Julie Vollertsen

Last updated

Julie Vollertsen
Personal information
Nationality American / Italian
BornJulie Jo Vollertsen
March 1, 1959 (1959-03) (age 65)
Syracuse, Nebraska, U.S.
Height6 ft 0 in (184 cm)
Weight161 lb (73 kg)
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Number9
Career
YearsTeams
1984–1988Nelsen Reggio Emilia
National team
1977–1984Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Medal record
Women's volleyball
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic rings.svg
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles Team
World Championship
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1982 Peru
Pan American Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1983 Caracas Team

Julie Jo Vollertsen Melli (born March 1, 1959, in Syracuse, Nebraska) is an American former female professional volleyball player. Her main achievement is her part in the silver medal won by the United States at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. She later moved to Italy to play professionally, settling in Reggio Emilia where she stayed after ending her playing career.

Contents

Career

Palmyra High School

The Nebraskan led the Palmyra High School volleyball team to their first appearance in the state tournament, earning Sunday Journal and Star All-State honors. [1] Graduating in 1977, she was later inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame (in 1994). [2]

Team USA

Straight out of high school, Vollertsen travelled to California to take part in a six-week tryout for the women's junior national volleyball team, she ended up being the only one to be kept on the team. [1] She progressed up to the senior United States national team, being chosen as an alternate for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, but the US did not go due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott. [1]

Vollertsen was a part of a volleyball program that, since 1975, regrouped the national team players (of which she was the only one not from California or Texas) in Coto de Caza, California where they trained and lived together relentlessly under coach Arie Selinger. In effect, they constituted an organised team (though all amateurs, receiving only expenses) that played in as many tournaments worldwide as possible. [3] [4] Team US and Vollertsen won a bronze medal at the 1982 World Championship, [1] losing to hosts Peru in three games. [5] They added a silver medal at the 1983 Pan American Games. [6]

She served the winning point in the 1983 NORCECA Women's Volleyball Championship title game against Cuba in which the US finished undefeated. [7]

The main goal of all these efforts was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics for which Team USA qualified as hosts. They started the competition with a 3–0 win against West Germany. [8] The second game proved tougher, with opponents Brazil winning the first two sets. The United States then rallied to a 3–2 victory, with Vollertsen serving nine consecutive winning points in the fourth game after a 5-5. [9] With the win, the team had already set the best ever Olympic record for the Women's National Volleyball Team, besting the solitary win obtained in 1964. [10] In the third group game against world champions China, in which the already qualified teams were playing to avoid a semifinal matchup with Japan, she had a crucial impact off the bench, scoring points off serves and spikes as the US earned a 3–1 upset. [11]

The semifinal against Peru was a rematch of the 1982 world championship, this time Team US were victors, with Vollertsen scoring two decisive serves to win the first game. [5] [12]

Meeting China again in the final, Vollertsen and the US could not repeat their earlier victory and were beaten 3–0. Their silver medal was still a historic first medal for any national volleyball team (the Men's side would win a gold medal a few days later). [13]

Reggio Emilia

Vollertsen moved to Italy after the tournament, joining professional side Nelsen Reggio Emilia (in Italian) in 1984. [14] She played four years with the side, being eliminated from title contention on three occasions by perennial champions Teodora Pallavolo Ravenna (in Italian). [15] She did win a CEV Cup in 1986, [16] adding an Italian cup later that same year. [17] Vollertsen retired after the 1987–88 season. [18]

Post playing career

After retiring as a player, she started a coaching career (with youth teams), which she ended in 1991, after the birth of her first child. [1]

Vollertsen was incorporated into the Emilia Romagna provincial Olympic Committee in March 2009, as athlete representative on the board. She was elected vice-president later that year. [19] In 2013, she was reappointed in the former role until 2016. [20]

Honors and achievements

Individual

International

Club

Personal

Vollertsen met Italian journalist Leopoldo Melli in Reggio Emilia when he interviewed her for a show. They would start dating soon after and were married in 1989. [1] She later became an Italian citizen. [22]

They have two children together, professional basketball player Nicolò Melli was born in 1991 and played for Reggio Emilia side Pallacanestro Reggiana, whilst Enrico, born in 1996, has also played basketball for that same team. As a family, they received the Premio Reverberi (Oscar del Basket) (in Italian) Champion award in 2014 for their contribution to sports. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lang Ping</span> Chinese volleyball player and coach

"Jenny" Lang Ping is a Chinese former volleyball player and coach. She is the former head coach of the Chinese women's national volleyball team and U.S. women's national volleyball team. As a player, Lang won the most valuable player award in women's volleyball at the 1984 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Italy</span>


