LOVB Los Angeles unveils inaugural roster for professional volleyball team

LOVB Los Angeles, the city's new professional volleyball team, unveiled its roster for the franchise's inaugural season in 2027. 

The team features six women who played for the U.S. National Team, including Olympic medalists Carli Lloyd, Kathryn Plummer Boden, Annie Drews Schumacher and Haleigh Washington. 

The 13-person roster also includes other Southern California natives and world-class athletes from Japan, Serbia, Brazil and Canada.

"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," said Ana Mendy, President, LOVB Los Angeles. "We have an incredible opportunity to build something special here, together."

While LOVB Los Angeles has not announced a head coach, its advisory board includes Southern California volleyball stars such as UCLA national champion Jenny Johnson Jordan, USC national champion April Ross, Long Beach State hall of famer Joy Fuerbringer and Pepperdine's longtime head coach Nina Mattias. 

The franchise will formally introduce itself to fans during a meet-and-greet event at California Surf Club in Redondo Beach on Saturday from 3-6 p.m.

Founded in 2020, LOVB, short for League One Volleyball, launched its first season in 2025 with six professional teams in Austin, Atlanta, Houston, Madison, Nebraska and Salt Lake City. 

Aside from the professional teams, LOVB includes 1,500 junior club teams in 58 locations across 26 states.