Rise Sign Pro Volleyball Federation Top Blocker, Michigan Native Ali Bastianelli

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Rise Sign Pro Volleyball Federation Top Blocker, Michigan Native Ali Bastianelli

July 11, 2024 - Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF)
Grand Rapids Rise News Release


Ali Bastianelli with the San Diego Mojo
Ali Bastianelli with the San Diego Mojo
(Grand Rapids Rise, Credit: Craig Kerstetter/San Diego Mojo)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Bolstering the middle of the court, the Grand Rapids Rise have signed 6-foot-3 middle blocker Alison Ali Bastianelli for the 2025 Pro Volleyball Federation season. It's a homecoming of sorts for the Marysville, Michigan, native, who played last season with the San Diego Mojo and was the League's best blocker by averaging 1.02 blocks per set.

I decided to join the Rise because I felt it was time for me to come home, Bastianelli said. I'm a Michigan native and have so much pride being from here. I wanted a chance to represent the state I'm from, at the highest level competing for a championship. I'm very excited to work with the staff and get to know the Grand Rapids community.

Bastianelli was traded to the Mojo from the Atlanta Vibe during the inaugural 2023 Pro Volleyball Federation draft. The Mojo also received Kendra Dahlke, while the Vibe used the No. 2 overall draft pick to select Magdalena Jehlářová. Bastianelli recorded 74 kills, 63 blocks, and 11 aces in 19 matches (62 sets) to help the Mojo reach the playoffs, where they got reverse-swept in the semifinals by the eventual League champions, the Omaha Supernovas.

Prior to joining Pro Volleyball Federation, Bastianelli played three seasons with the Athletes Unlimited Pro League, finishing 24th in the player rankings in 2023 (2,008 points), 23rd in 2022 (2,045), and 36th in 2021 (1,291). Her professional playing career also took her to Puerto Rico for two seasons with Atenienses de Manati (2021-22) and Changas de Naranjito (2020-21), as well as Béziers Volley (2019-20) in France.

Internationally, Bastianelli has represented the United States as part of the women's national team. She was a 2022 Pan-American Cup Final Six finalist after reaching the semifinals in 2021, and also had a semifinals appearance at the 2022 Pan-American Cup.

Bastianelli was a three-time AVCA All-American selection at the University of Illinois (2015-18). She racked up a school-record 750 total blocks, 925 kills, and 46 aces in 135 matches played. Bastianelli collected All-Big Ten honors three times, including a First Team nod her senior season after leading the entire NCAA in blocks per set (1.79) and total blocks (201). The No. 3-ranked Fighting Illini reached the NCAA Final Four in 2018 before falling in five sets to Nebraska in the national semifinals. During Bastianelli's four-year tenure, Illinois was 8-3 in the NCAA Tournament. She was also a standout in the classroom, being recognized three times as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and receiving the 2018-19 Big Ten Medal of Honor. She later went back to the Big Ten in 2021 to be a volunteer assistant coach for the Michigan women's volleyball team for a season.

Coming out of Marysville High School, Bastianelli was ranked the No. 10 recruit in the nation according to PrepVolleyball.com's Senior Aces list. She was a 2014 Under Armour First Team All-American and a three-time Michigan Class B All-State selection (First Team in 2014, Second Team in 2013 and 2012). Bastianelli also played for four years at the Legacy Volleyball Club in eastern Michigan, where she led it to a first-place finish at the 2013 AAU Nationals.

Additional Rise player acquisition announcements will follow throughout the month of July. The signing period for previous Pro Volleyball Federation players opened on June 30.




Images from this story

Ali Bastianelli with the San Diego Mojo
Ali Bastianelli with the San Diego Mojo
(Craig Kerstetter/San Diego Mojo)		   

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