Sport in Italy has a long tradition. In several sports, both individual and team, Italy has good representation and many successes. The most popular sport in Italy is football. Italy's national football team is one of the world's most successful teams with four FIFA World Cup victories and two UEFA Euro victories. Italian clubs have won 48 major European trophies, making Italy the second most successful country in European football. Italy's top-flight club football league is named Serie A and is followed by millions of fans around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italy women's national volleyball team</span> Italys national womens volleyball team

The Italy women's national volleyball team is governed by the Federazione Italiana Pallavolo (FIPAV). The team's biggest victories were the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics, 2002 FIVB Women's World Championship and the 2007 and the 2011 World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Italian Volleyball League</span> Male Italian Volleyball League System

The Lega Pallavolo Serie A is structured in several levels of importance; the highest of them is SuperLega. Since the early 1980s, many among the best volleyball players in the world play in Superlega and the overall level of competition is considerably high. Nowadays, the SuperLega is widely considered the best league in the world.

Zoila Barros Fernández, more commonly known as Zoila Barros, is a Cuban former volleyball player and three-time Olympian. As a middle blocker, she played for the Cuban women's national volleyball team, helping the team win the gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics and the bronze medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics. She also participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Tara Cross-Battle is a retired volleyball player from the United States who competed in four Summer Olympics overall, starting in 1992. Cross-Battle won the bronze medal with the United States women's national team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. Her last Olympic appearance was at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesca Piccinini</span> Italian volleyball player

Francesca Piccinini is an Italian volleyball player who has represented Italy four times at the Summer Olympics. She was a member of the Women's National Team that won the gold medal at the 2002 World Championship in Germany. She made her debut for Italy on 10 June 1995 against the United States. She was inspired to become a professional volleyball player by the Japanese anime Attack No. 1, shown in Italy in the 1980s under the title Mimì e la nazionale della pallavolo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jelena Nikolić</span> Serbian volleyball player

Jelena Nikolić-Nenadiċ is a retired Serbian professional volleyball player, playing as a wing-spiker. She was a member of the Women's National Team that won silver medal at the 2016 Olympics and gold medal at the 2011 European Championship in Serbia.

Yaroslav Viktorovich Antonov is a Russian former volleyball player who won a silver medal while playing for the Soviet Union in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. He was a powerful left-handed spiker who led the Soviet team in the late 1980s.

Irina Vladimirovna Kirillova, also known as Irina Parkhomchuk, is a retired competitive volleyball player and Olympic gold medalist for the Soviet Union, later competing for Croatia.

Marina Anatolyevna PankovanéeNikulina was a Russian volleyball player who was a member of the Soviet team that won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Four years later, she won a silver medal with the Unified Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. She was a setter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alix Klineman</span> American volleyball player (born 1989)

Alexandra Rose "Alix" Klineman is an American beach volleyball player, 2020 Summer Olympics gold medalist, and former indoor volleyball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicolò Melli</span> Italian-American basketball player

Nicolò Melli is an Italian–American professional basketball player for Fenerbahçe Beko of the Turkish Basketbol Süper Ligi (BSL) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the senior Italian national team. He mainly plays at the power forward position, but he has also played at center. Melli earned an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelsey Robinson</span> American volleyball player

Kelsey Marie Robinson Cook is an American indoor volleyball player of the United States women's national volleyball team. Robinson won gold with the national team at the 2014 World Championship, the Rimini Volleyball Nations League, and the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, and bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesca Ferretti</span> Italian volleyball player

Francesca Ferretti is an Italian professional volleyball player who plays as a setter. As a member of the Italy women's national volleyball team she played in many international competitions and is a World Cup and European Championship winner. At club level she plays for Liu Jo Nordmeccanica Modena and has won national and international competitions with the clubs she played for.

Ingrid Siscovich is a former Croatian female volleyball player. She was part of the Croatia women's national volleyball team. Siscovich was named MVP at 1997 Girls' Youth European Volleyball Championship in Slovakia. She won a silver at 1999 Women's European Volleyball Championship in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Pavan</span> Canadian volleyball and beach volleyball player

Sarah Lindsey Pavan is a Canadian beach volleyball and former indoor volleyball player. She was part of the Canada women's national volleyball team at the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship in Japan. With Melissa Humana-Paredes, she won the women's gold medal at the 2019 Beach Volleyball World Championships.

