The National Volleyball Association (NVA) is a professional indoor volleyball league in the United States. The league comprises 12 teams. The league was founded in Costa Mesa, California, in 2017. The NVA's regular season runs from March to August, with each team playing nine games during the regular season.
Upcoming season or competition: 2024 NVA season | |
 | |
| Sport | Volleyball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| First season | 2018 |
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | United States |
| Headquarters | 3100 Airway Ave Costa Mesa, CA 92626 |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) | Orange County Stunners (2nd title) |
| Streaming partner(s) | NVA TV |
| Official website | nvausa.com |
NVA's 2020 season was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, two new teams joined the league, the Chicago Untouchables and the Dallas Tornadoes.[1] In 2022, the Seattle Sasquatch and Colorado Kraken brought the league to a total of 12 teams. Entering the 2023 season, three new teams joined the league including, the Puerto Rico Pythons, Philadelphia Founders, and the San Diego Wild. These teams took the place of the Tornadoes, Kraken, and Sasquatch.
The OC Stunners are the reigning champions, beating the San Diego Wild 3–0 in the 2023 NVA Championship Cup Finals becoming the first team to obtain two National Titles with the NVA.[2][3][4][5]
Teams
editNational Volleyball Association's 12 teams are divided between the National and American Conferences.
| Conference | Team | Location | Division | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Conference | Chicago Untouchables | Chicago, Illinois | Central | 2021 |
| Los Angeles Blaze | Los Angeles, California | Central | 2018 | |
| Texas Tyrants | Lewisville, Texas | Central | 2018 | |
| Orange County Stunners | Costa Mesa, California | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Team Freedom | Fairfield, New Jersey | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Puerto Rico Pythons | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Coastal | 2023 | |
| American Conference | San Diego Wild | San Diego, California | Central | 2023 |
| Philadelphia Founders | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Central | 2023 | |
| Utah Stingers | Salt Lake City, Utah | Central | 2018 | |
| Las Vegas Ramblers | Las Vegas, Nevada | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Ontario Matadors | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Southern Exposure | Gainesville, Florida | Coastal | 2018 |
Season structure
editParts of this article (those related to 2022 has come and gone) need to be updated. (February 2023) |
The regular season starts in March and goes through to August. Each team plays ten games at different exhibition locations. A team faces each of its opponents in its division two times a year (four games). Each team plays the three teams from the other division in their conference (American or National Conference) and then another three teams from one division in the opposing conference (six games). This asymmetrical structure means the strength of schedule will vary between teams. Over the seasons, each team will have played seven games against their conference and three from their opposing conference.
The NVA Cup Championship playoffs begin in August after the regular season with the top four teams in each conference, regardless of divisional alignment. Seeds are awarded in strict order of the regular-season record (with the FIVB point system to decide tiebreakers as needed). The playoffs follow a single-elimination tournament format. Losers from the semi-final matches are eliminated from the championship match but play in the bronze medal match. The winner of the NVA Finals receives the NVA Cup Trophy. In addition, the league awards the Most Valuable Player Award to the best-performing player of the championship event and seven awards for the best-performing player of each position during the regular season.
Champions
edit| Year | Champion | Runner–up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Team Pineapple | Arizona Sizzle | Icemen |
| 2019 | Team LVC | Team Pineapple | Orange County Stunners |
| 2020 | Utah Stingers | Orange County Stunners | Las Vegas Ramblers |
| 2021 | Orange County Stunners | Las Vegas Ramblers | Utah Stingers |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Ramblers | Orange County Stunners | Texas Tyrants |
| 2023 | Orange County Stunners | San Diego Wild | Texas Tyrants |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ https://nvausa.com/news/detail?id=62
- ^ "New NVA men's pro league gets going with Showcase in Las Vegas | Volleyballmag.com". December 4, 2017. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021.
- ^ "JVA Partners with the NVA to Bring Professional Men's Volleyball to 3 JVA Events | Junior Volleyball Association". February 22, 2019.
- ^ "National Volleyball Association". nvausa.com.
- ^ "WorldofVolley :: Professional men's volleyball league in USA will be launched soon!". Archived from the original on June 18, 2020.
