After a career full of fine performances at club level and with the national team, Marlies Janssens has decided to retire from volleyball at the end of this season. This gradually marks the end of the journey of a player who, over the years, developed into one of the absolute references in Belgian women’s volleyball.

Her first period at the highest level began at Oudegem in 2015, when she came over from the Topsportschool in Vilvoorde. It quickly became clear that she possessed an exceptional amount of talent. After two strong seasons, a move to Asterix Avo Beveren followed in 2017. In 2023, Janssens returned to VC Oudegem, after becoming Belgian champion with VDK Ghent.

Even after her departure from Oudegem, Janssens continued to establish herself year after year at the top of Belgian volleyball. She grew into one of the most dominant middle blockers in the Lotto Volley League and also collected many individual distinctions along the way. In 2023, she was named Player of the Year, an award that perfectly summed up how consistent her level had been for years. In addition, since 2019 she had been voted best middle blocker of the league every season. Six times in a row, an exceptional series that underlines her impact and consistency at the highest level.

Janssens also made a strong impression at European level. In 2020, she was the best server in the CEV Cup, with 15 aces in 6 matches. Over the course of her career, her serve developed into a real weapon, something that also made the difference more than once with the national team. With the Yellow Tigers, Janssens collected 137 caps and became a regular and particularly important value within the team. During the 2019 European Championship, she made the most aces of the tournament and in 2021 she was named best server of the Volleyball Nations League.

When the season soon comes definitively to an end, Belgian volleyball will say goodbye to a player who for many years helped give colour to the competition and to the national team. Marlies Janssens leaves behind a career to be especially proud of, with impressive numbers, strong performances and many individual honours. Above all, she remains a name that will be spoken with respect in Belgian volleyball.