NEW: Swiss Volleyball League 2012/2013

    An All-American "team" is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players – those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position – who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans".


    Non exhaustive list of All-Americans playing in Switzerland this upcoming season:
    Brianna Barry, 2009 (VB Franches-Montganes)
    Taylor Carico, 2007 (VB Franches-Montganes)
    Bryn Kehoe, 2006, 2007 (Neuchâtel UC)
    Airial Salvo, 2006 (Neuchâtel UC)
    Kaylee Mann, 2008, 2009 (FKB Volley Düdingen)


    Non exhaustive list of All-Americans having played in Switzerland during the previous years:
    Robyn Ah Mow-Santos, 1995, 1996 (Voléro Zürich)
    Bryn Kehoe, 2006, 2007 (VBC Biel-Bienne)
    Laura Davis, 1993, 1994 (VBC Köniz)
    Benishe Dillard-Roberts, 1997, 1998 (Voléro Zürich)
    Carie Feldmann-Larsen, 1992 (BTV Luzern)
    Benavia Jenkins, 2001, 2003 (Köniz)
    Charlene Johnson-Tagaloa, 1993, 1994 (VC Tornado Adliswil)
    Stephanie Lynch, 2008 (Neuchâtel UC)
    Ogonna Nnamani, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 (VBC Voléro Zürich)
    Priscilla Pacheco, 1993, 1994 (Genève Elite VB)
    Jessica Swarbrick, 2007, 2008 (VBC Köniz)
    Courtney Thompson, 2004, 2005, 2006, (VBC Köniz)
    Logan Tom, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 (VBC Voléro Zürich)
    Sanja Tomasević (SRB), 2003, 2005, (VBC Voléro Zürich)
    Meika Wagner, 1993, 1994 (BTV Luzern)
    Cheryl Weaver, 1999, 2000, 2001 (VBC Voléro Zürich)
    Petia Yanchulova, 1998, 1999 (VC Kanti Schaffhausen)

    A new foreign player, Linzy Kearney, native of Colorado (USA), joins Genève Volley. Before, she was trying her luck in France where she played for two seasons with RCF Villebon and VC Marcq-en-Barœul.

    Good news for Whitney Evers, former player of FKB TSV Volleyball Düdingen. She should be signing a new contract with Smash Oud-Turnhout out of Belgium sometime this week. And CEP Poitiers-Saint-Benoit didn't go completely bankrupt but they lost their major sponsor so they could no longer afford to hire foreign players as they had originally intended.

    According to a response of the staff, Nadine Göldi will finally not play for VBC Biel-Bienne, unlike statements in the press. Actually, Mélanie Pauli, the coach of VBC Schaffhausen, had announced Göldi’s recruitment in June.

    Education is the only way for Swiss volleyball to assure a sustainable development. There are several SwissVolley Talent School that meet all of SwissVolley and SOA required criteria. These are in particular:
    – Training program of at least 400 hours per year.
    – Training and scholastic program for 15-20 year old girls (Secondary level II).
    – Collaboration with sports schools/classes
    – Professional environment (recognized trainer, coordinator, infrastructure).
    – Training in the indoor and beach ranges.
    – Cooperation with associations from the catchment area.


    Swiss Volley Talent Schools in 2010
    Volleyball Intensiv Basel (http://www.volleybasel.ch/VolleyBasel/volleyintensiv.html)
    Volley-Talents Bern:
    – Volley-Rookie Biel-Bienne (http://www.volleytalentsbern.ch/volley-rookies-biel-bienne)
    – Volleyballschule Liebefeld-Steinhölzli VBSLS (http://www.volleyschule.ch/ind…gcategory&id=18&Itemid=51)
    Swiss Volley Talent School Fribourg (http://www.afvb.ch/)
    Swiss Volley Sport-Etudes Lausanne >> (http://www.vbccossonay.com/joo…task=view&id=62&Itemid=77)
    Swiss Volley Talent School Zentralschweiz
    Swiss Volley Talent School Zürich (http://www.r-v-z.ch/index.php?id=102)
    Swiss Volley Talent School Amriswil >> (http://www.volleyamriswil.ch/index.php?TPL=10125)


    Let’s bet that a few very talented players will leave these schools in a few years.

    By international comparison, Switzerland doesn’t bring out so many talents, that’s why SwissVolley wants to improve its support. The Top Talent program shall accompany our Swiss volleyball talents with international potential on their way to the top. The talent coach undertakes the task of advising and supporting neutrally the selected top talents and, together with the player, plans a career.


