Becky Hammon Mid-Major Player of the Year Brooklyn Meyer is bypassing the women's NCAA basketball transfer portal, instead joining SDSU volleyball after going undrafted in this year's WNBA Draft.
The 6-foot-2 South Dakota State University forward will join the Jackrabbits' volleyball team for the upcoming NCAA season after exhausting her basketball eligibility. Meyer averaged 22.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game this past season, while ranking third nationally in field goal percentage at 64.6%.
Only one mid-major player — Davidson's Charlise Dunn — was selected in the 2026 WNBA Draft, leaving Meyer and other elite mid-major stars without pro opportunities in the US despite standout college careers.
"Brooklyn is a champion, plain and simple," SDSU volleyball coach Dan Georgalas said. "We are excited to welcome an elite competitor with a championship mentality to our program."
Meyer leaves the women's NCAA basketball program ranking third all-time at South Dakota State in career points (2,097), fifth in rebounds (850), and tied for second in blocks (174). She additionally led the Jackrabbits to four Women's March Madness appearances.
The NCAA permits athletes to play a fifth season in a different sport after exhausting eligibility in their primary sport. Meyer was a multi-sport athlete at West Lyon High School in Larchwood, Iowa, playing three seasons of varsity volleyball.
Meyer will feature as a middle blocker while pursuing her master's degree in nutrition and dietetics. She joins a volleyball program that went 23-5 overall and 16-0 in Summit League play last season before making its second consecutive NCAA tournament in 2025.
"I am so excited to join the SDSU volleyball team and represent the Jacks for another season," Meyer said.
NCAA volleyball continues its rapid growth with the inaugural Spikes Under the Lights exhibition at AT&T Stadium, as Nebraska, Florida, Penn State, and SMU headline the $1 million mini-tournament.
The made-for-TV event marks the Dallas NFL stadium's first women's college volleyball competition. Two semifinals and a championship match will take place within a three-hour broadcast window, all played in best-of-three formats.
Each NCAA volleyball team receives a $200,000 appearance fee. An additional $200,000 in prize money will be distributed based on tournament finish.
"We are excited and honored to be part of this historic event that showcases the continued growth of women's volleyball," Nebraska volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly said in a team statement.
"This will be a great opportunity to face some talented teams in an iconic setting as we ramp up to the start of the season. Hopefully a lot of Husker fans will be able to experience it with us in Dallas."
'Spikes Under the Lights' Underlines NCAA Volleyball Boom
Nebraska volleyball already knows how to fill big venues, after the Huskers drew a women's sports record 92,003 fans to a 2023 outdoor match at Memorial Stadium.
Penn State currently holds the record for NCAA tournament appearances with 45, alongside eight national championship titles. Nebraska has competed in 44 tournaments and won five titles, while Florida lists 36 appearances. Recent powerhouse SMU has subsequently reached three consecutive NCAA tournaments, and five overall.
AT&T Stadium seats more than 100,000 fans for special events. Organizers of the August 27th exhibition are shooting to overtake Nebraska's attendance record.
LOVB Salt Lake pulled ahead in the 2026 LOVB Championship Series with a thrilling five-set victory over Austin on Thursday night, taking a 1-0 lead while shooting for a franchise-first League One Volleyball title.
The match delivered drama worthy of the championship stage. Salt Lake now stands one win away from claiming the second-year pro volleyball league's Tiffany Trophy.
"I thought we stuck together as a group and did what we could do even through the weird," said Salt Lake outside hitter Alexa Gray. "Just really proud of how we stayed in it and fought."
Austin showed resilience despite the loss. Middle blockers Asjia O'Neal and Molly McCage led the offense, with O'Neal registering 12 points while hitting .391 and adding five blocks. McCage contributed 13 points on .389 hitting, while Austin out-blocked Salt Lake 18-14.
However, Salt Lake's offense proved more efficient, hitting .253 compared to Austin's .190.
"It is disappointing to not get the win there, but I liked our resiliency, I like how we fought," Austin head coach Erik Sullivan said postmatch. "We have to win Saturday, that's the day that matters."
How to Watch 2026 LOVB Championship Series Game 2
Austin will look to stage a comeback in Saturday’s final series closer, hoping to force a decisive golden set for a shot at claiming the 2026 title.
Salt Lake takes on Austin tomorrow at 8 PM ET, live on USA Network.
The Big Ten is launching its inaugural volleyball tournament this November in Fishers, Indiana, the conference announced Thursday.
