How LOVB Athletes Keep Their Heads in the Game Ahead of Championship

It’s a sentiment echoed by Salt Lake City’s Serena Gray, who detailed how her team is focused on making the most of their time together.

“There's a little bit of just enjoying the moment,” she said. “Having no expectations and just wanting to have the best time and cherish this little time we have left with this group we've had for two years.”

But this is not to say any of the athletes are just waltzing into the championship games: Even though  Austin won last year, team member Madisen Skinner knows there is a battle ahead.  

“I really haven't had a chance to actually sit with that idea,” she admitted of the prospect of Austin being back-to-back champions. “We still have a lot of volleyball ahead of us. If that's what happens—amazing, and I think we're going to be super stoked. But we have a great Salt Lake team ahead of us, so making sure we're locked in on the volleyball side of it and not getting too far ahead of ourselves is key.”

Because these athletes all know that this is when history is being made—especially with LOVB in only its second season. 

“For me,” said Austin’s Zoe Jarvis, “joining this league in year one, I wanted to be on the ground floor of something that I think is going to last for a long time, and to be able to tell my kids about this cool thing that I was part of.”

So, walking away with that inaugural season title “was so cool. Literally written in the history books.”

As for winning back-to-back? “I want to tell my children about doing that,” she noted. “That's what I'm here for.”

And her teammate Leah Hardeman wants to prove Austin has what it takes to bring the heat year after year. 

“We won the first one,” she said, “and it kind of was a ‘fluke’ for a lot of people, so I feel like we are definitely running it back. Just to be here  is amazing, but to do it two times would be the cherry on top.”

To follow LOVB’s epic conclusion, tune into USA Network—or catch the spikes in person: Tickets are available on LOVB’s website. 

(E! and USA Network are both part of the Versant Media family.)