#CLVolleyW Pool Previews - KS Developres RZESZÓW the standout side in Group E

Pool E of this year’s #CLVolleyW is the only group not to feature a team from Italy or Türkiye. The absence of such powerhouses makes reigning Polish national champions KS Developres RZESZÓW the undisputed favourites in what looks like a fairly balanced group including also the national league winners of France, Germany, and Bulgaria. Therefore, you can expect a very close race for a spot in the Playoffs and quarterfinals where the teams progressing from Pool E would then deal with representatives of the continental elite in the sport. 

KS Developres RZESZÓW (POL) 

The Polish champions are making their seventh appearance in the competition and they have featured uninterruptedly since the 2020/2021 season. They survived the group phase in each of the last four seasons exiting in the quarterfinals in 2022, 2023, and 2025 (losing to eventual winners A. Carraro Imoco CONEGLIANO) and in the Playoffs in 2024. KS Developres RZESZÓW started the current season on a high note by securing the Polish Super Cup against ŁKS Commercecon ŁÓDŹ (3-1). Last season, they beat the same team in the Polish league championship series as well as in the Polish Cup Final.

In last season’s Playoffs, KS Developres RZESZÓW won 3-1 away against Allianz MTV STUTTGART (25-21, 22-25, 45-43, 25-20). That 45-43 scoreline from the third set is the second highest score in a set in the women’s Champions League, after 44-46 in the first set of the 2018/2019 group phase match between Minchanka MINSK and RC CANNES. 

The team has strengthened its roster with the arrival of Oliwia Sieradzka – top scorer in the 2024/2025 Polish league with 474 points for ITA TOOLS Stal MIELEC. Moreover, Belgian middle blocker Laura Heyrman has joined their ranks as well. Heyrman finished second (2023 with Eczacibasi Dynavit ISTANBUL), second (2024 Allianz Vero Volley MILANO) and third (2025 Numia Vero Volley MILANO) in the last three Champions League seasons. Their mentor Cesar Hernández González was an assistant coach at VakifBank ISTANBUL when the Turkish team won the Champions League both in 2022 and 2023.

LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud (FRA) 

LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud make their second straight appearance in the CEV Champions League. They were eliminated in the group phase last year. They are still waiting on their first win in the competition after losing their six group matches in 2024/2025. Two of those defeats were against SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN (0-3, 2-3) who they will meet again this season. 

LEVALLOIS PARIS Saint Cloud won the French league the past two seasons. The team reached the semis of the 2024 CEV Cup in which they were eliminated by Reale Mutua Fenera CHIERI ’76. Their roster is extremely young, with as many as six players under the age of 20. Last season, Bianca Cugno (95 points) was their top scorer in the Champions League. However, she has since moved to Brazil’s Osasco São Cristóvão Saúde.

As coach of Slovenia, Alessandro Orefice led the country to the last 16 at the women’s FIVB World Championship this year (lost 0-3 versus Türkiye) in their first-ever appearance in the competition. 

Looking at the history of the competition, two French clubs have reached the knockout stage of the Champions League: RC CANNES in 15 campaigns from 2000/2001 to 2014/2015 (including winning the trophy in 2002 and 2003) and Volero LE CANNET in 2023 (eliminated after a Golden Set against Developres RZESZÓW in the Playoffs).

SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN (GER) 

This is SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN’s ninth campaign in the CEV Champions League. As SCHWERINER SC, they were one of the teams to play in the first edition back in 2000/2001. The club has reached the knockout stages twice. They were eliminated after a Golden Set loss against Unendo Yamamay BUSTO ARSIZIO in the Playoffs 12 in 2012/2013, and they lost both games in straight sets against Numia Vero Volley MILANO in last season’s Playoff round.

Earlier this year, they won the German Bundesliga. It was their first such title since 2017/2018. In the current season, however, they lost the German Super Cup against DRESDNER SC (1-3). 

Elles Dambrink (103 points) was SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN’s top scorer in last season’s Champions League. She has since moved to Reale Mutua Fenera CHIERI ‘76.

Their current roster contains as many as six Dutch players who were all included in coach Felix Koslowski’s Netherlands squad at the FIVB World Championship in Thailand. Koslowski has been the coach of SSC Palmberg SCHWERIN since 2013/2014. As coach of Netherlands, he reached the quarterfinals at the FIVB Women’s World Championship this year (2-3 defeat against Japan) after sensationally edging two-time defending champions Serbia in the 8th Finals. 

Maritza PLOVDIV (BUL) 

This is the tenth overall and ninth Champions League campaign in the group phase for PLOVDIV. They are ever-present in the group phase since the start of the 2017/2018 season. However, Maritza PLOVDIV have never progressed to the knock out stages of the Champions League. They have a 7-41 win-loss record in all their Champions League matches, including a 2-4 record last season (they won both fixtures versus Mladost ZAGREB).

They reached this season’s Round 4 after defeating OK Dinamo ZAGREB twice in straight sets in the third qualifying round. Iva Dudova (31 points) was their top scorer against OK Dinamo ZAGREB.

Last season, they transferred to the CEV Cup after the #CLVolleyW group phase. They lost 0-3, 0-3 against eventual winners Igor Gorgonzola NOVARA. 

Maritza PLOVDIV claimed their 11th straight Bulgarian League title earlier this year, winning all 26 matches in the regular season and Playoffs. The club has won the title in every season from 2014/2015. 

Seven of their players are younger than 20 years old. Only two players in their team were born before 2000: Zhana Todorova (1997) and Vanessa Agbortabi (1998). Germany’s Agbortabi is the only foreign player in their team. Elisaveta Sarieva and Aleksandra Kitipova won the FIVB Girls’ U19 World title with Bulgaria earlier this year. With 14 points, Kitipova was one of the top scoring players in the 3-1 win against USA in the final, thereby securing a historic global title for the Balkan country. 

Maritza current head coach Ahmetcan Ersimsek was a member of Giovanni Guidetti’s coaching team at VakifBank ISTANBUL from 2016 to 2024. The Turkish club won the Champions League four times in that spell.