Supernovas Finalize 2025 Roster, Prepare for Home Opener on January 10

Sports stats



 Omaha Supernovas

Supernovas Finalize 2025 Roster, Prepare for Home Opener on January 10

January 8, 2025 - Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF)
Omaha Supernovas News Release


2025 Omaha Supernovas
2025 Omaha Supernovas
(Omaha Supernovas)

OMAHA, Neb. - The Omaha Supernovas, Nebraska's professional volleyball team and first Pro Volleyball Champions, are thrilled to unveil its roster for the upcoming 2025 season, which begins with the home opener against the Atlanta Vibe for Banner Night on Friday, January 10 at the CHI Health Center at 7 p.m. CST.

Omaha's roster to begin the new season includes a mix of Olympians, NCAA National Champions, All-Americans and International medal winners. The Supernovas are proud to present the following players for its finalized roster:

Number Name Position College / Country

1 Natalia Valentin-Anderson Setter Florida International / Puerto Rico

4 (R) Valeria Vazquez Gomez Outside Hitter Pittsburgh / Puerto Rico

5 Brooke Nuneviller Outside Hitter Oregon

6 (R) Kendra Wait Setter Creighton

8 Reagan Cooper Outside Hitter Kansas / Texas Tech / Washington State

9 Mac Podraza Setter Ohio State / Penn State

10 Camila Gómez Libero Texas A&M / Columbia

11 Kelsie Payne Opposite Kansas

14 (R) Ally Batenhorst Outside Hitter USC / Nebraska

17 (R) Phoebe Awoleye Middle Blocker Minnesota / LMU / Georgia

20 (R) Allison Whitten Libero Creighton / Morehead State

21 (R) Toyosi Onabanjo Middle Blocker Kansas / Iowa

22 (R) Lindsay Krause Outside Hitter Nebraska

23 Kaitlyn Hord Middle Blocker Nebraska / Penn State

27 Emily Londot Opposite Ohio State

28 Kayla Caffey Middle Blocker Texas / Nebraska / Missouri

The Supernovas return two of its stars from the inaugural championship-winning squad in 2024 as All-PVF first team selection Brooke Nuneviller is back in Omaha for a second season. She was sixth in the league in digs per set (3.32) and eighth in kills per set (3.33) last season, showing off her two-way play. Setter and Puerto Rico Olympian Natalia Valentín-Anderson gives the Supernovas a veteran presence as a 16-year pro and one of the best defensive setters in the PVF with 2.87 digs per set in 21 matches last year.

Reigning PVF Rookie of the Year Reagan Cooper highlights the Supernovas free agent acquisitions after leading the Columbus Fury in both kills (339) and kills per set (4.13) in her debut season. Those marks were fourth and third in the league overall. A two-time, first-team All-American at Kansas, opposite Kelsie Payne comes to Omaha after playing in Italy last spring, which is considered one of the top pro leagues in the world.

A pair of former Nebraska volleyball middle blockers return to the Cornhusker state in Kayla Caffey and Kaitlyn Hord. Caffey played for the Grand Rapids Rise in 2024, who the Supernovas defeated to win the PVF title in Omaha. Hord played alongside Cooper in Columbus, finishing fourth in hitting percentage (.332) with 111 kills. Three-time All-American setter Mac Podraza came over with Caffey from Grand Rapids to join Valentín-Anderson in the position group.

Defensively, Omaha signed a pair of free agents to fill the libero position, which is led by Columbian National Team veteran Camila Gómez -- who also played for the Rise in 2024. She recorded 187 digs in 21 matches last season and has won 11 career medals with Columbia. Joining Gómez is former Creighton little Allison Whitten, who finished her five-year college career with nearly 2,300 digs.

Focusing on youth for the 2025 roster, the Supernovas will introduce a eight-player rookie class, who will all make their pro debuts on January 10. A quartet of in-state connections lead the pack with former Bluejays Kendra Wait and Whitten as well as former Husker outside hitters Lindsay Krause and Ally Batenhorst. Wait became the first Creighton Volleyball player in program history to be named an AVCA first-team All-American in December, while Batenhorst earned an honorable mention accolade. It's full circle for Krause, who grew up in Omaha, leading Omaha Skutt Catholic to four-straight state championships. While Krause was at Nebraska, the Huskers reached two NCAA National Championship matches and three NCAA Semifinals in four seasons.

Omaha's first-round pick Toyosi Onbanjo comes from Kansas where she also earned All-American honorable mention honors after averaging 2.58 kills per set and 123 total blocks. Opposite Emily Londot had a prolific career at Ohio State, amassing three All-American awards and 2,606.5 career points. Outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez just wrapped up her college career at Pittsburgh where she helped the Panthers to four-straight NCAA National Semifinal appearances. Former Minnesota Golden Gopher Phoebe Awoleye was one of the top defensive middle blockers in the country during her career, posting 1.48 blocks per set (173 total) in her final season.

14 players will be assigned to the active roster with two designated as practice players with both rookies and non-rookies eligible to become practice players.




Images from this story

2025 Omaha Supernovas
2025 Omaha Supernovas

  

• Discuss this story on the Pro Volleyball Federation message board...

Pro Volleyball Federation Stories from January 8, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central