Celina Crusoe is an Argentine female volleyball player, who played as a setter. She was part of the Argentina women's national volleyball team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enrica Merlo</span> Italian volleyball player

Enrica Merlo is an Italian female volleyball player, playing as a libero. She has played for the Italy women's national volleyball team, notably being part of the 2009 Women's European Volleyball Championship winning team. On club level she plays for Savino Del Bene Scandicci.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justine Wong-Orantes</span> American volleyball player (born 1995)

Justine Wong-Orantes is an American volleyball player who plays as libero for the United States women's national volleyball team. She played college volleyball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where she won an NCAA national championship. She began playing for U.S. national team in 2017. In 2021, she was one of twelve players who won a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, the first-ever gold medal finish for the women's national team.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bamesberger, Michael (August 6, 2012). "Olympic volleyball roots grew in Palmyra". Lincoln Journal Star . Archived from the original on August 8, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2015.(subscription required)
  2. ↑ "1994 Hall of Fame Inductee: Julie Vollertsen Melli (Palmyra)". nebhalloffame.org. Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ Crowe, Jerry (July 28, 1985). "Members of U.S. Women's Volleyball Team Virtually Dedicated Their Lives to Winning a Gold Medal; Instead, They Had to Settle for a Silver Medal, but in Looking Back on the Experience . . . : They'd do it again". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  4. ↑ Barry, David F. (March 1984). "Atari's Olympic team – U.S. women go for the gold medal". Antic. 2 (12). Atari . Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Volleyball team closes in on gold". Google News Archive . Long Beach (California): The Dispatch (Lexington). August 6, 1984. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ Tarshis, Barry (March 1, 1984). "Introducing The Real America's Team". arielnet.com. US Airways . Retrieved July 21, 2015– via Ariel Dynamics.
  7. ↑ Slater, Jim (July 16, 1983). "The U.S. ended 10 years of Cuban domination in..." United Press International . Indianapolis. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  8. ↑ Wilbon, Michael (August 1, 1984). "Volleyball: Long Wait, Short Odds". The Washington Post . Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  9. ↑ "American Women Win in Volleyball". The New York Times . Long Beach (California). United Press International. August 2, 1984.
  10. ↑ Shook, Richard L. (August 1, 1984). "The loser won't necessarily lose today in the Olympic..." United Press International . Long Beach (California). Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  11. ↑ Vecsey, George (August 5, 1984). "Sports of the Times; Volleyball's Team America". The New York Times . Long Beach (California). Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  12. ↑ Gorney, Cynthia (August 6, 1984). "U.S. Women Make 1st Volleyball Final". The Washington Post . Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  13. ↑ Bock, Hal (August 8, 1984). "Chinese shatter U.S. dreams of volleyball gold". Google News Archive . Long Beach (California): Ludington Daily News. Associated Press . Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Presentata ufficialmente la nuova Nelsen" [The new Nelsen is officially presented]. fipavre.it/ (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Pallavolo Reggio Emilia provincial committee. October 1, 1984. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  15. ↑ Zagnoli, Vanni (October 26, 2004). "La famiglia Melli, tutta casa e canestro" [The Melli family, everything house and basketb]. Gazzetta di Reggio (in Italian). Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  16. ↑ "Battute le tedesche: Nelsen campione" [The Germans are beaten:Nelsen is champion]. fipavre.it/ (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Pallavolo Reggio Emilia provincial committee. February 1, 1986. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Alla Nelsen la nuova edizione di Coppa Italia" [The new Italian cup edition [goes] to Nelsen]. fipavre.it/ (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Pallavolo Reggio Emilia provincial committee. March 1, 1986. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  18. ↑ "L'addio della Vollertsen alla pallavolo" [Vollertsen's farewell to volleyball]. fipavre.it/ (in Italian). Federazione Italiana Pallavolo Reggio Emilia provincial committee. April 1, 1986. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Julie Jo Vollertsen eletta vice presidente" [Julie Jo Vollertsen elected vice-president]. Gazzetta di Reggio (in Italian). November 27, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Umberto Suprani nuovo presidente del CONI dell'Emilia Romagna" [Umberto Suprani new president of the Emilia Romagna CONI]. emiliaromagna.coni.it (in Italian). Italian National Olympic Committee Emilia Romagna Regional committee. January 23, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2015.
  21. ↑ "The 50 Greatest Sports Figures From Nebraska". Sports Illustrated . December 27, 1999. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Educare con lo sport: una sfida possible" [Educating through sport: an achievable challenge]. comunedinovellara.gov.it (in Italian). Novellara commune. October 5, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  23. ↑ "Una mamma argento olimpico" [An olympic silver medalist mum]. Gazzetta di Reggio (in Italian). February 1, 2014. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.