EAST LANSING, Mich. – A lifelong dream realized. Former Michigan State volleyball middle blocker Amani McArthur is going pro. After a month-long tryout and several waves of cuts, McArthur was named to the practice squad of the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Vegas Thrill on Monday.
“I am so grateful to be part of the PVF’s first season,” said McArthur. “I am continuously learning and getting better every day, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds!”
In her lone season as a Spartan in 2023, McArthur was named Second Team All-B1G and led Michigan State in solo blocks (28), block assists (88), total blocks (116) and blocks per set (1.09). Her 28 solo blocks led the conference. McArthur’s .346 hitting percentage led the Spartans among qualified players and ranks No. 10 all-time for single-season hitting at MSU. On September 18, 2023, McArthur was named B1G Defensive Player of the Week after earning MVP honors at the Dog Pound Challenge.
As part of the Thrill’s practice squad, McArthur can move up to the active roster or can be claimed to an active roster for one of the other six teams in the league at any time. McArthur becomes the 23rd Spartan volleyball player all-time to earn a professional contract and is the second under head coach Leah Johnson at MSU (Zoe Nunez, SteelVolleys Linz-Steg, Austria, 2023).
“Our program is incredibly proud of Amani and the work she put in over the last year to reach her dream of playing professional volleyball,” said Michigan State head volleyball coach Leah Johnson. “Although she was only with us for one season, Amani left a lasting impression on our program, and we can’t wait to see her succeed.”
Vegas has several other former B1G student-athletes including Gabby Gonzales (Ohio State/Oregon), Kylie Murr (Ohio State/Minnesota) and Maddie Schermerhorn (Purdue).
Founded in 2022, the PVF is a women’s professional volleyball league in its inaugural season and features seven teams across the country, with teams residing in Atlanta, Columbus, Grand Rapids, Omaha, Orlando, San Diego and Las Vegas. Sites of future teams are located in Dallas, Indianapolis and Kansas City. The 2024 PVF season kicked off on January 24, with Vegas opening its season on Wednesday, February 7.
Fans can follow the Vegas Thrill on Instagram @VegasThrill.
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