November 6, 2025

Article By Nick Wade

When Boise State announced the signing of Serena van der Made, a dynamic beach volleyball defender from the Netherlands, it wasn’t just another international addition to the roster—it was a declaration of intent. As the Broncos prepare for their transition into the Big XII Conference, one of the most competitive leagues in collegiate beach volleyball, attracting a player of van der Made’s pedigree signals that Boise State’s ambitions have expanded beyond conference titles. The program’s sights are now fixed on national contention.

Van der Made arrives from The Hague with a resume as polished as the North Sea sand she’s trained on since childhood. Her volleyball story began in the gymnasiums of the Netherlands, following in the footsteps of her mother, an indoor volleyball player whose matches Serena watched religiously as a young girl. “Because of her I started playing volleyball,” van der Made recalled. “She drove me to every training and game.” That support system cultivated not only an athlete but also an unrelenting competitor who, by twelve, had already transitioned to the beach, drawn to the precision, endurance, and mental fortitude the sand demands.

It didn’t take long for van der Made’s talent to rise through the Dutch ranks. At just seventeen, she finished second at the national championships, igniting a fire that’s defined her ever since. “From that moment I wanted to get the best out of myself,” she said. That same drive would carry her through countless tournaments and heartbreaks, including three consecutive seasons of narrowly missing the Dutch national team. Rather than succumbing to disappointment, she used each setback as fuel. “Three times in a row was very hard for me,” she said. “But it gave me strength to persevere and show what I can do—by going for every ball and winning from teams that did make the national team.”

Her perseverance paid off. Over the past three years, van der Made has compiled one of the most impressive domestic resumes in the Netherlands. She’s earned twenty podium finishes—including six golds, six silvers, and eight bronzes—across the Eredivisie Tour and Queen of the Court series. She’s competed on international sand, finishing thirteenth at the Beach Pro Tour Future in Spiez, Switzerland. Her golden moments span the cities of Arnhem, Nijmegen, Zaandam, Amstelveen, and Almelo, where the courts often stood in the heart of bustling Dutch squares surrounded by terraces full of fans. “The venues were great,” she said. “There were always music and people cheering when there was a great action.”

That festive energy seems to have followed her career, but her playing style is defined by grit more than glamour. At 5-foot-6, van der Made is a defender in every sense of the word—a relentless chaser of impossible balls, a technician of precise passing, and the emotional anchor every elite team needs in the backcourt. “I focus on passing and back-row defense,” she said. “I’m specialized in making accurate passes and keeping rallies alive by running and diving for every ball.” Her quickness, anticipation, and refusal to give up on a play have earned her two of the Netherlands’ most respected honors: the Eredivisie’s “Fighter of the Year” and “SportIF Player of the Year.” Both awards recognize not just talent but character—the player who battles hardest and carries the spirit of competition with grace. “It was great that the referees saw that I fight for every ball even though we are losing,” she said. That balance of competitive edge and sportsmanship is exactly what makes her such a prized addition to Boise State’s roster.

 Head coach Alex Venardos, known for his relentless attention to detail and commitment to cultivating a championship culture, was instrumental in bringing van der Made to Boise. Their early conversations cemented her decision. “When I had my first conversations with Alex Venardos it felt really good,” she said. “He’s very passionate about the game, so I knew that he could teach me more and improve my game.” For Venardos, who has turned Boise State into one of the premier beach volleyball programs outside the Power Five, signing van der Made is both a reinforcement of the Broncos’ international reach and a statement about their competitive evolution. As Boise State steps into the Big XII, the caliber of talent must rise to meet the new standard—and van der Made fits perfectly into that vision.

Her partnership history underscores that adaptability. Over the years, she’s played alongside some of the Netherlands’ best young talents, including Lisa Luini, Rianne Stok, and Julia Didillon-Hödl. Her most successful run came with Stok, a pairing that produced multiple Eredivisie titles and a Queen of the Court championship in Leuven. “We both want to win and go for every ball,” van der Made said. “We are also really good friends, and that makes things easier because you see each other almost every day.” Their chemistry culminated in a 2025 season of dominance across both domestic and cross-border tournaments. It’s no coincidence that her best performances have come when her personal joy in the game matches her competitive fire.

