CLVolleyW All-Star Team Vote: Outside Hitters Nominees
With the clock ticking fast before the #SuperFinalsAntalya on May 5th, the Volleyball fans across the globe are casting their votes for the CLVolley All Star Team. In the recent days, we have been presenting you the nominees in the different categories, and today, it’s time to pay some attention to the outside hitters - the players who can execute different functions on the court, therefore, they are the key asset to each successful team.
The choice for the 2023/2024 All-Star team is not an easy one, but the process of voting itself is! You should just visit the dedicated webpage, and pick up from the nominees that have been previously selected by the CEV Analysts.
Let’s start!
Outside hitter 1
Gabi Guimaraes
Loved by thousands around the globe, Gabi is a true icon of VakifBank Istanbul and the Brazilian National Team Women. She has been on the roster of the Turkish powerhouse since 2019/2020 - and playing for the Istanbul team has been her only European experience so far as back then, she arrived from Itambé/Minas. Earlier this month Gabi announced that after five years, she is parting ways with the club.
But she has never disappointed the local fans. In this #CLVolleyW season, despite her team not being able to go for a third European crown in a row, she performed quite well, playing in nine matches (31 sets), scoring 113 points (an average of 3,65 per set). Gabi has three aces (0,1 per set) and 12 kill blocks (0,39 per set) as well.
Ana Kotikova
The 24-year-old Kotikova has been gaining important experience in Europe’s top club competition. Despite not qualifying for the playoffs phase, Kotikova and her Volero Le Cannet showed that they have a great potential, and the fans are already looking forward to seeing what the French team has in store for them.
Meanwhile, Ana, who has been playing in France since 2022/2023, finished her 2024 #CLVolleyW journey, playing in six games (25 sets), scoring a total of 108 points (4,32 average per set). She has 10 kill blocks (0,4 per set) and 10 aces (0,4 per set) to her name.
Ann Kalandadze
Ann played for a second season in a row for the Polish PGE Rysice Rzeszow. Kalandadza and her teammates didn’t make it to the Quarters this year, but they made it out of the group stage. However, in the playoffs phase, they faced none other than VakifBank Istanbul (who were, by that moment, reigning back-to-back #CLVolleyW champions). The Polish lost the two games at 0-3, but Ann did show she is a player to watch out for.
In the whole 2023/2024 Champions League season, she took part in eight matches (32 sets), recording as many as 111 points (3,47 per set). She has seven aces (0,22 per set) and four kill blocks (3, 47 per set) to her name.
Alexa Lea Gray
In her first season with Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul (as she joined the Turkish coming from the Italian Powerhouse of Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano), Alexa was close to reaching the #SuperFinalsAntalya. However, Gray and her teammates were stopped at the semis from an inspired Allianz Vero Volley Milano.
Despite the fact that they won’t be in the battle for the trophy this year, the Tigers have had their moments throughout the 2023/2024 season, and the Canadian International for sure has played an important role in all that.
In 11 matches (39 sets), she scored 111 points (2,85 per set). Of these 111 points, seven came after successful kill blocks (0,18 per set) and six after aces (0,15 per set).
Outside hitter 2
Britt Herbots
Britt, who has made a name for herself in the Volleyball world in the recent years, joined Savino Del Bene Scandicci in 2023/2024, and in her first season with the squad, she is playing a key role in the development and establishing of the team as one of the current powerhouses in women’s club Volleyball.
Right now playing in the playoffs in the Italian League Serie A1, Britt also did a very good job in the CEV Champions Legue Volley.
Savino reached the Top 8 of #CLVolleyW, and the Belgian outside hitter contributed with 83 points (an average of 3,07) playing in seven matches (27 sets). Of these 83 points, five came after successful kill blocks (0,19 per set) and seven (0,26) after direct service points.
Arina Fedorovtseva
Only 20 years old, Arina is one of the brightest names you could hear talking about when it comes down to the most prominent outside hitters out there. She has been defending the colours of the Turkish Fenerbahçe Opet Istanbul since 2021/2022 and is one of the most loved players of the team. Just last night, she became champion of Türkiye as they outclassed Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul in the finals.
Although she is yet to achieve her biggest #CLVolleyW success, she has been paving her path and the best is yet to come, as it might be seen from the statistics she delivered in the 2023/2024.
Fedorovtseva and her team made it to semis, and the Russian finished as top server so far with 34 aces (1,06 per set), playing in 10 matches (32 sets). Arina has scored a total of 174 points (5,44 per set), of which - 12 kill blocks (0,37 per set).
Kathryn Plummer
The USA International has a wide experience on the court, and is one of the players, the coaches know they can rely on. Since 2021/2022, she has been with the team of Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano, and in what was her first season in the CEV Champions League Volley, she and her teammates finished second, losing to VakifBank Istanbul.
This year, Kathryn has another chance to lift the trophy of Europe’s top club competition, as on the 5th of May, Imoco will battle it out with Allianz Vero Volley Milano at the #SuperFinalsAntalya.
Reaching the last stage of the #CLVolleyW is another achievement for Plummer, as she contributed a lot for this success during the past season.
She took part in eight matches (30 sets), and has 109 points so far (3,63 per set). She has six kill blocks to her name (0,2 per set) and 12 aces (0,4 per set).
Alexandra Frantti
With experience in France, Poland and Italy, Alexandra made a new step in her career in 2023/2024, when she joined the team of VakifBank Istanbul - the back-to-back champions of the CEV Champions League Volley.
Frantti and her teammates couldn’t make it to another #SuperFinals, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t do a good job on the court. They were stopped at the Quarters by Prosecco Doc Imoco Volley Conegliano.
Overall, the US born outside hitter played in 10 matches (32 sets) and recorded 115 points to her name (3,59 per set). Alexandra also had 14 aces (0,44 per set) and six kill blocks (0,19 per set).