The NVA finished off 2021 with a bang by bringing their all-stars to the AVCA’s 40thAnniversary Convention in Columbus, Ohio! For three days, the league’s players and coaches hit the courts with some of the world’s greatest volleyball minds to help advance the sport of volleyball, educating the next generation of American coaches. The NVA had the privilege to work alongside inspirational icons such as Karch Kiraly and John Speraw as well as hosting the All-American Banquet recognizing elite players from Women’s Collegiate Volleyball.
Those who attended the All-American Banquet and the coinciding NCAA Div. 1 championship match, between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Wisconsin Badgers, witnessed some of the most extraordinary players in the history of NCAA. The game had historical precedence, with one player becoming the first-ever five-time AVCA First-Team All-American. Of course, it would be none other than the Division 1 player of the year, Wisconsin middle blocker Dana Rettke!
The NVA had the privilege of handing out the awards to the AVCA Players of the Year, and we are excited to share their names with you again! Readers can find the complete list of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd team selections from each division on the AVCA website. https://www.avca.org/awards/
AVCA PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
NAIA AVCA Player of the Year– Nada Meawad, Park (Missouri)
Two-Year College AVCA Player of the Year– Marian Ovalle, New Mexico Military Institute
NCCAA AVCA Player of the Year– Sydney Schwitters, University of Northwestern-St. Paul
NCAA Division III AVCA Player of the Year– Heidi Westra, Calvin University
NCAA Division II AVCA Player of the Year– Alexis Cardoza, Cal State San Bernardino
NCAA Division I AVCA Player of the Year– Dana Rettke, University of Wisconsin – Madison
For many of the NVA players present for the convention, the best moment of the event came from the Athletes Unlimited Draft, which has invited nine graduating collegiate stars to join their league. Athletes Unlimited is the only pro indoor women’s volleyball league in the U.S., which premiered last year on the CBS Sports Network! Two of the draftees, Div. 1 Player of the Year, Dana Rettke, and Nebraska’s Laura Stivrins, went head-to-head, middle on middle, in the 5-Set NCAA Championship thriller. This historic draft is the first of its kind in the U.S. to provide an immediate pipeline for the nation’s most valuable volleyball players to go straight from university to the major leagues!
Inspired by AU Sports, the NVA is preparing to eventually establish their draft, looking to bring graduating student-athletes into the fold after the NCAA Men’s Final. With another successful year at the AVCA, the NVA has done well to show attending coaches just how disciplined, determined, and hungry our athletes are. We hope that the word will continue to spread from coaches to the next generation of college players that the dream of becoming a professional volleyball athlete is just on the other side of graduation! With this much talent already on display on the women’s side, the NVA and their teams are eager to see what homegrown products come from NCAA Men’s Volleyball this summer!
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>Now three months removed from the last NVA season, OC Stunner’s Outside Hitter Corey Chavers is finally in Switzerland, beginning his 3rd season abroad with Chênois Genève VB. After a highly successful 2021 campaign with the Stunners, helping them win the NVA Championship and earning the ‘Tournament MVP,’ Chavers took his time deciding on his next move overseas. After months of offers and possibilities, he eventually inked his new contract, and it did not take long for his new journey to begin. Like so many other professional volleyball players who sign late contracts, he received only a single day’s notice to pack his bags and be ready to ship out so that his team could get him on the court in the hopes of an immediate impact. As Corey put it, “It’s been long overdue, but I’m glad I’ve ended up in a good spot after waiting so long to find the right team to play with!”
His arrival could not have come at a better time as his team prepares for their first match of the 2021/22 CEV Cup against the 1st place Swiss team, Lindaren Volley Amriswil. The two teams will play against each other in a best-of-three series over the next month, with their first match occurring on November 10th at 11 am PST. The winner of this series will play Neftochimik Burgas; currently, the top team in Bulgaria has competed in the CEV and Champions League for the last five years.
So far this season, Chênois Volley has experienced a rough start, failing to meet expectations after winning the Swiss League Championship last season. “Unfortunately, the team had some injuries before I got here, but now everyone is close to being at 100% once again,” Corey later shared. With plenty of the season left to go, Corey has already made his presence known, playing a crucial role in his club’s recent wins over Lausanne UC and Concordia Volley Luzern. These victories have resulted in the team’s improvement, moving from 5th to 3rd since he arrived.
Already, Corey has shown to be precisely what Chênois Volley needs this season, and their chemistry and strength as a team should only improve moving forward. “We’re already pretty solid playing together! There have been some normal misconceptions that come with new teammates, but it is nothing that can’t be ironed out in the next few weeks,” said Chavers.
