Volleyball captain Julia Rienks brings passion, precision from Netherlands

Alexis Washington, Assistant Sports Editor

A simple question changed Julia Rienks’ life forever: “Hey, do you guys want to play volleyball?” 

Rienks grew up in a small town in Dronryp, Netherlands. Though volleyball started off as a hobby for her, it has now taken her across the Atlantic — and into the Atlantic 10 — to lead VCU as captain of the volleyball team.

“When I was younger, my mom used to be a [volleyball] ref,” Rienks said. “I would just go there to see the bigger girls play, and I was just inspired by them.”

That inspiration for the court only grew, and as an 18-year-old, Rienks came to the United States to continue her passion. 

Rienks started her collegiate career playing middle blocker at Daytona State College. She averaged a team-high of 2.74 kills per set to lead Daytona State to a 20-11 record and became a two-time All-Conference First Team honoree for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. 

Rienks said she received a lot of offers after Daytona State, but VCU stood out because of the welcoming nature. 

“Sometimes that’s hard to find on a hard level, where coaches just really care about you as a player,” Rienks said. “But here I felt so welcome, and you’re far from home, and I wanted to feel at home, like my second home, and that’s what I found here.”

Rienks also said she wanted to be a part of a program where she could win at. 

“[The Rams] want to be a winning program, and I want to win, and they are also really competitive and I’m really competitive,” Rienks said. “All my teams are competitive, so being in a competitive environment is great.”

Rienks became a Ram in 2024, where she immediately made an impact playing opposite.

Despite having to wait in the fall for an official visit with VCU, head coach Tim Doyle said he was amazed by Rienks’ passion for the game. 

“I thought, ‘wow, this person has a goal in mind,’” Doyle said. “And again, it’s just very thoughtful and intentional about what she’s looking for and her goals in her own life.”

Those goals came to life for Rienks. She was named 2024 All-A-10 Conference First Team, averaged a team-best 3.32 kills per set – which ranked fifth in the A-10 – and placed fifth in the league in points per set at 4.04. 

Rienks has continued to build on her resume with standout performances across multiple matches this season. Last month, Rienks reached 1,000 career kills.

She delivered a stellar performance recently, recording 17 kills, 10 digs, seven blocks and an ace, against Dayton on Nov. 8. Just around a week earlier, on Oct. 28, Rienks powered VCU to victory over Davidson with a dominant 23 kills.

Rienks also put up a historic performance against Davidson College on Sept. 30, when she put up 29 kills, the most by a Ram in 12 years. 

Rienks said her game has evolved since becoming a Ram on and off the court. Her teammates play at such a high level that she pushes herself further to meet their level — and off the court, volleyball has helped Rienks become a better person. 

“I never thought that I would say I would be a captain of the VCU volleyball team, and now I am, and it makes me really proud,” Rienks said. 

Doyle said he admires Rienks’ attention to detail and her eagerness to learn. He describes her as a “perfectionist” who takes feedback and applies it to her game. 

“There’s no doubt in anybody’s mind who’s the most invested athlete on our team, and it’s hard when you’re at the top, as she’s the only team captain,” Doyle said. 

The perfectionist nature comes from Rienks’ habits beyond the net. Doyle said she does not go out all the time, gets good rest and has a healthy diet. 

“The result that you see on the court is a byproduct of what she does in the practice gym,” Doyle said. “And it’s something where, as a coach, she’s a dream, come true.”

Rienks said she is thankful for her teammates because they push her to play better and have been supportive through the journey.

Rienks will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in May 2026, and hopes to play professional volleyball overseas in Europe. She wants to move closer to home so her friends and family can see her play more often.

Wherever Rienks decides to go, her legacy will be remembered by the coaching staff and players. 

“How do you give enough credit to an individual when they’re ultimately the ones who have to wake up and choose to do it every single day?” Doyle said. “Julie does that, and she wakes up and does it every single day.”