By Michelle Richardson
For the first time in Pro Volleyball Federation history, the best of the best will gather this weekend for the inaugural PVF All-Star Match. Top players from PVF teams will take the court at Fishers Event Center, the suburban Indianapolis home of the Indy Ignite, in a match that airs nationally on CBS at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday.
“The All-Star Match will be a defining moment for our league and the sport of volleyball,” PVF CEO Jen Spicher said. “It allows PVF to showcase the extraordinary talent of our players on a national stage with our partner CBS. This is a great step in the growth of our league that has taken off in just our second year. We can’t wait for the entire country to see how exciting, competitive and powerful the sport of women’s professional volleyball can be.”
The PVF All-Star Team was selected from a compilation of voting from fans, coaches and league officials. All-Star players have been split into a pair of teams that will contest a three-set match. Rather than the typical way of determining the winner by the team taking the most sets, the PVF All-Star Match will be decided by combined point differential over the three sets. It means that even if a team loses the first two sets, it could still be the match winner if it captures the third set by more points than it lost the opening sets combined.
The All-Stars roster is loaded with true all-stars. Among those named to the team are Leah Edmond of the Atlanta Vibe, who was named PVF MVP and Outside Hitter of the Year in 2024, Kaz Brown of the Orlando Valkyries (2024 Middle Blocker of the Year), Atlanta’s Morgan Hentz (2024 Libero of the Year) and Indy Ignite setter Hilley, who was last year’s Postseason MVP when she played for Omaha.
All eight teams are represented on the All-Star rosters. The Vegas Thrill have the most players on the squad with five, with the Atlanta Vibe, Indy Ignite and Orlando Valkyries sending four players each.
“It’s obviously a great honor,” Orlando’s Brown said of her All-Star nod. “I think there’s so much talent in this league and to be in company with those women means a lot. The fact that there’s four of us (from Orlando) speaks volumes to the talent we have in the gym every day, and it’s so cool to be part of it.”
The All-Star teams will be coached by two of the best collegiate volleyball coaches in the nation. Georgia Tech’s Michelle Collier heads up the aptly named Team Collier, with Dave Shondell of Purdue in charge of Team Shondell.
Collier just completed her 11th season at Georgia Tech and boasts a 258-145 career record, including 218 wins during her time with the Yellow Jackets. She has led Tech to postseason play in each of the past five seasons of NCAA play.
“I am very honored and thrilled about the opportunity to work up close with the PVF and the amazing players that have been working hard to grow the game of volleyball and the opportunities at the next level,” Collier said. “I am looking forward to learning from all of them and to get together and share our excitement about the sport of volleyball. It will be a fun, competitive event run at the highest level, and again I am so humbled with the chance to be a part of the action!”
Shondell has spent 23 seasons at Purdue University and is the winningest coach in school history, compiling 485 victories and a .675 winning percentage. He’s excited for the opportunity to coach at the All-Star Match that’s just more than an hour away from the Purdue campus.
“I am looking forward to a memorable experience working with many of the best volleyball players in the world,” Shondell said. “The Fishers Event Center is the ideal venue to host this inaugural volleyball all-star battle, and I know the Indy volleyball faithful will support this match in a big way. I have coached against the majority of the athletes selected to compete on Saturday during their college careers and I am excited to get to know them better and learn why they are so successful.”
There will be some star power on the sidelines as well Saturday. Jalen Rose, the retired NBA star who’s become a popular TV sports analyst, and Shawn Johnson East, the four-time Olympic gymnastics medalist, are the event’s hosts. The duo will be heavily involved in pre-match festivities, match break activities and will appear on the CBS broadcast. It all just adds to the pageantry and allure of the inaugural PVF All-Star Match.
“It feels like it’s becoming real, like NBA having an All-Star Game, that kind of thing,” said Hilley, the All-Star setter from the host Indy Ignite. “Now it feels legit and it’s on national TV. We’ve got great players and I just want people to be able to turn on the TV and see awesome professional volleyball happening in the U.S. It’s super exciting that we’re getting there.”
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