COLUMBUS, OH / FRISCO, TX – Leah Edmond, a four-time AVCA All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year from the University of Kentucky, has signed the first contract in the history of Professional Volleyball Federation, joining the Atlanta franchise on Tuesday.
“We are delighted to have signed such an outstanding player,” said Craig. “Leah embodies passion for the game and a desire to win that resonates with sports fans – not just in the SEC or in volleyball – but across sports and geography. More importantly, Leah is someone young girls can look up to as a role model both on and off the court.”
Tuesday marked the first day teams are allowed to begin signing players for the inaugural 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation season.
Edmond, 25, joins head coach Todd Dagenais in Atlanta. Dagenais previously served on U.S. Volleyball Women’s National Team coaching delegation, playing an integral role with the USA Volleyball Youth development program. He is the all-time winningest head coach in UCF volleyball.
Edmond is an outside hitter who graduated from UK in 2019, earning her degree in Elementary Education in 2019 before going on to play three years professionally oversees. She has also competed with Athletes Unlimited since 2020 and most recently competed for Juncos, Puerto Rico, in 2022.
“I am incredibly excited to join Pro Volleyball Federation as a member of the Atlanta team,” Edmond commented. “Being from the south, I am ecstatic to be in a city that’s close to home and has so much culture and diversity. Atlanta is such an important city in black culture and community, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to continue growing the sport of volleyball in America and specifically in this community.”
At Kentucky, Edmond was the 2016 SEC Rookie of the Year and first-time all-SEC pick all four seasons. She is the Wildcat’s all-time leader in kills and owns three of the top 10 spots on UK’s single-season kills list.
“This is the beginning of big things for the Atlanta franchise of Pro Volleyball Federation,” added Craig.
The team is expected to announce additional player signings in the coming days and weeks.