GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Rise had three of their picks from the 2025 Major League Volleyball draft selected as AVCA All-Americans, as announced Wednesday by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
First-round pick (fourth overall) Alexis Shelton from University of Oklahoma received Third Team honors, while third-round pick (18th overall) Jordan Wilson from the University of Arizona and fourth-round pick (25th overall) Hattie Bray from Marquette University were honored as Honorable Mentions.
Shelton, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, earned her second AVCA Third Team All-America honor following a standout senior season in which she totaled 439 kills on a .288 hitting percentage, along with 163 digs, 78 blocks and 12 aces across 27 matches (a career-high 106 sets). She finished her Sooners career just one kill shy of 1,600 and three digs shy of 500, while surpassing 1,000 attack attempts in each of her final three seasons. A two-time All-SEC First Team selection, Shelton recorded a career-high 30 kills at Notre Dame on Sept. 9, 2023.
Wilson, a 6-foot outside hitter, spent her freshman season at the University of Southern California in 2022 before transferring to the University of Arizona, where she played from 2023-25. She concluded her four-year collegiate career with 1,524 kills, 662 digs and 153 blocks. A two-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, Wilson led Arizona in 2024 with 13 double-doubles and posted a career-high 37 kills in an upset victory over then-No. 8 Kansas on Nov. 8, 2024. She was also named to the 2022 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team after totaling 333 kills, 69 digs and 25 blocks in 116 sets at USC.
Bray, a 6-foot-2 middle blocker, played four seasons at Marquette University from 2022-25 after redshirting as a true freshman in 2021. She finished her collegiate career with 1,062 kills on a .333 hitting percentage, 408 blocks, 178 digs and 37 aces in 127 matches (452 sets). A four-time All-Big East selection, Bray earned 2024 AVCA All-North Region First Team honors and was named an AVCA All-East Region Honorable Mention in 2023. One of her career highlights came in the 2025 NCAA Tournament First Round, when she hit a career-best .786 (11 kills on 14 attempts) in a sweep of Western Kentucky.
A total of 42 players were on the First, Second, and Third teams, with an additional 57 players being recognized as honorable mentions. The complete list of AVCA Division I All-Americans can be found here.
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE VOLLEYBALL
Major League Volleyball, entering its third season, is the longest-running formal professional volleyball league for women in the United States. Designed to elevate the sport through world class competition, commercial innovation, and cultural relevance, MLV brings together elite athletes, visionary leadership and global ambition. With alignment to USA Volleyball and a commitment to Olympic development, MLV serves as the premier pathway from professional play to the world stage. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
ABOUT THE GRAND RAPIDS RISE
The Grand Rapids Rise made their debut in January 2024 and will play their third season in 2026 as members of Major League Volleyball. Led by longtime Michigan State and Western Michigan head coach Cathy George, the Rise reached the championship match during their inaugural season and rank among the top U.S. women’s pro volleyball teams in attendance. The team is operated by DP Fox Sports & Entertainment and owned by Dan DeVos, who is also majority owner and CEO of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins and minority owner of Athletic Club Grand Rapids, which will begin play in MLS NEXT Pro in 2027. Visit grrise.com for more information.