Designed to help expose aspiring collegiate volleyball coaches to unique professional development experiences, this AVCA Fellowship will provide recipients with opportunities to observe practices and/or competition at elite volleyball programs, to converse with coaching and administrative or management staffs, and to build meaningful relationships that will positively impact their personal and professional journey

 

LOS ANGELES, CA and LEXINGTON, KY – August 18, 2025 – League One Volleyball (LOVB)—the largest brand in youth volleyball and the nation’s only professional league built on a youth-to-pro pipeline—today announced it has partnered with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) to introduce an expanded professional coaching fellowship. Targeting NCAA DI, DII, DIII, NAIA, Two-Year College, and other collegiate volleyball coaches, the AVCA fellowship is designed to empower and support the next generation of volleyball coaches and increase professional development opportunities. 

“From the start, LOVB’s mission has always been to create opportunities through the sport of volleyball, and by partnering with AVCA to enhance this incredible coaching fellowship, we are able to put our words further into action by giving the next generation of coaching superstars the opportunity to absorb and showcase their strength in the field,” said Mike Bufano, President and CFO of LOVB. “As we continue to build a fully connected national ecosystem that elevates volleyball at every level, we are thrilled to become exposed to an all new set of coaches who are already charting the path for the future of our sport.”

“Being able to build on the momentum of phase one of the Fellowship initiative—launched this spring at LSU, Ohio State, and Virginia—is truly energizing,” said Charita Stubbs, AVCA board member and Arizona head women’s volleyball coach. “The feedback from both the host programs and the participants was overwhelmingly positive, underscoring the value of this experience. Now, as we partner with LOVB and their six markets for the next phase, we’re thrilled to expand the reach of this transformative professional development opportunity and engage even more coaches in meaningful growth.”

Fellows will be given the opportunity to form relationships with industry leaders to help impact their future professional journey as they visit with and gain on-site exposure to elite programs. The program can help them gain access to curated trainings, webinars, mentorship sessions, as well as pertinent AVCA and LOVB content. Additionally, participants can showcase their leadership skills by leading community-based volleyball programming in partnership with LOVB, and they may also partake in opportunities to be highlighted in AVCA and LOVB media channels and events.

The application period, which will be managed by AVCA in collaboration with LOVB, will last from September 1 to 30, with recipients notified October 10, 2025. The fellowship will kick off on November 15 and will span several weeks. 

For more information about the AVCA Fellowship, please go here.

About League One Volleyball (LOVB)
Founded in 2020, the League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “love”) mission is to reimagine the future of volleyball. With a unique community up approach, LOVB is one holistic ecosystem – from club to pro. The only youth-to-pro league in American sports, LOVB is the largest community of youth clubs in the country, and its professional league features some of the world’s most elite players. For more information on LOVB, its clubs, its pro league that starts in January 2026, and its professional teams in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Nebraska, and Salt Lake, please visit www.lovb.com or on social channels like Instagram.

About the American Volleyball Coaches Association
The association’s mission is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development. The membership includes more than 10,000 collegiate, professional, high school, club, and youth volleyball coaches—primarily in the United States. The AVCA represents women’s volleyball, men’s volleyball, and beach volleyball coaches, and works to increase exposure and recognition for the sport of volleyball.