Serbia NT 2019

    I was recently doing a research into how many medals each of the players have won in the NT, and who is the most decorated one. I don't know if anyone will be interested, but the following can serve as a reference point for medal winners for Serbian NT. I included only OG, WCh, WC, ECh and WGP, and not European League or the ill-fated European Games. If we count only the aforementioned 5 biggest competitions, Serbia has won 12 medals (all but 2 in the last 8 years).


    Maja Ognjenović 10

    Milena Rašić 9

    Tijana Malešević 9

    Jelena Nikolić 8

    Silvija Popović 8

    Stefana Veljković 8

    Brankica Mihajlović 8

    Suzana Ćebić 7

    Bojana Živković 7

    Ana Bjelica 7

    Bianka Buša 7

    Tijana Bošković 7

    Jovana Brakočević 6

    Jovana Stevanović 6

    Nataša Krsmanović 5

    Brižitka Molnar 5

    Teodora Pušić 4

    Mina Popović 4

    Bojana Milenković 4

    Ana Antonijević 3

    Jelena Blagojević 3

    Sanja Malagurski 3

    Nađa Ninković 3

    Vesna Čitaković 2

    Maja Simanić 2

    Anja Spasojević 2

    Jasna Majstorović 2

    Ana Lazarević 2

    Slađana Mirković 2

    Maja Aleksić 2

    Aleksandra Ranković 1

    Ivana Đerisilo 1

    Ivana Isailović 1

    Jovana Vesović 1

    Katarina Lazović 1


    Edited the list after some debate, and thanks to Joana's tip.

    The first tournament that Bjelica played for senior NT was the World Cup. So she wasn't at the WGP

    Quote from USAvolleyfan

    The first tournament that Bjelica played for senior NT was the World Cup. So she wasn't at the WGP

    You are wrong about that, because she certainly was among the 14 who played in the Final Round of WGP 2013 (even won some points here and there).

    Quote from USAvolleyfan

    Yes in the WGP 2013 not in 2011

    I know, but you said that her first senior tournament was WC 2015, which is definitely not true, and in addition, this still does not answer whether she played in Final Round of WGP 2011 (14th player was either her or Stefana).

    Then that answers who it was. I'll edit the list. Thanks, Jo.:win:

    Quote from JoanaBG

    Stefana missed the whole 2011 NT season due to cardiac problems.

    If my memory serves right, she played in the World Cup 2011, I remember that Citakovic was registered on the wild roster as #11, so Stefana had to wear #17. I may be wrong though but I'm quite sure about it.

    Quote from Emil

    If my memory serves right, she played in the World Cup 2011, I remember that Citakovic was registered on the wild roster as #11, so Stefana had to wear #17. I may be wrong though but I'm quite sure about it.

    You are right, Emil. I just checked, and she definitely played in WC 2011. Hmm, that means we are back to square one.:pinch:

    Quote from Emil

    If my memory serves right, she played in the World Cup 2011, I remember that Citakovic was registered on the wild roster as #11, so Stefana had to wear #17. I may be wrong though but I'm quite sure about it.

    Oh yeah, that's right! She missed the GP and ECh that year, but came back for WC.

    Honestly, that tournament remained kinda blurry for me since the moment Malagurski got injured. :gone:

    How sure are you that she missed WGP (she definitely missed ECh)?

    Quote from Janko

    How sure are you that she missed WGP (she definitely missed ECh)?

    I'm 100% sure, because I remember the discussion on this forum if she was boycotting the NT like Spasojević and Đerisilo were at the time. ;) I believe she was on the wide roster, but didn't actually get to play.


    Anyway, these are the players the Serbian Volleyball Federation credits with the GP '11 bronze:

    ANA LAZAREVIĆ, JOVANA BRAKOČEVIĆ, SANJA MALAGURSKI, NATAŠA KRSMANOVIĆ, TIJANA MALEŠEVIĆ, BRIŽITKA MOLNAR, ANA ANTONIJEVIĆ, JOVANA VESOVIĆ, MAJA OGNJENOVIĆ, JELENA NIKOLIĆ, NAĐA NINKOVIĆ, MILENA RAŠIĆ, SUZANA ĆEBIĆ, SILVIJA POPOVIĆ

    https://www.ossrb.org/selekcij…nja/svetski-gran-pri.html

    Quote from Janko

    How sure are you that she missed WGP (she definitely missed ECh)?

