League One Volleyball (LOVB) today announced the formation of its Advisory Board to guide the organization’s next phase of growth.
The Board will provide strategic counsel, industry expertise, and hands-on support to advance LOVB’s mission: elevating the sport, expanding access, and creating more opportunities for women and athletes nationwide while driving commercial and cultural success.
LOVB has developed a model unique to American sports: a fully connected national ecosystem that fuels participation, develops talent, connects grassroots volleyball to the professional stage, and engages and grows communities of volleyball fans. Advisory Board members will support the scaling of LOVB’s youth club community and developmental programs, market and commercial expansion of the pro league, and advancement of the LOVB Foundation’s work to expand equity and access.
This announcement follows LOVB’s recent partnership with SKIMS, and the launch of its first two professional team ownership groups — G9 Ventures, Bolt Ventures and Spurs Sports & Entertainment with LOVB Austin, and Jordan Larson and JE Dunn Construction Group’s investment subsidiary for LOVB Nebraska — marking a pivotal summer for LOVB.
The LOVB Advisory Board includes:
- Chad Biagini - President, Excel Search & Advisory
- Lynne Frank – Sports, Media and Entertainment Executive
- Foluke Gunderson – Trailblazing Volleyball Champion
- Nico Harrison – General Manager, Dallas Mavericks
- Warde Manuel – Director of Athletics, University of Michigan
- Salima Rockwell – Head Coach, Notre Dame / Commentator, U.S. WNT
- Derek Schiller – President & CEO, Atlanta Braves
- Maggie Schmerin – Chief Advertising Officer, United Airlines
- Mike Whan – CEO, United States Golf Association
“LOVB isn’t building a pro league or a network of youth clubs – we are building a community centered around championing the sport and everyone who plays it,” said Peter Hirschmann, LOVB Executive Chairman and Co-Founder. “Our Advisory Board brings the vision, expertise, and creativity needed to realize the impact volleyball can have on players of any age, from first-time players to world champions. Together, we will unlock the sport’s full potential, drive innovation, and ensure volleyball becomes one of America’s most celebrated and accessible sports.”
With 46 million volleyball fans in the U.S., LOVB operates the nation’s largest youth platform, serving over 22,000 junior athletes and 3,000 coaches in 28 states. Building on that foundation, LOVB launched its pro league — featuring championship-caliber athletes, elite coaches, and world-class staff — which will return for its second season in January 2026, with the Advisory Board helping shape its growth and impact.
LOVB is backed by a diverse group of high-profile investors from across sports, business, and entertainment, whose belief in the organization’s mission and growth model continues to fuel its momentum. To date, LOVB has raised $160 million dollars from investors including Lindsey Vonn (Olympic Skiing Gold Medalist), Candace Parker (WNBA champion and two time MVP and her daughter Lailaa, Amy Schumer, G9 Ventures, Linda Henry (Partner in Fenway Sports Group), Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s Boardroom Sports Holdings and Chelsea Handler. LOVB is also backed by prominent sports-dedicated investment funds, including David Blitzer’s Bolt Ventures, Ariel Investment’s Project Level, Ares Management Fund, Left Lane Capital and Verance Capital.
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