Supernovas explode on to Omaha’s sports scene, capture league’s first championship
Nebraskans love their volleyball, setting a world record for a women’s outdoor sport when more than 93,000 fans attended a match between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the University of Nebraska-Omaha at UNL’s Memorial Stadium. That love carried over to Omaha’s newest professional team – the Supernovas – who won their league championship by sweeping Grand Rapids in three sets on Saturday.
The Supernovas’ postseason success followed a solid regular season when they stormed their way to the top of the standings during the inaugural season of the Professional Volleyball Federation.
Finishing second during the regular season in the seven-team league, the Novas – as they’re known to their fans – joined the Atlanta Vibe as the top teams. Omaha finished the regular season 16-8, with three games behind the 19- 5 Vibe.
Atlanta and Omaha were designated as the home teams for the Federation’s four-team championship tournament hosted by Omaha. The San Diego Mojo and Grand Rapids Rise finished third and fourth, respectively.
The Rise upset Atlanta to advance to the championship match. Omaha completed a reverse sweep by defeating San Diego 20-25, 16-25, 25-18, 25-8 and 15-11.
The Supernovas dominated the championship match 25-13, 26-24 and 25-22 before more than 10,600 fans – fifth largest crowd to watch a professional indoor volleyball match – and a national television audience on CBS Sports.
Attendance leader
The attendance solidified Omaha’s selection as the host location for the tournament, since the Supernovas own the top five attendance marks in US professional indoor volleyball. The state of Nebraska has the top six, including a 2016 Olympic qualifying match in Lincoln between the United States and Dominican Republic.
More than 11,000 people filled the CHI Health Center Omaha in January as the Omaha Supernovas kicked off the first season of the Professional Volleyball Federation. Then, the record for indoor professional volleyball, the Supernovas would go on to set the mark twice more, with 12,090 being the largest crowd, in a victory over Las Vegas.
The Novas consistently drew fans to the arena, averaging over 7,500 in eight other matches.
The play on the court was outstanding. Players in the PVF are among the best in the world. From college champions to Olympians, women’s professional volleyball lays the foundation for a strong future in the United States.
The speed of the game is amazing. Watching players set the ball for returns requires a quick eye, as the ball bounces off the fingers of a libero (a defensive specialist who plays in the back row) or setter for another player to slam the ball over the net, jumping several feet off the floor. On the defensive side, two players typically leap to block the ball from crossing the net.
Teams need to capture three sets to win a match. The winning team must score 25 points and win by at least two points. The fifth set goes to 15 points. The rallies and back-and-forth hitting of the ball can last a few minutes between good teams. Watching a defensive player layout to get a dig – hitting the ball low near the floor – is as exciting as watching a long pass play in football or a three-point shot from deep in basketball.
A fun part of attending a volleyball match is that you don’t need to be an expert on the sport. People watching a match for the first time can quickly grasp the basics to help them enjoy the game.
As the 2024 season completes an entire season without issues facing other start-up leagues, such as franchises folding or relocating mid-season, fans can look forward to the Supernovas challenging for another title run in 2025.
