Pro Volleyball Franchise Unveils Roster For New LA Team

LOS ANGELES, CA — Professional volleyball took another step into the Los Angeles sports landscape Wednesday as League One Volleyball unveiled the inaugural roster for its L.A. franchise.

The team, known as LOVB Los Angeles, features 13 players from six countries, including Olympic medalists, NCAA champions, international standouts and several Southern California natives returning home to compete professionally.

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LOVB Los Angeles is the seventh franchise in League One Volleyball, a professional women's league that describes itself as the nation's first youth-to-professional volleyball ecosystem.

Among the players joining the club are 2016 Olympic bronze medalist setter Carli Lloyd of Bonsall, 2024 Olympic silver medalist outside hitter Kathryn Plummer Boden of Aliso Viejo and two-time Olympic medalist opposite hitter Annie Drews Schumacher of Elkhart, Indiana.

Other Southern California connections on the roster include middle blockers Samantha Francis of San Diego and Onye Ofoegbu of Cerritos, along with setter Rachel Fairbanks of Tustin.

Team officials said the launch comes as volleyball continues to grow in popularity nationwide and Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympic Games.

"Our vision isn't simply to launch another professional team; it's to build the flagship franchise for volleyball, a team that represents this city, inspires the next generation, and gives one of the world's greatest volleyball communities a club to call their own," team President Ana Mendy said in a statement.

LOVB Los Angeles will make its public debut Saturday during a community celebration at the California Surf Club in Redondo Beach.

The event will include athlete meet-and-greets, a player panel discussion, merchandise sales and the public introduction of the team's inaugural roster.

League officials said the roster announcement is the first of several milestones leading up to LOVB Los Angeles' inaugural season in 2027.

City News Service