How USF’s Maria Clara Andrade became AAC Player of the Year

Maria Clara Andrade spiking the ball against Temple. // USF ATHLETICS

When Maria Clara Andrade first picked up a volleyball in Taubaté, Brazil, she didn’t imagine the journey that would unfold. At the age of 12, she was encouraged by her father, Mauricio, to take up a sport.

Volleyball quickly became her passion, propelling her into a breakout junior career at USF and American Athletic Conference (AAC) Player of the Year.

“I always liked volleyball a lot at school,” Andrade said. “I played in a physical education class and was always very competitive.”

In 2018, Andrade left her hometown and moved to Osasco, a city just outside São Paulo.

There, she played for Bradesco, a top volleyball team.

“I left home and stayed four years at Bradesco,” Andrade said. “It was very demanding with a tough training schedule, but it was cool.”

The turning point in Andrade’s career came when she decided to pursue college and volleyball in the U.S.

With the help of her agent Mark Plotyczer from Tie Break Sports and Scholarships in Brazil, Andrade navigated the complex process of securing a spot at an American university.

She said the language barrier was the biggest challenge.

“At my first meeting with the USF coaches, I didn’t know how to speak English,” Andrade said. “I had to have someone translate the whole conversation because I didn’t understand anything.”

Despite the language barrier, Andrade chose USF as her new home.

“I ended up choosing USF because it was the best fit for me,” Andrade said. “Then I took the SAT, and everything worked out, thank God.”

At 20 years old, Andrade’s growth as a player at USF has been notable.

Her leadership and performance on the court have been influential in the team’s success.

“I think that was my presence as a leader, not just playing but leading by example,” Andrade said.” I know the girls will follow me if I’m there working hard.”

A major influence on Andrade’s growth has been her relationship with her coaches, particularly Leandro Vissotto.

Vissotto is a former Brazilian professional volleyball player who’s been an assistant coach for the Bulls since 2023.

“He helps me see what I need to do to get what I want,” Andrade said. “If I want to be better, I have to do things differently from others. His stories and advice have pushed me to elevate my discipline and performance.”

This season, Andrade’s hard work paid off as she was named the AAC Player of the Year on Nov. 21.

Her goal from now on is to stay at the highest level.

“I want to maintain being Player of the Year,” Andrade said. “Man, and I want to reach the nationals. That’s the goal.”

The team’s historic achievement complemented Andrade’s individual honors.

USF won the conference regular season title for the first time in over 20 years.

Despite the impressive season, USF was not included in the NCAA Tournament, a decision that left Andrade disappointed.

The Bulls loss against Wichita State in the AAC tournament hurt the team, Andrade said.

The Bulls ended with a 19-10 season record and a 14-2 conference record.

“Man, tell me how are we consistent the whole year and don’t make it to Nationals?” Andrade said. “We only lost two conference games in the entire regular season, and in the end, does a weekend count?”

But still, Andrade tries to see the glass half full.

“We trained everything and couldn’t go to the nationals, what a drag, right?,” she said. “Look where we got. We already made history.”