Former Huskers Wong-Orantes, Cook sign with new U.S. pro league

Until recently, there were no opportunities to play women’s professional volleyball in the United States, but that’s already changed and more pro leagues should be coming in the next two years.

The latest startup U.S. professional league is League One Volleyball, and on Tuesday the group announced the signing of its first athletes. They are Kelsey (Robinson) Cook and Justine Wong-Orantes, the former Huskers who played on the United States women’s national team that won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympics.

Cook and Wong-Orantes have joined other Americans playing in Europe and Asia throughout their pro careers.

The plan is for League One Volleyball to begin playing matches soon after the 2024 Olympics and for it to be a full-season league. It wasn’t announced which cities the teams will play in.

League One Volleyball is a different group than the Pro Volleyball Federation which last month announced plans for a league that would begin play in February 2024. It recently announced its first team would be in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Last year, Athletes Unlimited launched a short-season league played exclusively in Texas that has included former Huskers Jordan Larson, Kelly Hunter, Briana Holman and Lauren Stivrins.

League One Volleyball picked Cook and Wong-Orantes as its first athletes for both their excellence on the court and their leadership in the sport.

“(League One Volleyball) has brought together eight of the most recognized players to meet regularly and discuss everything from our big picture needs to the most nuanced details,” Wong-Orantes said in a news release. “As an athlete, it’s rare to have the opportunity to shape the face of a sports league, and I’m thrilled to be getting in on the ground floor.”

League One Volleyball already has millions of dollars in funding and its investors include Billie Jean King and Kevin Durant.