GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Rise will embark on the team’s first preseason training camp next week to determine who will make the final 14-player roster for the franchise’s Pro Volleyball Federation season opener on Thursday, Jan. 25 at Van Andel Arena against the Columbus Fury.
The Rise will hold five team practices next week from Tuesday through Saturday (Jan. 2-6). The weekday practices will be held at the MSA Fieldhouse (5435 28th Street St. Ct. SE) from 1-4 p.m. Training camp will last multiple weeks until the final roster is determined.
“As we approach the upcoming training camp, we appreciate how far we have come in such a short time,” said Rise head coach Cathy George. “This, without a doubt, is the best part of the job – the opportunity to work with this team to develop and grow our players. The spirit of competition will bring out the best in everyone, from our players to our fans. We can’t wait to get underway and are looking forward to seeing everyone at our season opener on Jan. 25 at Van Andel Arena.”
Nineteen players are expected to report for Rise training camp.
| # | NAME | POS | HT | HOMETOWN | PREVIOUS TEAM / UNIVERSITY |
| 1 | Sydney Bolding | MB | 6-5 | Pickens, S.C. | Kansas State |
| 3 | Karly Basham | L | 5-8 | Louisville, Ky. | Washington State |
| 4 | Morgahn Fingall | OPP | 6-1 | Fairfax, Va. | Tennessee |
| 5 | Erika Pritchard | OH | 6-3 | Middletown, Md. | VBC Cheseaux (Switzerland) / Penn State |
| 7 | Nia Grant | MB | 6-2 | Warren, Ohio | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Penn State |
| 8 | Marin Grote | MB | 6-4 | Burbank, Calif. | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Washington |
| 9 | Claire Chaussee | OH | 6-0 | Sun Prairie, Wis. | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Louisville |
| 10 | Shannon Scully | OH | 6-2 | Huntington Beach, Calif. | Terville-Florange OC (France) / USC |
| 11 | Kenna Sauer | OH | 6-1 | Ankeny, Iowa | Houston |
| 12 | Sarah Sponcil | S/L | 5-8 | Phoenix, Ariz. | Team USA Beach Volleyball / UCLA |
| 13 | Ashley Evans | S | 6-1 | Liberty Township, Ohio | CSM București (Romania) / Purdue |
| 14 | Emiliya Dimitrova | OPP | 6-1 | Shumen, Bulgaria | VBC Trasporti Pesanti Casalmaggiore (Italy) |
| 15 | Mac Podraza | S | 6-2 | Sunbury, Ohio | Penn State |
| 17 | Alyssa Jensen | MB | 6-4 | Holland, Mich. | Michigan State |
| 18 | Holly Toliver | OH | 6-2 | Berrien Springs, Mich. | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Michigan State |
| 27 | Symone Abbott | OH | 6-1 | Northville, Mich. | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Northwestern |
| 28 | Kayla Caffey | MB | 6-0 | Chicago, Ill. | Athletes Unlimited Pro League (USA) / Texas |
| 31 | Camila Gómez | L | 5-2 | Cali, Colombia | EC Pinheiros (Brazil) / Texas A&M |
| 77 | Taylor Bruns | S | 5-11 | Normal, Ill. | Göteborg Volleybollklubb (Sweden) / South Carolina |
The final roster will consist of 14 players with an additional two “practice player” spots being available.
The training camp practice sessions are closed to the public but are open to media. Interviews can be conducted before or after practice each day.
Any media planning to attend a training camp practice should notify Rise public and community relations coordinator Alex Eisen (aeisen@grrise.com) in advance.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is REAL PRO VOLLEYBALL and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
ABOUT THE GRAND RAPIDS RISE
Founded in December 2022 as the first Pro Volleyball Federation franchise and Grand Rapids’ first major-league women’s sports team, the Grand Rapids Rise will make their debut at Van Andel Arena on Jan. 25, 2024. Led by longtime Michigan State and Western Michigan head coach Cathy George, the Rise’s 14-player roster will play 24 matches (12 home, 12 away) during its inaugural season. The team is operated by DP Fox Sports & Entertainment and owned by Dan DeVos, who is also co-owner and CEO of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. Visit grrise.com for the schedule and to purchase tickets.