MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Sports) – K-State middle blocker Sydney Bolding became the program’s first-ever draft pick Monday afternoon, as she was selected 11th overall by the Grand Rapids Rise in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation draft.
A native of Pickens, S.C., Bolding was the fourth selection of the second round, and was one of eight players from the Big 12 Conference to be picked in the inaugural draft.
Bolding’s selection caps a season that included being named AVCA First Team All-Region, as well as being named Second Team All-Big 12 for the second consecutive season.
“Sydney has worked exceptionally hard to become one of the top middles in the country, and I’m thrilled that Grand Rapids recognized her talent,” K-State head coach Jason Mansfield said.
“She’s not only a skilled player but also an outstanding teammate with amazing leadership skills that will immediately help the culture of this new team. I’m so excited to see her continued growth and success in the future of volleyball!”
Bolding finished the regular season as the Big 12’s leader in total blocks with 134 and was second in the league with a block average of 1.40, finishing 35th and 12th in the nation in both categories. She was third on the team with 157 kills and second with 28 service aces.
The 6-foot-5 middle blocker ends her career at K-State second in program history in the rally-scoring era (since 2001) with a 1.30 block average and seventh with 354 total blocks. She finished 10th overall with 330 career block assists.
Bolding saw action in all but six matches during her three-year career at K-State, amassing 279 sets in 78 matches. Additionally, Bolding totaled 468 kills,71 service aces and 728 career points.
The Grand Rapids-based organization was the first addition to the newly formed Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF). The Rise will open the inaugural season on January 25, 2024, at the Van Andel Arena against the Columbus Fury.
The premier women’s professional volleyball league includes former professional football quarterback Trent Dilfer as a founding partner. Jen Spicher will serve as the league’s CEO while Cecile Reynaud, a member of the USA Volleyball Hall of Fame who spent 26 years as the head coach at Florida State University, will serve as vice president of volleyball operations.
In addition to Grand Rapids and Columbus, the PVF will debut five other organizations in its inaugural year which include: Atlanta, Omaha, Orlando, San Diego, and Las Vegas. Rosters will include 14 players with the league’s regular season consisting of 24 matches in the inaugural year.
For more information on the Pro Volleyball Federation, click HERE.
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