By Bill Sheehan

Growing up in the central Netherlands, Renske and Lotte Boxsem gravitated toward water sports. The two sisters, who are first-year students at Cal State Fullerton, participated in synchronized swimming and competitive swimming. But they found their true passion in water polo.

When Renske began playing the sport at 9 years old as a member of a 13-and-under co-ed team, she was the only girl. "I started as a field player, but I always wanted to be a goalie. My coaches and parents said, 'You're a 9-year-old girl with 13-yearold guys – that's not happening." By age 11, however, she was playing in the net. She continued as a goalie in the 15-and-under girls competition and never looked back.

Lotte valued the team aspect of water polo. "I was a pretty fast sprinter on an advanced swimming team, but I felt lonely. I really liked the notion of having teammates around."

Water polo is undeniably embedded in the DNA of 19-year-old Renske and 17-year-old Lotte, who hail from Lelystad, a city of 80,000 about 25 miles northeast of Amsterdam.

Renske and Lotte's father, Jeroen Boxsem, has participated in the sport most of his life as a player, coach and referee. "He's 45 years old, and he's still playing in master's competition," said Lotte, whose younger sister, Lidewij, also competes in water polo along with an aunt and an uncle. The Boxsems' mother, Natascha, has never played the sport but has become an expert on evaluating player skills and game strategy.

Renske, pronounced REN-skuh, won a Dutch Under-17 national championship playing goalie for the ZPC het Ravijn club, which is in the elite Eredivisie division. She participated in two European Youth Championships and two World Youth Championship as a member of the Dutch Youth National Team.


Renske Boxsem, competing for the Dutch Youth National Team, blocks a Croatian penalty shot at the World Youth Championships in Larissa, Greece.

Lotte, pronounced LOT-uh, also played for ZPC het Ravijn and has played on Under-15 and Under-17 national training/practice groups. She competed last summer for the San Jose Express at the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, which was held across California. The JO is the nation's largest age-group tournament and allows international players on a limited basis.


Fullerton's Renske and Lotte Boxsem, who come from a fLotte Boxsem performs for the Dutch club ZPC het Ravijn. Last summer, she competed for the San Jose Express at the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics

The Dutch duo are now making their mark for the Titans. They have helped Fullerton (17-12 overall, 1-4 in Big West play) secure its first winning season in the program's four-year existence. The Titans will play UC Davis (11-12, 3-2) at noon Sunday at Titan Aquatics Center in the final home game of the season. A Senior Day ceremony will be held before the contest.

Renske, who is called Ren by her family and friends, has racked up 173 saves and 26 steals at Fullerton's starting goalie. She is allowing 12.01 goals per game. Lotte plays hole guard; her job is to defend against the opponent's primary offensive threat. She is second in shooting percentage (.564), fifth in goals (31) and tied for fifth in assists (14).


Renske Boxsem, known as Ren by her family and friends, has racked up 173 saves and 26 steals as the Titans' starting goalie. Fullerton is 12-7 overall.

The sisters are seen as cornerstones for Fullerton's fledgling program, said Titans head coach Kyle Witt. "Originally, we were just recruiting Lotte. But Ren was visible in some of the videos, and we liked what we saw. We evaluated them separately. It was never a package deal."

"Some players overanalyze things. The Boxsems know how to compartmentalize, stay level-headed and communicate very well together. They are good leaders in and out of the pool. It's nice to know we have the goalie and center-defensive position locked down for a few years."

The 5-foot-9 Renske "is doing a great job in her first year," he said. "She has mental toughness and has made great saves. She misses some but makes the saves she should," said Witt. "Americans shoot a lot harder than Europeans and like to blast it, The Dutch are more creative with shot faking and have different types of shooters. There has been an adjustment for Ren, but she is doing well."

Lotte, at 5-foot-4, is undersized but one of Fullerton's smarter players, said Witt. "She knows how to do little things such as body positioning and balance super-well. Lotte has mental toughness in spades. She battles people physically stronger and still wins a lot."


As a hole guard, Lottie Boxsem is matched up against the opponent's primary offensive threat. She is second in shooting percentage (.564) and fifth in goals (31) for the Titans.

The Titans have been plagued by injuries this season. "I've been a Division 1 head coach for nearly 20 years, and I've never had a season like this. But the team has done a great job of not making excuses and having a next-person-up mentality."

