LOVB Continues to Raise the Bar with Signings of Outside Hitters Alexis Hart and McKenzie Adams, and Middle Blocker Serena Gray to its Pro League
Following a role of noteworthy international and domestic signings including US National team outside hitters Sarah Wilhite Parsons and Roni Jones-Perry, French national team middle blocker Christina Bauer, All-American and US National Team opposite hitter Danielle Cuttino, US National Team outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel, Creighton University’s most decorated player Jaali Winters, and previous Women's World Youth Championships Best Setter Tamaki Matsui, LOVB continues to raise the bar on talent as it announces Outside Hitter Alexis Hart and McKenzie Adams, plus Middle Blocker Serena Gray have all joined its pro league. As anticipation continues to mount for LOVB Pro’s pre-season following the 2024 Paris Olympics, each of these athletes are bringing significant pro experience to the league, with team assignments to be announced later this year.
“With the signings of Lexi, McKenzie and Serena, LOVB is putting all of the right building blocks in place to ensure our inaugural season is one for the record books,” said Tom Hogan, director of sport for LOVB Pro.“It’s thrilling to be part of a league that is already resonating deeply with the player community and these latest additions again reinforce the fact that LOVB is onto something big.”
An outside hitter from Kansas City, Missouri, Hart played at University of Minnesota where she was named two time All-American and selected three times as part of the All-Big Ten. While there, she helped guide the Gophers to two Final Four appearances. Post college, Hart has played professionally in Finland and Germany.
Hailing from Schertz, Texas, Outside hitter Adams was an first-team all-state honoree and ranked as the national No. 24 recruit in her graduating class. She played one season at Virginia where she was named Virginia SIDs Freshman of the Year, and transferred to the University of Texas at San Antonio where she became the first All-American in program history. Since then, she's played professionally in Germany, Puerto Rico, Italy, Turkey and Japan, with accolades including the 2019/2020 season when she was MVP of the German Supercup and Best Receiver for German Bundesliga.
"To say I am excited to be able to come home and play the sport I love so much is an understatement,” said Adams. “LOVB is creating opportunities that I have been hoping and waiting for, and I'm so thankful that I get to be a part of it. My family and friends can now come, watch and be a part of this amazing journey I have been on for 9 yrs. There is so much talent in this league, and I'm so excited for the competition and to show everyone what we all can do!"
A middle blocker from Temple City, California, Gray is a member of the U.S. National Team. She spent three years at Penn State before transferring to Pitt, where she received All-American honors. As part of Team USA, she has won a gold medal at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup Final Six, and bronze at the 2023 NORCECA Pan Am Cup. She plays professionally in France.
“I’m so hyped to be a part of this athlete-centered league,” said Serena Gray. “I look forward to competing with and against the best in the world, while developing my game under some elite coaches,” said Gray. “I very much miss the joy, sisterhood, and professionalism that comes with American volleyball and for these reasons, I cannot wait to represent.”
Founded in 2020, LOVB built the largest volleyball club business in the United States, in just four years, and has its pro league launching in November 2024. LOVB has been deliberate in its approach, focusing on building from the ground-up versus top-down like other leagues. By focusing on building its club business first and then strategically choosing markets where it can tie its pro teams to its clubs, LOVB is creating a real pathway for American professional volleyball to be built from the grassroots-up, and opportunities for club players to train alongside professional athletes, a first in American sports.
To enable LOVB’s Founding Athletes to focus on defending their 2020 Olympic gold medal, LOVB Pro is intentionally starting its inaugural season after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Pre-season will start in November 2024, with first serve in January 2025 and the LOVB Pro Championships in April 2025, with teams in the volleyball-obsessed markets of Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Omaha, and Salt Lake to start.
