CLVolleyW All-Star Team Vote: Middle Blockers Nominees
As we are getting closer to the final flourish of this year’s club season - the #SuperFinalsAntalya, the fans’ voting for the All-Star team continues. The supporters of the sport have been casting their votes, taking control over who will make it to the perfect squad.
Picking up your favourite player is easy. There is a shortlist of four nominees per position, and all you have to do is sign in and choose who the best ones!
After presenting you the nominees for setters and opposites, the next in line are the ones who got the power in the centre - the explosive and fast players who can only block, but also score from the most difficult angles on the court. Ladies and gentlemen, the middle blockers!
Middle Blocker 1
Eda Erdem
Not many are the players who have their own monument. But that’s the case with Fenerbahçe’s Eda Erdem. Exactly on the Women’s Day this year, the Turkish International was invited to the unveiling ceremony of her own sculpture. A gesture of recognition to the emblematic Fenerbahçe and Turkish national team middle blocker, who has stayed true to the club since season 2008/2009.
For yet another club season, she proved herself to be a true leader on the court, as her team finished their #CLVolleyW journey only a step away from qualifying to the #SuperFinalsAntalya. Eda and her teammates met in this stage of the competition, Allianz Vero Volley and lost in the Golden Set of the away match.
Throughout the whole season, Erdem played in seven matches (21 sets), and recorded 17 kill blocks. She has 60 points to her name (an average of 2,86 per set). Eda also has nine aces to her name (0,43 average per set).
Chiaka Ogbogu
Chiaka, who joined the Turkish powerhouse of VakifBank Istanbul in 2021/2022, has been one of the pillars of the team - for example, in the #SuperFinalsTorino, when she and her teammates became back-to-back champions of Europe’s top club competition, Ogbogu scored seven points (56% efficiency in attack) and one kill block.
In the 2023/2024 season, VakifBank didn’t make it to the title-deciding match. However, the USA International kept her level high - played in 10 matches (35 sets), scoring 80 points (2,29 average per set). Her performance on the blocking was a very good one - 25 kill blocks (0,71 average per set). She also registered five aces (0,14 average per set).
Robin de Kruijf
For the fans of Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano, Robin de Kruijf is more than just a middle blocker - she is a player who gives her energy and heart to the Italian club since 2016/2017, helping them achieve many successes among which - the biggest one is the CEV Champions League Volley title back in 2021. In the Big Finale against VakifBank Istanbul back then, Robin contributed with 11 pts. (60% exc. in attack, five kill blocks).
She was on fire in the 2023/2024 season as well, and probably the best is yet to come for her and her teammates, as they are already preparing for an all-Italian #SuperFinalsAntalya against Allianz Vero Volley Milano. She has played in 10 matches (38 sets) and has 22 kill blocks (0,58 average per set). Conegliano’s middle blocker has recorded a total of 78 points (2,05 per set), of which - six aces (0,16 per set).
Monique Strubbe
The young Monique Strubbe (born in 2001) has been gaining an important experience in Europe’s most prestigious club tournament, playing side to side with already experienced teammates from Allianz MTV Stuttgart such as Krystal Rivers, for example.
Strubbe showed great potential in the 2023/2024 edition of the #CLVolleyW. Monique performed in nine matches (31 sets), and scored 48 times (1,55 average per set).
Middle Blocker 2
Dana Rettke
Rettke has been the best blocker for the team of Allianz Vero Volley Milano this #CLVolleyW season so far. Standing at 204cm tall, Dana, who is part of the Italians since 2021/2022, stole the show in many cases.
And the numbers speak for that - she is the third-best blocker before the #SuperFinalsAntalya. She has played in 10 matches (29 sets), finishing with 27 kill blocks (an average of 0,93 per set). She has a total of 83 points to her name (2,86 per set) and two aces (0,07 per set).
Sinead Jack-Kisal
Sinead joined the Turkish giants of Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul in 2023/2024. For two seasons with the Tigers, the middle blocker, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, proved herself to know how to handle the tough opponents and tough situations.
In 2023/2024 #CLVolleyW, Jack-Kisal took part in 11 matches (35 sets), scoring 76 points (2,17 per set), of which 20 kill blocks (0,57 per set) and five aces (0,14 per set).
Ana Carolina
Ana Carolina, who came to Europe in 2023, after successful years in her native Brazil, had a wonderful #CLVolleyW journey in the past season with her Savino Del Bene Scandicci. The Italians did a great job on the court, finishing on a first place in their Pool B of Round 4, making it to Top 8 of the competition, and Ana Carolina played an important role in all this.
She is the second-best blocker before the #SuperFinalsAntalaya take place, having played in seven matches (27 sets), recording 28 kill blocks (1,04 per set). She has a total of 71 points. to her name (2,63 per set) and 11 aces (0,41 per set).
Raphaela Folie
A #CLVolleyW title-holder from 2021 with the team of Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano, Raphaela Folie joined Allianz Vero Volley Milano in 2022/2023, helping the team build an even steadier performance in the centre. The Italian middle blocker, 33-years-old, is well-experienced on the international Volleyball stage, and is a player to rely on.
She proved that to be the case also in the current season. Although she played in only three matches (11 sets), she recorded 18 kill blocks (1,64 per set), finishing with 36 points (3,27 per set), having also three aces on her count (0,27 per set).