Indy Ignite, the city’s newest professional women’s volleyball franchise, made waves during the Pro Volleyball Draft by trading its No. 1 overall pick to the Atlanta Vibe in exchange for two top-ten selections on Nov. 25.
With the No. 2 pick, Ignite selected Anna DeBeer from the University of Louisville.
They also used the No. 9 pick to draft DeBeer’s teammate, standout Elena Scott, creating a dynamic duo to anchor their inaugural season roster.
Indy Ignite sent away its third-round pick in next year’s draft to Atlanta as part of the trade.
Head Coach George Padjen expressed enthusiasm about the trade.
“We’re thrilled about the additions to our roster today. We continue to add hardworking, gritty athletes who will help develop our team culture and grow our franchise,” Padjen said.
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DeBeer, an experienced leader on the court, recorded nearly 1,400 kills during her career and played a vital role in Louisville’s success, including three ACC Championships and a National Championship appearance in 2022.
Scott has been equally impressive, earning multiple All-American honors since 2021 and anchoring the Cardinals’ defense. The duo’s familiarity and chemistry will be a strong asset for the Indy Ignite as they build toward their debut.
In later rounds, Indy Ignite continued bolstering its lineup by drafting CC Crawford from Wisconsin, Taylor Trammell from Penn State, Nina Cajic from Tennessee and Isabel Martin from Florida.
Nnedi Okammor (SMU) and Lydia Martyn (Oklahoma) also received invitations to the team’s training camp, which begins Dec. 2.
Indy Ignite will debut in January 2025 at the Fishers Event Center.
Contact multi-media & senior sports reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral.