Our teammates have dealt with a dislocated shoulder, a broken toe, a broken finger and illnesses. At least six people have lost time. But we're fighting through it pretty well," said Renske

A lack of depth has factored in many games, including a 22-3 road loss against No. 8-ranked Long Beach State (13-10, 4-1) a week ago. If the season ended today, the two teams would meet in the Big West Championship quarterfinals April 10 at Long Beach State's Ken Lindgren Aquatics Center

"It's very likely we'll play Long Beach again," said Lotte. "It's always hard against a good opponent. There's stuff we can learn from that loss, and we have a lot to improve on."

The Boxsem sisters were exposed early on to the aquatic world. Their father recalled bringing 2-year-old Renske to water polo training sessions and games. "She always enjoyed her time in and around pools," said Jeroen. "From an early age, Ren and her sisters have competed in Olympic water sports. They were not obligated to play water polo. They just enjoyed it."


Renske, center, and Lottie Boxsem join their parents, Jeroen and Natascha, on a walk after dining in their hometown of Lelystad, which is 25 miles east of Amsterdam.

Jeroen, who coached his daughters, said Renske and Lotte honed their skills through practice and competitions. "As a goalie, Ren can read the game while passing the ball and coaching the girls in the right direction. From a small age on, she has had a lot of skills. She can be very explosive yet can show a lot of pace coming out of the goal."

"Lotte, like Ren, can anticipate where the ball is going and recognizing the other team's plays. She has always enjoyed the fight going on defensively, and she isn't scared to mix it up. In the last year, she has stepped up her offensive game with crazy good shots and the ability to shoot from every corner."

Lotte was the first of the sisters to explore the idea of relocating overseas, her father said. "For Lotte, it was the most logical follow-up after high school. She was looking for a new adventure," he said

"I really wanted to study abroad while being able to combine my study with water polo, and America has great programs for student-athletes," Lotte said. Her plan piqued Renske's interest, and soon both had sent out personal videos to U.S. college programs.

Renske, who had attended college classes back home, said adjusting to life in the U.S. took some time. Lotte felt she had an easier transition coming straight from high school and spending last summer in the Golden State. "I was homesick at first, but our teammates helped us out, even if it were simple things like going to a grocery store. The people here have been so friendly."

Abby Lockman, a sophomore center from Los Gatos, shares an apartment with the sisters and a fourth teammate. "Lotte has had a smoother transition after spending the summer in Northern California. But Ren has been acclimating well and is very easy to get along with as a roommate."

"Ren is a fantastic goalie, and Lottie is an amazing hole guard. They both bring a huge package," said Lockman. "Outside the pool, Ren is very bold and passionate, and she knows exactly what she is talking about. Lotte is more on the lighter side but is equally driven. Both are amazing people."

They can provide some amusing moments, Lockman said. "We share a wall in our apartment. One night, I heard them arguing in Dutch and raising their voices. When I asked them about it later, they said they were just talking about a TV show," said Lockman, laughing.

Renske is a psychology major. She envisions working at a school and focusing on children's psychology. Lottie is a criminal justice major. They both plan on continuing to play water polo beyond college.

When she has free time, Renske likes taking hikes, going to the beach and hanging out with friends. Lotte enjoys reading books and baking. "I like to do fun things with friends, like going to the beach, amusement parks or trying a new coffee spot."

In the Netherlands, their father owns a business that develops software products for medical companies. Natascha, their mother, teaches remedial subjects and serves as a substitute teacher at a primary school. Their 15-year-old sister Lidewij's water polo skills could land her at an overseas college too.

The two have suggestions for visitors to the Netherlands. "I really enjoy going to the Amsterdam museums," said Lotte. "Maastricht, which is the southeast region near the German and Belgian borders, is full of beautiful mountains and nature spots. Our family went there two years ago, and I would like to go back."

"I like shopping in Amsterdam, but it's busy and touristy," said Renske. "Zwolle and Utrecht are two cities with really nice downtown centers where you can eat, drink and shop without tourists overflowing the area,"

After spending her first winter in Fullerton, Renske could lure Dutch tourists to Southern California. "It's March, and I'm wearing shorts," she said on a day with temperatures in the 80s. "It's crazy!"

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