In America, you can pursue studying and sports in a wide variety of sports. Naturally, we also keep an eye on how our own athletes perform in the lesser-known sports. This article focuses on the top performers whom we believe have a promising year ahead. Curious to know who they are? Keep reading!
Ties Cornelissen
Sport: Volleyball University: Concordia University Irvine Division/Conference: NCAA Division I /Mountain Pacific Sports Conference
Ties left his Eredivisie club Vocasa six months ago to play volleyball in America, at Concordia University Irvine. After half a year of warming up, the season has finally begun for Ties. And what a start it has been – in his first six matches, he’s been scoring quite impressively. This past weekend, he was personally responsible for eighteen out of a total of fifty kills for his team. In Irvine, they’re already talking about “Ties Time”. This bodes well for the rest of the season. We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Ties!
Tomba Morreau
Sport: Rowing University: University of California – Berkeley Division/Conference: NCAA Division I / Pac-12 Conference
Tomba also headed to the States last summer. He just has to wait a little longer before he can really get going; college rowing season starts in March (finally). Tomba’s skill and speed in rowing are well known by now. Rowing runs in the family, by the way – his brother Wietse is on the Dutch rowing team. Tomba himself competed in the Under-23 World Championships in Bulgaria last July, where he achieved an impressive fifth place. We have every confidence that Tomba will also have a fantastic season in America.
Feline Voordouw
Sport: Waterpolo University: University of California – Berkeley Division/Conference: NCAA Division I / Pac-12 Conference
Feline has only been in America for a little over a month. At one of the top teams in Division I, she and her team are aiming for the top prizes. The water polo player is part of the Dutch Junior National Team and until recently played for the top Dutch club Polar Bears. With the Dutch Junior National Team, Feline was active in last year’s U20 World Championships, where they won the bronze medal. In her first match for Berkeley, Feline immediately found the net, contributing to her university’s victory.
Minouche Rooijmans
Sport: Golf University: University of North Carolina Wilmington Division/Conference: NCAA Division I / Colonial Athletic Association Conference
Just before Minouche left for America, she impressively won the title at the Dutch Amateur Championship. With her unexpected title and successes on the Dutch golf courses, we’re already warning America. In the coming years, Minouche is going to do everything she can to achieve her big goal: turning pro and winning all the Majors there are to win.
Max van de Kuilen
Sport: Golf University: Radford University Division/Conference: NCAA Division I / Big South Conference
After a tough year full of injuries, Max is back! Due to this setback, we expect him to be stronger than ever this year. We anticipate that Max has made significant strides, particularly in terms of mental resilience, and is ready to have his best year yet! In the past, he has already demonstrated that he can compete with the top players in the Netherlands. Max won the national title with his team from Eindhovensche Golf. He is also part of Golfton, a talent program for Dutch golfers.
Lize van Leeuwen
Sport: Diving University: University of Kansas Division/Conference: NCAA Division I / Big-12 Conference
Lize secured three medals – gold, silver, and bronze – at the National Diving Championships last summer, and all in different events! Her first year in Kansas also went well. She peaked at the right time, setting several personal records during the Big-12 Championship. If Lize continues to develop her skills, it will undoubtedly be a top season for her!
These are certainly not the only student-athletes who will shine in America this semester. We have many more top performers who will be in action in the coming months. Therefore, keep an eye on our social media channels to follow the performances of all our athletes.
If you’re interested in combining sports and studies in America yourself, feel free to fill out this introductory form, and we’ll gladly get in touch with you to discuss your options.
