session will be led by the country’s top NCAA Div 1, Olympic, and Club coaches, including some of the current greats with; Karch Kiraly (USA Women’s National Team), John Speraw (USA Men’s National Team), and Alan Knipe (Long Beach State), all leading their own sessions. On top of that, the event offers break-out sessions for coaches to network and reconnect with other coaches from around the nation.
The NVA is sending 16 athletes and coaches from around the league to take part in ten educational seminars as part of the on-court practice demonstrations. Utah Stingers Owner & NVA VP Russell Holmes will also present awards to the top NCAA athletes at this year’s All-American/Players of the Year Banquet. This will be the second year that the league has participated in this phenomenal event and has eagerly awaited its return since the last AVCA convention back in 2018.
There’s still time if you haven’t yet registered for the convention. You can also purchase passes on-site starting at 4 pm on Tuesday the 14th at 4 pm. However, if you cannot make it in person, you can still watch every seminar online with their Virtual Convention, including live Learning Labs created exclusively for virtual attendees, a virtual exhibit show, and Career Center. Below you’ll find links to find out more information about registering, as well as our seminar schedule for the week. If you see us there, give us a shout, we would love to talk and learn together as we all push to help foster the next generation of volleyball in the USA and grow the game!
Schedule and AVCA Links:
Thursday 12/16
– 11am – 12pm: Technical and Tactical Components that Lead to a Better Transition Game. (Dave Preston)
– 3pm – 4pm: Rethinking Feedback in a Practice Setting. (John Speraw)
– 4:15pm – 5:15pm: Controlled Variations of Live Play: How to Challenge your Starting Side to Prepare for Game Day. (Wright State Staff)
Friday 12/17
– 1:15pm – 2:15pm: Planning and Facilitating a Week of Practice Drills. (James Madison Staff)
– 2:30pm – 3:30pm: Bolstering your Attackers’ Toolkit. (Karch Kiraly)
– 3:45pm – 4:45pm: Training your Team to be Efficient Out of System. (Shannon Winzer)
Saturday 12/18
– 9am – 10am: Serve Receive with USAV Women’s National Team. (Tama Miyashiro)
– 9am – 10am: Adaptive Creativity – The importance of customizing drills to enhance & excite your players. (Eric Snyder)
– 10:15am – 11:15am: Coaching Using Story Telling – External Feedback in Action. (Jamie Morrison)
– 10:15am – 11:15am: Practice Pyramids: Growth Through the Climb. (Chad Willis)
https://avcaconvention.org/virtual-convention/
-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
]]>NVA postpones season due to COVID-19
Faced with the uncertainties regarding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and the impact it will have on the sport of volleyball, despite having the infrastructure in place for one of the most anticipated season opening events thus far, the NVA postponed the season until further notice.
The statistics surrounding the pandemic are getting worse at the moment, but the kind people at NVA remain optimistic that they will have an opportunity to safely host an event this year. Meanwhile, the league announced that the safety of the athletes, coaches, and staff is their top priority. According to NVA staff, until the proposed scenarios for handling the health threat are implemented by authorities and improving the overall covid statistics, public safety will come first. And until the methods that would go into hosting an event with public safety at the forefront are well understood and approved by relevant officials, there would be no opening event. With the likelihood that another event gets canceled still up in the air, the athletes continue to train at home and the staff continues to have their weekly meetings in order to prepare for updates, both good and bad.
During a time when we are at the mercy of the CDC guidelines and the State Governor’s recommendations, it is unclear when the next event will take place and, better yet, what that will look like. Do players wear masks? Only the officials? Just the fans? Or, better yet, will the virus run its course and open the door for the entertainment that our beloved fans have been waiting for? Either way, the NVA will be here and looking for the next opportunity to provide world-class volleyball entertainment.
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