FRISCO, Texas — The Omaha Supernovas, the world’s leading professional volleyball franchise, begin their quest for a second league title in three seasons Thursday with a semifinal showdown against Major League Volleyball regular-season champion and No. 1 seed Indy Ignite at the Comerica Center.
In a rematch of last year’s semifinal, when Omaha entered as the top seed, the Supernovas return to the postseason for the third consecutive season as the No. 4 seed after finishing the regular season 14-14. First serve is set for 6 p.m. CDT on ION and the Supernovas Radio Network, led by flagship station KCRO 660 AM.
Tickets for the 2026 MLV Championship, set for Comerica Center in Frisco, Texas, are on sale via the MLV Ticketmaster website. Prices start at $19 and provide access to both the semifinal and championship rounds. For more information, visit ProVolleyball.com.
...
Match Details
Matchup: No. 4 Omaha Supernovas (14-14) vs. No. 1 Indy Ignite (23-5)
When: Thursday, May, at 6 p.m. CDT
Where: Comerica Center, Frisco, Texas
Watch: ION
Listen: Supernovas Radio Network / Supernovas App
Season Series: Tied 2-2
All-Time Series: Omaha leads 5-4 (April 4, 2026, last matchup, 3-0 Indy)
Postseason History: Indy leads 1-0 (May 9, 2025, last matchup, 3-2 Indy)
...
Supernovas Latest
The Supernovas closed the regular season strong, winning three of their final four matches to secure the franchise’s third consecutive postseason appearance.
In a regular-season finale that only impacted playoff seeding, Omaha was swept by championship host Dallas Pulse. Outside hitter Norah TeBrake turned in one of her best performances of the 2026 campaign, recording a team-high nine points on eight kills and one ace while adding eight digs. Second-year middle blocker and Supernovas draft pick Toyosi Onabanjo also stood out with eight points, totaling five kills on a .333 hitting percentage and three blocks.
What's at Stake
An emerging rivalry between two cornerstone MLV franchises, Thursday’s semifinal will determine which club advances to its second MLV Championship Match appearance, the most in league history.
The teams also met in last year’s MLV semifinal in Las Vegas, when the No. 4-seeded Ignite upset the top-seeded Supernovas in a five-set thriller. Indy later fell to the Orlando Valkyries in the 2025 MLV Championship Match. The Ignite will also look to snap the recent trend of No. 1 seeds falling in the semifinals after Atlanta in 2024 and Omaha in 2025 both suffered five-set semifinal losses.
Scouting Indy
The Ignite put together the most dominant regular season in league history, finishing 23-5 to surpass Omaha’s previous league-best mark of 21-7 set in 2025. As a result, Indy collected several major league honors.
Leading an offense that paced MLV in points, kills and assists per set, Mia Tuaniga was named MLV Setter of the Year. She helped Indy finish second in team hitting percentage while averaging 11.49 assists per set, second-best in the league. Tuaniga also ranked second overall with 25 aces.
With reigning MVP Brittany Abercrombie sidelined for most of the season because of injury, Ignite opposite Azhani Tealer emerged as the clear choice for MLV Opposite of the Year. Tealer ranked ninth in the league with 338 total points and averaged more than four points per set.
Despite suffering a season-ending injury in mid-March, middle blocker Lydia Martyn earned MLV Middle Blocker of the Year honors, while libero Elena Scott was named MLV Libero of the Year. The Louisville product was one of the league’s top passers and ranked fourth overall with 360 digs and 3.40 digs per set.
All four players earned First Team All-League honors, with Tuaniga joining Dallas’ Mimi Colyer as unanimous selections.
...
ROBSON STEPS IN AS INTERIM HEAD COACH
The Omaha Supernovas announced on Tuesday the team has parted ways with Head Coach Luka Slabe and promoted Thomas Robson to interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season. Blake Rawlins will remain on staff as assistant coach alongside Robson.
Following the season, Robson will resume his role as assistant coach after signing an extension with the franchise through the 2028 season.
A rising figure in the sport, Robson has played an instrumental role in Omaha’s on-court success over the past three seasons, highlighted by the Supernovas winning the inaugural MLV Championship in 2024 and guiding a retooled roster to the 2025 MLV Regular Season Championship.
Robson began his coaching career in the NAIA ranks at Viterbo University as an assistant. The program compiled an 89-19 overall record across his four seasons, including two NAIA national semifinal appearances. He also helped develop nine All-Americans and three regional Players of the Year.
