Julie Voeck, a collegiate volleyball official for over two decades, was named the NCAA secretary-rules editor for women's volleyball last month.
Voeck will begin her new role Sept. 1, 2023. Over the next year, she will shadow Anne Pufahl, the current NCAA secretary-rules editor for the sport whose term will end after 12 years of service.
During her time on the court, Voeck has officiated the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship from 2004-21. In addition, she officiated the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship finals in 2011, 2012, 2021 and 2022, and the NCAA Division III Men's Volleyball Championship title match in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
The 2022-23 year will be her last calling matches on the court.
"This was a difficult decision, because I love officiating," said Voeck, who has served as president of the Professional Association of Volleyball Officials since 2012. "I wasn't looking to retire, but when this opportunity came up, it means I'm leaving as an active official sooner than I was prepared for."
In recent years, Voeck has regularly attended NCAA Women's Volleyball Rules Committee meetings to give committee members the perspective of an on-court official while they deliberate potential rules changes for the sport.
One of the changes Voeck is an advocate of is the challenge review system, which has been a permanent fixture in NCAA women's volleyball since 2016.
"This is an exciting time in the sport," said Voeck, whose experience includes officiating internationally in the World University Games, Pan American Cup, and North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation events. "My experience as an official, my interest in seeing the sport evolve and working with the challenge review system firsthand puts me in position to work with everyone involved in the game."
Voeck, who is a senior director for government affairs for a company focused on renewable energy policy in the Midwest, is also looking forward to broadening her conversation with those in the women's volleyball community.
Since she is an active official, her only dialogue with coaches extends to the match she is calling at the time. As secretary-rules editor, she will be able to have more in-depth discussions with this group.
"I'm looking forward to getting perspective from coaches on how they would like to see the game shaped," said Voeck, who served on the National Association of Sports Officials board of directors from 2015-19. "I want to know what coaches want to see and what can we do in terms of training and the rules to improve the game. I am interested in that input."
