Gillen, Cartwright Chosen in Inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation Draft
Just two days after making history with the Hogs in the program’s first ever Elite Eight appearance, Jill Gillen and Maggie Cartwright made some more in the first steps of their professional journeys as both were selected in the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) College Draft on Monday.
The PVF will play its first season in January 2024, with teams in seven markets: the Atlanta Vibe, Columbus Fury, Grand Rapids Rise, Omaha Supernovas, Orlando Valkyries, San Diego Mojo, and Las Vegas Thrill. Kansas City and Indianapolis will be added in 2025.
The league will be comprised of former and current collegiate and national stars along with some of the best coaches in the sport, and franchise owners and investors include Jason Derulo, Joe Burrow, and five-time Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings. The league aims to provide competition and compensation levels that players have mostly only been able to pursue outside of North America to this point.
Monday’s draft consisted of five rounds with 35 total picks. Gillen was chosen as the first pick of the second round, eighth overall, by Omaha. She was later sent to the Orlando Vibe as part of a two-player trade with UCF’s Abby Hansen in the fourth round. Cartwright was also selected by Omaha as the first pick of the fourth round, 22nd overall.
Both Gillen and Cartwright concluded their collegiate careers on a high note as they were named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team out of the Lincoln Regional. This came after each were also named AVCA South All-Region, Gillen for the fourth time and Cartwright for the first.
Players across 25 collegiate programs were selected in the draft, and Arkansas was one of only six schools to have more than one player chosen.
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