Riverside’s Dana Rettke made her Olympic debut with Team USA women’s indoor volleyball at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, bringing home a silver medal after a hard-fought championship match against Italy.
Stepping onto the Olympic court for the first time in Paris, Rettke recalls the experience vividly. Her team had one official practice prior to their first match. While waiting in the arena, she sat and watched handball before heading to the competition court.
“I just walked onto the court and saw the Olympic rings on the floor and saw the Paris Olympic logo in the center. At that moment, everything became so real. That will always be a special memory for me — stepping onto that court,” Retkke said.
When asked how it felt to represent the United States in the Olympics, Rettke responded with how it was a much bigger experience than she had ever imagined.
“You’re representing the entire country. Everyone knows how significant that is, but actually being a part of it means so much more and feels so much deeper. It’s something you really can’t put into words,” Rettke said.
Retkke reflects on the invaluable support and wisdom of Olympic veterans during her experience. Having trained and competed alongside many of these teammates for years, she leaned on their guidance to navigate the overwhelming emotions of competing on the world stage. One of those veterans she leaned in on was her roommate during the Olympics, Jordan Larson.
“I remember talking with her a lot, and she said ‘you can’t make the moment bigger than it is,’ and I was like, ‘you’re right’. It’s still the same dimensions of the court, it’s still the same ball. We’re playing against the same teams that we play with during our pro seasons and compete against during our national team seasons every year. The only difference is that there’s an Olympic logo on there,” Rettke said.
For Rettke, the opening ceremony of the Olympics was a solidifying moment.
“It had been a dream for years to be part of it, and to wear the Ralph Lauren outfit and represent Team USA was unreal. Floating down the Seine on a boat, ending up at the Eiffel Tower — can you imagine anything better? I was in tears, soaked from the rain, but we were all just celebrating together as one big Team USA. It was a moment I’ll never forget,” Rettke said.
Rettke made history as the first five-time AVCA All-American, led Wisconsin to its first NCAA title in 2021 and won the Honda Sports Award for volleyball. A member of the U.S. Women’s National Team since 2019, she earned gold at the 2019 Volleyball Nations League. She has also played professionally for Vero Volley Milano and currently competes for Eczacıbaşı Dynavit in Istanbul.
