VINCENNES, Ind. – The three-time defending Region 24 Champion Vincennes University volleyball team picked up another big addition to the 2024 recruiting class with the addition of transfer libero Julianna Rettig.
Rettig is a five-foot seven defensive specialist/libero from Antioch, Ill. and comes to VU after spending last season at Southwest Baptist University where she was a non-medical redshirt.
“Julianna contacted us during her senior year of high school so she has been on our radar for some time,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Through various recruiting sources we saw that she was interested in transferring. Julianna redshirted last year, so she will come in with her full four years of eligibility left. While she did redshirt last year, she still trained all year with the indoor team and also spent time training with the beach volleyball team. Though she didn’t compete last year, she basically had wall to wall training from August through May.”
“It’s great to have someone coming in as a Division II transfer,” Sien added. “Bringing in someone who has that experience that comes with being a student athlete at the Division II level.”
“Julianna also brings in some experience as a setter,” Sien said. “She has run a quick offense before. We have some setters in place right now, both returning and incoming but one of the key reasons why we recruited Julianna is that versatility. She’s played a lot of volleyball and a lot of different positions and she can definitely fill out a lot of different roles or positions if we need it.”
“Julianna is from Antioch, which is near Trinity International University where I spent 11 years as a student and as a coach, so we know a lot of the same people,” Sien added. “Julianna’s family moved to Antioch from Evansville when she was younger and have moved back to Evansville, so she is familiar with the area as well. I know a slew of club and volleyball people from the Antioch area from my time coaching at Trinity International and Kankakee. We know some of the same people, which is what led me to recruit her to VU.”
Rettig closed out a stellar career at Antioch Community High School in the fall of 2022 with 320 set assists, 172 digs, 59 aces and 55 kills in her senior season.
Rettig was named Team Most Valuable Player in high school, while also earning First Team All-Conference and All-District/Area Honorable Mention honors.
Rettig also comes to VU with a host of academic honors as well, three times being named to the Straight A Honor Roll, being a two-year member of the National Honor Society and twice being named Academic All-Conference.
Rettig also graduated from Antioch Community High School Cum Laude, was named ‘School Winner’ for the Heisman High School Scholarship and named to the Captain’s Council Student Athlete Leadership Committee.
Rettig was also on the Honor Roll at Southwest Baptist University for both the Fall and Spring semesters this past year.
Rettig is the daughter of Scott and Emily Rettig and plans to major in Sports Management at Vincennes University.
“With the new rule changes allowing you to dress more than one libero per set, it gives us a lot of options that we didn’t have before,” Sien said. “We’ve always expected that position to be top notch. Liberos are basically your seventh starter, so we’re not just looking for someone to fill that position, we’re looking for someone who can really contribute.”
“So far everybody we have recruited and brought in will fill a need and in some situations fill more than one need,” Sien added. “This year’s recruiting class is shaping up to be a good class. It’s nice and I always try to emphasize when almost all of them can play more than one position. Sometimes we bring someone in thinking they are going to play one position and then they end up playing another position, just because they are that versatile.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with Julianna for a few seasons while we were together at Sky High Volleyball Club,” Rettig’s Club Coach Bryan Paliza said. “Julianna is such a focused athlete and individual that she will work hard and do what is asked of her to help the team reach its goal. There was not an assignment or task that Julianna did not say ‘no’ to, if it meant that it was going to help our team out.”
“Julianna is comfortable at playing any of the three back row positions and even has a good setting touch as she has had to play that position as well and run the team’s offense,” Paliza added. “I look forward to seeing Julianna excel individually and with the team during her time at Vincennes University.”
The Vincennes University Athletic Department is excited to welcome Julianna Rettig to the 2024 Trailblazer recruiting class.
