League One Volleyball — or LOVB, pronounced “love” — is less than a month away from opening its inaugural season. It’s the first of its kind, a professional volleyball league allowing athletes the opportunity to play pro in the United States.
LOVB Salt Lake has a stacked roster with some familiar faces from the Utes and Cougars, who get to play in front of their hometown crowd again.
“It’s such an incredible opportunity. I feel so grateful and excited. It feels very full circle to be back playing at home,” said Brighton High and Utah Ute alum Dani Drews.
Drews has spent her post-collegiate career playing abroad, most recently in Japan.
“Playing overseas, it has a lot of really cool parts to that but it’s also a big sacrifice. You’re leaving pretty much anyone and everything that you know so to be able to come back and still get to do this as my career, I don’t even have words to express how seriously stoked I am,” said Drews.
West Jordan native and former BYU Cougar Roni Jones-Perry has spent the last five years overseas, but she and her husband have dreamed of getting to play the sport she loves closer to family.