Simone Biles is trading the vault for the batter's box. The Olympic gold medalist underwent an undisclosed medical procedure in late July, weeks after describing "almost dying" during June health scare.
But she's clearly on the mend as she headlines a packed roster of athletes and entertainers suiting up for the 2026 Pacers Foundation Softball Classic at Victory Field in Indianapolis. The outing marks another public appearance for Biles and husband Jonathan Owens after the couple walked the red carpet together at the 2026 ESPY Awards.
Simone Biles Headlines 2026 Pacers Foundation Softball Classic Roster
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton and Colts quarterback Daniel Jones are captaining opposing squads for the annual charity event, which benefits the Pacers Foundation's community programming across central Indiana.
Biles joins Team Haliburton alongside her husband, Colts safety Jonathan Owens. Members of the Indy Ignite, Indianapolis's Major League Volleyball franchise, will also be on hand.
On the other side, Team Jones features Olympic gold medalist goalkeeper Briana Scurry and Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith, with additional Indy Ignite players rounding out that roster too. Former Colts punter Pat McAfee will emcee the evening from behind the mic.
First pitch is set for 7 PM ET, and tickets are $10. The crossover lineup spans gymnastics, football, basketball, volleyball, and comedy, makes it one of the more exciting charity events on the city's summer calendar.
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.
Volleyball made headlines this week, with Sportico reporting on Monday that a merger will see the two-season-old Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) join with the incoming Major League Volleyball (MLV) for a joint 2026 launch.
Though originally separate ventures, the eight-team PVF will now adopt MLV branding, setting up one unified league.
Investors include owners from the NBA and MLS, as well as three-time US Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Eight teams will hit courts for the 2026 season. MLV subsequently expects to add franchises in Washington, DC, and Northern California in 2027. Further expansion is planned for the coming years.
“To see the sport continue to grow with the consolidation of these teams and their leaders elevates the excitement level to new heights,” said PVF chief executive Jen Spicher told reporters.
“Our belief in the team-ownership model that we played under for the first two seasons is stronger than ever and will showcase the sport at a greater level throughout the nation.”
The volleyball merger keeps both 2024 champions Omaha and the 2025 title-winning Orlando Valkyries in the same league.
Other established teams in Atlanta, Columbus, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, and San Diego will reportedly join Omaha and Orlando under the MLV banner. The league expects 2026 expansion side Dallas to follow suit.
The consolidation of the two leagues also partially addresses the increasingly crowded women's volleyball landscape, with multiple leagues set to play in 2026.