    She definetly missed both of Wgp and Ech in the 2011. I checked every single match report from the Wgp 2011 and she did not on the list.


    http://www.fivb.org/EN/volleyb…chInfoF.asp?Tourn=WGP2011

    That cometition(wgp 2011)is maybe favourite one from that era. I remember that we win Usa and China(i think 2 times-one in preliminary round and one 3-2 wins in final round). And at that competition, Malagurski shine on the OH possition(because Jelena Nikolic played just a final round). And after that horrible injury at World Cup against Korea. I cant forget that moment. That injury just marked her career in future.

    Yeah, definitely a nightmarish day for Sanja, she’s never as good as she was after that injury.


    I also remember how Terzic encouraged Ana Antonijevic by saying she also could be really good as starter, not only Maja is great but so is Ana :heart:

    Quote from JoanaBG

    I'm 100% sure, because I remember the discussion on this forum if she was boycotting the NT like Spasojević and Đerisilo were at the time. ;) I believe she was on the wide roster, but didn't actually get to play.


    Anyway, these are the players the Serbian Volleyball Federation credits with the GP '11 bronze:

    ANA LAZAREVIĆ, JOVANA BRAKOČEVIĆ, SANJA MALAGURSKI, NATAŠA KRSMANOVIĆ, TIJANA MALEŠEVIĆ, BRIŽITKA MOLNAR, ANA ANTONIJEVIĆ, JOVANA VESOVIĆ, MAJA OGNJENOVIĆ, JELENA NIKOLIĆ, NAĐA NINKOVIĆ, MILENA RAŠIĆ, SUZANA ĆEBIĆ, SILVIJA POPOVIĆ

    https://www.ossrb.org/selekcij…nja/svetski-gran-pri.html

    So, the 14th player was Ana Lazarevic. She never once appeared on any of the official match reports in the final round, nor is she credited for it on her wiki entry. Thanks again. I'll edit the list (hopefully for the last time:lol:).

    Quote from Bogdan123

    She definetly missed both of Wgp and Ech in the 2011. I checked every single match report from the Wgp 2011 and she did not on the list.


    http://www.fivb.org/EN/volleyb…chInfoF.asp?Tourn=WGP2011

    Yes, but if you study it further, you'll see that only 13 names are ever mentioned in those reports. That means one medal winner is left out. That was the (main) source of confusion in compiling this list.

    Quote from Bogdan123

    That cometition(wgp 2011)is maybe favourite one from that era. I remember that we win Usa and China(i think 2 times-one in preliminary round and one 3-2 wins in final round). And at that competition, Malagurski shine on the OH possition(because Jelena Nikolic played just a final round). And after that horrible injury at World Cup against Korea. I cant forget that moment. That injury just marked her career in future.

    It's my favourite tournament too! Rašić was playing like a monster, that summer was her big breakthrough. Brakočević on top of her game, Malagurski killing it on the OH position (as well as being able to substitute Brakočević as the OPP, as we saw later at ECh), Krsmanović playing the best and most consistent volleyball of her life, Molnar carrying the reception as well as being able to contribute in the attack, both setters doing a great job... Great memories :love: They played amazing volleyball at that GP, even better than at ECh a couple of months later when they were just too nervous in front of their home crowd.

    The problem with that particular roster is that it wasn't very deep, as Nikolić was injured and didn't play at all, although she was with the team and there were basically just two MBs, after Čitaković refused to play in the last moment and Ninković was too inexperienced at that point.

    But with all of them healthy, Stefana's comeback and Brankica's addition in 2012, the team could have been a serious contender for an Olympic medal. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

    You are right, for all of it. I just recently rewatched the quarterfinal, semifinal and final of 2011 ECh, and was just struck how good Krsmanović played, much better than I remembered. Even the quintessential "less bright star" of that generation, Molnar was holding really, really well (I can only imagine you are familiar with all the "Molnar plays, but Spasojević/Čitaković/Đerisilo are not good enough for Terzić" incessant complaints from that era.:whistle:

    Speaking of Krsmanovic, I wish there were more players like her. Silent, almost invisible but getting her job done so well. Mina Popovic seems to be that sort of a player.