The Big Ten volleyball tournament marks the first time the conference will determine its champion via a playoff competition, with the top 15 regular-season teams qualifying for the event.
"For the first time in its history, the Big Ten Conference will determine its volleyball champion with a postseason tournament featuring the best volleyball teams in the country," said Commissioner Tony Petitti in a statement. "We look forward to bringing the nation's top talent together for an entire week of exhilarating competition."
The format includes three opening-round matches followed by four second-round contests before the competition progresses through quarterfinals and semifinals. The championship match subsequently takes place on November 25th, with organizers building one off-day into the schedule.
Big Ten volleyball dominates the national landscape, with current programs combining for 22 NCAA DI Championships. They won 12 of the last 20 national titles, while also claiming eight of the nine most-watched college volleyball matches of all time. Six different Big Ten regular-season matches last season drew more than 500,000 viewers across three networks.
The conference has additionally led DI attendance rankings every season since 2007.
"Fishers is a volleyball city, and today's announcement brings us one step closer to delivering an unforgettable experience for fans," said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. "This fall, our city will become the epicenter of Big Ten women's volleyball."
Fishers Event Center opened in 2024 and seats 7,500 fans. The venue serves as home for Major League Volleyball's Indy Ignite.
How to Watch Big Ten Volleyball Next NCAA Season
The 2026 volleyball season kicks off with Big Ten Volleyball Media Day on August 3rd in Chicago.
The schedule also includes the first-ever Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, culminating in a doubleheader at Wrigley Field on September 6th.
The NCAA is taking fans out to the (volley)ball game, as the Big Ten and SEC announced plans to close out its inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week inside Chicago's historic MLB stadium, Wrigley Field, this September.
To cap the six-day event, which will feature all 18 Big Ten and 16 SEC schools, the conferences will stage an outdoor doubleheader on Sunday, September 6th.
A trio of national champions will compete on the Chicago Cubs' home diamond, with five-time title-winners Nebraska taking on Missouri before eight-time victors Penn State battles 2020 champ Kentucky.
While volleyball will make its Wrigley Field debut in the challenge, it's far from the iconic stadium's first foray into women's sports, with the MLB venue previously hosting a record-breaking NWSL match between the Chicago Stars and Bay FC in 2024 before welcoming Ohio State and Wisconsin women's hockey to the Big Ten's Frozen Confines in early 2025.
"Bringing the SEC and Big Ten together for a championship-caliber volleyball showcase, culminating at an iconic venue like Wrigley Field, reflects the extraordinary momentum of the sport," said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in the event's Monday announcement.
How to attend, watch Big Ten/SEC Volleyball at Wrigley Field
Tickets to the September 6th doubleheader will go on sale at 11 AM ET on Thursday, April 9th, on the Chicago Cubs' website.
For fans tuning in from home, Nebraska will face Missouri at 7 PM ET before Kentucky takes on Penn State at 9 PM ET.
Both volleyball games will air live on FOX.
Jaime Weston stepped into the Major League Volleyball commissioner’s office earlier this month at a moment of real momentum and with a clear mission: to help transform professional women’s volleyball’s early success into a blueprint for sustained growth.
Her appointment — a first for MLV — marks a homecoming of sorts, as Weston played volleyball at Georgia Tech before spending more than two decades building brands across professional sports, media, and entertainment.
In her more than 15 years with the NFL, Weston honed her skills in audience growth and modernization, drawing on previous roles with global brands like Universal Music Group and On Location. She later joined USA Volleyball, where she guided strategy in the run-up to the LA 2028 Olympics as chief commercial officer.
And now she’s taking MLV’s reins as the third-year league hits its stride.
“This is volleyball’s time,” Weston said in an MLV press release. “In the US, the sport is female-led and female-defined, and professional women’s volleyball is not following a blueprint. It’s designing one.”
From the Volleyball Court to the Gridiron and Back Again
Despite her pedigree, Weston’s path to MLV wasn’t exactly linear.
After an attempt to break into the sports world right after college didn’t pan out, Weston dove headfirst into all things business. She stockpiled a bevy of transferable skills in publishing and apparel, spending 10 years padding her resume before finally landing her first big sports gig at the NFL.
“Playing sports my entire life taught me how to bounce back. You learn resilience early, and you learn how to treat every setback as a lesson that moves you closer to where you’re meant to be,” Weston told JWS ahead of tomorrow’s 2026 MLV All-Star Match. “I decided to play the long game and bet on myself.”
