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/

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

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!”

• NVA Staff Writer

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

https://www.norceca.net/

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)

1. Brandon Rattray, Ramblers – 6.14 (270/44) 
2. Felix Chapman, Tornadoes – 6 (60/10)
3. Corey Chavers, Stunners – 4.96 (114/23)
4. Jake Langlois, Stingers – 4.42 (115/26)
5. Joe Norman, Team Freedom – 4.34 (126/29)

Best Server (Service Aces/Sets Played)

1. Brandon Rattray, Ramblers – 0.64 (28/44)
2. Ian Capp, Untouchables – 0.6 (15/25)
3. Jair Santiago-Sanchez, Stunners – 0.47 (15/32)
4. Carlos Serrano, Matadors – 0.38 (8/21)
5. Will Ragland and Jake Milnaziak, Untouchables – 0.38 (9/24)

Best Blocker (Blocks/Sets Played)

1. Tim Lourich, Exposure – 0.7 (30/43)
2. Alex Shmelev, Stingers – 0.68 (23/34)
3. Joe Norman, Freedom – 0.59 (17/29)
4. Matt Seifert, Freedom – 0.59 (24/41)
5. Paul Bilanzic, Untouchables – 0.58 (19/33)

Best Scorer (Total Points)

1. Brandon Rattray, Ramblers – 270 
2. Gianluca Grasso, Tyrants – 163
3. Ryan Mather, Ramblers – 152
4. Jorge Mencia, Stingers – 144
5. Jair Santiago-Sanchez, Stunners – 129

Best Server (Total Service Aces)

1. Brandon Rattray, Ramblers – 28
2. Ian Capp, Untouchables – 15
3. Jair Santiago-Sanchez, Stunners – 15 
4. Ryan Mather, Ramblers – 14
5. Nick West, Stunners – 13

Best Blocker (Total Blocks)

1. Tim Lourich, Exposure – 30
2. Matt Seifert, Freedom – 23
3. Alex Schmelev, Stingers – 23
4. Paul Bilanzic, Untouchables – 19
5. Nick West, Stunners – 19

Best Passer (Perfect Reception + Positive Reception/All Receptions)

1. Johnny Gomez, Exposure – 93% (204/219)
2. Julian Rivera, Tyrants – 92% (191/207)
3. Gianluca Grasso, Tyrants – 91% (161/176)
4. Josh Ayzenberg, Stunners – 91% (102/112)
5. Corey Chavers, Stunners – 91% (122/134)

Best Attacker (Kills/All Attack Attempts)

1. Brandon Rattray, Ramblers – 56% (228/410)
2. Corey Chavers, Stunners – 55% (98/179)
3. Kevin Lopez, Ramblers – 51% (59/115)
4. Paul Bilanzic, Untouchables – 51% (72/141)
5. Nick West, Stunners – 51% (56/110)

Best Defender (Total Digs)

1. Johnny Gomez, Exposure – 90
2. Ricardo Massanet, Blaze – 88
3. Ryan Manoogian, Ramblers – 87
4. Kyle Dagostino, Exposure – 81
5. Inovel Romero, Stingers – 79

• NVA Staff Writer 

Summer in California is often accompanied by beautiful weather, long summer days, and for the volleyball community, a lot of tournaments on the beach. One tournament that is collectively looked forward to all year is the Charlie Saikley 6-Man Volleyball Tournament, or unofficially known as the Manhattan Beach 6-Man. 

The Manhattan Beach 6-Man was officially started over 46 years ago by Charlie Saikley, who is credited for bringing volleyball from the gym on to the beach. The tournament itself is run over the course of two days, usually a Friday and a Saturday towards the end of July or the beginning of August. The Manhattan Beach 6-Man can almost be seen as a monument standing the test of time, as it is played with old school volleyball rules. For those who do not know the old volleyball rules, the game is played with sideout scoring, which means for you to score a point, your team must serve the ball. If your team receives the ball and also terminates the play, you don’t receive a point, just a chance to serve. This version of volleyball can result in long drawn out games that really test the conditioning and willpower of those on the court. Another rule that is taken from old school volleyball rules is that the receiving team isn’t allowed to take any serves open handed, it must be taken with a platform, which is a rule that is also used on the beach. This old school form of volleyball was the norm until the early 2000s, when the game started to change to allow it to be more digestible for the casual viewer.

