ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Valkyries will host the Grand Rapids Rise on Thursday, April 11 at 7 p.m. The match will take place at Addition Financial Arena and will be streamed on YouTube. Tickets for the match are still available and fans can visit the Orlando Valkyries website for additional information.
The Valkyries (7-8) defeated Grand Rapids (6-8) on Saturday and moved up to No. 3 in the Pro Volleyball Federation standings. Orlando is now 2-0 in the season series versus the Rise. Thursday night’s contest will mark the third of four meetings between the two teams in the 2024 season.
Valkyries Players to Watch:
Kaz Brown recorded 18 total points (13 kills, four blocks and one ace) in the Valkyries last match against Grand Rapids. In 15 matches this season, Brown is averaging 12.7 points, 9.1 kills and 3.1 blocks. The 6-foot-4 middle blocker has five years of professional volleyball experience, which included stops in Germany, France, Ukraine and Greece. Brown attended the University of Kentucky, where she was a standout player and earned three-time All-SEC and three-time AVCA All-Region honors. She ended her collegiate career as the Wildcats’ career record holder for total blocks, solo blocks, and block assists. Because of her standout play, Brown was selected to the US Collegiate National Team in 2016-17.
Adora Anae led the Valkyries in points (19) and kills (16) against the Rise. She is leading the Valkyries in points (19.3) and kills (16.6) per match. The outside hitter is the first Orlando player to clinch the Pro Volleyball Federation's Player of the Week title, winning the honor in week 3 of the 2024 season. Anae is a sixth-year pro, with experiences from various countries, including South Korea, Turkey, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and Greece. Prior to her professional career, Anae excelled at the University of Utah, where she earned recognition as the first-ever player named to the 1st-Team Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. She holds the record for the school's all-time single season kills (501) and was the first player in program history to achieve consecutive AVCA All-American honors, as well as being named to the All-AVCA First Team.
Rise Players to Watch:
Claire Chaussee had a monster match against the Valkyries with 25 total points (23 kills, one block and one ace). Chaussee has had double-digit kills in all but one match this season. She is second on the Rise in total points (19.1) and kills (17) per match. Chaussee is in her third professional season. She attended the University of Louisville, where she won the 2022 ACC Player of the Year, in addition to being named a AVCA First Team All-American, the AVCA All-East Region Player of the Year and Final Four All-Tournament Team honoree.
Emiliya Dimitrova recorded 15 points (13 kills, one block and one ace) in the last match against Orlando. In the first match this season against the Valkyries, Dimitrova had 30 total points (26 kills, two blocks and two aces). The opposite hitter is leading Grand Rapids in points (20.9) and kills (18.7) per match. Dimitrova, who made her pro debut in 2007 at 16 years old, is in her seventeenth professional season. She has played for 13 different clubs in six countries: Bulgaria, Italy, Turkey, Romania, Japan and France. Dimitrova is also a member of the Bulgarian National Team and has captured five medals, including two gold.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is the present and future of professional volleyball in North America. The League began play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players joined by elite standouts from around the world. Seven teams have taken the court in the first season, with 10 teams scheduled for the 2025 campaign. Our focus is on ensuring that the level and quality of play, treatment of players and the entire fan experience is world class and the best offered anywhere. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
ABOUT ORLANDO VALKYRIES
The Orlando Valkyries, proud member team in the Pro Volleyball Federation — the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. The Valkyries, which began play in January 2024, play out of Addition Financial Arena, located in the heart of the University of Central Florida campus. Tickets are on sale now. For more information on how to get tickets, contact the Orlando Valkyries sales department at (321)-244-4600 Ext. 113, email Tickets@OrlandoValkyries.com, click on OrlandoValkyries.com, visit the Addition Financial Arena box office or go to the Ticketmaster website: Ticketmaster.com. Fans can follow the team on Facebook or via X, Instagram and TikTok — @ORLValkyries or visit OrlandoValkyries.com.
* Orlando Valkyries, Pro Volleyball, DIG IT! *