Schutzenhofer & Plesiutschnig announce retirement from professional beach volleyball

One of Austria’s leading women’s beach volleyball pairs, Katharina Schutzenhofer & Lena Plesiutschnig, will no longer compete professionally. At the age of 31, the two athletes, who started playing beach volleyball internationally together in 2010, have now retired together, leaving their mark on the sport over their 15-year journey as a team.

In their youth years, Schutzenhofer & Plesiutschnig earned silver at the 2011 FIVB U19 Beach Volleyball World Championship and bronze at the FIVB U21 World Championship two years later. They also triumphed as U20 European champions in 2011.

At the senior level, the Austrian duo collected two golds, one silver and one bronze on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, as well as two silvers on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour. In 2015, they claimed silver at the inaugural European Games in Baku. In May 2022, Schutzenhofer & Plesiutschnig made it to the top 10 in the FIVB World Ranking. During their professional beach volleyball journey, they also claimed three national titles in Austria – in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

“We had so many highs and also some lows. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. Beach volleyball is my great passion and I am very grateful that I was able to turn my hobby into a career,” Katharina Schutzenhofer stated. “I look back on 24 years of volleyball: starting in the hall, through several years, in which I played both on sand and indoors and we celebrated our first major achievements as a team, to twelve years of professional beach volleyball with medals and many other highlights. Above all, reaching the eighthfinals of the Vienna Major 2019 and the silver medal at the Challenge tournament in the Maldives will be remembered forever. It was a long and beautiful journey that is now coming to an end. I would like to thank everyone who accompanied me on this journey from the bottom of my heart.”

“I'm taking an incredible number of great memories with me,” said Lena Plesiutschnig. “It was an incredibly cool time, but also time full of challenges that have shaped me. I'm proud of what we achieved together and, above all, grateful that I was able to experience all of that. Volleyball was my first great passion until I discovered beach volleyball - and then it happened pretty quickly. The fact that I was able to pursue my hobby as a professional for twelve years is a privilege, for which I am infinitely grateful. A huge thank you to everyone who accompanied and supported me on this journey: to Kathi, to our support team, our sponsors, funding agencies, the federation, my family and my boyfriend. Without them, this journey would not have been possible in this form. It feels right to close this chapter now. I'm looking forward to the new tasks and challenges that lie ahead of me.”

Austrian national federation President Gernot Leitner thanked Schutzenhofer & Plesiutschnig for the many years as role models and top performers and wished them all the best for their new phase of life. He expressed his hope that they remain connected to volleyball - be it as mentors, coaches or in another role.

“For a long time, Katharina and Lena were not only Austria's most successful women's beach volleyball team, but also outstanding ambassadors of our sport - nationally and internationally,” Leitner said. “They have had a lasting impact on sports in Austria and thrilled the audience with their performances. From their early success at youth championships to medals and top results on the international stage, they have represented Austrian volleyball to the highest degree. Their path was characterized by impressive commitment, perseverance and the unwavering will to keep coming back even after setbacks. The highlights of their career will remain in our memories.”

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