Chinese women's volleyball superstar abruptly retires at the age of 29?

At the peak of her career with her skills still intact, news of this Chinese volleyball star changing direction has surprised many.

The volleyball community in both China and Vietnam is buzzing over the news about the superstar Yuan Xinyue suddenly taking a new path at 29, sparking speculation that she has quietly retired without any official announcement.

According to information summarized by the Volleyball Magazine from Beijing Sports, on December 25, Nankai University (Tianjin) announced its teaching plan for the second semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, notably listing Yuan Xinyue as an instructor for the elective course on women's sitting volleyball.

Beyond the teaching announcement, other details have strengthened fans' belief that Yuan's elite playing career has ended. Her name has been removed from the professional volleyball team rosters and added to the official teaching staff list at Nankai University. The course schedule indicates that the 29-year-old middle blocker will be teaching for an extended period, overlapping with the national team’s regular training and competition season.

Based on these signs, experts believe the likelihood of Yuan Xinyue continuing as a professional athlete for the Chinese national team is very low. If true, this would be a rather unexpected conclusion to the career of one of the finest middle blockers in Chinese women's volleyball history, who significantly contributed to Olympic gold and many other prestigious international titles.

What makes the situation even more unpredictable is Yuan Xinyue’s complete silence. On social media, she mostly shares casual moments without holding press conferences or making any official retirement or farewell statements to fans. This silence has divided public opinion: some think she has consciously shifted to a new path, while others believe this is just a temporary pause before her next move.

Born in 1996, Yuan Xinyue is currently one of China’s top female volleyball players. She has won Olympic gold, World Cup championship, runner-up at the World Championship, runner-up at the VNL, two ASIAD titles, and many other prestigious achievements with the national team.

At the club level, Yuan mainly played domestically before making her first overseas appearance last season with the famous Turkish club VakifBank SK.

In Vietnam, Yuan Xinyue is often nicknamed "The Loudspeaker" due to her aggressive playing style.