Katarina Pantovic, a senior on the University of Washington women’s beach volleyball team, said on Apr. 7 that taking a break to recover from overtraining syndrome has helped her return stronger for the season’s final stretch.
Pantovic, originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, explained that her non-stop schedule between collegiate and national team commitments left her body fatigued. “I definitely pride myself on my work and really giving it my all, no matter what time of the year,” she said. After competing for both the Huskies and Canada’s national beach team in 2025 without pause, she realized last fall that rest was necessary: “It got to a point where I thought, ‘Maybe I could use a break.'”
After stepping back due to overtraining syndrome—a condition caused by excessive training without enough recovery—Pantovic has returned as part of Washington’s No. 1 pair alongside sophomore Emma Hohenauer. The duo have competed together in the last 18 matches as the Huskies prepare for four contests at the Boise State Beach Bash this weekend. Reflecting on their progress this season with a current record of 13-10, Pantovic said: “We’ve had some upsets that we wanted (4-1 against then-No. 12 Louisiana State on Feb. 28 and 3-2 against then-No. 16 North Florida on March 13), and… we’re continuously getting better as a team as the season goes on.” She added: “That’s our goal, not to peak at the beginning, but at the end, and we’re on that trajectory now.”
Pantovic’s journey through college athletics included stints with Cal Berkeley during pandemic disruptions before transferring to Washington following injuries and setbacks with both indoor and beach teams in Canada and California. Her transfer was facilitated by former coach Derek Olson—now leading UW—and interim head coach Steve McFadden. “I’m so glad I took this chance,” Pantovic said about joining Washington.
McFadden described Pantovic’s work ethic as exceptional but noted learning when to step back is also important: “Working hard is a core tenet of our program… But there’s also a balance of where you can take it too far.” He added about her return: “Both physically and just in conversation with her, you could tell she was back to being the hungry player we had grown accustomed to… When she came back, she was full-go again.”
With postseason play approaching—including Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships later this month—Pantovic looks forward to closing out her college career strong while balancing competition with lessons learned about health management.
