As Ball State University's seniors walked off the court following the loss to Ohio University in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last season, Julie Breivogel hoped it wasn't the end.
Breivogel's playing days as an athlete was over without a celebration, yet she remained hopeful volleyball would stay a part of her life. After all, Breivogel had just finished her college career with 1,160 kills and 668 digs.
Weeks of waiting and dealing with the unknown came to an end when Purdue University informed Breivogel that being a volleyball coach will be in her future.
"I was excited and confident. They knew me through camps and knew my abilities athletically as well as in understanding volleyball," Breivogel said. "Being at Purdue was always my number one focus. Growing up my family went to their games. I was recruited by them. I spent a lot of time there due to 4-H. It's just a dream come true to get there."
Breivogel leaves Ball State in the summer to join the Purdue coaching staff for summer camps. In the fall she will join the Boilermaker coaching staff officially in the role as a team manager, but will have more responsibilities than a manager.
"I've coached in the past at Munciana the past several years," she said. "I'm excited to branch out from that experience and get into something new."
While Breivogel is excited to start a new chapter in her life, Purdue is just as excited to start a new season with Breivogel on hand.
"We're very excited to have Julie join the Boilermakers next fall. She shares a passion for the game and has played at a high level, so she knows the game well," said Purdue assistant coach and Supervisor of Volleyball Operations Karen Freeburg. "Julie will help with practice and match preparation, including facility set up, pre and post-match meal organization, statistic keeping, helping with compliance paperwork, practice and match filming and video exchange, as well as day to day practice help."
Breivogel said she's seen what it takes to play at a high level and be successful from the student athlete's perspective, but is eager to learn the type of preparation it takes on the coaching side to be successful.
"I've got nothing against Ball State. Ball State helped me get here. I'm grateful for everyone who helped me get the confidence to reach my goals and this was a big goal," Breivogel said. "Volleyball is my passion."
Breivogel admits that while her playing days are over, it hasn't hit her yet.
"The reality will set in when I'm there for training camp and I'm seeing things as a coach and not a player," Breivogel said. "This is exciting for me. I never want to get out of volleyball."
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