    The Talent Coach works in cooperation with the heads of sport, the national trainers and the participating club coaches. Together they develop career plans for top talents and give them advice on these particular subjects:
    – planning future
    – nutrition
    – doping
    – training theory
    – performance diagnostics
    – school
    – education/profession


    The athletes are advised individually and independently, if they would like to.


    List of indoor Top Talents of the first age-group, in December 2007
    Mandy Wigger (VC Kanti Schaffhausen)
    Anna Protasenia (Zeiler VBC Köniz)
    Darija Sataric (VBC Biel-Bienne)
    Joana Winter (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen)
    Kristel Marbach (VB Franches-Montagnes)
    Livia Caluori (KSV Wattwil)


    Under observation:
    Diva Boketsu (VBC Biel-Bienne)
    Sandra Stocker (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen)
    Virginie Leuenberger (VBC Biel-Bienne)
    Nadège Paquier (VBC Cheseaux)
    Joana Heidrich (VBC Züri Unterland)
    Inès Granvorka (VBC Cossonay)
    Nadine Jenny (VBC Voléro Zürich)


    List of current indoor Top Talents
    Livia Caluori (Volley Köniz)
    Joana Heidrich (VC Kanti Schaffhausen)
    Nadine Jenny (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen)
    Kristel Marbach (Volley Köniz)
    Anna Protasenia (Sagres Neuchâtel UC)
    Joana Winter (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen)
    Laura Sirucek (VBC Voléro Zürich)
    Anouk Vérgé-Dépré (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen)

    VBC Aadorf:
    Petra Brühwiler (SUI)
    Corinne Eigenmann (SUI)
    Isabelle Forrer (SUI)
    Daniela Hauser (SUI)
    Julia Kölli (SUI)
    Lina König (SUI)
    Katie Virr (GBR)
    Adriana Weber (SUI)
    Jenny Flachsmann (SUI)
    Stefanie Wäckerlin (SUI)
    Loue Wyder (SUI)
    Merlin Fagu (ALB)
    Eleonora Georgieva (BUL), coach


    VBC Cossonay:


    VBC Ecublens:
    Delphine Trösch (1/SUI), opposite/outside hitter
    Claudia Ndebele (2/SUI), middle blocker
    Joëlle Matter (3/SUI), outside hitter
    Nathalie Nicolet (4/SUI), outside hitter
    Kathleen Berger (6/SUI), setter
    Elodie Stasiak (7/SUI), middle blocker
    Séline Baur (8/SUI), setter
    Nathalie Schneider (9/SUI), middle blocker
    Shanon Berger (10/SUI), outside hitter
    Jenna Maddocks (12/USA), outside hitter
    Meike Behrensen (13/GER), opposite/outside hitter
    Pierre Berger (SUI), coach


    VBC Glaronia Glarus:
    Michaela Schneider (2/SUI), hitter
    Veronika Tomsíková (2/SVK), hitter
    Manuela Isenring (2/SUI), libero
    Melanie Thoma (2/SUI), hitter
    Katarína Povorová (2/SVK), hitter
    Lea Werfeli (2/SUI), hitter
    Nicole Kamer (2/SUI), hitter
    Dominique Hauri (2/SUI), hitter
    Anahita Aebeli (2/SUI), setter
    Fiona Bottega (2/SUI), libero
    Vlado Tallo, coach


    TSV Jona:
    Rahel Oswald (2/SUI), hitter
    Manola Blatter (3/SUI), setter
    Tanja Hüberli (4/SUI), hitter
    Kim Lang (6/SUI), hitter
    Gloria König (7/SUI), hitter
    Jolanda Metzger (8/SUI), hitter
    Eveline Mächler (9/SUI), hitter
    Martina Licka (10/SUI), hitter
    Mirjam Zingg (11/SUI), hitter
    Linda Aerne (12/SUI), setter
    Marina Stankovic (13/SUI), libero


    Volley Future Köniz:


    Volley Lugano:
    Edera Berisha (SUI), universal
    Daniela Mutapcic (SUI), outside hitter
    Isabelle Nguyen (SUI), libero
    Elisa Radice (SUI), universal
    Valentina Rizzello (SUI), universal
    Jelena Stojadinovic (SUI), setter
    Manuela Stojadinovic (SUI), outside hitter
    Roberta Quadranti (SUI), setter/libero
    Sharon Sciarini (SUI), setter
    Natasha Miladinovic (SUI), outside hitter
    Carolina Gigantelli (SUI), outside hitter
    Natalia Cosic (SUI), universal
    Dario Balsamo and Riccardo Rizzello (SUI), coaches


