Skenderbeu Korce celebrate as champions in Albania for the eighth time
Durham Palatinates emerge victorious from hard-fought Final 4 Weekend in England
Levallois Paris Saint Cloud Mariannes 92 claim historic first title in France
Allianz MTV Stuttgart grab their third German title in a row, and fourth overall
Panathinaikos Athens outrun archrivals Olympiacos Piraeus in an epic final series in Greece
Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano reassert their dominance in Italy with their sixth back-to-back crown
RSR Walfer Walferdange celebrate their seventh consecutive and ninth overall gold in Luxembourg
Alianza Lima triumph as Peruvian champions for the first time in 31 years
Voluntari 2005 register historic success with their first title in Romania
Defending champions Calcit Kamnik pick up their eighth title in Slovenia
Hidramar Gran Canaria Las Palmas conquer their third championship title in Spain
The 2024 champions of 11 national women’s volleyball leagues – Albania, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Peru, Romania, Slovenia and Spain – lifted their trophies over the weekend, from Friday to Sunday.
ALBANIA
Skënderbeu Korçë claimed their eighth Albanian title on Saturday, after closing the best-of-five championship series against Tirana in three matches: 3-0 (25-23, 25-20, 26-24) the previous Sunday at home, 3-1 (14-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-23) on Wednesday away and 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-17, 25-23) again at home on Saturday. The trophy was handed to the winners by the Albanian Volleyball Federation (Federata Shqiptare e Volejbollit) President Erlinf Pellumbi. In the semi-finals earlier in April, Skenderbeu defeated Vllaznia Shkodër in two matches, while Tirana eliminated Partizani Tirana, also in two matches.
Skenderbeu Korce’s team roster
ENGLAND
Three five-set battles crowned the Final 4 Weekend in England’s Super League, held at the National Volleyball Centre in Kettering, in both medal matches on Sunday and in one of the semi-finals on Saturday. Defending champions Durham Palatinates claimed their third consecutive and fifth overall title after a 3-2 (25-16, 23-25, 14-25, 25-20, 15-10) victory over SideOut Polonia London in the final. Malory Eagles London earned the bronze with an impressive 3-2 (23-25, 15-25, 25-21, 25-13, 15-10) comeback against Essex Rebels Colchester in the third-place match. On Saturday, Durham defeated Malory in five sets, while Polonia managed a straight-set sweep of their semi-final against the Essex side. Durham’s 23-year-old outside hitter Sydney Stevens of the USA was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the competition.
Durham Palatinates’ team roster
FRANCE
Levallois Paris Saint Cloud Mariannes 92 celebrated as French champions for the first time in history. They defeated Neptunes de Nantes in both matches of last week’s final, 3-0 (25-22, 25-23, 25-19) at home on Tuesday and 3-1 (19-25, 26-24, 25-17, 26-24) away on Friday. In the semi-finals, Levallois came back from a first-match loss to Volley Mulhouse Alsace to win the series by 2-1 after conquering two tie-breakers, while Nantes defeated Volero Le Cannet in two games.
Levallois Paris Saint Cloud Mariannes 92’s team roster
GERMANY
Allianz MTV Stuttgart emerged victorious from an epic best-of-five final playoff in the German Bundesliga to collect their third consecutive and fourth overall national title. The series against Palmberg Schwerin started with three five-set battles, with the home teams always claiming the win. Palmberg claimed a 3-2 victory (25-27, 25-20, 25-12, 15-25, 15-9) and another 3-2 win (20-25, 12-25, 25-21, 25-23, 15-8) in the first and the third matches on 13 and 20 April. In between, Allianz MTF took a 3-2 (25-14, 25-21, 24-26, 22-25, 15-12) win on 17 April. In the fourth match, at home again on 24 April, the squad from Stuttgart produced a 3-0 (26-24, 25-19, 25-20) sweep to level the series again, and then won Sunday’s decider in Schwerin by 3-1 (17-25, 25-20, 25-13, 25-13) to capture the crown. Allianz MTV’s 27-year-old Dutch setter Britt Bongaerts was honoured as the season’s MVP. Each of the finalists won their best-of-three semifinals in two matches. The team from Stuttgart beat Dresdner SC, while Palmberg knocked out Potsdam.
Allianz MTV Stuttgart’s team roster
GREECE
Five matches were needed in Greece’s best-of-five championship playoff between archrivals Panathinaikos Athens and Olympiacos Piraeus, before the title was decided. It was Panathinaikos that celebrated in the end, for the 26th time in history. They managed an amazing comeback from defeats in the first two matches – 3-2 (25-20, 22-25, 25-9, 21-25, 18-16) away on 13 April and 3-1 (25-19, 18-25, 25-23, 25-15) at home on 17 April – and went on a three-game winning streak – 3-0 (25-15, 25-22, 25-20) away on 20 April, 3-1 (25-15, 25-23, 23-25, 25-23) at home on 24 April, and 3-2 (26-24, 21-25, 21-25, 25-18, 15-9) away again on Saturday. Panathinaikos’s 27-year-old opposite from the USA, Sherridan Atkinson, received the MVP recognition. Both Panathinaikos and Olympiacos swept through their semi-final playoffs against AEK Athens and ASP Thetis Voula, respectively, in two matches.
