4 Athletes Return to Familiar Territory for AU Pro Volleyball Championship
Sydney Hilley, Emily Thater, Natalia Valentin-Anderson, and Brooke Nuneviller will make their returns to Omaha and Madison this fall.
With the Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship bound for the volleyball hotbeds of Madison, Wis., and Omaha, Neb., the move marks the start of a new chapter, and a new connection between the competition and two cities that have long fueled the sport’s growth in the U.S.
And for four athletes already signed on for the fall, the championship marks something even more personal: a return to places that helped shape their careers. From collegiate ties to pro career-defining moments, these athletes share deep-rooted connections to Madison and Omaha. Now, they’ll be back to write the next chapter of their volleyball stories in the volleyball-rich cities.
Sydney Hilley
Back for her third year with Athletes Unlimited, Sydney Hilley’s career path winds directly through both host cities. A five-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, Hilley was the engine behind one of the NCAA’s most dominant programs from 2017 to 2021. She graduated as the Badgers’ all-time assists leader and capped her college career with a national title win over Nebraska.
After stints overseas, Hilley joined AU Pro Volleyball in 2023 and later signed with the Omaha Supernovas in the PVF’s inaugural season. She helped lead them to the league’s first-ever championship, posting 592 assists and 189 digs. This season, she’s with the Indy Ignite and has already surpassed 1,100 assists while captaining the league’s top-ranked offense.
Whether it’s her record-setting days in Madison or her championship campaign in Omaha, Hilley’s return to both cities will be a reunion with the two volleyball homes that have defined her career.
Emily Thater
After playing in all 45 sets during her 2024 AU debut, middle blocker Emily Thater returns for her second season, and she’s doing it in a city where she’s recently made her mark.
Thater, a Springfield, Missouri native, starred at the University of Missouri, where she became one of the program’s all-time leaders in blocks. After nearly a decade playing in Europe, she signed with LOVB Omaha and helped lead the team to a dramatic postseason run. Despite finishing last in the regular season standings, Omaha surged to the Finals, with Thater contributing 23 kills, 11 digs, and seven blocks over three playoff matches, including a season-high five-block outing in the semis.
Thater’s return to Omaha for the AU Championship brings a familiar face back to a fanbase that just saw her help push their team to the brink of a league title.
Natalia Valentin-Anderson
A four-year AU veteran and the league’s all-time assists leader, Natalia Valentin-Anderson is no stranger to championship moments, and she’s now at the center of Omaha’s rise on the pro stage.
The veteran setter from Puerto Rico has played around the world and collected international accolades, but over the past two seasons, her presence in Omaha has been key. She helped lead the Supernovas to the PVF title in 2024 with 472 assists, and currently ranks fourth in the league in assists during their 2025 championship push with 871.
In addition to her precision in the setter position, Valentin-Anderson brings unmatched experience. She holds AU career records in double-doubles and is the only player in league history with multiple 500-assist seasons. With the Spernovas again in title contention, her return for the AU Pro Volleyball Championship will give the city another chance to rally behind her — the player who’s been a constant in an Omaha-based championship-caliber offense.
Brooke Nuneviller
Brooke Nuneviller made her AU debut in 2023. Since then, she’s become synonymous with high-level play in Omaha.
Now in her third season with AU and her second year as a member of the Omaha Supernovas, Nuneviller has established herself as one of the most versatile and productive players in the PVF. She currently ranks in the league’s top 10 in both kills and digs following a rookie season where she earned All-League First Team honors while becoming the first player in franchise history to be named PVF Player of the Week.
The former Oregon standout became the only Pac-12 player with 1,500+ kills and 2,000+ digs in a career, and now leads the Supernovas in nearly every major statistical category. And with Omaha heading into a PVF semifinal matchup against Hilley’s Indy squad, Nuneviller has the chance to help deliver a repeat championship, and then bring that momentum into the AU Pro Volleyball Championship this fall, back in the city where she’s become a fan favorite.
The 2025 AU Pro Volleyball Championship will feature 44 of the world’s top volleyball players in an exclusive, high-stakes tournament to determine the ultimate champion of the sport. These elite athletes, handpicked from the best domestic and international pro leagues, will face off in the nation’s premier volleyball hubs in Omaha, Nebraska, at the Liberty First Credit Union Arena (October 1-15) and in Madison, Wisconsin, at the Alliant Energy Center (October 22 – November 3). Series ticket deposits for both locations are now available here.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
