Smashing on the Los Angeles sand

It simply was not Austria’s day. On Wednesday, 23 July at the Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games in Duisburg, Magdalena Rabitsch and Anja Trailovic stumbled against Poland in their third and final match of the women’s preliminary round, losing 21-12 and 21-19.

“The Polish team was very strong, and we knew. We just couldn’t find our rhythm,” commented Rabitsch, who competes alongside her longtime best friend. “Playing on the international stage is nothing new for us. But sometimes, you lose. That’s just part of the sport.”

Despite the disappointing result, the Austrians are through to the round of 16 – set for Thursday – after finishing second in pool B.

Whatever lies ahead for the rest of the FISU Games, Rabitsch already achieved one of her sporting dreams a few years back: earning a spot on a beach volleyball team at a university in the United States. Since then, everything has changed for her.

For many student-athletes, the high school sports system is more than competition. It provides structured training, access to experienced coaches, and regular matches. For international players like the humanities student, this pathway opens doors to world-class facilities and a supportive academic environment where they can succeed both on the sand and in the classroom.

“It’s a completely different dimension; it offers so much to me,” Rabitsch explained.

But how did a girl from Klagenfurt, Carinthia, end up in California playing for one of the best teams in the NCAA’s highly-competitive West Coast Conference?

Determination opened doors
Directly after completing the Austrian “Matura”, a final secondary school exam to finish high school, Rabitsch teamed up with her former Austrian coach to reach out to US teams in search of a destination where she could grow even more.

“I have always been passionate about beach volleyball and wanted to go further. Going to the United States has always been a dream of mine. That’s why I contacted coaches from the US after graduating.” The 21-year-old remembers that lots of hours of work were necessary to send out e-mails together with her former trainer. “I was very lucky he had good connections.”

Hear her roar
After enrolling at the University of Washington, also on the US west coast, Rabitsch transferred in 2023 to Loyola Marymount University, in Los Angeles. She is now a key player for the LMU Lions thanks to a sports scholarship.

Rabitsch still feels a deep connection to Austria, the country where her remarkable beach volleyball journey began years ago. “I was born there, Austria is my team.” 

Equally important to her roots is the bond with her partner and best friend Anja. Even though she lives overseas, their friendship remains strong. “Anja visits me in the United States, and despite the distance, we’re close.”

The best part: Trailovic will soon be transferring to LMU from the University of Vienna. The two friends will be reunited once again, this time almost 10,000 kilometres from their homeland.

Beach volleyball at Rhine-Ruhr 2025 concludes on Saturday, 26 July with the women’s and men’s medal matches.

The Rhine-Ruhr 2025 FISU World University Games take place from 16-27 July. Watch all the competitions live on fisu.tv. Click on the link to find the full schedule.

Written by Johanna Horn, EU U-Media Ambassador, Germany

The Young Reporters Programme exemplifies FISU’s commitment to more than sports competitions. At every FISU World University Games, a group of talented aspiring sports journalists are chosen to cover the competition.