And that bet paid off. Weston’s career path later came full-circle when she joined USA Volleyball in 2024, tapping into her own roots as well as her daughter’s, who currently plays NCAA beach volleyball.
“I never originally planned to work in volleyball professionally, but when the opportunity with USA Volleyball came along, it immediately resonated,” she recalled. “The chance to contribute to the sport I love… was incredibly compelling.”
Weston’s past experience instilled in her a pragmatic approach to brand building. At the NFL, she spearheaded a platform designed to engage fans beyond the confines of the football season — a strategy she views as critical to MLV’s growth.
“You cannot just show up on gameday and expect to build a following,” she said. “You have to give fans a reason to stay connected year-round through content, storytelling, and consistent touchpoints.”
But she’s also clear about the parts of the NFL or USA Volleyball playbook that don’t translate so smoothly. She noted that MLV, a relatively young league, can’t rely on decades of engrained momentum. Instead, the league is planting seeds now — and it requires more intentional, hands-on work to grow a fanbase from the ground up.
Designing a New Blueprint for Professional Volleyball
Weston is kicking off her tenure at MLV with three key priorities.
First, she’s looking to center players as league ambassadors, encouraging them to showcase their own journeys as storytellers. Second, she plans to fully integrate digital and social platforms to broaden and modernize MLV’s reach. And lastly, she aims to align the budding league with the broader volleyball ecosystem, particularly at the collegiate level.
Her timing couldn’t be better. The newly expanded MLV is in the midst of its third season, with eight current teams plus new franchises set to join in the near future. The league’s ownership spans investors with ties to the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS — credibility that validates both the product on the court and the league’s viability.
“The audience already exists. The level of play is world class. The visibility of women’s sports has never been higher,” Weston explained, stressing that the iron’s never been hotter. “With the right structure, the right investment, and a long term commitment, professional women’s volleyball can establish a strong and sustainable future in the US.”
What has surprised Weston most in her first few weeks on the job? The players’ eagerness to create something bigger than themselves and the volleyball community’s unbridled enthusiasm.
“Volleyball fans are incredibly loyal,” she said. “Once you engage them authentically, there is real potential to build a passionate and enduring fan base.”
Viewing LA28 as a Women's Volleyball Springboard
Weston considers the LA 2028 Olympics as a springboard — rather than a ceiling — for women’s volleyball. And with the North America-based 2027 Women’s World Championship also on deck, she sees a solid runway for getting the word out before the Summer Games’ global spotlight lights up Southern California.
“The Olympics create awareness,” she said. “A professional league converts that awareness into sustained engagement. That is the role MLV can play in the broader volleyball ecosystem.”
With some of the sport’s biggest competitions landing in the US just as club volleyball begins to pick up speed, it appears there’s nowhere to go but up for MLV. And the league can rest assured that a volleyball lifer like Weston will be there to see it through.
“I am returning to the sport that shaped me,” she added. “But now with the experience and perspective to help build something meaningful for the next generation of players and fans.”
Major League Volleyball's finest are taking over Orlando, as MLV dropped its 2026 All-Star Match rosters on Tuesday ahead of the March 28th marquee event.
The two 12-player squads spotlight standouts across MLV's eight teams, with the league-leading Indy Ignite sending a game-high five players, followed by second-place Dallas Pulse and the defending champion Orlando Valkyries with four All-Star athletes each.
Indy libero Elena Scott topped the more than 12,000-strong fan vote — a new league record — joining University of Louisville head coach Dan Meske's team as they take on former University of Utah boss Beth Launiere's All-Star squad.
Eight 2025 All-Stars are returning to the court, including last season's Libero of the Year Morgan Hentz, Outside Hitter of the Year Brooke Nuneviller, and Most Inspirational Player Shara Venegas.
"In Orlando, fans will see the spirit of our athletes and the fierce competitiveness that defines that this is the major leagues," said recently named first-ever MLV commissioner Jaime Weston about the event.
How to watch the 2026 MLV All-Star Match
The 2026 MLV All-Star Match will kicks off at 12 PM ET on Saturday, March 28th, airing live on CBS.