    FC Luzern:
    Claudia Ming (1/SUI), opposite
    Sarah Leemann (3/SUI), opposite/middle blocker
    Janine Gehring (4/SUI), setter
    Katerina Kutek (5/SUI), setter
    Lilly Huber (6/SUI), outside hitter
    Pascale Frei (7/SUI), middle blocker
    Désirée Seiler (8/SUI), middle blocker
    Seraina Bitzi (9/SUI), outside hitter
    Sylvia Vonarburg-Hueber (10/SUI), middle blocker
    Franziska Zehnder (12/SUI), outside hitter
    Karin Wesseling (13/SUI), middle blocker
    Sara Baschung (14/SUI), libero
    Ivana Kutek (CZE) and Zohar Itzhaki (SUI), coaches


    VBC Volleya Obwalden:
    Andrea Spichtig (2/SUI), opposite/outside hitter
    Michelle Iten (3/SUI), outside hitter/middle blocker
    Corinne Spichtig (4/SUI), middle blocker
    Zita Rohrer (5/SUI), middle blocker
    Martina Halter (6/SUI), middle blocker
    Celina Wirz (7/SUI), outside hitter
    Seline Zumstein (8/SUI), setter
    Esther Rohrer (9/SUI), middle blocker/outside hitter
    Ines Egger (10/SUI), outside hitter
    Rebekka Abächerli (11/SUI), outside hitter
    Stefanie Kasal (13/SUI), libero
    Christian Ruff (SUI), coach


    VB Fides Ruswil:


    VBC Galina Schaan:
    Monica Marxer (SUI)
    Petra Schifferle-Walser (SUI)
    Lena Vogrin (SUI)
    Jessica Lukas (SUI)
    Corina Schmuck (SUI)
    Esther Vetsch (SUI)
    Melanie Büchel (SUI)
    Laura Marxer (SUI)
    Claudia Hasler (SUI)
    Ramona Kaiser (SUI)
    Linda Damerau (SUI)


    VBC Schaffhausen:
    Barbara Marxer (2/SUI), middle blocker
    Christine Gisi (4/SUI), middle blocker
    Marija Pusic (5/SUI), setter
    Véro Ullmann (6/SUI), setter
    Bianca Fleck (7/SUI), outside hitter
    Cornelia Kolb (9/SUI), middle blocker
    Mélanie Pauli (10/SUI), libero, coach
    Tanja Mühletaler (11/SUI), outside hitter
    Sandy Gottfried (12/SUI), opposite
    Lara Bolli (14/SUI), setter
    Nadine Göldi (15/SUI), outside hitter/opposite


    VBC Steinhausen:
    Denise Schneider (1/SUI)
    Nicole Eiholzer (2/SUI), middle blocker
    Angela Teucher (3/SUI), setter
    Andrea Arnold (5/SUI), middle blocker
    Laura Breuss (7/SUI), outside hitter
    Emma Preston (8/USA), setter
    Claudia Hofstetter (9/SUI), middle blocker
    Fabienne Nietlispach (10/SUI), outside hitter
    Nina Betschart (11/SUI), opposite
    Denise Feer (12/SUI), outside hitter
    Anika Zuurendonk (13/SUI), libero
    Andreas Grasreiner (GER), coach


    VB Therwil:
    Sonja Strebel (1/SUI), libero
    Simone Bein (2/SUI)
    Rebekka Buser (3/SU/)
    Manuela Bukhard (4/SUI)
    Andrina Nussbaumer (5/SUI)
    Michaela Vacilotto (6/SUI), setter
    Selina Pfiffner (7/SUI)
    Anja Breitenmoser (8/SUI)
    Tanja Lüdin (9/SUI)
    Jasmine Cottet (11/SUI), setter
    Sanja Ristic (12/SUI), libero
    Carina Nugaeva (13/SUI)
    Caroline Häfeli (15/SUI)
    Sue Moser and Jürg Fischer(SUI), coaches


    Volley Toggenburg:
    Lina Samland (1/GER), outside hitter
    Zuzana Iblerova (2/CZE), setter
    Leslie Betz (5/SUI), outside hitter/libero
    Laura Caluori (6/SUI), opposite
    Nina Lutz (7/SUI), middle blocker
    Anja Lutz (9/SUI), outside hitter/opposite
    Nadja Pantaleoni (10/SUI), libero
    Vera Caluori (12/SUI), middle blocker
    Marcel Erni (SUI), coach


