On Thursday, Dec. 18, the women’s professional indoor volleyball league announced it’s expanding to the Bay Area with the LOVB San Francisco franchise, bringing the total number of teams in the league to nine by 2027.
LOVB San Francisco has a women-led ownership group that features several Olympians, including three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsey Robinson Cook. Cook was the first player to commit to LOVB and led Atlanta to a league-best 13-3 record in its inaugural season.
‘Being part of the founding of LOVB has been one of the great honors of my career,’ Cook said in a statement shared with USA TODAY Sports. ‘Helping launch LOVB San Francisco feels like the next chapter in that same purpose-driven journey.’
LOVB (pronounced ‘love’) hosted its inaugural season earlier this year with six teams: LOVB Atlanta, LOVB Austin, LOVB Houston, LOVB Madison, LOVB Nebraska (formerly LOVB Omaha) and LOVB Salt Lake. LOVB Austin swept LOVB Nebraska (25-19, 25-22, 25-23) in the 2025 LOVB Finals and opposite hitter Madisen Skinner was named Finals MVP.
The second season will begin on Jan. 7, 2026, but the field of teams will expand from six to nine in 2027 during the league’s third season, with the addition of LOVB Los Angeles, LOVB Minnesota and LOVB San Francisco.
‘We built LOVB to reshape what’s possible for volleyball players in this country, and bringing a pro team to one of the sport’s strongest and most passionate communities is a dream come true,’ Cook said. ‘I can’t wait to help cultivate a home where athletes, fans and future Olympians feel seen, supported, and inspired – and where volleyball is celebrated at the highest level.”
LOVB San Francisco’s ownership group is made up of a mix of athletes – Abby Wambach, Natalie Coughlin, Leslie Osborne, Brandi Chastain, Danielle Slaton, Lindsey Napela Berg, Alix Klineman, Alysia Montaño, Julia Falk O’Leary, Meghan O’Leary, Adlee Kass, Brianna Salvatore Dueck and Ricky Lewis – as well as creatives (Glennon Doyle and Arielle Chambers) and entrepreneurs (Jes Wolfe, Chantell Preston, Amy Banse, Julie Smith, Sheila Tran, Kate Johnson, Rebecca Van Dyke, Janell Fischer and Zack Kass).
‘This ownership group represents everything LOVB stands for – women leading with vision, intention, and a deep belief in what’s possible when we invest in each other,’ LOVB Pro president Rosie Spaulding said in a statement. ‘These leaders have broken barriers in boardrooms, on the court, and across culture. Their commitment to LOVB San Francisco reflects our mission to build a new model for women’s sports – one powered by community, opportunity, and a pipeline that elevates athletes from their very first serve to the pro stage.’
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