LOVB Boosts Pro Team Roster with Signings of Danielle Cuttino, Madi Kingdon Rishel, Jaali Winters and Tamaki Matsui

Following the league’s signings of US National team outside hitters Sarah Wilhite Parsons and Roni Jones-Perry, and French national team middle blocker Christina Bauer, LOVB today added even more firepower to its inspirational roster with the signings of four more internationally recognized athletes - All-American and US National Team opposite hitter Danielle Cuttino, US National Team outside hitter Madi Kingdon Rishel, Creighton University’s most decorated player Jaali Winters, and previous Women's World Youth Championships Best Setter, Tamaki Matsui. As the league continues to deliberately and methodically lay the right groundwork for its pre-season following the 2024 Paris Olympics, each of these athletes are destined to bring an unprecedented level of play to LOVB Pro, with team assignments to be announced later this year.

“There is a reason why LOVB continues to attract the best players in our sport,” said Tom Hogan, director of sport for LOVB Pro.“Not only are Madi, Danielle, Jaali and Tamaki all standouts, they also deeply believe in our mission of providing women with more opportunities through the sport of volleyball. With passion fueling their desire to play, LOVB is destined to deliver fans a game day experience never seen before in the US.”

Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Cuttino was an athletic standout, playing on the U.S. Junior National team and considered the 10th ranked recruit in her graduating class. At Purdue, she was named to the Big Team All-Freshman team and was named an All-American her senior year. She joined the US National Team in 2019, where she won gold at the 2019 Pan-American Volleyball Cup, and in 2021, she served as captain when the team won the bronze. She’s been playing professionally in Turkey for Galatasaray.

"I am so grateful to be apart of this league. To finally have the chance to play the sport I love and be close to family and friends is a blessing, " said Cuttino. "I thank God for this opportunity for not only me, but everyone involved. I’m so excited to showcase the talent we have in the States!"

Kingdon Rishel, who hails originally from Phoenix, Arizona, has been a member of the US National Team since 2016. Her accolades include gold at the 2019, 2017 and 2016 Pan American Cups, and being named "Best Spiker" as part of that 2016 Pan American Cup winning team. She has also represented the U.S. on the Women's Collegiate and Women's Junior National teams. During the 2014-2015 season, Madi was the only player in the country to receive both Indoor and Sand All-American honors, while she was playing for the University of Arizona. She’s been playing professionally for clubs in Turkey, Beijing, Korea, Azerbaijan and most recently in Italy.

"I am so grateful that professional volleyball is happening in the US and that I get to be a part of it with LOVB!" said Kingdon Rishel. "Being able to continue my volleyball career while being closer to family and friends is an actual dream. I am excited join the LOVB community and to help grow this league into something amazing."

An outside hitter from Ankeny, Iowa, Winters is a four-time All-American from Creighton University, where she remains the program's most decorated athlete ever, breaking over 90 school records. She was Creighton’s first two-time Academic All-American and the first player in the past 20 years to be named two-time Big East Championship MVP.  She has played professionally in Spain, Greece, and most recently in France.

A setter from Chiba, Japan, Matsui has played professionally in the Japanese Division 1 V-League since 2021 where she has won the Fresh Star Award and the V-Summer League championship. In college, she was named Best Setter of the Kanto University Autumn League, and won MVP of the Kanto Spring League. She was also named Best Setter as part of the Women's World Youth Championships in 2017, and won the gold medal at the 2019 Asian Championship Games.

Founded in 2020, LOVB built the largest volleyball club business in the United States, in just four years, and has its pro league launching in November 2024.  LOVB has been deliberate in its approach, focusing on building from the ground-up versus top-down like other leagues. By focusing on building its club business first and then strategically choosing markets where it can tie its pro teams to its clubs, LOVB is creating a real pathway for American professional volleyball to be built from the grassroots-up, and opportunities for club players to train alongside professional athletes, a first in American sports.

To enable LOVB’s Founding Athletes to focus on defending their 2020 Olympic gold medal, LOVB Pro is intentionally starting its inaugural season after the 2024 Paris Olympics. Pre-season will start in November 2024, with first serve in January 2025 and the LOVB Pro Championships in April 2025, with teams in the volleyball-obsessed markets of Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Madison, Omaha, and Salt Lake to start.