
roster
Jensen
Meet your inaugural 2024 Grand Rapids Rise Team.

#17
Alyssa
JENSEN
Middle Blocker
Hometown:
Holland, Michigan
College:
Michigan State
Accomplishment:
Two-time ACVA Second-Team All-American


#13
ASHLEY
EVANS
SETTER
Hometown:
Liberty Township, Ohio
College:
Purdue
Accomplishment:
Member of Team USA


#31
Camila
GOMEZ
LIBERO
Hometown:
Cali, Colombia
College:
Texas A&M
Accomplishment:
Member of Team Colombia


#9
claire
chaussee
outside hitter
Hometown:
Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
College:
Louisville
Accomplishment:
2022 ACC Player of the Year


#14
EMILIYA
DIMITROVA
OPPOSITE
Hometown:
Shumen, Bulgaria
College:
–
Accomplishment:
Member of Team Bulgaria


#5
ERIKA
PRITCHARD
outside hitter
Hometown:
Middleton, Maryland
Colleges:
Penn State, Maryland
Accomplishment:
Two-Time All-Big Ten


#18
HOLLY
TOLIVER
outside hitter
Hometown:
Berrien Springs, Michigan
College:
Michigan State
Accomplishment:
2017 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention


#28
KAYLA
CAFFEY
MIDDLE BLOCKER
Hometown:
Chicago, Illinois
College:
Texas
Accomplishment:
2022 NCAA National Champion


#8
MARIN
GROTE
MIDDLE BLOCKER
Hometown:
Burbank, California
College:
Washington
Accomplishment:
2021 AVCA Second-Team All-American


#12
sarah
sponcil
setter/libero
Hometown:
Phoenix, Arizona
College:
UCLA
Accomplishment:
U.S. Olympian in Beach Volleyball


#10
shannon
scully
outside hitter
Hometown:
Huntington Beach, California
College:
USC
Accomplishment:
2022 NCAA Beach Volleyball National Champion


#27 symone
abbott
OUTSIDE HITTER
Hometown:
Northville, Michigan
College:
Northwestern
Accomplishment:
2017 AVCA All-American Honorable Mention


#7
NIA
GRANT
MIDDLE BLOCKER
Hometown:
Warren, Ohio
College:
Penn State
Accomplishment:
Two-Time NCAA National Champion


#77
TAYLOR
BRUNS
SETTER
Hometown:
Normal, Illinois
College:
South Carolina
Accomplishment:
2022-23 Swedish League MVP


COACHES & staff

cathy
george
HEAD COACH
head Coaching Career:
2005-2021 Michigan State
1994-2004 Western Michigan
1989-1993 Texas-Arlington
1987-1988 North Dakota State


MACKENZI
WELSH-VAZQUEZ
DIR. OF VOLLEYBALL OPERATIONS
Playing career:
2022-23 Atenienses de Manati
2020-21 Universidad San Martin
2019-20 Changas de Naranjito
2016-19 Michigan


BILL
WALTON
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH
head Coaching Career:
2018-2022 Texas Tornados
1986-2009 University of Houston
1981-1985 Elmhurst College


DAVE
GETSOFF
HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER
cOLLEGE:
2008 LOUISIANA TECH


BRADY
COMPTON
DATA ANALYST
cOLLEGE:
2016 DePAUL

DENISLAV
DIMITROV
ASSISTANT COACH
Coaching Career:
2022-2023 Levallois Paris Saint Cloud
2021-2022 PPT Spor in Turkey
2019-2020 Bulgarian Nat’l Team
2018-2019 CSM Targoviste


DAIMOND
DIXON
HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH
COLLEGE:
1993 MIAMI

HARJIV
SINGH
PERFORMANCE & DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST
cOLLEGE:
2022 HARVARD