The 2026 Major League Volleyball All-Stars
Team Launiere:
- Aiko Jones, Atlanta Vibe
- Regan Pittman-Nelson, Columbus Fury
- Mimi Colyer, Dallas Pulse
- Paige Briggs-Romine, Grand Rapids Rise
- Morgan Hentz, Grand Rapids Rise
- Lydia Martyn, Indy Ignite
- Azhani Tealer, Indy Ignite
- Mia Tuaniga, Indy Ignite
- Brooke Nuneviller, Omaha Supernovas
- Kaz Brown, Orlando Valkyries
- Chompoo Guedpard, Orlando Valkyries
- Shara Venegas, San Diego Mojo
Team Meske:
- Leah Edmond, Atlanta Vibe
- Raina Terry, Columbus Fury
- Sofia Maldonado Diaz, Dallas Pulse
- Natalia Valentin-Anderson, Dallas Pulse
- Layne Van Buskirk, Dallas Pulse
- Blake Mohler, Indy Ignite
- Elena Scott, Indy Ignite
- Emily Londot, Omaha Supernovas
- Charitie Luper, Orlando Valkyries
- Teodora Pusic, Orlando Valkyries
- Marin Grote, San Diego Mojo
- Marlie Monserez, San Diego Mojo
The next chapter of Major League Volleyball (MLV) arrived this week, with the pro volleyball league hiring veteran sports exec Jaime Weston as its first-ever commissioner on Monday.
"[Weston's] a proven sports executive who understands how to build a league, elevate athletes, and create sustained momentum," said MLV founding member and Grand Rapids Rise owner and CEO Dan DeVos in the league's Monday announcement.
Previously a senior VP of marketing at the NFL, Weston — who played volleyball collegiately at Georgia Tech — joins MLV from USA Volleyball, where she served as chief commercial officer overseeing brand strategy ahead of the 2028 LA Olympics.
"This is volleyball's time," said Weston in a statement, further adding that women are leading and defining the sport in the US. "Professional women's volleyball is not following a blueprint. It's designing one."
One of two high-profile US pro leagues alongside LOVB, MLV is currently in the midst of its third season, boasting eight teams with plans to expand to 11 squads for its 2027 campaign already in place.
"Jaime's leadership brings the discipline and vision to turn this wave of energy into real enterprise value and lasting change for the game," said 2027 Northern California expansion team owner Theresia Gouw.
Professional volleyball is back in action this week, with both League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Major League Volleyball (MLV) kicking off their 2026 seasons as the sport's pro landscape continues to grow.
Featuring an Olympian-heavy player pool, LOVB is returning with its six inaugural teams as reigning champion Austin looks to run the title back this season before the second-year league adds three new clubs in 2027.
Meanwhile, following a blockbuster merger with the two-season-old Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), MLV will start serving with eight teams as 2025 PVF champs Orlando Valkyries embarks on their own title defense, all while the new conglomerate eyes more future expansion.
As NCAA volleyball continues to dominate the fall calendar, multiple pro leagues — each armed with top talent and broadcast deals — are forming in response to demand from both players and fans.
How to watch the 2026 season starts of LOVB and MLV
LOVB hits the 2026 court first with a rematch of the league's 2025 championship, with defending title-winners Austin facing runners-up Nebraska at 6 PM ET on Wednesday, airing on USA Network.
Then on Thursday, MLV enters the fray as the Atlanta Vibe hosts the Columbus Fury at 7 PM ET before the San Diego Mojo visits the Omaha Supernovas at 8 PM ET. Both MLV matches will stream live on YouTube.
No. 3-seed Texas A&M made history on Sunday, taking down the No. 1-seed Kentucky Wildcats 3-0 in the 2025 NCAA volleyball championship final to lift the Aggies' first-ever national volleyball trophy.
Down by as many as six points in the first frame, the Aggies had to save a Kentucky set point early before surging to a 26-24 opening win — with Texas A&M then finding their groove, never relinquishing the lead as they took the second set by a dominant 25-15 scoreline before easily closing out the sweep 25-20 in the third.
"I just said, 'It's going to take one or two points, start to get firing, they're going to be there,'" said third-year Texas A&M sideline leader and 2025 AVCA Coach of the Year Jamie Morrison.
Senior opposite Logan Lednicky and sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers again led the Aggies' attack with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while senior middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla shut down the Wildcats at the net with four blocks — before her eighth kill of the night clinched the championship for A&M.
Following a whirlwind tournament that saw Texas A&M end the seasons of one No. 2 seed (Louisville) before ousting three straight No. 1 seeds (Nebraska, Pitt, and Kentucky), Sunday's unlikely victory saw the Aggies' claim just the second-ever NCAA volleyball title for the SEC — and shed their underdog status for good.
"It's a testament to the work we put in in the practice gym and just generally in all of our careers," Lednicky said afterwards. "It's been a long time coming for us, a lot of work put into this moment."