SPORTS

New mom Alyssa Garvelink-Jensen joins Grand Rapids pro volleyball team

Dan D'Addona
The Holland Sentinel
Holland native Alyssa Garvelink-Jensen has signed with the Grand Rapids Rise.

GRAND RAPIDS - When Alyssa Garvelink-Jensen was growing up, she never pictured herself playing a professional sport.

That is because all of the professional sports in West Michigan were male sports.

Now, the Holland native is joining a professional volleyball team in Grand Rapids and will be able to be that female athlete role model for young girls - including her own.

Garvelink-Jensen was one of the first three players singed by the Grand Rapids Rise on Thursday, part of the Pro Volleyball Federation.

"It is huge. Becoming a parent is a new thing for me, but already I am so excited for her to be able to watch me perform at a high level as well as be a good mother to her," Garvelink-Jensen said. "It is hard to put into words. It is huge for women in general. For her to grow up and know that is an option for her is so big. So many sports are a male-dominated field. Having a women's pro league is really exciting. I am looking forward to connecting with the fans and bringing more attention to volleyball. It is really exciting for young girls to get to experience the sport."

Garvelink-Jensen became a first-time mother three weeks ago to a daughter, Ella. She works at a charter school management company.

"We are just adapting to parenthood and enjoying that aspect of life, and have this exciting news on top of it," she said. "Paving this new path is really exciting."

Volleyball has grown around the country, especially the college game, with TV broadcasts of the NCAA's top teams, not only during the NCAA Tournament, but also the regular season.

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"The game has been growing and has only gotten bigger since my days at MSU," she said. "You are racing to 25 points and one team makes a mistake every point. It is a very team-oriented sport. You can't go to a star player every time. There are three contacts on a side. You really relay on the five people on the court with you. The powerhouses have grown. The hits have gotten harder, the hits have gotten bigger. It is a very fast-paced game."

Garvelink-Jensen grew up in Holland, was an all-state player at Holland Christian and a Miss Volleyball Finalist, then played at Michigan State University from 2014-17. The 6-foot-4 blocker was a two-time AVCA Second-Team All-American as a Spartan in addition to being a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection. During her senior season in 2017, Garvelink-Jensen ranked fourth in the Big Ten and 25th nationally with 1.35 blocks per set while also placing 36th in the NCAA and sixth in the conference with a hitting percentage of 0.374.

"Alyssa is a dominating middle, who is quick, athletic, and a very good read blocker. She has the ability to score both with her blocking and attacking," said Rise coach Kathy George, who also coached Garvelink-Jensen at Michigan State. “She is very intense, competitive, and can take over matches. Alyssa was also a player who improved quickly in college and will continue to improve through this opportunity. She always finds a way to win."

As a junior, Garvelink-Jensen ranked second in the Big Ten with 1.40 blocks per set, which was good for seventh all time in a single season at MSU. She also recorded 145 block assists and 160 total blocks, which ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, in the MSU single-season record book. Throughout her four years as a Spartan, Garvelink-Jensen captured 1,002 kills, 521 blocks and 1,298 points and has her jersey hanging from the rafters.

George reached out to Garvelink-Jensen about the professional team and they will be reuinited.

"It is a perfect fit. Having the opportunity to play professional volleyball in the U.S., and even better, in my home state, is a dream come true. The Pro Volleyball Federation and the Grand Rapids Rise made it possible for me to pursue my passion while also remaining close to family," Garvelink-Jensen said. "Grand Rapids is full of great sports teams, but this league is the missing piece of the puzzle."

Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.