Panathinaikos Athens’s team roster
ITALY
Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano reasserted their winning status in Italy and picked up their sixth back-to-back and seventh overall national crown. They recovered from a surprising 3-2 (25-22, 16-25, 25-22, 24-26, 17-15) home loss in the first match of the best-of-five final playoff on 17 April against Savino Del Bene Scandicci and won the next three games – 3-2 (23-25, 25-21, 19-25, 25-23, 15-11) away on 20 April, 3-1 (30-28, 23-25, 29-27, 25-22) at home on 24 April and 3-1 (23-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-21) on the road again on Saturday. Imoco’s 24-year-old Swedish star opposite Isabelle Haak (pictured in the main photo; credits: Rubin / LVF) received the MVP of the Finals award. In their semi-final playoff, Imoco outplayed Igor Gorgonzola Novara by 2-1 in wins, while Savino Del Bene eliminated Allianz Vero Volley Milan with two straight-set victories.
Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano’s team roster
LUXEMBOURG
RSR Walfer are once again the champions of Luxembourg. They collected their seventh title in a row to improve their total count to nine. However, in the best-of-three final playoff, they faced a tough challenge from Mamer. Walfer managed a hard-fought 3-2 (27-25, 21-25, 25-20, 19-25, 15-9) home win in the first match on 13 April, but Mamer took the return match at home by 3-1 (19-25, 25-20, 25-18, 31-29) on 20 April. In the deciding match in Mamer on Sunday, Walfer squeezed out another five-set victory, 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 16-25, 12-25, 15-10), to triumph as champions. GYM Volley Luxembourg swept the single-match bronze medal encounter with V80 Petange to complete the podium.
RSR Walfer Walferdange’s team roster
PERU
Alianza Lima triumphed as Peruvian champions for the fourth time in history, but for the first time in 31 years. They won the best-of-three final playoff against Universidad de San Martín de Porres Lima by 2-1 in wins. San Martin edged ahead with a narrow 3-2 (25-20, 20-25, 25-22, 25-27, 16-14) victory on 19 April, but Alianza levelled the series with a 3-0 (25-18, 25-22, 25-22) sweep of the second game on 21 April, before completing the job with Sunday’s 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-23) win. Geminis Lima took the bronze after two victories over Regatas Lima in the third-place playoff.
Alianza’s 32-year-old French opposite Maeva Orle was recognized as MVP of the league. Her Brazilian teammate Marina Scherer was named the Best Setter. The following players took the remaining individual awards: Fernanda Tome (San Martin) for Best Spiker, Pamela Cuya (San Martin) for Best Libero, Brenda Lobaton (San Martin) for Best Server, Alondra Tapia (Geminis) for Best Scorer, Mirian Patino (Regatas) for Best Receiver and Flavia Montes (Regatas) for Best Blocker.
Alianza Lima’s team roster
ROMANIA
For the first time in history, Voluntari 2005 secured the championship title in Romania. In the best-of-five final playoff, they achieved three back-to-back victories over Volei Alba Blaj to claim the crown. Voluntari started with two wins at home – 3-1 (28-26, 25-19, 20-25, 25-20) on 19 April and 3-2 (25-21, 25-18, 20-25, 18-25, 15-12) on 20 April – and finished on Friday with a 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-17) success in Blaj. The third-place series between Rapid Bucharest and CSM Targoviste is leveled at two wins each and the bronze medal will be decided in a fifth match this week.
Voluntari 2005’s team roster
SLOVENIA
In Slovenia, Calcit Kamnik’s claimed their fifth in a row and eighth overall national title trophy. The team emerged champions of Slovenia after achieving 3-1 in wins against Nova KBM Branik Maribor in the best-of-five gold medal playoff, with all four encounters decided after five sets of play. The series started on 17 April in Kamnik with a 3-2 (21-25, 25-19, 17-25, 25-12, 15-5) home victory. Calcit doubled their lead on 20 April with a 3-2 (19-25, 25-19, 15-25, 25-13, 16-14) win on the road. Nova KBM Branik came back on 23 April with a 3-2 (25-21, 25-17, 23-25, 25-27, 15-8) success in Kamnik. Finally, on Friday, the defending champions did it once again, 3-2 (25-17, 21-15, 26-28, 25-12, 15-9) in Maribor, to keep the throne. GEN-I volley Nova Gorica won the bronze medal playoff against SIP Sempeter by 2-1 in wins. Calcit’s 18-year-old outside hitter Masa Pucelj was selected MVP of the finals.
Calcit Kamnik’s team roster
SPAIN
Defending champions Hidramar Gran Canaria Las Palmas lifted the national championship trophy in Spain for the third time in the club’s history. They won the best-of-five final playoff against Avarca de Menorca Ciutadella by 3-1 in wins. They started the series with two four-set victories at home on 20 and 21 April – 3-1 (20-25, 25-21, 25-16, 26-24) and 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-17, 25-22). Last Saturday, Avarca capitalized on the home-court advantage to claim a narrow 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 23-25, 26-24, 15-12) victory, but then on Sunday, Hidramar closed the series with a hard-fought 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 24-26, 29-27) away win. Both Hidramar and Avarca lost the first matches of their best-of-three semi-finals against FP Pro Voley Cajasol Dos Hermanas and Tenerife Libby's La Laguna, respectively, but recovered by winning the next two legs.
Hidramar’s 29-year-old Cuban outside Sulian Matienzo received the league’s MVP recognition for the second season in a row. She was joined on the Dream Team by setter Maria Alejandra Del Burgo (Hidramar), opposite Jimena Fernandez (Avarca), outside hitter Alexandra Davenport (Avarca), middle blockers Laura Suarez (Hidramar) and Marcella Amaral (Avarca), and libero Patricia Rodriguez (Avarca).
Hidramar Gran Canaria Las Palmas’ team roster