ARLINGTON, Texas -- UTA volleyball opens its 2018 season on Aug. 24 and will feature a roster filled with 10 newcomers. Get to know UTA's incoming class in a series of features on UTAMavs.com!
Today, learn all about junior setter Valentina Bulhoes, a native of Brazil. A 5-foot-8 product of Cisco College, Bulhoes totaled 4.59 assists and 2.07 digs per set as a sophomore at Cisco, notching 18 service aces. During her freshman season, Bulhoes notched 4.77 assists and 1.53 digs per set.
"Valentina has played the game at a bunch of levels and has a great outlook on the sport," UTA Coach J.T. Wenger said. "Her background will add to our general gym atmosphere both with energy and understanding. Valentina is a very driven person, athletically and academically, and she will strive for excellence in both domains."
At what age did you begin playing volleyball?
VB: 10 years old.
Why did you start playing volleyball?
VB: My mom forced me to go to a practice, and since then I never stopped.
What is your earliest memory of volleyball?
VB: I still remember my first practice trying to learn how to pass a ball.
Who is your inspiration in volleyball and why?
VB: My coaches are my inspiration because they motivate me to seek improvement every day and they always give me lessons for life.
Who is a current/former collegiate or professional volleyball athlete whom you admire and why?
VB: Micah Christenson (The setter from US Olympic team), although in Brazil we have a lot of
amazing Olympic volleyball players, Christenson is a huge inspiration because he does a great
job at leading his team and he is a very good athlete.
What family members have made the biggest impact on your life and why?
VB: My family is very small. I have my mom (Janaina) and my grandma (Rejane), and they
mean the world for me. Both of them inspire me to be a strong and independent woman
everyday.
What are the strengths of your volleyball game? What are the areas you are currently trying to work on the most?
VB: I think that I got to see a lot of different players and different volleyball techniques during the transition between Brazil and America, and that made me less scared to face other teams
because at the end of the day they are just girls like me fighting for their goals like I am.
I need to work on my athleticism because I didn't have a lot of resources and training to be as
athletic as a bunch of girls here in America.
Why did you decide to attend the UT Arlington?
VB: I really like the engineering program and the school is in a good location for me.
What are your individual and team goals at UT Arlington?
VB: I want to improve my volleyball skills for sure and hopefully be a good addition to the team,
volleyball can't be played with only one person and I depend on my teammates to perform
good. My position as a setter is to assist and motivate them to play through any circumstances.
What is your academic major and why did you select that major?
VB: My academic major is Mechanical Engineering. I just can't see myself doing something else.
What are your career goals (after volleyball) and why do you have an interest in pursuing that particular career?
VB: I want to finish my major to get a Master's degree and hopefully get to start in a good engineering company. I think mechanical engineering is very broad and I will find myself in a specific area after I start experiencing different projects.
Have there been any big obstacles that you have had to overcome in your life? How did you
overcome them and how did that experience help shape you?
VB: I've been experiencing big obstacles since very little, my mom and I always lived simple and tried to save as much as we could. Food and clothes were very limited in the beginning but we always worked hard together to build a better future. I think that the biggest obstacle was to come to America because of the expenses and the cultural impact. All of this definitely made me more mature and responsible to sacrifice things that are not worth the money and the time.
What do you enjoy doing outside of volleyball and school?
VB: I don't know actually, volleyball and school were all I've done for the past two years! Besides that, I think Facetiming my family is for sure the best part of my day.
What is something most people might not know about you?
VB: I have dimples in my bottom lips.
What would you most like to be known for as a UT Arlington volleyball player?
VB: I would like to have an ability to make a positive impact on our team.
What advice would you give to a young girl who would like to one day be in your shoes?
VB: I would tell them to not sit and wait things for happen but work hard and never forget origins and family. Focusing on doing the right thing in the classroom is important as well as knowing how to enjoy your loved ones.
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