The reigning CEV Champions League Volley titleholder VakifBank Istanbul made crucial changes in the squad by saying farewell to their huge stars and replacing them with other elite players.
Including CEV Champions League Volley and FIVB Club World Championship, VakifBank Istanbul won all five tournaments they participated in last season, and they announced the biggest transfer of the summer: After parting ways with the MVP Isabelle Haak, VakifBank added Italian superstar Paola Egonu to Italian expert Giovanni Guidetti’s squad.
After winning all club-level titles with Imoco Volley Conegliano and countless individual awards, it will be Egonu’s first abroad experience; therefore, without a doubt, her performance in VakifBank will be worth
watching.
The club changes their substitute opposite as well: The experienced Turkish Meryem Boz left the team and VakifBank denoted that they transferred Romanian-Turkish young talent Aleksia Carutasu.
VakifBank also made essential alterations in their outside hitter roster: Firstly, the club announced that they said goodbye to Turkish Tugba Senoglu and American Michelle Bartsch-Hackley, and the news of the
newcomers came one after another.
After two seasons with Igor Gorgonzola Novara in Italy, Nika Daalderop will wear the yellow-black jersey next season. The Dutch outside hitter won a silver medal in CEV Eurovolley 2017 with the national team.
The other player of the team will be Kara Bajema. 1998-born American promising outside hitter played for the Developres SkyRes Rzeszow last season, and it will be a great experience for her. In addition, the teams
Brazilian star Gabriela Guimaraes will stay in VakifBank for one more season.
VakifBank continues with their domestic players in the setter and libero positions: Turkish star setter Cansu Ozbay will continue to manage the team as well as her young compatriot Buket Gulubay. Aylin Acar and Ayca
Aykac will resume making efficient digs and receptions as liberos.
Bahar Akbay, who spent the last season with PTT Spor in Turkey, joins the middle blocker roster along with Turkish Zehra Gunes, Kubra Akman, and American Chiaka Ogbogu.
VakifBank now aims to maintain their titles both in Turkey and the CEV Champions League Volley with the new star players of the squad. These changes may make things more difficult at the beginning, but one thing is for sure, the Turkish team will be one of the absolute favorites in each tournament they participate in, mostly thanks to their new and existing stars.
The new Balkan Volleyball Association (BVA) website recorded big number of visits again on U17W Balkan Championship and it’s audience is raising from competition to competition.
In addition to the website, BVA also launched profiles on social media Facebook (
Serbia was again, like in pool stage, better than Bulgaria, this time for gold medal with results 3:1 (25:17, 25:16, 26:28, 25:14). Ana MIhajlovic was the best in team Serbia with 20 points, while Iva Dudova was the best in Bulgarian team with 16 points.
President of Volleyball Federation Serbia Zoran Gajic handed over championship trophy to Teodora Krickovic, team captain of Serbia.
Nenad Djordjevic, member of City Council Vranje in charge of sports and youth and Oliver Toncic president of Pčinj District Volleyball Federation presented golden medals to team Serbia.
General Secretary of Volleyball Federation Serbia Ivan Knezevic handed over trophy for 2nd place to Margarita Guncheva team captain of Bulgaria.
Dusan Kostic and Momcilo Mijatovic, members of assembly of VF Serbia presented silver medals to Bulgaria.
In match for bronze medal, Türkiye defeated Romania 3:0 (25:23, 25:14, 25:19) and won bronze medal. Eylul Boztepe was the best in Turkish team with 13 points. Antonia Dora Gheti won 10 points for Romanian team.
Oliver Toncic president of Pčinj district volleyball federation handed over trophy for 3rd place to Bianka İlay Mumcular team captain of Turkiye.
Miodrag Rajkovic and Slavisa Perovic members of assembly VF Serbia presented bronze medals to team Turkiye.
MVP of U17W Balkan Championship is Ana Mihajlovic from Serbia.
Begun Kacmaz from Türkiye is the best middle blocker of U17W Balkan Championship.
Maria-Gabriela Milicevic from Bulgaria is the best outside spiker of U17W Balkan Championship.
Teodora Krickovic from Serbia is the best setter of U17W Balkan Championship.
BVA Star Iva Dudova from Bulgaria is the best opposite of U17W Balkan Championship.
Romania is awarded as a fair play team.
