San Diego’s professional women’s volleyball team, the San Diego Mojo, reached the culmination of its three years in America’s Finest City after the team picked up a 3-0 win over the Grand Rapids Rise in what will be the final home game for the Mojo.
In an April 28 Instagram post, the Mojo announced that, following the match against the Rise on April 30, it would disband and suspend operations through 2027.
A statement released by the Mojo said the following:
“From the outset, our vision included a long-term plan to support the Mojo and the San Diego market. In lieu of playing in 2027, we planned to use that season to create and execute a strategic plan for 2028 and beyond. The league believes a different direction is required.”
The Mojo spent the past three years in San Diego playing at Viejas Arena on the campus of San Diego State University, where the team compiled a record of 39-40 during that span.
At the beginning of the 2026 season, the Mojo had a nightmare start, going 1-6 in the first seven games of the season. First-year head coach Alisha Childress had the challenge of rallying her team back into contention. Fast forward and the Mojo have won 14 of the last 20 games and claimed a playoff spot.
“We went into it knowing we still had business to get done. Yeah, we were clinched, but we were still fighting for our seeding going into the tournament, also just focusing on getting better,” said outside hitter Grace Loberg after the match.
Prior to the game against the Rise, it was announced that there would be free tickets for fans to pack Viejas Arena in support of the Mojo’s final game in San Diego. That promotion worked and to an extreme. This was easily the largest crowd that the Mojo had filled in Viejas Arena in the team’s three years.
“I think it was pretty awesome. We’ve had good crowds all season but just seeing the support that we got today from the San Diego area was so cool,” outside hitter Maya Tabron said after the match. “ I think it really puts it into perspective how awesome this opportunity is to play professionally here in the U.S.”
A loud, ruckus Viejas crowd brought the energy for the Mojo as the team blew through the first two sets, 25-19 and 25-22. It wasn’t until the third set that the Mojo had a true back-and-forth battle with the Rise. After multiple match points on both sides, the Mojo clinched the third set 30-28, sealing the victory.
This 3-0 sweep marked the first home sweep by the Mojo all season.
“There’s a lot of different things that we’re playing for. We’re playing for a really great crowd and wanting to show up for them, then for our owners who have invested into this team for three years and knowing that it’s not continuing, knowing that this is our last match for the foreseeable future,” Childress said postgame. “Mourning the future while wanting to get to business because we also have a match to win and seeding to play for.”
Tears flowed down the faces of Mojo players, coaches, staff, ownership and fans, knowing there is no guarantee the Mojo will return to San Diego. Childress and her team have not let the deep wound of their disbandment affect how they play or finish the season.
“When you think about a season, you look ahead at the things you want to accomplish and I think culture is a big one. Creating a culture that is built on really strong relationships and that idea of growth and really getting better and committing to that process,” she said. “I think we embody that, it’s our superpower.”
This does not mark the end of the Mojo for 2026.
Next up, the Mojo will head to Texas for the Major League Volleyball (MLV) playoffs beginning on May 7, where they will take on the Dallas Pulse in the semifinal round.
“When you want to be at your best in tough moments, you want to be tested the way we’ve been tested,” Childress said. “We are playing for something bigger than ourselves. We’ve been tested in the most beautiful and challenging ways. We have to put that exclamation point on the end of it by getting the championship because what cooler story is there than ours.”
