| National Volleyball Association | |
| Upcoming Season: | 2024 NVA season |
| Pixels: | 150px |
| Sport: | Volleyball |
| Headquarters: | 3100 Airway Ave Costa Mesa, CA 92626 |
| Inaugural: | 2018 |
| Teams: | 12 |
| Country: | United States |
| Continent: | North America |
| Champion: | Orange County Stunners (2nd title) |
| Streaming: | NVA TV |
| Website: | nvausa.com |
The National Volleyball Association (NVA) is a professional indoor volleyball league in the United States. The league comprises 12 teams and is one of the top-level sports leagues below the major leagues among lacrosse, rugby, and indoor soccer. It has become one of the premier men's professional leagues globally, holding the best talent that the United States has to offer.
The league was founded in Costa Mesa, California, in 2017. The NVA's regular season runs from March to August, with each team playing nine games during the regular season. As of 2021, NVA players became the first volleyball athletes to have paid salaries in a Men's American Volleyball league outside of Puerto Rico.
The NVA is an active partner with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), which collaborates with the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the Olympic team. The league office and some individual team offices operate out of NVA's headquarters in Costa Mesa.
NVA's 2020 season was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, two new teams joined the league, the Chicago Untouchables and the Dallas Tornadoes.[1]
Then in 2022, the Seattle Sasquatch and Colorado Kraken brought the league to a total of 12 teams.
Entering the 2023 season, three new teams joined the league including, the Puerto Rico Pythons, Philadelphia Founders, and San Diego Wild. These teams took the place of the Tornadoes, Kraken, and Sasquatch.
The OC Stunners are the reigning champions, beating San Diego Wild 3–0 in the 2023 NVA Championship Cup Finals becoming the first team to obtain two National Titles with the NVA.[2] [3] [4] [5]
National Volleyball Association's 12 teams are divided between the National and American Conferences.
| Conference | Team | Location | Division | Joined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Conference | Chicago Untouchables | Chicago, Illinois | Central | 2021 |
| Los Angeles Blaze | Los Angeles, California | Central | 2018 | |
| Texas Tyrants | Lewisville, Texas | Central | 2018 | |
| Orange County Stunners | Costa Mesa, California | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Team Freedom | Fairfield, New Jersey | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Puerto Rico Pythons | San Juan, Puerto Rico | Coastal | 2023 | |
| American Conference | San Diego Wild | San Diego, California | Central | 2023 |
| Philadelphia Founders | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Central | 2023 | |
| Utah Stingers | Salt Lake City, Utah | Central | 2018 | |
| Las Vegas Ramblers | Coastal | 2018 | ||
| Ontario Matadors | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Coastal | 2018 | |
| Southern Exposure | Gainesville, Florida | Coastal | 2018 |
The regular season starts in March and goes through to August. Each team plays ten games at different exhibition locations. A team faces each of its opponents in its division two times a year (four games). Each team plays the three teams from the other division in their conference (American or National Conference) and then another three teams from one division in the opposing conference (six games). This asymmetrical structure means the strength of schedule will vary between teams. Over the seasons, each team will have played seven games against their conference and three from their opposing conference.
The NVA Cup Championship playoffs begin in August after the regular season with the top four teams in each conference, regardless of divisional alignment. Seeds are awarded in strict order of the regular-season record (with the FIVB point system to decide tiebreakers as needed). The playoffs follow a single-elimination tournament format. Losers from the semi-final matches are eliminated from the championship match but play in the bronze medal match. The winner of the NVA Finals receives the NVA Cup Trophy. In addition, the league awards the Most Valuable Player Award to the best-performing player of the championship event and seven awards for the best-performing player of each position during the regular season.
| Year | Champion | Runner–up | Third place | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Team Pineapple | Arizona Sizzle | Icemen | |
| 2019 | Team LVC | Team Pineapple | Orange County Stunners | |
| 2020 | Utah Stingers | Orange County Stunners | Las Vegas Ramblers | |
| 2021 | Orange County Stunners | Las Vegas Ramblers | Utah Stingers | |
| 2022 | Las Vegas Ramblers | Orange County Stunners | Texas Tyrants | |
| 2023 | Orange County Stunners | San Diego Wild | Texas Tyrants |