Be sure to check out the Chênois Volley on Instagram (@chenoisvolley), Facebook (chenoisvolley), and their website (https://chenoisvolley.ch/) to stay up to date on their season and read more about the team’s history and sponsors. Fans can also find more information about the CEV Cup and see what other top teams will be competing. Follow the link below to see the tournament schedule! The OC Stunners wish the best of luck to our NVA 2021 MVP and cannot wait to see the experience gained after competing against the world’s best in the CEV.
https://www.cev.eu/club/cev-cup/men/
“Volley On With the NVA!”
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>The Earth is such a massive place as the human population now reaches 7.2 billion spread out over 192 countries and thousands of cities and cultures in between. However, the volleyball world is amazingly capable of showing how small our international community can make it feel.
One prime example of this has been how three of the OC Stunners players have all found themselves competing against each other in Israel this season. Opposite Matt Hilling, Libero Josh Ayzenberg, and Outside Joey Jarvis have all secured contracts riding the wave of success from becoming the 2021 NVA Champions returning for their 6th, 4th, and 2nd seasons abroad.
Matt Hilling (@matthilling_)will be competing with MS Eilabun in Eilabun, Israel as the first American player to play for the club. He will also be joined by LA Blaze’s middle blocker Pedro Nieves who just came off his victory with Team Puerto Rico in the NORCECA Championships. https://www.facebook.com/mseilabun
Joey Jarvis (@joey_jarvis) returns for his first season outside of North American since before the pandemic. His aspiration to win the German Bundesliga with TV Rottenberg was cut short after taking 3rd in the German Cup. He will be playing with Hapoel in Jerusalem, Israel, as the team hopes to recreate the same success or better from their two bronze medals in 2011/12 and 2013/14. https://www.facebook.com/HapoelJerusalemVollyballClub/
Josh Ayzenberg (@josh_ayzz) returns for his third season with Maccabi Tel Aviv as his team makes yet another push to compete in the CEV Challenge Cup for the first time since 2016/17. Last year, the club secured two championships in the Israeli Premier League and the Israeli Cup with a star-studded American roster, including Josh, JT Hatch, and Kyle Ensing. With much of the same roster returning, they look to repeat last year’s success and get Maccabi back into the CEV Champions League. https://www.facebook.com/MTAVC
The season has already begun, so make sure to check out each of the team’s Facebook pages to find out when there their next matches are. The OC Stunners and the NVA are excited for the opportunities these players will have this season knowing that they will all make a huge impact on their teams!
“Volley On With the NVA!”
-NVA Staff Writer
]]>This week’s biggest news in volleyball came from the historic conclusion of the 2021 North, Central America, and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Championship. There the Puerto Rican Men’s National Team took home their first NORCECA title. The team’s first gold medal has also given them an automatic bid into Russia’s 2022 FIVB World Championships.
The event also saw a momentous run from the Mexican national team taking home their third bronze medal, showing the program’s growth. The Canadian men took home second, losing to Puerto Rico, and the USA took 5th.
BYU Alumni Opposite hitter Gabriel García was the kill leader for the championship match with 11 points, 10 kills, and one ace. While Cal Baptist alumni, Arturo Iglesias, was selected as MVP for his performance as the team’s leading setter. The competing teams also had a great supporting cast of players from the NVA, with LA Blaze, Vegas Ramblers, OC Stunners, IE Matadors, and Southern Exposure being represented.
The Stunner’s Opposite, Jair Santiago, was one of the Puerto Rican National team members to win gold. This appearance with the national team has been Jair’s first since he played with the team during the 2016 FIVB World League where they came 36th.
Jair put in some hard work this summer, leaving mid-season with the NVA to make sure he could get back home and train with some of the younger players. During that time, Jair helped get the gears in check to make sure the program was ready to put in 110% effort in the month leading up to the event.
It also helped that the Canadian national team struggled with finding their rhythm throughout the tournament. Stunner’s outside hitter, Joey Jarvis, an alternative for the Canadian National, had this to say about their 2nd place finish.
“They played really well and showed signs of versatility. They had their backup setter playing the P2 position and made it to the finals beating Mexico, which they had lost to in pool play 3-0. Unfortunately, they didn’t get claim gold, but they played well against a very sold Puerto Rican team” – Joey Jarvis
With this title now on his resume, Jair will now have a solid chance at finally signing a contract outside of North America. Playing professionally overseas has been a long-time aspiration for Jair, and it seems like his time is just around the corner!
