The college volleyball season for the men has been underway for a few weeks now, and the beach volleyball season is about to begin as well. That also means that many of our own athletes will do everything in the coming months to compete for prizes.
Time to put an extra spotlight on some of our athletes, volleyball players we think you should really keep an eye on in the upcoming months.
We have full confidence in our athletes and are sure they will shine. In this article, we introduce some of them to you. Want to know who these are and where they are playing? Then read on quickly.
Thijs van der Wal

University: Emmanuel University
Division/ Conference: NCAA Division II / Conference Carolinas
Thijs van der Wal left for America last summer to start his adventure. The volleyball player who played at Spaarnestad before his departure made the move to Emmanuel University to continue his volleyball career at a high level.
And with success, after six months of hard training, Thijs started his first season strongly. The freshman has managed to secure a spot in the starting lineup and doesn’t seem to want to give it up for the time being. He has already been named ”player of the match” and works hard every week to contribute to the performance of his team.
Not only are we convinced that Thijs is going to show great things this season, his coach is also extremely enthusiastic about Thijs’ performance and sees him as a real leader within the team in addition to being a good player.
Xander Bomert

University: University of Charleston
Division/ Conference: NCAA Division II / Mountain West Conference
Xander Bomert had already gained the necessary international experience before leaving for America last year. The pin hitter played for the Papendal Talent Team and was already part of several Dutch youth teams. Everyone will agree that Xander can play volleyball. At the University of Charleston, he finally found his ideal next step. Important reason was the level of the competition, but also the connection with the coach was really important.
Meanwhile, the season is in full swing and Xander also seems to be in form. In the first weeks, the tall player is developing into a real leader within the team. Where necessary, he takes his team by the hand and makes his mark on the team. Performance that has already been judged twice this season with the distinction of ”Offensive Player of the Week”. That promise something for the rest of the season.
Tess Spaansen

University: Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
Division/ Conference: NCAA Division I / Southland Conference
Tess played both indoor and beach volleyball at a high level in the Netherlands. She played in Beach Team NL, where she also played during several international tournaments. But she chose to further develop her beach volleyball in America. After a search she ended up at a beautiful university in warm Texas. One of the best places for beach volleyball in America.
After six months of warming up and playing several tournaments, Tess is almost ready for the real thing. At the end of February the college beach season finally starts in America and Tess can show her qualities. In any case, we are confident that Tess will make an impact in the coming period.
Of course, these are not the only athletes who will be back in action in the coming months; we are sure that all the other top athletes will be putting in top performances as well. So keep a close eye on our socials to follow the achievements of these five, but also those of all our other athletes. We wish everyone the best of luck!
Would you like to go to America yourself to combine track & field and study? Then fill out this form and we will be happy to contact you to check out your possibilities.