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Athletes Unlimited Returning To CBS Sports Network With Volleyball Matches Beginning In February

December 17, 2020 / 9:32 AM PST / KCAL News

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(CBS Local)- In 2021, volleyball fans are in for a treat as Athletes Unlimited is set to bring 44 of the world's top players together at Fair Park Coliseum in Dallas, TX for their inaugural volleyball league. Running from February 27 through March 29, the league is set to play 30 matches with seven of those airing on CBS Sports Network.

15 matches will air on FOX Sports while the rest will be streamed live through other partners for fans to watch free. The volleyball league follows up on the success of Athletes Unlimited Softball earlier this year with players from five different countries competing to earn points on each and every play. Teams change every week with the top four athletes in the standings being given the opportunity to captain and draft their team for the next week.

The list of athletes set to participate includes two-time Olympic medalist Jordan Larson and two-time Olympic champion Sheilla Castro among a litany of the sports' biggest names. The list of currently confirmed athletes is below:

Jordan Larson (Two-Time Olympic Medalist, University of Nebraska)
Karsta Lowe (Olympic Medalist, UCLA)
Sheilla Castro (Two-time Olympic Champion for Brazil)
Bethania de la Cruz (Olympian and Two-time Pan American Games Champion for the Dominican Republic)
Ozge Kirdar (Turkish National Team member, 2016-17 Challenge Cup Champion and MVP)
Ciara Michel (British National Team member, University of Miami)
Aury Cruz (Named Best Server at Olympic Qualifications Tournament for Puerto Rico, University of Florida)
Sherridan Atkinson (Purdue University)
Katie Carter (UCLA )
Tiffany Clark (All-American Honorable Mention, Wisconsin)
Taylor Cook (U of Colorado)
Nia Grant (Penn State)
Sareea Freeman (3x ACC Champion, Florida)
Erin Fairs (2015 ACC Champion, Louisville)
Erica Handley (2020 Czech Republic Cup Winner, Minnesota)
Kristen Tupac-Hahn (Iowa State)
Cassidy Lichtman (Two-Time Pan American Gold Medalist with Team USA, Stanford )
Molly Lohman (2016 Global Challenge MVP, University of Minnesota)
Valerie Nichol (German Super Cup Winner, Purdue University)
Deja McClendon (Penn State)
Molly McCage (University of Texas)
Samantha Middleborn (Cal State)
Amanda Peterson (Ohio State)
Paige Tapp (Two-time Pan Am Games Gold Medalist with Team USA, University of Minnesota)

The matches will be broadcast by Kevin Barnett and Salima Rockwell.

"We were very pleased with the success of the Athletes Unlimited Softball season earlier this year and look forward to continued success with Volleyball in 2021 on CBS Sports Network." said Dan Weinberg, CBS Sports Executive Vice President, Programming in a statement. "We're excited to bring the innovative competition with some of the best players in the sport to Volleyball fans across the US."