GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Rise on Monday selected five college players in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Draft held at the Marriott Perimeter Center in Atlanta. The Rise had the fourth pick of seven teams in each of the five rounds.
Following the top three picks of Asjia O’Neal (Columbus Fury), Magda Jehlarova (San Diego Mojo traded to Atlanta Vibe) and Hannah Pukis (Vegas Thrill), Grand Rapids Rise head coach Cathy George selected opposite hitter Morgahn Fingall out of the University of Tennessee with the fourth overall pick.
The Rise went on to make four more selections: Sydney Bolding (2nd round, 11th overall), Kenna Sauer (3rd round, 18th overall), Emma Clothier (4th round, 25th overall), and Karly Basham (5th round, 32nd overall).
“It was a history making event, and we were thrilled to be a part of the first-ever Pro Volleyball Federation draft,” George said. “We looked to draft players who really understand what it takes to be a great competitor and teammate. We wanted players who have the desire and drive to improve their game and become the best versions of themselves. This group will be a great complement to our already existing Grand Rapids Rise roster.”
These five draftees will join 14 signed players and one tryout in competition for 14 spots on the Rise’s active roster that will begin play on Thursday, Jan. 25, when the Rise host the Columbus Fury at 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena.
The Rise added the following five players through the draft:
Morgahn Fingall (1st round, 4th overall) – OPP, Tennessee
The 6-foot-1 opposite hitter from Fairfax, Virginia, recently wrapped up her five-year career at Tennessee with the fifth-most kills in the program’s history (1,632). The two-time All-SEC selection helped the Volunteers reach the quarterfinals of the 2023 NCAA Division I National Tournament. This past season, Fingall averaged 4.24 kills, 1.83 digs, 0.74 blocks, and 0.31 aces per set while hitting a .322 percentage. She recorded double-digit kills in 24 out of 28 matches in 2023, including five 20-kill performances. Fingall, earned All-America recognition from AVCA and VolleyballMag.com in 2022 after posting career highs in kills (483) and kills per set (4.39) – both marking the second-most in Tennessee history during the 25-point rally-scoring era.
Sydney Bolding (2nd round, 11th overall) – MB, Kansas State
The 6-foot-5 middle blocker from Pickens, South Carolina, played three seasons at Kansas State (2021-23) and two seasons at Jacksonville (2019-20). Bolding amassed 812 kills and 489 blocks across five seasons of collegiate play. She led Kansas State this past season with a .341 hitting percentage. In 2022, she was named an AVCA Midwest All-Region Honorable Mention and an All-Big 12 Second Team selection. Bolding was second in the Big 12 with 141 blocks (1.32 per set) in 2022 and added 134 more blocks this past season. She set a career-high with 10 blocks at TCU on Nov. 19, 2022. Bolding recorded at least one block in each of her last 60 matches with the Wildcats. Over the last two seasons, Bolding has also been a weapon behind the service line with 66 aces.
Kenna Sauer (3rd round, 18th overall) – OH, Houston
The 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Ankeny, Iowa, made stops at three different colleges in her five-year collegiate career: Houston (2023), Texas Tech (2021-22), and Missouri (2019-21). Sauer was a two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection while at Texas Tech. In 112 college matches played, Sauer accumulated 1,233 kills, 900 digs, 197 blocks, and 73 aces. She was named a 2022 AVCA Southwest All-Region selection with the Red Raiders. Her teams reached the second round of the 2023, 2020-21 and 2019 NCAA Division I National Tournament, and the first round in 2021. Sauer had her best season in terms of hitting percentage (.234) and aces (30) in 2023. She recorded a career-high 30 kills in four sets with eight digs against Sam Houston on Sept. 18, 2021.
Emma Clothier (4th round, 25th overall) – MB, Southern Methodist
The 6-foot-2 middle blocker from Carrollton, Texas, was tabbed as the 2023 American Athletic Conference Player of the Year after collecting 320 kills on a .384 hitting percentage – second highest in the program’s history. She finished the season with a team-high 116 blocks and 27 aces. Prior to playing a graduate season at SMU in 2023, Clothier competed for four seasons at Florida State (2019-22), where she was a three-time All-ACC Team selection. She tied for seventh at FSU in career hitting percentage (.344) and ninth in career service percentage (.943). Led the Hebron Hawks to three consecutive Texas High School State Championships from 2015 to 2017.
Karly Basham (5th round, 32nd overall) – L, Washington State
The 5-foot-8 libero from Louisville, Kentucky, played three seasons for Washington State (2021-23) and two seasons at Texas A&M (2019-20) for a total of 135 matches played. In five seasons, Basham picked up 1,424 digs (10.55 average per match), 407 assists, and 113 aces. She tied a 34-year-old program record at WSU with seven aces in the Cougs’ four-set win over Belmont on Sept. 2, 2022. Helped WSU reach the Round of 16 in the 2023 NCAA Division I National Tournament while averaging 3.31 digs per set on the season. Captained Assumption High School to a 43-0 record and were declared the 2018 national champion by PrepVolleyball.com and were No. 1 in the final national rankings by both USA TODAY and MaxPreps.
The full list of selections in the 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft can be found here.
Any player drafted on Monday had to be at least 18 years or older on the day of the draft and must be defined as a college player. A “college player” is a female volleyball player who is:
- Enrolled in a four-year college or university in the United State and who (i) will not graduate prior to August 2023 and (ii) has remaining eligibility to play collegiately during the 2023 college indoor volleyball season; OR
- Enrolled in a two-year junior college or community college in the United State and who (i) will not graduate prior to August 2023 and (ii) has remaining eligibility to play collegiately during the 2023 college indoor volleyball season.
Any athlete who met the criteria above was eligible to be drafted. Players were not required to declare for the draft. Any player drafted can elect to return to college if she has remaining eligibility and she decides not to sign with her Pro Volleyball Federation team.
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.