If you haven’t already, go and give Jair Santiago (@jairdaniels15) and the OC Stunners (@stunersnvausa) a follow on Instagram to stay updated on what the future holds for Jair. Also, be sure to follow the link below to watch the gold medal match of the 2021 NORCECA Championship Event!
NORCECA Championship Final: Puerto Rico vs Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ9X9g1UYJI
NORCECA Main Website
“Volley On With the NVA!”
– NVA Staff Writer
]]>With the 2022 NVA Season already in the works, here is a look at the rankings for the top five players for each statistical throughout the season. These rankings exclude players who competed in less than ten sets or had less than 100 attempts. Check them out to see which if your favorite players made the cut as one of the Top 5 All-Stars for each category.
Best Scorer (Points/Sets Played)
Best Server (Service Aces/Sets Played)
Best Blocker (Blocks/Sets Played)
Best Scorer (Total Points)
Best Server (Total Service Aces)
Best Blocker (Total Blocks)
Best Passer (Perfect Reception + Positive Reception/All Receptions)
Best Attacker (Kills/All Attack Attempts)
Best Defender (Total Digs)
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The NVA is no stranger to high level volleyball players while also being a vessel of improvement for so many players. One player that has been reaping the benefits of the NVA is the big and powerful opposite for the Orange County Stunner, Jair Santiago. Jair is Puerto Rican born but has been living the past couple years with his wife Natasha out in San Bernardino. The league is all too familiar with Puerto Rican players, as there are multiple Puerto Ricans throughout the league. Due to Jair’s natural born residence, he has now been given the opportunity to represent his small country this summer in the NORCECA games that are held in Running Springs, Colorado at the Olympic Training Center.
Jair is Puerto Rican born but has been living the past couple years with his wife Natasha out in San Bernardino. The league is all too familiar with Puerto Rican players, as there are multiple Puerto Ricans throughout the league. Due to Jair’s natural born residence, he has now been given the opportunity to represent his small country this summer in the NORCECA games that are held in Running Springs, Colorado at the Olympic Training Center.
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The OC Stunners have just announced that they have signed Long Island native, Josh Ayzenberg for the remainder of the season. Josh is an excellent libero that holds a lot of traits that fits the Stunners fast and big style of play. Josh already has an excellent track record for performing, he played for four years at Sacred Heart University where he led his team in passing percentage and digs and was selected as a two time All-American. Since then he has continued playing at an elite level, first with Maccabi, a team based out of Israel, and then for Savo Volley in Finland. He then went on to play in the USA NORCECA championships alongside Stunners Corey Chavers and Nick Amado. Once finished with that, he signed back with Maccabi Tel Aviv winning both the league cup and the league championship, so it is fair to say that he is no stranger to winning. When asked about Josh, Nick Amado, team captain stated that “Josh is going to be a perfect fit for our team, he brings an energy and knowledge to the game that is only achieved through playing high level volleyball, which is what we need right now.” His former teammate, and now current teammate, Corey Chavers said “I love playing with Josh because I have the confidence that any seam or space I leave on the court will be covered. He is just that good. Plus his energy is always fun to try and match.”
So what exactly does the signing of Josh mean for the Stunners? Well the Stunners already lead the league in perfect passes with a 91.33%, but still fell short when it came down to the April tournament. The signing of Josh can be seen as an extra insurance defensively, as the Stunners lack a consistent block. Anything that the Stunners don’t block, will now be effectively dealt with by Josh in the back row. Watch Josh and the Stunners battle out this weekend, the 28th-30th against the Las Vegas Ramblers, Utah Stingers, and the Dallas Tornadoes in Atlantic City, New Jersey!
]]>The Orange County Stunners have been one of the unluckiest teams as of lately when it comes to injuries, with two that recently stuck out with middle blocker Nick Amado and setter Spencer Andrews. Spencer limped off of the court at the end of the second day in the Stunners’ four set loss with a hip injury. He suffered a strained hip flexor that potentially leaves him out for another week, even after four weeks of rehab that had taken place since the injury. When asked about his injury, Spencer said “The rehabilitation process will hopefully be a quick one, and will definitely focus on more stretching and strengthening the areas around my hip.” Although volleyball isn’t a contact sport, it is considered a highly “wear and tear” sport where repetitive movements can cause ligaments to slowly tear and muscles to strain. Spencer has been keeping his head high lately though and has been at every practice with full intention of helping his team get better.
