Sunniva Helland-Hansen is a freshman at Stetson University, majoring in business administration and preparing to play for our Women’s Beach Volleyball team. She hails from a small town in Norway called Bergen. Prior to Helland-Hansen’s volleyball career, she participated in various sports, each helping her realize her natural athletic abilities.

Five years ago she took up indoor volleyball, and she has been training on the court ever since. With her older brothers competing on the Norwegian national team, she noticed she “was going in the same direction.” Helland-Hansen was elected for the national team after playing for only one year. She was committed and enthusiastic for what lies ahead. “I’ve always been really competitive and it’s been natural for me to love what I do,” said Helland-Hansen.

This past Spring season, Stetson University’s Beach Volleyball team ranked 8th in the nation. This stood out to Helland-Hansen when applying to American universities. Her former Norwegian teammate, Julie Varga, is currently a sophomore playing for Stetson’s Indoor and Beach programs. Varga spoke highly of the university’s opportunities, academics, community, coaches and team. Stetson seemed like the exact home Helland-Hansen wanted to commit to for the next four years, and her expectations have been well exceeded. “I love that [Stetson] is a small, high quality community. The people are really nice and they are academically determined. I can tell they’ve worked hard to get here,” gushed Helland-Hansen.

Beach volleyball, as opposed to indoor volleyball, is a significant adjustment for Helland-Hansen. This year is the first time in five years that Helland-Hansen will not be playing indoor volleyball to accompany her time in the sand. She appreciates the large team dynamic of indoor, but finds herself constantly adapting to the dynamic of just two players, herself and one other partner, to play a match.

Now that she is well into her first semester at Stetson, Helland-Hansen has finally allowed her body to acclimate to Florida’s warmer temperatures. According to Helland-Hansen, “In Norway, we play with compression socks and wool. I definitely like it better [at Stetson]. It’s how beach volleyball is supposed to be played.” Another unfamiliar concept for her is conditioning. Stetson’s team schedule requires rigorous cardio three days a week, consisting of repetitive sprinting and running. Helland-Hansen appreciates that these workouts are executed together, alongside her teammates. “I think it’s really good and very helpful to have [conditioning] incorporated in our schedule. It definitely keeps us in shape during the off-season,” Helland-Hansen said.

Helland-Hansen’s genuine love and desire for her sport, teammates and academics is inspiring. She exudes an organic passion for both beach volleyball and her new home, here at Stetson. Look for Helland-Hansen’s opening-debut come this spring when the Stetson Beach Volleyball team begins their season.