GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Rise on Monday selected five college players in the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft, which was held virtually. Each team made picks in their respective home cities, with a live feed broadcast on PVF’s YouTube channel.
The draft lasted five rounds with 40 total selections, and the first three picks were Merritt Beason from Nebraska to the Atlanta Vibe, Anna DeBeer from Louisville to the Indy Ignite, and Norah Sis from Creighton to the Orlando Valkyries. Atlanta traded up with Indy to make the first overall pick.
The Rise’s first selection came at No. 7 overall where head coach and VP of volleyball operations Cathy George, along with her coaching staff, picked middle blocker Raven Colvin from Purdue.
Grand Rapids went on to make four more selections: Naya Shime (2nd round, 13th overall), Camryn Turner (3rd round, 22nd overall), Elena Oglivie (4th round, 29th overall), and Jess Mruzik (5th round, 40th overall).
“The draft went great,” George said. “I’m really excited about how the Grand Rapids Rise fared. We not only got great players, but great human beings. I can’t wait to see what they can bring to our team.”
These five draftees can now sign with Grand Rapids and join the 12 players who have already signed, competing for one of the 14 spots available on the active roster.
The Rise added the following five players through the draft:
Raven Colvin (1st round, 7th overall) – MB, Purdue
The 6-foot-1 middle blocker from Indianapolis, Indiana, earned AVCA All-America Honorable Mention and All-Big Ten First Team honors in 2023 at Purdue. During her four-year college career, she has amassed 960 kills in 123 matches (444 sets) with a .308 hitting percentage for the No. 8-ranked Boilermakers. She also has accumulated 106 career aces. Colvin was an AVCA regional honorable mention and All-Big Ten Second Team selection in 2022. She also made the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Colvin is the daughter of two-time Super Bowl champion, Rosevelt “Rosie” Colvin, who spent 10 years in the NFL, playing for the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.
“She is an exceptional athlete, who comes from an athletic family,” George said about Colvin. “She has this mentality and skill, and just plays like a professional with the way she thinks and goes about her business. It’s really second to none.”
Naya Shime (2nd round, 13th overall) – OPP, Southern Methodist
The 6-foot-0 opposite hitter from Casper, Wyoming, has recorded 330 kills, 171 digs, and 106 blocks in 100 sets played for the Mustangs in 2024 so far. She spent three seasons at Wyoming (2021-22) before transferring to SMU for her final two collegiate seasons. The Mustangs are currently the No. 10-ranked team in the country with a 23-6 overall record and an eight-match winning streak. As a junior at Wyoming, Shime produced 270 kills (3.03 per set) and 32 blocks. Shime was also a standout in high school, earning three-time all-state honors and leading Riverton to a regional championship.
“She is one of the main attackers for SMU and is having a very strong season,” George said about Shime. “She has been turning heads. I love how she plays, but I also loved talking with her on the phone and getting to know her better. She will be a great addition to our team.”
Camryn Turner (3rd round, 22nd overall) – S, Kansas
The 5-foot-8 setter from Topeka, Kansas, is coming off back-to-back seasons with over 1,000 assists for the Kansas Jayhawks. Turner, the 2023 Big 12 Setter of the Year, finished her four-year college career with 3,758 assists, 1,067 digs, 279 kills, 185 blocks, and 67 aces. She was an AVCA All-American Honorable Mention in 2023. Kansas is ranked No. 11 in the country with a 23-3 overall record. Prior to Kansas, she was an All-State two-sport athlete (volleyball and basketball) at Seaman High School in Topeka, Kansas.
“There was a lot of really good setters in the draft,” George said. “With Cam, we really got to know her and what she brings to her team at Kansas — how she leads, how she interacts with others, but also her speed and athleticism. She has been a key contributor to the success Kansas has had this season.”
Elena Oglivie (4th round, 29th overall) – L, Stanford
The 5-foot-10 libero from Honolulu, Hawaii, is playing her fifth season for Stanford. The lengthy libero is 16 digs shy of 2,000 for her career. The two-time Pac-12 Libero of the Year (2022, 2023) is averaging 3.9 digs per set this season to anchor the defense for No. 7-ranked Stanford (21-4), which is currently riding a seven-match win streak and is 11-0 at home this season. Stanford is also the two-time defending Pac-12 champions. Oglivie picked up a season-high 517 digs during the 2022 season.
“Having played at Stanford, she has a lot of championship experience,” George said about Oglivie. “She will bring this focus and skill we are looking for. She is polished in everything that she does, and that will really help with her consistency.”
Jess Mruzik (5th round, 40th overall) – OH, Penn State
The 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Livonia, Michigan, as a two-time AVCA All-American for No. 4-ranked Penn State. She has racked up 419 kills on 1,103 attack attempts this season after putting down a career-high 519 kills a season ago. Mruzik started her collegiate career at Michigan and played three seasons for the Wolverines (2020-22) before joining the Nittany Lions (2023-24). She ranks 36th in the country with 4.28 kills per set this season and had a season-high 29 kills against Ohio State on Oct. 18.
“Jess is one of the top athletes in the country,” George said. “She is a Michigander, and we have watched Jess since she was a little girl. She is an outstanding player and individual. We would love to have her here.”
The full list of selections in the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft can be found here.
Any player drafted on Monday had to be at least 18 years or older on the day of the draft and must be defined as a college player. A “college player” is a female volleyball player who is:
- Enrolled in a four-year college or university in the United States and who (i) will not graduate prior to August 2024 and (ii) has remaining eligibility to play collegiately during the 2024 college indoor volleyball season; OR
- Enrolled in a two-year junior college or community college in the United States and who (i) will not graduate prior to August 2024 and (ii) has remaining eligibility to play collegiately during the 2024 college indoor volleyball season.
Any athlete who met the criteria above was eligible to be drafted. Players were not required to declare for the draft. Any player drafted can elect to return to college if she has remaining eligibility and she decides not to sign with her Pro Volleyball Federation team.
The 2025 PVF regular season gets underway for Grand Rapids on Friday, Jan. 10, when the Rise travel to Vegas to face the Thrill at 10 p.m. The Rise home opener at Van Andel Arena is two days later on Jan. 12 against the defending champion Omaha Supernovas.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - X (formerly Twitter) - Instagram - YouTube
