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Beatriz Vossen 2021
Steve Simoneau

Volleyball Athletic Communications

Beatriz Vossen Living Her "Best Life" at Stetson

Hatter Freshman Stays Positive During a Year of Uncertainty

STETSON (9-11, 4-4) at ASUN CROSSOVER WEEKEND
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3		 11 a.m. Friday vs. Eastern Kentucky (6-16, 3-5)
11 a.m. Saturday vs. Lipscomb (9-9, 6-2)
11 a.m. Sunday vs. Bellarmine (6-14, 2-6)
Location UNF Arena, Jacksonville, Fla.
Video Stream UNFOspreys.com
Live Stats Live Stats
Game Notes Game Notes
ASUN Volleyball Standings
Social Media Twitter  |  Instagram |  Facebook

Stetson University volleyball freshman Beatriz Vossen always envisioned attending college in the United States. What she couldn't foresee was how difficult the process would be to get there.

A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Vossen wanted to pursue both a quality education and an opportunity to play volleyball, something that would likely have been an "either-or" choice back home. After visiting a half-dozen schools (plus a trip to Disney World) during a family vacation to the U.S. in 2019, one university immediately stood out.

"Stetson was the one I connected with right away," Vossen said.  "I grew up watching movies from America, with the beautiful campuses, and it was all I ever dreamed of.  It's so pretty.  I thought, that's the place I want to go."

Vossen and her parents also met with Stetson head coach Yang Deng, attended a volleyball camp, and saw a fun, positive environment within the entire volleyball program.

"It was amazing to see the way coach cares for the players, not only on the court but off as well," Vossen said.  "My parents were 100% sure I would have a good time, because they knew I would be treated well."

A few months later, Vossen received a verbal offer from Deng and happily accepted. She signed her official Letter-of-Intent in November of 2019 and planned on coming to Stetson the following fall. The only thing left to do was get her student visa from the U.S. Embassy in São Paulo in the summer of 2020.

When the pandemic hit in March, Vossen, like most people, thought it would be a temporary situation.  However, the days turned into months, the U.S. embassy closed, and her visa appointment was canceled.  Vossen kept hoping that the embassy would reopen, but by July, it was clear her dream of going to college in America would have to wait.  Furthermore, Vossen was unsure if she would even still have a future at Stetson. 

"It was a tough," Vossen said.  "The whole process of talking to coaches and deciding where you want to go, imagine losing that and having to search for it again.  I thought I had already found the place where I would be studying for four years.  Coach (Deng) made it clear she would hold my position. She said, 'What's happening is not your fault.  I know you are putting your effort into this. I don't know when, but you are going to be here.' That made me feel relieved."

With her Stetson volleyball scholarship on hold for a year and with COVID on the rise in Brazil, Vossen and her family relocated from their apartment in the city to a home in the countryside.  She enjoyed having extra time to spend with her mom, dad, and brother, knowing that eventually she would be moving away.  She also started playing club volleyball again, reigniting her passion for the sport that she had been missing since the start of the pandemic. In addition, despite already being fluent in Portuguese and English, Vossen decided to start learning a third language, Spanish.

In April, 2021, the pandemic had improved and embassies in other countries were beginning to reopen.  However, the U.S. embassy in Brazil remained closed, putting Vossen's plans in flux yet again.

"I told my parents this is not holding me back again," Vossen said.  "I am going to do whatever it takes to get my visa, even if I have to go to another country.  They were very supportive of my ideas and said, 'Yes, we are going to help you with that, and you are going to the U.S. for sure. We want to help you make your dream come true.'"

After doing some research, Vossen learned that many other Brazilian students were traveling to Ecuador or Germany to get their visas.  Vossen chose Ecuador, and in May, flew alone to Guayaquil for her interview.  She was required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days prior to the appointment, and she spent a lot of her time preparing for the meeting.

"I was really nervous," Vossen said.  "I went to the appointment shaking.  I rehearsed a lot and was ready for whatever they asked."

The interview went well, and later that day, Vossen left the embassy with her student visa in hand.

"I was so happy.  As soon as I got out of the embassy, I called my parents crying. 'I got it, I finally got it.' It was the best day of my life. I had waited so long, it was so good to finally have that in my hands."

In July of 2021, Vossen flew to Florida to finally begin her college career at Stetson. Once in DeLand, she still had one more eight-day quarantine to endure.

"The days went by so fast," Vossen said.  "I was able to see the campus from my window.  It was a good last step for me. Knowing that I had made it here kept me happy."

Now two months into her freshman season, the right-side hitter says she has gained so much knowledge and experience with the college game.  Her coaches and teammates have helped her along, and her family remains a huge support system back home.

"They watch all the games and read all the stories on the website," Vossen said.  "They are really big fans of the team.  It's amazing the support they give me every day. It's really amazing."

Vossen and the Hatters will travel to Jacksonville this weekend for their second ASUN Divisional Crossover weekend of the season.  Stetson will face Eastern Kentucky on Friday, Lipscomb on Saturday and Bellarmine on Sunday as the second half of conference play gets underway.  All three matches begin at 11 a.m. ET and can be seen at UNFOspreys.com.

Stetson (9-11) is 4-4 in ASUN play and in fourth place in the East Division.  A strong weekend in Jacksonville would bolster the team's chances of qualifying for the ASUN Championship in November.

With a year of uncertainty behind her, Vossen cherishes every day on Stetson's campus and every opportunity to compete as a Hatter on the volleyball court.

"I am happy that I didn't give up on coming," Vossen said.  "Last year, it was tough to keep thinking positively.  All of us were struggling with the pandemic and we didn't know what would happen.  It was a blank space. I kept thinking positively: This is my dream, this is what I want for my life.  Now I am living my best life here."

 
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Players Mentioned

Beatriz Vossen

#8 Beatriz Vossen

RS/OH
5' 9"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Beatriz Vossen

#8 Beatriz Vossen

5' 9"
Freshman
RS/OH