The move to Boise will represent more than a change in scenery. It’s a cultural and academic shift—one that van der Made embraces wholeheartedly. A civil engineering major, she’s completing her bachelor’s degree in the Netherlands before beginning her master’s at Boise State. “I really liked Math and Science in high school,” she said. “That’s why I wanted to study civil engineering.” Her academic focus on transportation systems even connects symbolically to her volleyball journey—a discipline rooted in precision, balance, and design. “The transportation system focus area of the master civil engineering attracted me,” she said, adding that conversations with Boise State professor Bhaskar Chittoori helped solidify her choice. This intersection of athletics and academics underscores Boise State’s growing reputation as a destination for student-athletes who pursue excellence in every arena.

Still, no classroom can replicate what she’ll find in the sand. The Big XII will feature powerhouses with deep benches, elite coaching, and athletes with years of NCAA tournament experience. For van der Made, it’s exactly the kind of challenge she’s been preparing for since those heartbreaking national team cuts. “In the short term my goal is to contribute to consistency in serve receive and defense and support my teammates,” she said. “In the long term I aim to grow into a leadership role as a defender and help elevate the team’s overall performance through hard work.” Her self-awareness and patience reflect maturity rare in a newcomer. She knows that championship programs aren’t built overnight—they’re crafted by layers of consistency, accountability, and shared belief. And with Boise State entering a new conference, her approach aligns perfectly with the program’s broader ambitions.

Life in Idaho will be far from the Dutch coastlines she’s used to. “Going to Idaho means trading the sea for mountain views and every day is a chance to create new memories,” she said. It’s a fitting quote for a player whose story is one of transformation, not just triumph. Off the court, she loves cooking new recipes with her boyfriend, playing board games with friends, and exploring new cultures—all traits that suggest she’ll adapt quickly to the close-knit, outdoors-oriented Boise community. Her fluency in English, Dutch, and German will also make her a natural bridge for Boise State’s increasingly international locker room.

 Van der Made’s competitive DNA—her refusal to concede a rally, her relentless optimism, her fascination with self-improvement—makes her an ideal fit for a Boise State team that has built its success on those very principles. Over the past decade, the Broncos have evolved from an ambitious regional contender to a legitimate national presence, fueled by the leadership of Venardos and the emergence of players who combine skill with intellect. Now, as the program prepares to enter the Big XII, maintaining that upward trajectory requires more than talent. It requires players like van der Made who embody discipline and character in equal measure.

Her story mirrors Boise State’s in many ways a team and a player who’ve been underestimated, overlooked, and yet always find a way to rise higher. For the Broncos, whose identity has long been tied to their ability to outwork and outthink opponents, adding van der Made represents a continuation of that legacy. She doesn’t just bring international experience or impressive hardware; she brings a mindset forged through years of determination. When she steps onto the sand at Boise State’s state-of-the-art facilities next spring, every dive, every read, every perfectly timed dig will represent not only her personal journey but also Boise State’s relentless pursuit of excellence.

Her arrival comes at a time when the Broncos are redefining what success means in collegiate beach volleyball. The move to the Big XII isn’t just a logistical change, it’s a competitive awakening. Programs that thrive at that level do so because they recruit players like Serena van der Made: relentless competitors who see adversity not as an obstacle but as an invitation. Her blend of technical precision, academic excellence, and emotional resilience embodies the next generation of Boise State athletes—those who don’t just want to win but want to build something enduring.

In a few months, van der Made will trade the wind-swept coasts of the Netherlands for the high desert sun of Idaho. She’ll walk across campus to class, study civil engineering problems by day, and chase impossible balls in the sand. And as she dives into that sand, wearing the blue and orange of Boise State, she’ll represent more than just another recruit. She’ll represent the new era of Boise State Beach Volleyball, a program determined not just to compete in the Big XII, but to define it.