FSW volleyball champion returns to SWFL and joins FGCU

There’s been a lot of change in Barbara Koehler’s life.

“It felt like 10 years in three,” Koehler said.

Three years ago, Koehler came to the United States to start her college volleyball career at Florida Southwestern State.

“I came from playing in Brazil playing in my home country,” Koehler recalled. “Speaking Portuguese all day. And it was a bit of a challenge when you come here and it’s a new language. Everything is different. Now I’m in college. I have never been so far away from home.”

But Koehler quickly realized, Southwest Florida became home.

“I learned that even though I’m far in close to my family that I have created here the relationships the warm hearts that helped me out a long the way,” Koehler explained.

Koehler excelled with the Bucs. She was named the NJCAA Player of the Year in 2022 as she helped lead the Bucs to their first national championship. Then, she transferred to Wichita State.

“It was a really good challenge for me to grow up myself as well,” Koehler said. “But I felt like I needed to be close to my ones my family and friends that I have here.”

That brought the outside hitter back to Southwest Florida, joining the Florida Gulf Coast volleyball team for her senior season.

“She’s just a phenomenal teammate,” FGCU volleyball head coach Matt Botsford said about Koehler. “She cares deeply about the people around her. She makes the people around her better. And her energy level it doesn’t change. A good day a bad day in terms of what’s happening statistically, you wouldn’t be able to tell.”

I”t’s a dream coming true to be back in the city that make me feel like home,” Koehler said.