National Volleyball Association facts for kids
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| Sport | Volleyball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2017 |
| Inaugural 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 |
The National Volleyball Association (NVA) is a professional indoor volleyball league for men in the United States. It has 12 teams that compete across the country. The NVA started in Costa Mesa, California, in 2017.
The NVA's regular season usually runs from March to August. Each team plays a number of games during this time. The 2020 season was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, two new teams joined the league: the Chicago Untouchables and the Dallas Tornadoes. By 2022, the Seattle Sasquatch and Colorado Kraken also joined, making it 12 teams in total. For the 2023 season, some teams changed. The Puerto Rico Pythons, Philadelphia Founders, and San Diego Wild joined. They took the place of the Tornadoes, Kraken, and Sasquatch.
The Orange County Stunners are the current champions. They won the 2023 NVA Championship Cup Finals by beating the San Diego Wild 3–0. This was their second championship title, making them the first team to win two NVA titles!
Contents
Meet the NVA Teams
The National Volleyball Association has 12 teams. These teams are split into two main groups called conferences: the National Conference and the American Conference.
| 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 |
How the Season Works
The NVA regular season starts in March and ends in August. Each team plays ten games at different locations. Teams play against others in their own division twice a year. They also play against three teams from the other division in their conference. Finally, they play against three teams from one division in the opposing conference. This means that not every team plays the exact same set of opponents. Over several seasons, each team will have played seven games against teams in their own conference and three against teams from the other conference.
After the regular season, the NVA Cup Championship playoffs begin in August. The top four teams from each conference, no matter their division, move on to the playoffs. Teams are ranked based on their regular-season record. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament. This means if a team loses, they are out of the running for the championship.
The teams that lose in the semi-finals play one more game for the bronze medal (third place). The team that wins the NVA Finals gets the NVA Cup Trophy. The league also gives out awards. These include the Most Valuable Player Award for the best player in the championship. There are also seven awards for the best player in each position during the regular season.
NVA Champions Through the Years
Here are the teams that have won the NVA Championship Cup:
| 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 |
More About Volleyball
- Athletes Unlimited Volleyball (AUV)
- International Volleyball Association
- Volleyball in the United States
