Omaha Signs Global Volleyball Pros – de la Cruz & Vuchkova
Omaha, Neb. – In cooperation with the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), Nebraska Pro Volleyball is bringing a women’s professional team to Omaha. Today, the Omaha-based team added two world-class, highly decorated international players to the already talented and experienced roster. The Omaha team has signed superstar Olympian Bethania “Betty” de la Cruz from the Dominican Republic, and volleyball icon middle blocker Hristina (Ruseva) Vuchkova from Bulgaria. The superstar duo has an impressive combined 34 professional seasons as award-winning players in several of the world’s top leagues.
Shelton Collier, head coach of the Omaha team said, “Our roster plan from the start was to sign a talented core group of players from here in the USA, then secure two experienced high-level international players to complete this initial wave of recruiting. We are proud to say that we have now accomplished this goal. With Betty and Hristina, we have two players who have proven they can win and be individual stars in some of the best professional leagues in the world, so certainly we will look forward to them bringing their talents and experience to our Omaha squad in January.”
On signing to the Omaha team for Nebraska Pro Volleyball, de la Cruz shared, “I am very excited to be playing for Omaha in the new Pro Volleyball Federation. I have heard so many good things about the coach, the team, and the amazing support in Omaha, and I look forward to coming to play there in January. I am confident that we will have a very strong team in our first season together. I know several Omaha players from playing with them previously in the Athletes Unlimited league, so that makes me comfortable joining this team, as well.”
With 19 seasons of successful international experience, de la Cruz has won multiple awards as both an outside hitter and an opposite hitter. Throughout her career, she has been voted as league MVP in the top international leagues in Japan, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and South Korea. She was also MVP of the Olympic Qualification Tournament in 2021 and was selected best outside hitter in the NORCECA Championships in 2021. As a star player in the Athletes Unlimited (AU) league, de la Cruz has numerous successes, including being the top scorer and top server in 2021. In the 2022 Pan Am Games, she received awards for best spiker, best outside hitter, and best server.
Coach Collier said, “It is really rewarding for all of us that Betty has officially chosen to play for Omaha. It is tremendous to have a player of her award-winning caliber join our team in PVF’s first season. We appreciate that she has a goal of helping her Dominican team qualify for the Olympic Games in 2024, and we are so pleased she will be proudly playing for Omaha during our inaugural campaign.”
On signing to play for the Omaha-based professional team, Vuchkova shared, “I’ve played professional volleyball for many years in several countries, and it was a dream of mine to have a chance to someday play in America, so this opportunity with the PVF, playing for Nebraska Pro Volleyball, is very exciting for me and my family. We are looking forward to coming to Omaha and I am eager to help our team win a championship in our first year together.”
Having begun her volleyball career under her maiden name, Hristina Ruseva, Vuchkova married in 2019. She has competed for 15 seasons in a wide range of top international professional leagues around the world. She is regarded as one of the best blockers in the world, and has won numerous awards for her performance, including this most recent season, being voted best blocker in China’s professional league, Chinese Volleyball Super League. She was named the best blocker in the 2021 European Championships and in Turkey’s top league, Sultanlar Ligi (Sultans League), in 2020. She was also selected as best spiker, best blocker, and MVP at the Balkan Volleyball Association (BVA) Cup in 2019.
Coach Collier said of Vuchkova, “It is awesome for our Omaha team that we were able to attract a middle blocker with this level of award-winning experience. I’ve watched many hours of video of her playing at the highest levels of competition, and she is truly remarkable with her instincts and ability to block and hit at a high level. She will be an amazing addition to our roster with her elite skills and high level of experience.”
With the signing of de la Cruz and Vuchkova, the Omaha roster now stands at 12 players. Nebraska Pro Volleyball’s Omaha team roster, to date, is Bethania de la Cruz, Tori Dixon, Danielle Hart, Sydney Hilley, Gina Mancuso-Prososki, Brooke Nuneviller, Yossiana Pressley, Nia Reed, Natalia Valentín-Anderson, Hristina Vuchkova, Lindsey Vander Weide and Kendall White.
Coach Collier was announced as Omaha’s head coach in late May. In just a few weeks, Nebraska Pro Volleyball has impressively assembled an award winning and talented twelve-player roster that, in addition to Vuchkova and de la Cruz, includes nine collegiate All-America players, many who have had USA National Team experience, and all 12 with professional experiences playing in high level international leagues.
The PVF is expected to launch its first season in early 2024. Six of the team markets have been announced: Omaha, Atlanta, San Diego, Orlando, Grand Rapids and Columbus, and are currently building their teams.
ABOUT NEBRASKA PRO VOLLEYBALL
Nebraska Pro Volleyball aims to be the premier home of women’s volleyball throughout the world. The Omaha-based team is owned by global music sensation Jason Derulo and entrepreneurs Danny White and Chris Erickson, Co-Founders of City+Ventures, an investment and business acceleration organization headquartered in Omaha. Having been named one of the fastest growing companies in Nebraska and the U.S., City+Ventures pursues opportunities focused on investing in people and communities. For more information, visit city-ventures.com.
As an international household name with more than 100 million followers across popular social media platforms, Derulo has sold more than 250 million singles worldwide, achieving 15 platinum singles. He joins Taylor Swift, Elton John, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Maroon 5, and Christina Aguilera as the only artists in history to achieve a #1 single on U.S. Pop Radio in three decades. Those wishing to be a part of Nebraska Pro Volleyball can email jrwang@city-ventures.com.
ABOUT PRO VOLLEYBALL FEDERATION
Pro Volleyball Federation is REAL pro volleyball and the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America. Pro Volleyball Federation will begin play in January 2024 with world class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players and elite players from around the world. Our entire focus is on ensuring that our level and quality of play, our treatment of players, the quality of our event presentations, and our day-to-day fan experience is world class and the very best offered in North America. Those wishing to become a part of Pro Volleyball Federation, whether as a player, coach, team owner, investor, sponsor, vendor, media company, or host venue, can email info@provolleyball.com.
