A Shared Vision for Northern California
MLV NorCal began with a shared belief that Northern California—one of the country’s most dynamic sports regions and a longtime home for volleyball talent—deserved a professional volleyball team built to match its energy. Lead Investor and Executive Chair Theresia Gouw brought together founding owners Kerri Walsh Jennings and Vivek Ranadivé, uniting three distinct perspectives: entrepreneurial leadership, elite volleyball experience and proven professional sports ownership. Together, they laid the foundation for a female-led organization designed to compete at the highest level while creating meaningful connections with communities across the region.
Each founding owner brings a powerful connection to that vision. Gouw, a founding partner of Acrew Capital and an investor in the Buffalo Bills and Bay FC, offers deep experience at the intersection of innovation and sports. Bay Area native Walsh Jennings brings the perspective of a five-time Olympian, three-time Olympic gold medalist, Stanford national champion and lifelong advocate for growing volleyball from the grassroots to the professional level. Ranadivé, Chairman of the Sacramento Kings and a technology entrepreneur, contributes extensive experience building modern sports organizations and using innovation to strengthen the fan experience. Their collective expertise gives MLV NorCal a foundation grounded in volleyball, business and the culture of Northern California.
That foundation grew stronger with the addition of Zaza and Tika Pachulia and Brad and Andrea Hilsabeck. The Pachulias bring a championship mindset and a personal commitment to expanding what young women and girls can envision through sports. The Hilsabecks, who have also invested in the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, share a belief in the lasting impact sports can have on athletes, families and communities. Together, the ownership group is building more than a professional volleyball team for MLV NorCal’s 2027 debut—it is creating a high-performance organization rooted in competition, community and culture, with the ambition to leave a lasting mark on Northern California and the entire sport of volleyball.