Volleyball Nations League Women’s Storms into Arlington

Volleyball Nations League Women’s has started at College Park in Arlington.

As Volleyball Nations League kicked off their first stop in Brazil, the women’s VNL did not disappoint as the best of the best came out to fight for a place on the final roster for Arlington and the coveted VNL trophy. The final roster includes three Texans and seven Olympians. North Texas will have their chance to see middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Asjia O’Neal and outside hitter Avery Skinner all from Texas at College Park in Arlington May 28-June 2. Tickets are available at VNLTickets.com, offering U.S. fans the opportunity to Be Part of the Action. Pricing starts as low as $16, for a child’s ticket and $23 for adults, not including fees.

This will be the last major volleyball event before the Paris Olympic Games and the only VNL matches in the USA this year. VNL is the world’s premier annual international indoor volleyball tournament where the top 16 teams in the world play for the coveted VNL Trophy.

L to r: Avery Skinner, Asjia O’Neal, Chiaka Ogbogu

Top local favorites to watch on the U.S. Women’s Team:

• Chiaka Ogbogu from Coppell, TX – Middle
  • Ogbogu has been a member of Team USA since 2018. Winning the Olympic gold in 2020 and VNL in 2019 and 2021
  • Has played professionally in Italy, Poland and Türkiye
  • Three-time AVCA First Team All-American at University of Texas
  • Left Texas with most blocks, block assists in school history
  • Represented U.S. on Women’s Collegiate National Team
• Asjia O’Neal from Southlake, TX – Middle Blocker
  • Made her senior national team debut at 2023 Volleyball Nations League
  • Two-time AVCA first team All American at the University of Texas who helped the team to NCAA championships in 2022 and 2023
  • Finished at Texas with the most blocks in school history topping her U.S. Women’s teammate Chiaka Ogbogu
• Avery Skinner from Katy, Texas – Outside Hitter
  • Helped the U.S. Women earn berth to Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the 2023 FIVB Road to Paris Olympic Qualifier
  • Made her senior national team debut at 2022 pan Am Cup
  • Won the 2020 NCAA National Championship with University of Kentucky
  • All-American at both Kentucky and Baylor University (played 2017-20 at Kentucky and final season in 2021 at Baylor)
  • Best Spiker and Best Scorer at 2022 Pan Am Cup

Players on the roster from the team that won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: setters Micha Hancock and Jordyn Poulter, libero Justine Wong-Orantes, outside hitters Jordan Larson, opposite Jordan Thompson, middle blockers Chiaka Ogbogu and Haleigh Washington.

Other players who have competed in previous VNL to include setters libero Morgan Hentz outside hitter Ali Frantti,Khalia Lanier, Kathryn Plummer, and middle Dana Rettke.

USA Team 2023

Head Coach Karch Kiraly is a three-time Olympian and three-time gold medalist as a play who took over as head coach in 2013. Hea has led the U.S. Women to a World Championship in 2014 and an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Games.

Kiraly’s first assistant is Tama Miyashiro, who won a silver medal as a libero with the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. The second assistants will be Marv Dunphy, Alfee Reft and Erin Virtue.

VNL will go on to Fukuoka, Japan (June 11-16) with the VNL Final round June 20-23 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The U.S. Women’s National Team, three-time VNL champion and the reigning Olympic Champion, will welcome to Arlington, Texas VNL 2023 Champion Türkiye along with Canada, South Korea, Germany, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Poland. Spectators can expect a week of intense volleyball action featuring the world’s best athletes.

Volleyball World will provide fans, athletes, partners, and other sport afficionados with the ultimate volleyball experience. It will be memorable for all attendees whether new to the sport or a volleyball pro.