Volleyball is a sport growing in numbers and popularity every year. It has captivated women and men of all ages and is a popular sport to watch, whether it’s played in a gymnasium or an outdoor sand court.
So it was good news for volleyball fans in West Michigan when the
Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) introduced the women’s professional team the
Grand Rapids Rise. The league began play in February with teams playing in arenas across the nation.
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The first year of the Professional Volleyball Federation is all about gaining visibility within the community, attracting and keeping top talent, and growing a love of women’s professional sports throughout the country.
The Grand Rapids Rise is one of seven teams playing in the 2024 season, along with the Vegas Thrill, Omaha Supernovas, Atlanta Vibe, Orlando Valkyries, Columbus Fury, and San Diego Mojo. The team’s conception is thanks to Stephen Evans and Dave Whinham, co-founders of the PVF, who approached Cole DeVos, director of strategic investments at
DP Fox Ventures.
“The two have experience in professional sports leagues, including the Arena Football League and we had a prior relationship with them when we owned the AFL’s Grand Rapids Rampage,” DeVos says. “They approached us about the concept, and we were immediately intrigued. We got to work researching what a pro volleyball team in Grand Rapids could be and quickly saw the value and enjoyment it could bring to our community.”
DeVos, Scott Gorsline, executive vice president of operations and family investments for DP Fox, Grand Rapids Griffins president Tim Gortsema, and Dan DeVos explored and advanced the concept of how a professional volleyball team could fit into the Grand Rapids community.
“What captivated all of us was the growth of the sport in general,” DeVos explains. “Women’s volleyball has gained such a following at the collegiate level and across the country, and we see that especially in West Michigan. There are youth volleyball programs that are extremely popular. We knew the Pro Volleyball Federation was on to something and would immediately have a fan base.”
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It was good news for volleyball fans in West Michigan when the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) introduced the women’s professional team the Grand Rapids Rise.
Making a winning team
When they knew the idea for a pro team had legs, they began assembling their team. They started by naming
Cathy George as head coach. George is the winningest coach in the history of Michigan State University’s volleyball program, having coached there for 17 seasons. When she retired from MSU in January 2023, her 667 career wins (667-457, .593) ranked 15
th among active Division I coaches and third in the Big Ten. Although George was born in Illinois, she has lived most of her life in Michigan and considers it home.
“Really, it was a dream come true when I was asked to come coach here,” George says. “There wasn’t a lot of hesitation because there’s a need for (women’s professional sports) in this country. I’ve always been someone who has fought for women and I want to see women grow, so this position was really right in line with that.”
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Grand Rapids Rise team photo.
George brought instant credibility to the new franchise. She helped the franchise attract high-caliber players and form a roster of former national champions, All-Americans, and a U.S. Olympian.
The league prides itself on being the first pro volleyball league in the U.S. to provide its players with a real
living wage. The players will also be able to gain additional compensation based on achievement and postseason advancement.
What it’s all about
With 14 players per team and 24 matches per team during the inaugural season, this first year is all about gaining visibility within the community, attracting and keeping top talent, and growing a love of women’s professional sports throughout the country.
“As more people begin to experience the sport, we hope to see the league's popularity only continue to grow,” DeVos says. “We want to continue to inspire the next generation of female athletes and are confident that the Grand Rapids community will continue to rally behind the Grand Rapids Rise.
“The Pro Volleyball Federation recently signed a multi-year agreement with CBS Sports as its official television partner. I think over the next few years we will continue to see more sponsorships for the team and increased national exposure as the league grows.”
George has high goals both for her team and for the league.
“We want to grow this thing – to make not only our team better, which is obvious, but also continue to grow this sport, to grow volleyball professionally here in the U.S.),” George says. “As you set the foundation, you see the growth happening year to year and you recognize all the things coming together. I’m committed to doing that and making a great event here in town.”
Claire Chaussee, the Rise’s #9 and an outside hitter, is a two-year pro from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. She was attracted to the Rise because of the location and George.
“I was drawn to this team because Grand Rapids is close to home, Cathy is the coach here, and I really just believe in how she does things and how she goes about the teams and all that with recruiting,” Chaussee shares.
Chaussee, who started playing volleyball at age 9, played college volleyball at Louisville, where she was named 2022 ACC Player of the Year in addition to being named a American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) first team All-American, the AVCA All-East Region player of the year, and a Final Four all-tournament team honoree. She, like many of her teammates, is excited to grow as a player, learn from George, and bring inspiration and excitement to the community.
“I think we’re all focusing on what’s happening this year, and obviously our biggest goal is to make the playoffs and then win it, but everyday goals are just giving 100% of what you have that day and lifting each other us and always for fighting for every ball and the next point,” Chaussee says.
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The Grand Rapids Rise is one of seven teams playing in the 2024 season.
DeVos, George, and Chaussee share the same sentiments about the Grand Rapids community’s support: It’s been unbelievable.
“This community has gotten behind this team and come out in droves at the matches,” George says. “We feel the energy from everybody, and it’s been amazing. All the people know how friendly the people here are, and that’s been a common comment from people all over the country who are playing on our team—they’re saying people in the Midwest are amazing and you guys have really done so much to help them feel welcome, so thank you.”
Chaussee echoes that gratitude.
“I’d like to say thank you to the community for supporting us and coming out to our games.It’s been a rollercoaster of a year for us, but to see your support game after game has really excited us and knowing that you guys are always there helps us to want to keep showing up and keep giving 100%,” she says.
To check out the Grand Rapids Rise’s schedule, visit their
website.
Photos courtesy of the Grand Rapids Rise