The next injury of notice that occurred at the April Event where the Stunners’ went 3-0 was Nick Amado who had to go out early in the first set on the last day of competition against Team Freedom. Nick Amado had to step in as an outside hitter, as Matt Hilling had to step in as a setter to fill in for Spencer Andrews. Nick Amado had never played outside hitter and was doing an average job, with hitting .0 on the match before going down with an injury, by landing on the Stunners’ own middle blocker, Kevin Gear. When asked about his injury, Nick Amado responded with “It was a really unlucky injury and it is part of the game, any ankles can go down at any moment, that’s part of the game.” Nick Amado was on crutches for a few days but after a trip to the hospital it was deemed that it wasn’t broken and just a grade three sprain. Nick hopes to be in the gym soon and definitely plans to play in Atlantic City at the end of May.
]]>Corey Chavers, the high flying outside hitter, has returned to the OC Stunners for the 2021 season. Corey Chavers is known for his freak athleticism and powerful attacking ability which was put on showcase in the finals of the NVA Tournament held in Utah in November. Corey has already had a very impressive career as a volleyball player. He started off at University of California, Santa Barbara, where his senior year he was chosen as part of the All Big West team. Corey then did a summer with USA volleyball where he played outside hitter in the NORCECA event held in Colorado. Corey then went on to play for Blu Volley Verona in Italy before Covid brought him home. His most recent venture was in Sweden with Falkenberg VBK, although he came in halfway through the season, he was a dominant force on the court and led his team to the finals where he ultimately fell to Halmstade VBK, who was the leader in points all year. Corey said that in Sweden he had a very young team, so it required him to step up as leader and role model for the young volleyball players who looked up to the U.S National Team prospect. Look for Corey Chavers this summer making a huge impact for the OC Stunners, as he believes his best volleyball is to be played this summer.
]]>The Orange County Stunners pride themselves on showing the full depth and diversity that volleyball has to offer on the Golden Coast. But to pull in such great talent from the area, some players find themselves making almost two-hour commutes to make it to training sessions. One such player on the roster is 6’6″ Middle Blocker, Shayne Beamer (UCSD), who has always pushed the limits of insanity to make sure he is in the gym with the team. Since playing with the Stunners, Shayne has lived in the Inland Empire, San Diego, and San Francisco, driving from SD to Costa Mesa on weeknights and taking weekend trips from SF just for volleyball.
Originally from Burbank, CA, the Valley Kid grew up on the edge of Los Angeles where he could take hikes from the old Los Angeles Zoo, over Warner Brothers Studios, and the backside of the Hollywood sign. The only member of his family of farmers to originate from California, his parents moved from Ohio to pursue his father’s acting career.
(Check out IMDb on Layne Beamer; https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0063736/).
Before getting into volleyball, Shayne played soccer for six years. He dabbled in fencing and archery, as well, before he knew it was time to find a new sport as he continued to grow in size.
“I knew I sucked at basketball, and I couldn’t stop fouling on every possession. Thankfully I was sitting next to my friend who played volleyball when signing up for high school classes. Then with that, the next twelve years of my life were set in stone” said Beamer.
Playing at John Burroughs High, Shayne credits his success and work ethic to his coach Joel Brinton who has won the league championship every year since 2010. From JBHS, Shayne was the first player to go straight to a Division 1 program for volleyball, becoming a starting player the next four years at UC San Diego. There he double majored in Socio-Cultural Anthropology and Global Health, committing himself to understand the complexities of mental illness and improving access to care worldwide. Knowing he would need experience abroad to complete such a task, Shayne let volleyball guide his way, following the sport he loved and gaining career experience along the way.
Since UCSD, Shayne has played in the New Zealand Club Nationals with the Wellington Capital Wolves while studying and working in the city’s emergency department. He’s also received his master’s in Psychology while playing at Northumbria University of Newcastle, playing in both the British University and Professional league. Then, when COVID-19 caused him to lose a job with Kaiser Permanente, he took the opportunity to play overseas in Denmark’s first division. Although Shayne is still unsure if he will return to Denmark for next season, you can expect him back with the Stunners this Spring to compete for the NVA Championship!
Beamer explained, “I feel that the NVA is going to go far. It seems like all the best players, coaches, and staff are all drawn to the league. The Stunners has been so meaningful for me as a stepping stone to all of my life’s journeys. I can’t wait to be able to keep playing professional volleyball for years to come on home soil.”
To stay up to date with Shayne as he heads into the postseason with Middelfart Volleyballklub, check out the link for Denmark’s Volley TV:https://www.volleytv.dk/
Also, be sure to go and give both the Stunners (@stunnersnvausa) and Shayne (@slimmshayney) a follow on Instagram. And if you haven’t already, check out this week’s NVA episode of “Quest for the Cup” as it covers the Stunners’ daily lives and training sessions (@NVAUSA).
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