Leah Edmond and Morgan Hentz received position awards; Lazareva and Monserez receive accolades
OMAHA, Neb. – Four members of the Atlanta Vibe pro volleyball team claimed individual postseason awards following the 2024 Inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation season, with Leah Edmond being recognized as the Outside Hitter of the Year and Morgan Hentz earning the Libero of the Year honor. Both Edmond and Hentz are Atlanta’s franchise-tagged players, and have led the league in their respective positions throughout the season to lead the Vibe to a 2024 Regular Season Championship. They join opposite Anna Lazareva on the All-League First Team, and setter Marlie Monserez headlines the league Second Team.
2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Awards
Outside Hitter of the Year: Leah Edmond, Atlanta Vibe
Middle Blocker of the Year: Kaz Brown, Orlando Valkyries
Setter of the Year: Nootsara Tomkom, San Diego Mojo
Libero of the Year: Morgan Hentz, Atlanta Vibe
Opposite Hitter of the Year: Emiliya Dimitrova, Grand Rapids Rise
Best Server of the Year: Bethania De La Cruz, Omaha Supernovas
Most Inspirational Player Award: Alisha Glass Childress, Vegas Thrill
Rising Star Award: Reagan Cooper, Columbus Fury
First Team
Leah Edmond, Atlanta Vibe, OH
Morgan Hentz, Atlanta Vibe, L
Anna Lazareva, Atlanta Vibe, OPP
Claire Chaussee, Grand Rapids Rise, OH
Emiliya Dimitrova, Grand Rapids Rise, OPP
Bethania De La Cruz, Omaha Supernovas, OH
Brooke Nuneviller, Omaha Supernovas, OH
Second Team
Marlie Monserez, Atlanta Vibe, S
Reagan Cooper, Columbus Fury, OH
Hristina Vuchkova, Omaha Supernovas, MB
Kaz Brown, Orlando Valkyries, MB
Ronika Stone, San Diego Mojo, MB
Nootsara Tomkom, San Diego Mojo, S
Alisha Glass Childress, Vegas Thrill, S
The awards come just a day before the beginning of the Vibe’s road to a championship as the No. 1 seeded Atlanta faces the No. 4 Grand Rapids Rise on Wednesday, May 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET (6:00 p.m. CT). The match will be held at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, and will air nationally on CBS Sports Network.
Edmond was the first player signed into the Pro Volleyball Federation, and has since gone on to make a name for herself in the league’s first season. She wrapped the regular season leading the league in points (438), points per set (4.9), and kills per set (4.28), and finished as the only outside hitter in the league averaging 0.50 blocks per set (her 45 total ranks 10th among all players in the league this season). Led by Edmond, the Vibe finished at the top of the league averaging 14.3 kills per set, the only team averaging more than 14 this season, and paced the league with 18.2 points per set, a full point average above the next team.
Hentz has played every set of the Vibe’s 2024 season at Libero, where she tallied a league-leading 4.2 digs per set (373 total). Hentz’ back row defense helped the Vibe hold their opponents to a league-low .178 hitting percentage this season, the only team to hold their opponents under .200, and helped Atlanta pace the league with 18.2 digs per set this year.
Opposite hitter Lazareva joined Atlanta six matches into the season and quickly became the driving force behind the team’s offensive efficiency. She finished her first season playing in America with a 42.6% kill percentage, making her the only non-middle blocker to tally kills on more than 39% of her attacks. Her .284 hitting percentage ranks second on the team and highest among players with 500+ attacks.
Monserez became the Vibe’s primary setter 11 matches into the 24-game season, and quickly made her way into the top of the league rankings to finish with an average of 10.2 assists per set. She tallied a team-season-high 56 assists in only a four-set match in a win over Omaha (4/13), and finished the season hitting .326 outside of her setting duties. Behind Monserez’ quarterbacking, the Vibe finished the season with a league-best 37% kill percentage and a .242 hitting percentage.
The Vibe head into the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Championship looking to bring home Atlanta’s fifth pro sports championship trophy. Winning the event in 2024 would make the Vibe Atlanta’s first team to accomplish the feat in their first year, and only the fourth fully professional team to bring a trophy to the city of Atlanta (the Atlanta Braves won the World Series in 1995 and 2021, Atlanta United won the MLS Cup in 2018, and the Georgia Swarm won the National Lacrosse League Championship in 2017).
