VNL 2026

Who are the youngest players in VNL 2026

15-year-old Slovenian Ozbi Slatinsek and 16-year-old Dominican Rayni Mondesi top the charts

Published 02:02, 23 Jun 2026

Bulgaria (BUL) vs. Ukraine (UKR) - Pool 6 - Preliminary Phase #108491268

Bulgaria’s Darina Naneva is the only 16-year-old to have been among her team’s starters in VNL 2026

One of the great things about the Volleyball Nations League is that it is a pretty long annual competition and allows the head coaches the opportunity to give many players time on the court. And that includes young hopefuls, for whom it might be the first time with their national team jersey, and it sure is an opportunity to gain experience and grow. So, who are the youngest athletes that made the rosters for VNL 2026?

Watch the Volleyball Nations League 2026 on VBTV

Women’s number 3: Darina Naneva (Bulgaria)

Let’s start our countdown with the third youngest player in the women’s VNL. That’s Darina Naneva, a 16-year-old middle blocker, who has been seeing court time in each of Bulgaria’s eight matches in the league so far. The 1.92m-tall talent has already scored 32 points for the youngest (on average) squad in VNL 2026. She was part of the Bulgarian team that triumphed with the world title at last year’s FIVB Volleyball Girls’ U19 World Championship. At the club level, Naneva plays for Serbia’s Jedinstvo Pazova. She was born on September 10, 2009.

Women’s number 2: Ezel Balik (Turkiye)

The second youngest player in the women’s VNL field is from Turkiye. She is also 16, also a middle blocker and her name is Ezel Balik. Balik was part of the Turkish team during the first week of VNL 2026. She entered the court in two of the four matches and scored a kill block against the Netherlands. The 1.93m-tall hopeful is a player of Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul. She was born on October 20, 2009.

Women’s number 1: Rayni Merab Mondesi Arias (Dominican Republic)

Rayni Merab Mondesi Arias is the youngest athlete in the women’s VNL 2026, the only one born in 2010. She is registered as an opposite on the Dominican Republic’s roster, but has not made the squads for any of the first two competition weeks yet. When the VNL season started, the 1.85m-tall Rayni Mondesi was only 15 years old, but she turned 16 on June 12.

The top 10 of the youngest players in the women’s VNL 2026 continues with:

4. Ella Joosen (Belgium), born on July 18, 2009
5. Aylin Uysalcan (Turkiye), born on July 13, 2009
6. Guo Zhongnan (China), born on June 3, 2009
7. Nada Antonovic (Serbia), born on April 16, 2009
8. Ayiana Hall (Belgium), born on April 3, 2009
9. Kalina Veneva (Bulgaria), born on March 8, 2009
10. Kira Lisova (Ukraine), born on February 9, 2009

Men’s number 3: Jakub Przybylkowicz (Poland)

The third youngest player in the men’s VNL 2026 is a 17-year-old athlete from Poland. His name is Jakub Przybylkowicz. He is 2.05m tall and he is registered as a setter, but he has not been part of the Polish squads for the first competition weeks yet. He was, however, a member of the Polish team that earned silver at last year’s FIVB Volleyball Boys’ U19 World Championship. Przybylkowicz was born on May 7, 2009.

Men’s number 2: Valentin Predan (Slovenia)

The second youngest player in the men’s VNL 2026 is also a setter and he is 16. Valentin Predan was part of Slovenia’s squad during the first competition week, but did not get any court time. At the club level, he is a player of Slovenia’s i-Vent Maribor. The young 1.86m-tall playmaker was born on September 29, 2009.

Men’s number 1: Ozbi Slatinsek (Slovenia)

Another Slovenian – Ozbi Slatinsek – is the youngest VNL 2026 player in either gender! He is the only one, who is still 15. He is listed as a 1.91m-tall outside hitter and he is looking forward to making his debut for the Slovenian senior national team any time soon. The youngest VNL 2026 player was born on November 15, 2010.

The top 10 of the youngest players in the men’s VNL 2026 continues with:

4. Nehuen Tomas D'aversa (Argentina), born on February 25, 2009
5. Dimitar Peychinov (Bulgaria), born on October 10, 2008
6. Ren Ichinose (Japan), born on September 30, 2008
7. Federico Javier Debonis (Argentina), born on August 22, 2008
8. Dimitar Dobrev (Bulgaria), born on July 17, 2008
9. Jaka Zmagaj (Slovenia), born on July 1, 2008
10. Hu Hanlin (China), born on February 22, 2008