The college volleyball season is about to begin for many universities, or has already started. This also means that many of our own volleyball players will give their all in the coming months to compete for honors. In the past months, several volleyball players have left for America. All of them are young men and women who are at the beginning of their first ‘real’ season.
In this article, we have deliberately highlighted some of these newcomers, ‘rookies’ we believe can surprise everyone in the upcoming season.
Ilse Benne
University: Hastings College Division/ Conference: NAIA, Great Plains Athletic Conference
After playing for her Dutch club Vollingo for 10 years, Ilse made the switch to Hastings College this summer. A new adventure for the outside hitter.
Ilse didn’t need much time to adjust. In the meantime, Hastings has played nine volleyball matches, and Ilse has already become a key player for the team. She was in the starting lineup for every game. And if that wasn’t enough, she has also accumulated 140 kills with an average of 3.68. Well done, Ilse!
Even more exciting, Ilse will be playing a match against Dordt University on October 7th, where one of our other volleyball players is also on the team.
Albertine van der Goot
University: UNC Asheville Division/ Conference: NCAA I, Big South
As a setter at VC Sneek, Albertine developed rapidly over the past season. In her search for the right university, she had the perfect connection with coaches Amber and Audrey. The connection was so strong, and the coaches saw her as such an asset that they brought her along in the process to UNC Asheville.
Meanwhile, our towering setter has fully settled in North Carolina and has already played seven games for the team. Perhaps the highlight of her season so far is the game against NC Central, in which she scored her highest number of points of the season to date, once again demonstrating how important she can be for the team.
No surprise for us that she was then named ‘freshman of the week’ in the Big South conference! Moreover, she became the first volleyball freshman for Asheville since 2018! Keep on going!
Zoë van Waaijen
University: Gilette College Division: NJCAA I
Another Slamstox standout is Zoë van Waaijen, who played for Compaen in the promotion class last year. However, she decided to take on a new challenge and made the move to Wyoming this summer. What’s even more impressive is that she joined a brand-new volleyball program at Gillette College.
Just like Ilse, Zoë secured her spot in the starting lineup right away. Gillette College’s team has played twelve games, and she has been in the starting lineup for each one.
During the first tournament she played as a team, the left-handed outside hitter immediately showed how important she is to the team. After a series of strong performances, she earned a spot in the all-tournament team!
These are, of course, not the only volleyball players who will be in action in the coming months. We are confident that all the other girls will also deliver top performances. Therefore, keep a close eye on our social media channels to follow the achievements of all our Slamstox stars!
If you’re also interested in pursuing volleyball and academics in the United States, please feel free to fill out this introductory form, and we’ll be happy to get in touch with you to discuss your opportunities.