    VBC Val-de-Travers:
    Magali Roy (/SUI), setter
    Giulia Robbiani (/SUI), setter
    Jessica Cambres Corredera (/ESP), opposite
    Shirley Rey (/SUI), outside hitter
    Elizabeth Jackson (/USA), outside hitter
    Isabelle Aeschlimann (/SUI), outside hitter
    Shemsije Asllanaj (/KOS), middle blocker
    Ariane Wenger (/SUI), middle blocker
    Romane Volpato (/SUI), middle blocker
    Alexia Nobs (/SUI), universal
    Juline Lherbette (/SUI), libero
    Alessandro Lodi (ITA), coach

    This week-end, the Swiss National Team welcomes Belarus for two friendship games in the Zurich area. The Slav team is coached by Nikolai Karpol, one of the greatest international coaches ever. The Russian star was Voléro’s close adviser when the team of Zurich was beginning with professionalism.


    This is the team roster for Switzerland:
    Kristel Marbach (Volley Köniz), Laura Sirucek (VBC Voléro Zürich), Stéphanie Bannwart (Istres Ouest-Provence VB), Marina Kühner (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen), Alessia Fiumedinisi (VBC Voléro Zürich), Diva Boketsu (Sagres Neuchâtel UC), Mandy Wigger (VBC Voléro Zürich), Nadine Jenny (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen), Inès Granvorka (VBC Voléro Zürich), Laura Tschopp (Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen), Patricia Schauss (Volley Köniz), Aïda Shouk (VC Kanti Schaffhausen), Livia Caluori (Volley Köniz).

    The former Cuban National Team player, Indira Mestre Baro, (CUB) is apparently awaited near Basel. Sm’Aesch Peffingen would have namely signed the player that Volley Köniz had announced a few year ago but never arrived.


    Additionnaly, former VFM player, Kerley Becker (BRA) might also have signed with Sm’Aesch Pfeffingen. If both informations are confirmed, there team roster would be pretty competitve.

    The Albanese setter and former FKB TSV Volleyball Düdingen player, Merlin Fagu is going to VBC Aadorf (NLB). That last team therefore will have three foreign players, with the two former ones staying on, Katie Virr (GBR) and Eleonora Georgieva (BUL).

    VBC Biel-Bienne has now completed its line-up. Bojana Marjanović (SBR) and Olga Zheleznyakova (UKR) are joinig the Bernese team. Marjanovic is arriving from Köpenicker SC Berlin, German 1. BL, and Zheleznyakova from Iskra Lugansk, Ukraine.

    As previously revealed on Inside-Volley, Kristin Kelley (USA), Emily Day (USA) and Devon Sutherland (USA) have renewed with VB Franches-Montagnes. The information has been officially confirmed on the club’s website. Some more recruitments will be announced soon (Ed. Probably Jilian Baker and Tara Hittle).


    Furthermore, Hôtel Cristal VB Franches-Montagnes will be the team’s new denomination which has been firmed up thanks to a new partnership with a leisure center.

    The Brazilian player Tassia Gonçalves de Oliveira leaves VC Kanti Schaffhausen for C.V. Las Palmas Gran Canaria that plays in the Spanish Superliga.

    Because of Aniara Muñoz’ undetermined return to Köniz, the team had to act responsibly and find a new player. The former Cuban National Team outside hitter was waiting for an exit permit of the Cuban Sports Minitry and finally arrived with a four week delay. This late return brought Volley Köniz into financial trouble because the team had already signed the Hungarian National Team player Barbara Dégi. Volley Köniz regrets that difficult situation and must break away from Aniara Muñoz.


    (Sourcce: Berner Zeitung. http://www.vbckoeniz.ch/art/2011/presse/10.08.31Bz.pdf)

    VBC Voléro Zurich finally confirms three international transfers. Opposite Jelena Alajbeg (CRO), middle blocker Nneka Obiamaka Onyejekwe (ROM) and Nina Rosić (SRB) will boost the ambitious team.

    The transfers announced on Inside-Volley on August 3rd are now official. FKB TSV Volleyball Düdingen has signed the middle blockers Ann and Claire Recht. They are the tallest twin sisters in the world (201 cm).

    VC Kanti Schaffhausen recruits Mirjana Komlenović (SRB) from French LNV team AS Saint-Raphaël Volleyball. She will reinforce the outside position.

    VC Kanti Schaffhausen announces the recruitment of Laura Rüegg. The player from Liechtenstein is libero of the National Team and comes from TSV Jona, a team of the Swiss NLB. Kanti’s team roster is now complete.

    Small note in Hawaii’s Chevron Tournament program last weekend mentioned Tara Hittle moving to Switzerland to play volleyball (Ed. Probably Hôtel Cristal VB Franches-Montagnes).