LOVB Nebraska is an American professional women's indoor volleyball team based in Omaha, Nebraska. Originally known as LOVB Omaha, the team is an inaugural member of LOVB Pro, the professional level of League One Volleyball that began play in January 2025.
 | |
| Founded | 2023 |
|---|---|
| Ground | Baxter Arena Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. Heartland Events Center Grand Island, Nebraska, U.S. Liberty First Credit Union Arena (2025) Ralston, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Manager | Suzie Fritz |
| League | LOVB Pro |
| 2026 | DNQ 5th in LOVB Pro |
| Website | www |
| Championships | None |
History
edit
In 2021, LOVB announced plans to start a professional women's volleyball league in the United States.[1] Omaha was announced as LOVB's fifth team location in August 2023. The city also hosts the Omaha Supernovas of the rival Major League Volleyball.[2]
LOVB Omaha played its first season in 2025, with an inaugural roster including Jordan Larson and Justine Wong-Orantes, who played college volleyball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers and were the team's first players signed.[3] Though they finished in 6th place in the 6-team LOVB Pro with a 5-11 record, Omaha would win its quarterfinal and semifinal matches in the 2025 LOVB Finals championship match, where they were swept 3 sets to 0 by LOVB Austin.
In August 2025, LOVB Pro announced that a group headlined by former Nebraska Cornhuskers volleyball star Jordan Larson would purchase the LOVB Omaha franchise, becoming the second LOVB Pro team to have non-league ownership (LOVB Austin became the first that June). Coinciding with the sale, the league announced that LOVB Omaha would rebrand to LOVB Nebraska, a nod to the popularity of volleyball throughout the state. Former Creighton Bluejays coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth was also announced as the team's president of business operations.[4][5]
Roster
edit| No. | Name | Position | Height | College / Home club | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexi Rodriguez | Libero | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | Nebraska |  United States |
| 2 | Emily Thater | Middle blocker | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Missouri | United States |
| 3 | Annie Cesar | Libero | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |  Germany | |
| 4 | Vicky Savard | Outside hitter | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Montréal |  Canada |
| 5 | Jaali Winters | Outside hitter | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Creighton | United States |
| 8 | Kimberly Drewniok | Opposite hitter | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | RC Sorpesee | Germany |
| 9 | Iga Wasilewska | Middle blocker | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Legionovia Legionowo |  Poland |
| 10 | Jordan Larson | Outside hitter | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | Nebraska | United States |
| 11 | Anne Buijs | Outside hitter | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |  Netherlands | |
| 12 | Audriana Fitzmorris | Opposite hitter | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | Stanford | United States |
| 13 | Gabby Blossom | Setter | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | San Diego / Penn State | United States |
| 14 | Laura Dijkema | Setter | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Smash | Netherlands |
| 15 | Ana Carolina da Silva | Middle blocker | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |  Brazil | |
| 17 | Candelaria Herrera | Middle blocker | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Florida A&M / Iowa State |  Argentina |
| 19 | Alexis Hart | Outside hitter | 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m) | Minnesota | United States |
- As of April 9, 2025.[8]
| No. | Name | Position | Height | College / Home club | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lexi Rodriguez | Libero | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | Nebraska | United States |
| 2 | Emily Thater | Middle blocker | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Missouri | United States |
| 3 | Annie Cesar | Libero | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | Germany | |
| 4 | Justine Wong-Orantes | Libero | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | Nebraska | United States |
| 5 | Jaali Winters | Outside hitter | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Creighton | United States |
| 7 | Vicky Savard | Outside hitter | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Montréal | Canada |
| 8 | Kimberly Drewniok | Opposite hitter | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | RC Sorpesee | Germany |
| 10 | Jordan Larson | Outside hitter | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | Nebraska | United States |
| 11 | Amber Stivrins | Outside hitter | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | Louisville / Georgia / San Diego | United States |
| 12 | Audriana Fitzmorris | Opposite hitter | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | Stanford | United States |
| 13 | Gabby Blossom | Setter | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | San Diego / Penn State | United States |
| 14 | Laura Dijkema | Setter | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Smash | Netherlands |
| 17 | Candelaria Herrera | Middle blocker | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | Florida A&M / Iowa State | Argentina |
| 18 | Sami Francis | Middle blocker | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | Stanford | United States |
| 23 | Chiamaka Nwokolo | Middle blocker | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | Pittsburgh | United States |
| 26 | Lauren Stivrins | Middle blocker | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | Nebraska | United States |
| 33 | Madi Kubik-Banks | Outside hitter | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | Nebraska | United States |
Season standings
edit- 2025: 6th (5–11), Runners-Up (16 points)
- 2026: 5th (10–10), DNQ (30 points)
References
edit- ↑ Chappell, Bill (October 19, 2021). "Are you ready for some volleyball? A new women's pro league hopes the answer is yes". NPR. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ↑ Stavas, Nick; Weber, Brent (August 16, 2023). "Omaha to welcome second professional volleyball team in different league". WOWT. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ↑ "LOVB Announces USA Volleyball Captain and Volleyball Legend Jordan Larson Will Join Its Pro League". LOVB. April 16, 2024. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
- ↑ Patterson, Mike (August 6, 2025). "Jordan Larson, Kirsten Bernthal Booth lead rebrand of Nebraska's pro volleyball team". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, NE. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ↑ Sim, Josh (June 20, 2025). "David Blitzer and Spurs' Peter Holt among LOVB volleyball league's first team owners". SportsPro. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ↑ "Roster". lovb.com. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
- ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
- ↑ "LOVB: Omaha Roster". LOVB.
External links
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