Maria Loureiro

My name is Maria Julia Vedovatto Loureiro, I’m originally from Brazil. I started playing volleyball when I was 8 years old, and the sport has been a big part of my life ever since.

When I was 13, I received a full scholarship to play volleyball in another city in Brazil. I moved away from my parents at a young age to pursue my dream and continue developing as an athlete.

In 2019, when I was 17, I moved to the United States after receiving a full scholarship to play college volleyball in Missouri. I spent two and a half years competing at the NJCAA Division I level, where we won multiple championships and competed at the NJCAA National Championship, finishing 9th in the nation. Throughout my junior college career, I earned multiple All-Tournament Team honors and was named an NJCAA All-American during my sophomore year.

After junior college, I transferred to South Carolina State University, an NCAA Division I program, where I continued my volleyball career before eventually moving to Pensacola, Florida. Even after I stopped playing competitively, I always wanted to stay involved in volleyball. I had the opportunity to work as an assistant coach at the University of West Florida for a semester, which gave me valuable experience on the coaching side of the game.

This is now my second season with the West Florida Waves, and I am excited to continue being part of the program. Volleyball has given me so many opportunities and taught me so much throughout my life. I love being able to share my experiences and knowledge with younger athletes and help them grow, not only as volleyball players but also as individuals.