Evie Doezema: The Steady Constant for Michigan State Volleyball
10/7/2025 1:10:00 PM | Volleyball
Michigan State volleyball has been a program with constant change for the past few years—new lineups, new coaches, and the transfer portal— but Evie Doezema has been the steady constant for the Spartans.
Doezema, a 6-foot-4 senior opposite hitter who can play anywhere on the court, is the only player on MSU's roster to be in East Lansing all four years.
Her time at MSU has been a journey of growth and resilience - and hope.
"No matter how prepared you think you are coming out of high school, you're not," Doezema said. "I didn't know if I really belonged here, but after four years, I've learned that I do."
Before Doezema committed to Michigan State, she was recruited by current head coach Kristen Kelsay when she was the assistant coach from 2015-18. She had opportunities to leave MSU, thanks to the transfer portal and changes in coaches, but she remained grounded in her belief that staying meant something deeper.
"With the transfer portal and everything going on in college athletics these days, it's so easy for people to be swayed to transition to new colleges," Doezema said. "But I think it means something so much more to be in one place and be connected to school wholeheartedly."
That connection has shaped her into the type of leader she is for this team. She's not the loudest voice in the gym, but she's the one teammates turn to on and off the court.
"Being that person everyone can rely on, emotionally and physically… It's been super special in my senior year," Doezema, a native of Grand Rapids, said.
Junior middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig, Doezema's teammate and a native of Poland, felt that support during Big Ten Media Day. Kulig was nervous facing the media, unsure about doing interviews in her non-native language. Kulig handled the assignment well, thanks to Doezema's help.
"She's just with you, like mentally. She can say one word or one sentence, and it's like automatic relief. Like, you feel better," Kulig said. "She helped me a lot. We practiced some questions, and she really helped with the anxiety I had about it."
Kelsay sees Doezema as more than just a player, but calls her "the ultimate Spartan." Kelsay described this as someone who has stayed loyal to the program while leading in a way that's authentic. She also praised Doezema's leadership during the team's spring transition, as this showed her ability to actively live the team's values.
"She has a perspective and a wisdom to her that her teammates really respect," Kelsay said. "She's able to command her teammates and influence them, honestly."
That influence has been felt deeply.
"She's just a person who, when something is going wrong– she's just, like, bringing everyone together," Kulig said. "She has grown so much as a person since I've been here."
Doezema's growth hasn't just been emotional, but also tactical. She's played almost every position on the court, stepping in wherever the team has needed her. Most recently, she's found comfort in her position as an opposite, already making an impact in early-season matches.
To get to this position of leadership, she had to deal with some things herself, the biggest was her confidence as it wasn't always this strong. As a freshman, she struggled with self-doubt and the intensity of Big Ten competition. She faced lineup changes, lost playing time, but each challenge made her resilient and into the player she is today.
Doezema said, "It was really hard to look at it as a good thing, but stepping back and reevaluating what I needed to work on—to still compete and get better—was huge."
One of the team's core values this season is being "unconditionally committed", a mindset Doezema tries to embody daily.
"Even if you only have 70% to give, you give that 70%," she said. "You're always giving as much as you have in your tank that day."
Some of her proudest moments are helping MSU reclaim the rivalry flag from Michigan and contributing to the program's top-ten national attendance ranking for three consecutive years.
"To be a part of that– it was really, really amazing," she said.
But, Doezema's legacy goes beyond wins and stats. It's about the energy she brings, the example she sets, and the way she lifts her teammates.
"I just feed energy into my teammates," she said. "That's something you can always keep consistent."
As she prepares to close this chapter, Doezema leaves behind being more than a great volleyball player. She leaves a legacy of what it truly means to be a Spartan.
"Being an emotionally consistent person on the court is something that I strive to be every day, and I would love to be my legacy when I leave," she said.
