Eight middle blockers enter the fray for the All-Star team in the #CLVolleyW

Over the last months, there was plenty of drama in the two CEV Champions League Volley competitions, for the men’s and women’s, with unexpected comebacks, huge shocks, but also with favourites confirming their potential on their way to the Final Four, which will take place in Istanbul, for the women’s competition, and in Łódź, for the men’s competition.

As the scene is currently set for the business end of the competition, the attention will move to it, but until their throw-offs, fans are invited to choose their favourites, which will then be selected to the 2024/25 CEV Champions League Volleyball All-Star Teams.

The voting has been in full fledge for a few days, but if you still haven't picked your favourites, now is the time to sit back, see what the eight candidates for each position did so far and choose accordingly. We continue with the middle blockers for the CEV Champions League Women.

But who are the nominees who can make it in the All-Star team?

All the four teams qualified for the Final Four in Istanbul have a player nominated between the eight shortlisted for the All-Star team.

Reigning champions A.Carraro Imoco Conegliano have Italian star Marina Lubian in the ranks. Lubian has made 16 kill blocks this season, despite featuring in only five matches and 16 sets, making her average of one block per set the second best one in the CEV Champions League Women this season. Lubian also made the All-Star team at the CEV EuroVolley 2023 Women as the best middle blocker in the competition.

A new name between the nominees is Serbian rising star Hena Kurtagic, who has been truly impressive this season for Numia Vero Volley Milano. Only 20 years old, Kurtagic has featured in her maiden season in the European premium competition and after being named the top middle blocker in the CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup last season, now she made waves in the European premium competition. Kurtagic has the fourth largest number of kill blocks this season, 23, in 28 sets, with an average of 0.82 blocks per match and has also scored 80 points for Milano.

Another player who has been worth her weight in gold this season is Brazilian star Ana Carolina Da Silva, who has been truly impressive for Savino Del Bene Scandicci, in the best season for the Italian side so far in the European premium competition, where they are still unbeaten. Da Silva registered 21 kill blocks in 17 sets, as her average of 1.24 blocks per set leads the competition.

The only Turkish side to have made it to the Final Four, VakifBank Istanbul, also has one player nominated in this category and it’s Chinese middle blocker Xinyue Yuan. In her maiden season in Europe, the 28-year-old Chinese player was crucial for VakifBank, registering 18 kill blocks in 24 matches, with an average of 0.75 blocks per match. Yuan also had 8 aces and 74 points this season.

Developres Rzeszow’s Agnieszka Korneliuk had yet another fantastic season, as the experienced Polish middle blocker saw her performances lift the side to a quarter-finals berth. Korneliuk registered 25 kill blocks in nine matches and 28 sets, with the number being the best since the 4th round started, while also adding 79 points under her tally this season.

Another player who was impressive was Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul’s American middle blocker, Dana Rettke, who finished in the top 10 of the standings in this ranking before the Final Four, with 20 kill blocks. Rettke had an excellent record of 20 blocks in 24 sets, and also added 64 points for the Turkish side.

The last two nominees come from two sides who did not make it to the Final Four. Sasa Planinsec was the third best middle blocker in the overall standings of the European premium competition, with 24 kill blocks in 37 sets played, while Allianz MTV Stuttgart’s Lucia Varela Gomez had nine blocks throughout the season.

The 2025 CEV Champions League Volley All-Star Team voting is now open!

How it works

•    There are 8 nominated players for each position, as well as head coaches: you are asked to cast three votes for each category
•    For Middle Blockers and Outside hitters, the 2 players with the highest amount of votes will be selected as part of the ALL-Star Team.
•    The Fan Vote will count for 50% of the final voting result, with the other 50% being represented by the votes given by Champions League clubs team captains and team Head Coaches