It doesn’t matter which field you’re playing on, talent always shines through. At least that’s what you’d think looking at the former NCAA stars making waves in the professional volleyball scene in the USA. With two pro leagues happening side by side in the country, fans were excited to see which of the ex-collegiate stars would make a mark on their maiden run. And so far, things have been satisfactory!

Athletes like ex-Penn State player Jess Mruzik and University of Cincinnati’s Jordan Thompson are enthralling fans in League One Volleyball. While Lexi Rodriguez is yet to make her debut for LOVB Omaha, her colleagues are already topping charts and keeping the volleyball thrill alive with their prowess on the court.

In a post by Sasha on X from January 20, the scoreboard toppers from LOVB were shared. Captioned, “two rookies fresh out of the ncaa are leading @leagueonevb in points right now,” the social media update reveals that the former Nittany Lions outside hitter Mruzik sits atop the charts with 53 points. The LOVB Houston athlete is followed closely by LOVB Madison’s volleyball celebrity Sarah Franklin, who is a Wisconsin Badgers alum, with 48 points.

Mruzik was a driving force behind Penn State’s 2024 NCAA Championship triumph and has been able to maintain her momentum in the LOVB as well. The Most Outstanding Player in the 2024 NCAA championship is looking like a one-woman-wreaking machine on her pro debut as well, and with her in their ranks, LOVB Houston has won all of its three matches in the tournament so far. The Badgers graduate Franklin, on the other hand, reached the regional finals in last year’s NCAA tournament, before being defeated by the Nebraska Huskers for the third time in the 2024 season. But all that’s in the past, and Franklin is determined to make her new adventure count. 

Former BYU student-athlete Roni Jones-Perry is in the third spot, thanks to the 46 points she has racked up for LOVB Salt Lake. Mruzik’s Houston teammate Jordan Thompson is in fourth place with 44 points to her name. Both Jones-Perry and Thompson graduated college a long time ago, and are not rookies like Mruzik and Thompson in the volleyball circuit beyond the collegiate level. Roni and Jordan have also made a name for themselves as members of Team USA.

The fact that two fresh college grads are going toe-to-toe with national team members and are even leaving them in the dust would be an excellent highlight of just how good the NCAA level is in churning out sensational athletes. However, while the likes of Mruzik and Franklin are giving hints of an incredible professional volleyball career ahead, many of their collegiate colleagues are yet to take to the court and show their mettle.

Scintillating athletes still wait to make pro volleyball debut

Nebraska Huskers’ former team captain and star libero Lexi Rodriguez was one the top prospects for LOVB’s inaugural edition. The 2024 Honda Sports Award and the 2024 AVCA National Player of the Year finalist has been incredible during her time on the Lincoln campus. With 1897 career digs, Rodriguez currently holds the school record, and while she doesn’t have an NCAA trophy under her belt to boast, her individual statistics are mind-boggling. In 2024, Rodriguez led Nebraska to Big 10 glory, sharing the trophy with Penn State. Drafted by LOVB Omaha, John Cook‘s poster girl hasn’t yet made her professional debut but is likely to begin her journey soon.

Though not playing in the LOVB, Louisville’s Anna DaBeer was also poised to make her professional volleyball debut in 2025 with the Pro Volleyball Federation’s Indy Ignite. Louisville was a 2024 NCAA finalist, and their outside hitter was a major factor who contributed to the journey. However, DaBeer injured her ankle in the semifinals and has been compelled to watch the PVF action from the sidelines. Thankfully, Indy Ignite has found a way to overcome her absence and now looks like they’re finding their groove one day at a time. Which ex-NCAA star are you the most excited about watching in either LOVB or PVF? Tell us whose debut will be the day you’d finally be happy about in the comments below!