Rise Retain Hometown Middle Blocker Alyssa Jensen for 2026 Season
MLV Grand Rapids Rise

Rise Retain Hometown Middle Blocker Alyssa Jensen for 2026 Season

August 8, 2025 - 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)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Middle blocker Alyssa Jensen will return to the Grand Rapids Rise for the 2026 Major League Volleyball season, signing with the franchise for a third year. She is currently the only player to have been with the team since its inaugural season and returns alongside Carli Snyder and Paige Briggs-Romine, both of whom are on two-year contracts.

"Alyssa has been a mainstay for the Rise, and we've seen tremendous growth in her game from year one to year two," said Rise head coach and VP of volleyball operations Cathy George. "She's established herself as one of the top blockers in the league, and each time she steps on the court, she continues to elevate her performance. We're excited to have her back as she builds on that momentum this season."

In the 2025 season, Jensen appeared in 22 matches and played 71 sets, finishing with 88 kills on a .253 hitting percentage. She added 64 blocks, 50 digs, and four aces, recording three or more blocks in 15 matches. Her season-high performance came on March 9 in a 3-1 win over the San Diego Mojo, when she posted six kills and six blocks.

Jensen made her professional debut with the Rise on March 4, 2024 at San Diego. In the inaugural 2024 season, she played in 13 matches (eight starts) and 31 sets, recording 25 kills, 19 blocks, 11 digs, and three aces.

Prior to her professional career, Jensen played four seasons at Michigan State University under George from 2014 to 2017. She finished her collegiate career with 1,002 kills and 521 blocks. In 2017, she was named to the AVCA Second Team All-America, First Team AVCA All-North Region, First Team All-Big Ten, and was named MVP for the Spartans. She ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 25th nationally with 1.35 blocks per set during the 2017 campaign.

Jensen was a Michigan Miss Volleyball finalist as a high school senior and earned All-State honors in her junior and senior years at Holland Christian High School. She was also a two-time Holland Sentinel Volleyball Player of the Year and collected All-Conference and All-Region honors all four years. Additionally, she was a conference champion all four seasons.

Additional roster announcements will be made throughout the free agency window as the Rise prepare for their third season, starting January 2026.




Images from this story

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



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