Former Iowa volleyball player Amiya Jones signs professional contract
Jones will move to Finland on August 15 to start her professional volleyball career with Polkky Kuusamo.
Iowa middle hitter Amiya Jones serves the ball during a volleyball match between Iowa and North Florida at Xtream Arena in Coralville on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. Jones had 8 kills. The Hawkeyes defeated the Ospreys 3-0.
June 13, 2023
Former Iowa volleyball player Amiya Jones is taking her talents to the two-time reigning Finnish Volleyball League champion club Polkky Kuusamo.
The middle hitter, who helped maintain stability inside the Hawkeye locker room over the last five seasons amid multiple coaching changes, an injury, and a global pandemic, will depart for Finland on Aug. 15.
“I think playing at a high level against some of the best teams in the NCAA and being in the Big 10 has prepared me to work harder and train at a higher level,” Jones told *The Daily Iowan.* “I also think that the changing dynamic within the Iowa program has allowed me to be more flexible and versatile all around.”
Jones, who graduated with a double major in psychology and criminology, was leaning toward hanging up her volleyball uniform and starting her professional career.
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But then, Sports Agent Nick Ptaschinski got in touch with Jones and informed her of the playing opportunities and different competitive levels in Europe.
Polkky Kusammo reached out to Ptaschinski after watching Jones’ game film and gave her less than a week to decide about joining the team.
After listing out the pros and cons and having conversations with family and friends, Jones signed a contract with Polkky Kuusamo that runs through April 2024 but can extend if the squad makes a playoff run.
Jones said she didn’t want to pass up the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend time in Europe at no cost and play the sport she loves — especially with her passion for travel and exploring the world.
Jones said there won’t be much time in-season to explore Europe, so she is staying a few weeks past her contract to explore Sweden, Amsterdam, Germany, Norway, Estonia, and wherever else pops up on her sight-seeing wish list.
“I didn’t want to go somewhere super high,” Jones said. “I wanted to go somewhere I could have fun but also compete well. My body is old, and I want to have fun. I don’t want to be dedicated to volleyball and only volleyball. Plus, I want to play, I don’t just want to sit on the sideline.”
Jones will live with the three other American athletes on Polkky Kuusamo’s roster in Finland — Cortney VanLiew, Carlyle Nusbaum, and Madeline Palmer.
The rest of the squad consists of seven Finland natives.
“For a European team to want to recruit you, they have to have a lot of money because they are paying for your visa and doing a lot of other things to accommodate you,” Jones said. “So, countries overseas want to fill up their teams with European players first, and then if they can’t find European players that fit their needs or their mold, they’ll start recruiting in the U.S.”
This will be VanLiew’s first season playing pro. She competed for Florida Gulf Coast from 2017-21 and broke the program record with 1,657 kills.
Nusbaum and Palmer, on the other hand, have had multiple years of experience overseas. After graduating from Liscomb University, Nusbaum played in Sweden and has spent the last two seasons with Polkky Kuusamo.
Palmer was named the 2016 Big South Player of the Year at Radford University and has competed overseas since 2017-18. This upcoming season will be her second year with Polkky Kuusamo.
