Sauer Selected in Inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation College Draft

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Former University of Houston outside hitter Kenna Sauer was selected with the 18^th overall (third round, fourth pick) selection by Grand Rapids Rise in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) draft on Monday.

Sauer, who joined Houston as a graduate transfer from Texas Tech in the 2023 season, posted a .234 hitting percentage with the Cougars, earning a team-leading 377 kills and 30 service aces. She earned both All-Big 12 First Team honors and AVCA All-Southwest Region accolades in her final collegiate season.

Sauer led the Cougars in six statistical categories: kills, kills per set (3.66), service aces, service aces per set (0.29), points (437.0) and points per set (4.24). A starter in every match, she led Houston with 10 double-doubles and tallied double-digit kill performances in 21 of Houston's matches in 2023. Sauer also played exceptional defensively, tallying 288 digs and 53 blocks. Sauer ranked at seventh in points per set and ninth in kills per set in the Big 12.

Sauer wasHouston's fourth Top-20 draft pick since 2010, joining Men's Basketball's Jarace Walker (eighth, 2023) and Football's DJ Hayden (12^th, 2013) and Ed Oliver (ninth, 2019).

Houston now has multiple ties to the Grand Rapids Rise, as former Houston Head Coach Bill Walton was named the team's associate head coach in July.

The PVF, branding itself as REAL pro volleyball, begins its inaugural season on Jan. 24, 2024. The league currently consists of seven teams: Atlanta Vibe, Columbus Fury, Grand Rapids Rise, Omaha Supernova, Orlando Valkyries, San Diego Mojo and an unnamed team in Las Vegas. The league will also add teams in Dallas, Kansas City and Indianapolis in 2025.

The teams will play a 24-match schedule culminating in a four-team championship weekend in mid-May with two semifinal matches before the title contest.

The league has multiple professional athlete and celebrity backers, including three-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, volleyball superstars Dr. Cecile Reynaud, Laurie Corbelli and Jenna Rosenthal, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer and singer Jason Derulo.

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