Graduate Spotlight: Roundnet success puts business management senior on world stage

Kim Chaudoin  |  12/08/2024

By the time she crosses the stage to receive her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in business management with a minor in Business as Mission later this month, Julia Brochu Timan will have accomplished more than most college graduates can dream of.

Not only is the Lucas, Texas, native ranked #3 in the world in roundnet — a sport many know by the name Spikeball — but she was also part of the U.S. women’s team that claimed gold at the World Roundnet Championship in London this September. Her story, however, is as much about community and faith as it is about competition.

“I never imagined this is where I’d be,” Timan recalls with amusement, reflecting on a journey that began with spring break games with high school friends. “We didn’t even know the rules when we started playing. But over time, what kept me coming back was the community — the friendships, the connections and the joy of being part of something bigger than myself.”

From hobby to world champion

Timan’s introduction to roundnet was a casual one with a few friends, a fun time and a local tournament where she and her sister walked away with the top prize. That first taste of competition sparked something deeper, however, and soon she was competing across Texas and beyond. Her move to Nashville for college only strengthened her resolve.

“I thought moving away might mean giving up competing,” she admitted. “But thanks to some tournament connections, I found myself back at it — and at an even higher level.”

After that, a friend invited her to play in the mixed division at a tournament in Austin, Texas. Timan says she thought it would be a “cool experience” and decided to give it a try. She and her partner won third place in the mixed division.

“And I was hooked,” she explains. “That was when I learned about the difference between Spikeball and roundnet. Spikeball is the brand, the company that sells products and puts on some tournaments, and roundnet is the sport. After that first big tournament, I realized there are other women that play the sport competitively and travel all around the country competing, and I was determined to compete with them.”

When Timan moved to Nashville to attend Lipscomb, she did not anticipate continuing to compete in roundnet.

“But through a few connections I had through tournaments, I ended up back at it and competing at an even higher level,” she says. Timan traveled to tournaments on the weekends in Georgia, Ohio, South Carolina, Florida, Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

“Since most players are traveling all around for tournaments, I ended up connecting with people from all over the country and seeing them at each tournament I went to,” continues Timan. “I made a lot of my closest friends through the sport, including my husband (who I married this past summer) and one of my bridesmaids.”

Balancing a full academic schedule at Lipscomb University with a grueling competition schedule wasn’t easy. Since being at Lipscomb, she has competed in about 40 tournaments. Timan often spent morning practicing serves and drills in the racquetball courts in Lipscomb’s Student Activity Center, where she sometimes got puzzled looks from onlookers. But she was motivated by her competitive nature and her friends in the roundnet community to work to be the best she could be.

Her dedication paid off, leading to dozens of tournament wins, including a spot in the 2023 Mixed Pro Division at the Spikeball Championship in Philadelphia. This year, she achieved her ultimate goal: representing the U.S. at the World Roundnet Championship in London, where her team triumphed over competitors from 35 countries to win the gold.

Even with her success in that competition, Timan had her friend and former teammate Allie Foster, who passed away suddenly in January, on her mind.

“She was one of the most encouraging, kind people in the community, and that loss really impacted most people in the sport. When our women's USA team won gold this year, we got to carry her jersey with us into the award ceremony and honor her,” shared Timan. “The world’s tournament was super high energy, 35 different countries all chanting in their native language, and games streaming all around the world. But that moment holding her jersey high on stage was the most powerful moment for me in my roundnet career. Not only getting to stand on that stage and represent the USA alongside some amazing women athletes, but also getting to honor a good friend and beautiful soul that made an impact on all of us. I will truly never experience anything like that again.” 

A leap of faith

Timan’s decision to attend Lipscomb University was shaped by a strong sense of God’s calling. She says that in her last few years of high school, she “felt the Lord pulling me toward Nashville, and I really had no idea why.”

“There were a lot of conversations that came up and things that happened which pointed me in this direction, so I decided to look into Lipscomb and see what they were about,” she continues.

During the campus visit, Timan and her parents met Rob Touchstone, director of the Center for Vocational Discovery, who was director of the Business As Mission (BAM) program at the time. Her interested was piqued when she learned about the BAM program and The Well Coffeehouse, founded by Touchstone.

“Hearing about the Well Coffeehouse and the idea of missional business was so inspiring,” she said. “I toured larger schools, but Lipscomb felt personal. The professors knew my name and cared about my life.”

“I had toured a few larger schools in Texas, but a school where the professors would know my name and invest in my life was very intriguing to me,” she says. “I loved hearing the stories of students going to professors’ houses for dinner and truly feeling that they were investing in each student’s future. So, in response to the call I felt to Nashville, I started at Lipscomb in fall of 2021.”

Once on campus, Timan immersed herself in opportunities to grow both spiritually and academically. She served as president of Lipscomb’s Spikeball Club, joined the leadership team for the Vine at Nine campus ministry and spent a transformative semester in the Gospel Choir.

“Gospel Choir truly changed my life,” Timan said. “I encountered God in new ways and saw how He was working in the lives of those around me.”

Looking ahead

As she prepares to graduate, Timan is setting her sights on the future with plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration at Lipscomb starting in June. Long-term, she dreams of starting a coffee shop or event venue that combines her love for community with her passion for mission-driven business.

“My time at Lipscomb has shaped who I am. I encountered God in new ways and got to witness the students around me encountering Him. It really opened my eyes to the mission He is carrying out on Lipscomb’s campus,” she shares. “As I continue on my journey, the most valuable things I will take with me are the work the Lord has done in me spiritually to grow me into who I am today, the professors who invested in me and the lifelong friendships I’ve made, and the knowledge that the Lord brought me here for a reason. Each step I take from here is one He has already prepared for me.”

— Photos submitted by Julia Brochu Timan