Rise Begin April Eyeing First Win over Dallas, First Visit to Columbus
MLV Grand Rapids Rise

Rise Begin April Eyeing First Win over Dallas, First Visit to Columbus

Published on April 1, 2026 under Major League Volleyball (MLV)
Grand Rapids Rise News Release


Grand Rapids Rise middle blocker Alyssa Jensen
Grand Rapids Rise middle blocker Alyssa Jensen
(Grand Rapids Rise, Credit: Nicolas Carrillo)

This Week's Matches

RISE (7-12) vs. Dallas Pulse (15-5) // Fri., April 3 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

Watch: MLV YouTube Channel & Scripps Sports Network at 7 p.m.

Listen: 96.1 The Game at 6:45 p.m.

Season Series: 0-3 Overall, 0-1 Home. Fourth of four meetings overall, second of two at Van Andel Arena

All-Time Regular Season Series: 0-3 Overall, 0-1 Home

Noteworthy: The Rise are seeking their first win in franchise history over the Pulse after Dallas claimed the first three meetings this season. Grand Rapids enters the matchup coming off a 3-1 victory over league-leading Indy Ignite and now faces the second-place team in the MLV standings. Dallas carries a seven-match winning streak into the contest after going 7-0 in March and owns an 8-1 record on the road.

RISE at Columbus Fury (4-14) // Sun., April 5 // 5 p.m. // Nationwide Arena

Watch: VICE TV at 5 p.m.

Season Series: 1-0 Overall, 0-0 Away. Second of four meetings overall, first of two at Nationwide Arena

All-Time Regular Season Series: 6-3 Overall, 2-2 Away

Noteworthy: The Fury snapped a six-match losing streak with a 3-0 home sweep of the defending champion Orlando Valkyries on March 24 before heading into the all-star break. The teams' only meeting this season came Jan. 14 in the Rise home opener, when Grand Rapids rallied for a five-set victory after falling behind 2-1 and then trailing 6-1 in the fifth set.

Two New Faces: The Rise added two veterans to their roster earlier this week in opposite hitter Danielle Harbin and middle blocker Jenna Rosenthal, filling the team's open spots after season-ending injuries to Lauren Jardine-Clark and Leah Meyer. Harbin arrives after a nine-year pro career in Europe, including stops in Switzerland, Germany and Italy, and starred at the University of Arkansas before turning pro. Rosenthal returns to the court after serving in the Major League Volleyball front office, bringing additional pro experience with the Atlanta Vibe, Columbus Fury, Athletes Unlimited and overseas clubs in Germany and Finland, along with collegiate and international success.

All-Star Rewind: Rise standouts Morgan Hentz and Paige Briggs-Romine represented the franchise at the AdventHealth MLV All-Star Match in Orlando on March 28, competing for Team Launiere in the league's second in-season showcase. Hentz finished with five digs and four assists across two sets, while Briggs-Romine recorded six kills and seven digs in the exhibition. Team Launiere captured the opening set before Team Meske rallied to win the final two sets to claim the match. Hentz and Briggs-Romine joined fellow Rise All-Star representatives Carli Snyder, Marin Grote, and August Raskie.

Playoff Picture: With nine matches remaining in the MLV regular season for the Rise, the league standings have largely separated into three groups. Indy Ignite (15-4) and Dallas Pulse (15-5) sit clearly at the top, while a tightly packed middle tier includes Omaha Supernovas (10-10), Orlando Valkyries (9-11), Atlanta Vibe (8-10), San Diego Mojo (8-10), and Grand Rapids Rise (7-12). The Columbus Fury (4-14) occupy the bottom tier.

Grand Rapids trails the fourth-place spot held by Orlando by two wins. The middle tier is separated by just three wins across five teams, making each remaining match critical for playoff positioning.

The Rise's remaining schedule features six matches against teams currently in playoff contention and three against Columbus. The schedule includes three direct matchups against Atlanta, Orlando, and San Diego, with the first two at home. The other three are home contests against Dallas and Indy, and a second road trip to Omaha.

Five of the final nine matches are at Van Andel Arena, where Grand Rapids has been more successful this season (4-5 at home vs. 3-7 on the road). To reach the projected fourth-place playoff line of roughly 13-15 wins, Grand Rapids would likely need to win six to eight of its remaining nine contests.

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Images from this story

Grand Rapids Rise middle blocker Alyssa Jensen
Grand Rapids Rise middle blocker Alyssa Jensen
(Nicolas Carrillo)		   



Major League Volleyball Stories from April 1, 2026


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