He later joined head coach Kelly Sheffield and the Wisconsin volleyball program as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2022 season, helping the Badgers secure their fourth consecutive Big Ten title and a 28-4 overall record. Wisconsin advanced to the NCAA Regional Final before falling in five sets to Pittsburgh.
KIARA REINHARDT WINS 2026 MLV RISING STAR AWARD
- Supernovas rookie middle blocker Kiara Reinhardt was selected for the 2026 MLV Rising Star Award, becoming the third Supernovas player to win a league major award.
- Reinhardt's honor comes after Brooke Nuneviller was named the 2025 MLV Outside Hitter of the Year and Betty De La Cruz was awarded the 2024 Server of the Year.
- The No. 8 overall pick in the 2025 MLV Draft, Reinhardt has played like a first round pick, ranking sixth in MLV with a .327 hitting percentage on 281 swings while slotting seventh overall in kill percentage with a .431 mark.
- Armed with one of the best serves in the league, Reinhardt finished in a tie for third with 21 aces and 0.24 per set on the season. Both of those marks are second-highest in franchise history.
- As one of the jewels of the 2026 MLV rookie class, Reinhardt led all rookie middle blockers in most statistical categories, including total points (182), kills (121), digs (53), blocks (40) and aces (21).
CAN YOU DIG IT?
- For Supernovas libero Elena Oglivie — yes, she can. Acquired in a blockbuster trade with Grand Rapids on Feb. 13, Oglivie has thrived since arriving in Omaha.
- That includes one of the best outings league history: 32 digs in a four-set win at Atlanta on April 2.
- The total is the most ever in a MLV four-set match and ties the league single-match record, matching Orlando’s Georgia Murphy.
- It also sets a new Supernovas franchise record, while her 12 digs in the fourth set mark a new single-set team record.
- The Stanford product has produced six 20+ dig performances in 2026 and five of them have come with the Supernovas.
- For the season, Oglivie became just the third player in MLV history to record 4.0 digs per set in a season. She joins former Supernovas libero Morgan Hentz (twice) and Kylie Murr, who was with the Vegas Thrill at the time.
| Omaha | Category | Grand Rapids |
| 58 | Sets Played | 35 |
| 237 | Digs | 135 |
| 4.09 | Digs Per Set | 3.86 |
| 47 | Assists | 20 |
| 0.81 | Assists Per Set | 0.57 |
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK
- Sydney Hilley established new single-season franchise records for total assists (904) and assists per set (9.83). As a team, the 2026 Supernovas also set a new benchmark with 1,375 assists, surpassing the previous mark of 1,288 set in 2025.
- Acquired in a blockbuster trade in February, Novas libero Elena Oglivie set the new franchise benchmark with 4.10 digs per set, compiling 237 digs in 58 sets played with Omaha.
- The Supernovas recorded single-season franchise records with 1,800 digs and 1,806 points.
- Omaha set single-season franchise records with 1,456 kills and 4,072 attacks.
PARSONS PACKS A PUNCH
- Supernovas outside hitter Sarah Parsons has elevated her play since Omaha’s road match at Grand Rapids on March 7, producing numbers that rank among the league’s best over that stretch.
- Across 37 sets since March 7, Parsons is averaging 4.46 points, 3.84 kills, 2.70 digs and 0.51 blocks per set while hitting .287 on 387 attacks.
- During that span, Parsons has totaled 165 points, 142 kills, 100 digs, 19 blocks and four service aces.
- The 2016 AVCA National Player of the Year has already etched her name throughout the Supernovas record book. Parsons holds franchise records for most points (21) and kills (18) in a three-set match.
- Parsons also owns the franchise single-set records for points (10), kills (10) and attacks (21).
| Category | Total | Per Set |
| Points | 165 | 4.46 |
| Kills | 142 | 3.84 |
| Digs | 100 | 2.70 |
| Blocks | 19 | 0.51 |
| Hit% | 0.287 | - |
...
About the Omaha Supernovas
The Omaha Supernovas are the world’s leading professional volleyball franchise, competing in Major League Volleyball (MLV). Over the past two seasons, the Supernovas have been No. 1 in the world in professional volleyball attendance, drawing unmatched crowds to the CHI Health Center in downtown Omaha. As the driving force in professional volleyball, the Supernovas are redefining success in women’s sports through elite performance, commercial innovation, strategic brand building, and an unwavering commitment to NovasNation and the broader community across Omaha, Nebraska, and beyond.
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.