The Manhattan Beach 6-Man has seen a long history of elite volleyball players pooling together to win one of the most sought after medals in the volleyball community. In years past you would come down to witness greats like David Lee, an Olympic gold medalist, play with beach volleyball legends such as Matt Furbringer. The NVA also had a multitude of players competing in it this year with Stunners players Nick Amado, Matt Hilling, and Corey Chavers all playing on different teams striving for the 6-Man title. 

The Manhattan Beach 6-Man is also an incredibly social event, bringing in spectators from all over California to come watch some incredible volleyball. One of the more attractive aspects of the 6-Man are the series of bars and restaurants that open up early and close late to allow the players and spectators to either celebrate their wins or celebrate their loss, as there is a saying that “Any 6-man is a good 6-man”.

-NVA Staff Writer

Concluding their 2021 season in the quarter-finals of the NVA Championship event, the Matadors fought tooth and nail to try and keep their dreams alive of taking a podium finish. The team has been the grittiest in the league all season long, always putting up a fight when the odds were against them, giving even the best teams in the league a run for their money. Still, the Matadors struggled to stay consistent, having blowout performances only to stumble and fall before they could secure the win.

In their final match against the Ramblers, the Matadors entered the event missing some key pieces, with star outside hitter Mauro Isaac unable to make the first day of the event. Additionally, not even halfway through the first set of the match, the Matadors lost the glue that held them together as libero Jose Mulero was subbed off with an injury. Down 13-5, Mulero made a sprawling dig to save a roll shot from Ramblers Ryan Mather, landing on his knee hard. Sitting off the rest of the match, Mulero watched from afar and had this to say about the team.

“Obviously, we entered the finals with the significant loss of Mauro Isac. However, as a team with many ups and downs throughout the season, we weren’t able to all excel at the same time as a team when it mattered most. Without a doubt, to have a chance of beating the powerful Ramblers team, we had to compete and play at our absolute best” – Jose Mulero.

Without Mauro, the team was led by opposite Jacob Vander Beek with 13 kills and 2 blocks. While Alvaro Ascues finally got his chance to shine, getting down 12 kills himself. Then Jesus Serano had some great sets with middle blocker Gabriel Cruz while Mario Meza stepped up big, taking over for Jose. The Matadors squad came back and took a set after weathering the brutal storm of swings from Brandon Rattray and were close to taking the match to a 5th set.  Sadly, they weren’t able to pull off a miracle and were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, tieing for 5th.

“To win this tournament or be in the final four, you have to play consistently from the first point of the match. My experience with the NVA going up against such impressive competition has been brutal…and I love it. I think that is the attractiveness of the league. You have to play hard every single game or go home!” – Jose Mulero.

Make sure to go and watch the Matadors final match of the 2021 season by going onto the NVA USA page of Youtube!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWV2uxAPw8k&t=2s 

Be sure to also follow the Matadors (@matadorsnvausa), the NVA (@nvausa), and Jose Mulero (@josemulero11) on Instagram to get updates on your favorite team as they get ready come back again next year for the 2022 season. It’s sure to be the best one yet! 

• NVA Staff Writer

Match Statistics

#17 Jacob Vander Beek – 15 Points (13 Kills, 2 Blocks)

#4 Alvaro Ascues – 12 Points (12 Kills) 

#9 Jorge Cabrera – 8 Points (8 Kills)

#18 Gabriel Cruz – 7 Points (5 Kills, 2 Blocks)

# 15 Martin Petris – 5 Points (4 Kills, 1 Block)