Lithuania’s rising star Nida Jociūtė dreams big

At just 13 years old, Nida Jociūtė already knows exactly where she wants her Volleyball journey to lead: the very top of the sport, wearing the shirt of the Lithuanian senior women’s national team. She jokes there is only one thing left to improve, another five centimetres of height, which seems a modest ask given she already stands at 183cm.

A Different Ball

Funnily enough, Nida’s path into Volleyball almost never happened. Inspired by her brother, nine years older and a basketball player, she attended a trial basketball session as a kindergartener. It did not go the way anyone expected. Her mother tells, she came home and announced, firmly, “I am not throwing that heavy ball anymore!” Her mother laughed and promised to find her something lighter. That lighter ball turned out to be a volleyball, and Nida never looked back.

Life Beyond the Court

Between school and daily training, free time is precious. When there is no competition on the calendar, Nida likes to spend her evenings watching movies and her weekends with friends and family. She credits her drive to the game itself, her desire to win, as well as the conversations and support she shares with her mother about Volleyball. What draws her to the sport, she explains, is the way it blends strength, intelligence, coordination, and teamwork, with every player working toward one shared goal. Her plan for the future is straightforward: keep improving, stay healthy, avoid injuries, and one day make her dream of representing Lithuania come true.

Making Her Mark in Šiauliai

That dream is already taking shape. Nida is currently part of Lithuania’s starting six at the CEV U18 Women’s European Volleyball Championship 2026 in Šiauliai. Against Greece, she was the standout performer, top-scoring with 18 points and hitting an outstanding 52% attacking efficiency. And it has not been a one-off. Match after match, she has finished with positive hitting percentages, consistently carrying her team forward.