Volleyball Pro Banned 10 Years After Choosing WWE Dreams

Franki Strefling was playing professional volleyball on a Mediterranean island when she received a message that changed everything.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles graduate had just signed for another season with a team in Cyprus when WWE reached out in 2022. She thought it was a scam at first because why would WWE want a volleyball player competing halfway around the world?

But the offer was real. WWE flew her to Nashville and offered her a contract, forcing an impossible choice.

Strefling broke her contract in Cyprus to chase her wrestling dream. The league responded by banning her from playing there for a decade, a consequence she describes as "a little dramatic" but worth it.

Now wrestling as Izzi Dame, she captured the NXT Women's North American Championship at New Year's Evil in January 2026. The 10-year ban doesn't sting anymore.

Dame is one of eight siblings, and being isolated overseas weighed on her even while doing what she loved. "There was always something in me that was just like, 'You're meant for more,'" she explained.

Wrestling offered the perfect combination of athletics, performance, and entertainment while keeping her close to family. Her parents and siblings can now visit easily instead of traveling 24 hours across the world.

Why This Inspires

Dame's journey shows what's possible when you trust that internal voice pushing you toward something bigger. She had no wrestling experience when she made the leap, joining dozens of other NXT stars who came from different athletic backgrounds.

Veteran wrestler Shawn Spears has mentored her through the transition, reminding her that mistakes are part of learning. "He really reels everything in and reminds me that I haven't been in this industry that long," Dame said.

She's determined to make the championship mean something after it bounced between wrestlers frequently. Dame wants to break free from stereotypes about blonde female wrestlers by building depth into her manipulative, calculating character.

Her goal for the next six months is simple: make it crystal clear who Izzi Dame is. She's leaning into "big man" wrestling moves and mastermind character work that sets her apart.

The volleyball courts of Cyprus may be off limits for years, but Dame found her true calling under the bright lights of WWE.