AU Pro Volleyball Legend Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía Announces Retirement from the League
Bethania De La Cruz-Mejía entered the 2025 Athletes Unlimited Pro Volleyball Championship as the league’s all-time leader in total leaderboard points, stat points, win points, and MVP points, and the author of countless additional AU records. And she only added to that legacy this fall in her final chapter with Athletes Unlimited.
The Dominican Republic National Team star closed her five-season AU career with 68 matches, 206 sets, 914 kills, and an average of 4.44 kills per set. She finishes her AU tenure as the 2022 champion, a two-time runner-up (2021, 2024), and a two-time All-Position Team honoree.
De La Cruz-Mejía came into the 2025 season holding records for most leaderboard points in a match, week, season, and career. She is tied for most kills in a match and owns records for most kills in a week, season, and career. Her 15,614 total points, 6,540 win points, 7,374 stat points, and 1,700 MVP points topped the all-time leaderboards before the season even began.
Throughout the fall in Madison and Omaha, the outside hitter extended and established more AU Pro Volleyball Championship milestones. She became the first player in league history to surpass 800 career kills, the first to win 40 career matches, the first to surpass 7,000 career win points, the first to play in 200 career sets, and the first to amass 900 career kills.
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De La Cruz-Mejía also established a new record by appearing in her 183rd career set in Week Two, surpassing libero Nomaris Veléz Agosto’s previous mark of 182 sets. She extended her own league record by collecting her 37th career Match MVP award, including her 19th career MVP 1 certificate. Her 56 career double-digit kill performances and 27 matches with 15 or more kills both stand as league records. She closed her AU career with a record 17,357 career leaderboard points and a 31-15 record as a team captain.
Following her final match on November 2, De La Cruz-Mejía was surprised with a retirement ceremony, led by former AU teammate and current Director of Volleyball Cassidy Lichtman. The presentation included a video featuring AU players of the past and present who offered their thanks and congratulations.
Beyond AU, De La Cruz-Mejía’s decorated international career includes gold (8), silver (9), and bronze (6) medals representing the Dominican Republic. She was also part of the Dominican Republic squad at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
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In her retirement statement posted to Instagram, De La Cruz-Mejía reflected on what AU Pro Volleyball has meant to her over five seasons.
“Thank you to Athletes Unlimited for opening the doors and giving me a space where I could be not only a player, but a woman, friend and leader,” she wrote. “Here I felt the value and recognition of everything I have built in volleyball, in my country and in the world.”
De La Cruz-Mejía also shared how the league allowed her to prioritize family.
“This league also gifted me something worth more than any trophy: the chance to live a full season with my son. Making up time, laughing together, and that he could see me not only as an athlete, but as his mom. That gift stays in my heart forever.”
She continued, “AU gave me courage, confidence and community. Reminded me that volleyball is more than points and victories—it’s connection, inspiration, and legacy…This is my last chapter in the league, and I close it with love, effort, and gratitude.”
The AU Pro Volleyball Championship will continue without its most decorated player, but De La Cruz-Mejía’s impact on the league and her records will stand as a testament to five seasons of excellence.
Siera Jones is the digital media reporter at Athletes Unlimited. You can follow her on Instagram and X @sieraajones.
