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Pro, NCAA volleyball coaching news as two PVF teams, Kentucky, Texas make hires

Pro, NCAA volleyball coaching news as two PVF teams, Kentucky, Texas make hires

The Pro Volleyball Federation has some new coaches, a PVF franchise signed a key player, Kentucky added a former star Wildcat to its staff, and Texas continues to get everyone’s attention in beach volleyball.

Pro Volleyball Federation

The Omaha and Columbus franchises have hired coaches.

Omaha hired former Wingate coach Shelton Collier. Collier, a 2022 AVCA Hall of Fame inductee, coached for 21 years at Wingate in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the NCAA Division II level. He previously coached at Pitt and Georgia Tech. 

“The Pro Volleyball Federation is unique and special in bringing a new level of financial support for players,” Collier said in a news release. “The ownership groups in every city have committed resources for travel, salaries and facilities at a level that has never been done before in the U.S. For the first time, volleyball players in our country will truly be treated and paid as professional athletes and will not have to go overseas to make a living playing the sport they love.”

Read more here.

The Columbus Fury hired Ángel Pérez. Pérez, who coached Las Pinkin de Corozal to back-to-back league Puerto Rican league championships. Pérez  played professionally in France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Romania, and Slovenia. He also played on the Puerto Rican men’s national team and for Changos de Naranjito in the Puerto Rican men’s pro league.

For more, read this story in The Columbus Dispatch.

PVF also has franchises in San Diego; Orlando; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Atlanta, and expects at least two more before starting play in February 2024.

Leah Edmond, right, celebrates a point with Morgan Hentz when Athletes Unlimited played at Kentucky this spring/Jade Hewitt, AU photo

The Atlanta franchise may not have a team name yet, but it has the first player to sign a PVF contract. Leah Edmond, the effervescent former Kentucky star who has played with Athletes Unlimited the past two seasons and also played in Puerto Rico, will play for Atlanta. The franchise previously hired former UCF coach Todd Dagenais to be its coach.

Also, Michael Stephens, former Ohio U senior associate athletic director, is now the senior vice-president of sponsorship and ticket sales for Omaha team.

LOVB, the other team-based pro league scheduled to play in 2024, is expected to name another franchise and announce the signing of some key players next week.

Lilley joins Kentucky staff

Now that NCAA Division I programs can hire a…

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