In a nice twist for USA volleyball, much of our focus on the pros the past week has been domestically with the start of Athletes Unlimited.
While 44 pros, mostly Americans, are playing AU, the majority of top players are back with their pro teams as seasons have begun.
Here’s the first of our weekly reports.
Italy
The defending champions, Imoco Conegliano, opened with a sweep of Trentino, and that included Khalia Lanier, who played for the USA in Volleyball Nations League. Lanier, the former USC star, had seven kills and an ace in her Conegliano debut. Veteran Madi Bugg, the setter from Stanford, had a block and an ace. The other two Americans Kelsey Cook and Kathryn Plummer, did not play. On the opposing side, Carly DeHoog (Washington) led Trentino with 10 kills and an ace. Plummer’s teammate on the 2019 NCAA-title team,Madeleine Gates, made her A1 debut and had six kills, three blocks and an ace.
Audriana Fitzmorris, who won three NCAA crowns with Plummer and was in Greece last year, had three aces as she made her debut in A1 as Bergamo triumphed over Casalmaggiore in five sets.
Scandicci swept Firenze. USA middle Haleigh Washington was absent, but former Nebraska star middle Lauren Stivrins made her debut for Firenze and had four kills and a block. Stivrins was hurt in the last Athletes Unlimited season in 2022 and couldn’t play last year after signing with Firenze.
Milano crushed Busto Arsizio and Kara Bajema (Washington) had seven points in her Milano debut. T’ara Ceasar (Florida) was a sub for Busto Arsizio. Ceasar missed the 2022/2023 season due to an ACL tear sustained while playing for her Polish team. Dana Rettke (Wisconsin), who was a big part of the USA’s effort to clinch an Olympic bid, did not play.
Yet another Washington product, Courtney Schwan, helped Roma beat Vallefoglia in five. She had nine kills, two blocks and an ace.
Anna Stevenson-Hall, the second-year pro from Louisville, was named MVP as Cuneo beat Pinerolo as they stormed back to win the fifth set. She had 13 kills (hitting .765) and a block. Nebraska’s Madi Kubik made her debut with Cuneo and had six points.
Avery Skinner, the former Kentucky and Baylor standout who played with the USA in VNL, made her debut with Chieri. Novara won 25-20, 29-27, 27-25 but Skinner led Chieri with 13 kills (.407) and a block. Madi Kingdon Rishel, the Arizona product who has been with the national team but tried her hand on…
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