October 1, 2024 – League One Volleyball (LOVB), the largest brand in youth volleyball with its professional volleyball league launching in the U.S. later this year, today announced that it will be breaking ground on a new 66,000 state-of-the-art training facility in Gretna Landing, a burgeoning retail development in Omaha, Nebraska. With a stronghold in the area through its nationally ranked junior club Premier Nebraska and new professional team LOVB Omaha Volleyball launching in January 2025, LOVB is expanding its presence through this new facility that is designed to support Omaha volleyball players from youth to pro.
“Omaha is the center of women’s volleyball and our new five star facility in Gretna Landing embodies our commitment to providing players youth to pro with an unprecedented edge,” said Mike Bufano, President, LOVB Clubs. “As an organization, we are committed to championing athletes through their entire volleyball journey, so we are excited to invest in Omaha athletes of every age through the programs, coaching and mentorship that our new facility will offer.”
Currently the highest ranked club in the country with an all women leadership group, Premier Nebraska was only one of three clubs in 2023 to qualify a team in the highest division of each age group for USAV Girls Junior Nationals.
“At Premier, we take tremendous pride in developing athletes in all age groups at various levels, and the players we’ve had the honor of developing, are nothing short of humbling,” said Michelle Lund, Premier Nebraska’s Director of Communications. “It’s an exciting new chapter as we enter our 28th season. We are dedicated to growing the game and creating the best environment for our athletes to advance their skills and help them make their dreams a reality. In addition, having our Premier Nebraska athletes and coaches working alongside LOVB Omaha pros in order to give them the ability to learn from, improve and have fun at our new state of the art training facility will be so special.”
With ten premium courts, including two with Taraflex flooring and clear height averages of 32 feet, LOVB’s new facility will enable LOVB Omaha’s pro athletes – including four-time Olympic medalist and tireless advocate for the sport Jordan Larson and fellow Husker alumna and two-time Olympic medalist Justine Wong-Orantes – to train alongside Premier Nebraska’s youth players, giving club athletes the opportunity to learn from, witness, and build even stronger ties with pro players they admire. Growing up as the beneficiary of a youth development experience at Premier, Larson herself is the living embodiment of LOVB’s commitment to create pathways from youth to pro.
“I am the living embodiment of LOVB’s commitment to creating pathways from youth to pro,” said Jordan Larson. “I grew up playing for Premier Nebraska. To be able to help increase access to the sport of volleyball and train for LOVB Omaha Volleyball in the same facility as my club roots is an incredible full circle moment for me, I can’t wait to inspire the next generation of incredible Nebraskan athletes to pursue their volleyball dreams.”
The new training facility will also allow LOVB to further its club relationship with LOVB NIL athletes Lindsay Krause, Norah Sis, Lexi Rodriguez and Harper Murray, who support the development of Premier Nebraska youth athletes through camps, clinics and in-person appearances.. Lindsay Krause, a Premier Nebraska alum, is currently a Senior outside hitter for the Husker program and two time Gatorade National Player of the Year. Norah, another Premier Nebraska alum, is the 2022 Big East Player of the Year at Creighton University. Lexi is the 2021 AVCA National Freshman of the Year and two time AVCA All American, and Harper is a sophomore outside hitter and the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
The all new facility in Gretna Landing will also feature a pro locker room, cafe, a pro shop with merchandise, as well as a premium training room which will include two cold tubs, ice and stem machines and more, all of which are unique for club facilities. Chosen for its location in the center of a burgeoning retail area that is sure to bring interest and foot traffic, the new facility will also offer its athletes and families an easy commute, as it hails at the center of the 192nd and 370 intersections.
"LOVB’s investment in this state-of-the-art training facility shows their commitment to growing professional sports in Omaha and increasing Omaha’s appeal as a sports destination to the more than 14 million people who visit our community each year," said Deborah Ward, executive director of Visit Omaha, the city's official tourism authority.
For more information about LOVB, please visit: www.lovb.com. For more information about Premier Nebraska Volleyball, please visit: https://premiervolleyball.org/.
About LOVB
Founded in 2020, LOVB’s mission is to reimagine the future of volleyball. With a unique community up approach, the league has attracted the attention of notable investors from female founded companies who understand the opportunity the league will bring as it reaches 38 million former and current players in the US and continues its trajectory of being the most played youth sport for girls. LOVB’s inaugural pro season will launch in pre-season following the Paris Olympics in 2024, and will last from November 2024 through April 2025. It will feature six teams in six cities, including Austin, Atlanta, Houston, Madison, Omaha and Salt Lake. For more information on LOVB, its clubs, and its professional league, please visit www.lovb.com or on social channels like Instagram.
