International stars will represent the eight teams that will fight for the title in China
Published 04:01, 25 Nov 2024
Paola Egonu and Gabi will lead their teams in China (Photo: Lega Volley Femminile)
With just three weeks until the first serve of the opening match of the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship 2024, the rosters of the eight teams that will fight for the title in Hangzhou, China, from December 17-22, were revealed.
With clubs from six countries and all five continents in action, the event will feature many of the top women’s volleyball players, including several who represented their national teams at the Paris 2024 Olympics earlier this year.
Reigning European champions Prosecco Doc Imoco Conegliano will play for their third world title and, with a roster that includes stars like Brazil national team’s captain Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães, Chinese outside hitter Zhu Ting, Swedish opposite Isabelle Haak and Polish setter Joana Wołosz, are arguably the strongest candidates to claim gold.
They should face strong competition from the second Italian side set to compete in the event, Numia Vero Volley Milano. Set to appear in the tournament for the first time after they took silver at last season’s CEV Champions League, they have four key players of the Italian national team that triumphed in Paris – opposite Paola Egonu, outside hitter Miriam Sylla, middle blocker Anna Danesi and setter Alessia Orro.
Reigning South American champions Gerdau Minas will appear in the event for a fourth-straight season and will also be looking for their first world title after taking silver in two of their previous appearances. Led by Brazilian Olympic champion middle blocker Thaisa Menezes, Minas also have international stars, such as Dutch outside hitter Celeste Plak, Dominican outside hitter Yonkaira Peña and American setter Jenna Gray.
Their in-state rivals Dentil Praia Clube, who will also represent Brazil in a fourth-straight edition of the Club World Championship, will push for their first podium appearance this year in China. Their squad includes a myriad of past and present Brazilian national team players, most notably middle blockers Adenízia Ferreira and Carol Gattaz, setter Macris Carneiro and libero Natália ‘Natinha’ Araújo.
The reigning Asian champions, Japan’s NEC Red Rockets will return to the event after finishing seventh in 2017. Among their top players are Thai star outside hitter Ajcharaporn Kongyot, Japanese national team opposite Yukiko Wada, veteran middle blocker Haruyo Shimamura and Brazilian opposite Lorrayna Marys.
Vietnam’s LP Bank Ninh Binh, which took silver in the Asian Championship, will become just the second team from the country to compete for the world title. Standouts in their continental campaign, opposite Nguyen Thi Bích Tuyen and Thai outside hitter Warisara Seetaloed lead a squad that also features some of the country’s national team players, such as middle blocker Le Thanh Thúy and setter Nguyen Thi Hoai Mi.
The third Asian team entered, China’s Tianjin Bohai Bank will represent the host country and make their fourth appearance in the tournament – they took bronze last year. The core of the team is formed by Chinese national team stars Li Yingying (outside hitter), Wang Yuanyuan (middle blocker) and Yao Di (setter) and Russian middle blocker Irina Fetisova.
Africa’s representatives Zamalek Sporting Club will take Egypt to the Club World Championship for the first time. Taking part in the team's journey in China will be many players with international experience, such as outside hitters Mariam Metwally and Sabine Ali, libero Icel Nadim and middle blocker Dalia Morshedy.
Women’s Club World Championship – Match Schedule
The teams were split into two pools for the preliminary phase of the tournament, with Milano, Minas, Tianjin and Zamelek forming Pool A and Conegliano, Praia, the Red Rockets and LP Bank joining Pool B. The top two teams in each pool will advance to the semifinals, with the winners meeting in the gold medal match.
Quick links:
FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship 2024
VBTV
Volleyball World Facebook
Volleyball World X
Volleyball World Instagram
Volleyball World YouTube
Subscribe to Volleyball World's Newsletter
