The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 ■ 45 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? They were successful, winning a pair of silver medals and making the Elite-16 tournament. Not bad for a couple of kids born in the 1990s. "Do I foresee myself being an Olym- pian? Absolutely not," she said. "Do I foresee myself winning a huge world tour event or FIVB event? No, I don't. But I'm right up there with all of them, and I feel like that's pretty good. "I've given it my all, and I've played with and against some of the best in the world." World Traveler Kool had played in domestic beach volleyball tournaments for years, dating back to her days as a student. Like almost 95 percent of professional players in the U.S., she participated while in school or holding down a full-time job. "I was working full-time and trying to pursue a professional goal, which is men- tally stressful," she said. "I couldn't really put 100 percent into either." In 2021, she married her husband, Alexander, a native of the Netherlands whom she met while traveling interna- tionally for work. The couple had already decided that she would quit work in 2022 when Kool found out she was pregnant, just about the time she started training full-time to play internationally. "I don't recommend that for every- one," she said. "I had a difficult preg- nancy, and traveling around the world is hard." In fewer than two years, she has p l aye d i n te r n a - tional tournaments on every continent but Antarctica. She gives credit to both her decision to train and compete full- time and the life change of having and raising her daughter. "Motherhood made me a tougher player," Kool said. A Highly Recruited Player While at NC State, Kool was part of a breakthrough class of players that helped the Wolfpack pull itself from the bottom of the ACC to respectabil- ity. Originally recruited by coach Rita Stubbs, Kool played three seasons under Bryan Bunn and was a graduate assis- tant for one season. She was a highly r e c r u i t e d h i g h school player who, at 5-foot-8, wasn't quite tall enough to be an outside hit- ter. Instead, she be- came one of the best defensive players in school history, a libero who had no trouble getting down to dig the ball off the floor when needed. The records Kool set more than a de- cade ago still stand. Her 527 digs as a se- nior are the second-most in school his- tory, and her career total of 1,836 is still the most ever for the program. As a senior in 2011, she was captain of the Wolfpack's first winning team in 15 years. She was part of the staff that took the Pack to just its second NCAA Tour- nament appearance, something that was repeated in 2016 and this past season. She has no desire to return to the in- door game, where kneepads are neces- sary and hardwoods take their toll. "There is no shot in Hades that I could play indoor volleyball now," Kool said. "My body would be, 'Oh, my god, what are you doing?' But beach volleyball isn't as hard on your body, and a lot of players can keep going." While Kool believes her daughter might pick up soccer before she serves a volleyball, she wants to play profes- sionally long enough to inspire Kylo to become an athlete. "She's gotten to come and be with me as I compete in some of these interna- tional events," Kool said, "and I want to be an example for her." ■ A senior captain on the 2011 NC State team that finished 20-13, Kool still owns the school record with her 1,836 career digs. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS Tim Peeler is a regular contributor to The Wolfpacker and can be reached at tmpeeler@ncsu.edu. " I've given it my all, and I've played with and against some of the best in the world." Kool