Germany NT 2023

    DVV announced that the team will play a friendly match against Ukraine NT in Berlin on 20 May to raise funds for Ukrainian volleyball, so I thought this is the time to start a new thread.


    As usual there are no official announcements yet about the invitations, but DVV had to submit a list of NT players to DOSB (German Olympics Sports Federation) on 1 January because such players are obliged to do regular doping controls and other stuff, here is the list:


    S: Pia Kästner, Corina Glaab, Sarah Straube, Pia Fernau

    OPP: Kimberly Drewniok, Saskia Hippe, Lara Berger, Emilia Weske

    OH: Vanessa Agbortabi, Lina Alsmeier, Laura Emonts, Pia Leweling, Hanna Orthmann, Lena Stigrot, Ivana Vanjak

    MB: Marie Schölzel, Camilla Weitzel, Monique Strubbe, Anastasia Cekulaev, Lea Ambrosius, Luisa Van Clewe

    L: Anna Pogany, Linda Bock, Elisa Lohmann


    As for the setters, Kästner will surely be main setter and IMO Straube should be backup if her current knee injury heals well. Glaab will be there as well, I don't think Fernau has a place in the main team.

    For OPP, I really don't want Hippe back again :what: she contributed nothing last year and isn't even playing well in Romania now. Berger is showing some decent development but she's still far from international level, but she should at least practise with NT IMO. No idea about Weske, she's still in NCAA and will remain there for next year.

    For OH, Vanjak still seems to be recovering from her knee injury so I don't expect her in NT this summer. IMO Anne Hölzig deserves an invitation much more than Pia Leweling :| I have no idea how Agbortabi is playing in Turkey but I don't think her level is close to Alsmeier/Orthmann/Stigrot/Emonts, if Emonts really will spend another summer with NT though...

    For MB, Lea Ambrosius has been out with illness for quite a while now so it's questionable if she makes NT this year, the other options should be as written above.

    We already heard that Heynen invited Antonia Stautz as libero (:aww:), but now that Linda Bock is back to playing as libero in Dresden it should be her and Pogany as libero duo.

    And by positions:


    S: Kästner, Glaab, Fernau, Straube, Barthel

    OPP: Berger, Hippe, Weske, Maase, Hänle - no Drewniok :white:

    OH: Agbortabi, Alsmeier, Stigrot, Orthmann, Emonts, Grozer, Dornheim, Leweling, Jatzko

    MB: Schölzel, Cekulaev, Wezorke, Weitzel, Strubbe, van Clewe, Fallah

    L: Cesar, Pogany, Stautz (she's OH but it's already public that Heynen wants her as L), Lohmann


    Overall there aren't many big surprises considering the size of the roster, I like that there are many young players but OTOH there is no point calling Hippe or Wezorke. And once again, there is no single OPP who has the level for international matches :gone:


    Lena Stigrot and Anna Pogany will share the role as captain.

    Again no Drewniok?

    Haha nevermind keep yours :)

    Quote from klrms

    Some of the choices are.... very Heynen :what:

    Which ones do you mean? I think it's very hard to fill a 30 player roster with German players, and from what we have available I think he made logical choices.

    The article says that Leana Grozer was in a training camp of Heynen in Turkey during the season and he was very impressed with her, that's why he invited her to NT camp so she can make more valuable experiences. I like the idea, she's not ready yet for high level of adult volleyball but she stands out in her generation, not even physically but technically, so it's definitely worth investing in her :win:

    Quote from Matthias

    Which ones do you mean? I think it's very hard to fill a 30 player roster with German players, and from what we have available I think he made logical choices.

    The article says that Leana Grozer was in a training camp of Heynen in Turkey during the season and he was very impressed with her, that's why he invited her to NT camp so she can make more valuable experiences. I like the idea, she's not ready yet for high level of adult volleyball but she stands out in her generation, not even physically but technically, so it's definitely worth investing in her :win:

    True though when considering the size of the squad... But just like what you say I don't see the point of calling up like Hippe or Wezorke which cannot contribute much to the team anymore IMO Rather prefer opening 2 more spot for 2 younger players.


    Also, I remember Linda Bock leaving the team before WCH last year, guess she and Heynen may have some conflict?

    Quote from klrms

    Also, I remember Linda Bock leaving the team before WCH last year, guess she and Heynen may have some conflict?

    Oh right, I totally forgot about her :white: I thought her going back to playing as libero was mainly for NT's sake, so it's definitely disappointing that she isn't there. Maybe she's already preparing her comeback for whoever is the next NT coach :whistle:

    With some distance I noticed that also Julia Wesser is not there. She missed part of the season due to illness, but before that she showed her potential to maybe become a very good OPP. With all the names who were invited I can only imagine that she also declined :|:(

    Julia Wesser I heard she might stop pro volleyball.

    And about Bock I think there is a small part of truth about a conflict with her and Heynen.

    He told her last year you are not good enough to play and she left the team.


    It’s obvious that Heynen has his way of communication but he doesn’t understand that Men and Women is not the same…

    But he is like this.

    Mmh...I kinda had the feeling she migth end her career after this season. She had an instagram post some weeks ago that sounded very much like she thinks about quitting.

    That would be really sad. She has so much potential. She would be the 2nd huge talent after Cyris who ends her career after playing in Dresden for some time.

    I still hope she will change her mind..

    No Janiska? Has she retired from NT? :(

    Quote from bibetron

    No Janiska? Has she retired from NT? :(

    Yes