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Samanta Fabris and her teammates at the 2022 World Championship

Croatian women’s Turkish coach Ferhat Akbas announced a list of 30 players, from which he will eventually select those who will represent the country in their historic Volleyball Nations League debut this spring and those who will later on compete at the 2023 CEV Volleyball European Championship.

The team will start preparing for the upcoming season on May 7 in Zagreb. However, 37-year-old coach Akbas as well as the team’s most prominent star and captain, 31-year-old opposite Samanta Fabris, will join the camp after May 20, when their Turkish club team Eczacibasi Dynavit Istanbul competes in the CEV Champions League final.

As many as 11 of the 14 players, who brought Croatia to the top of the Volleyball Challenger Cup 2022 podium and, hence, to this year’s first-time appearance in the Volleyball Nations League, and then represented the country at the 2022 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championship in the Netherlands and Poland, are present in the 2023 list. The only ones missing are 32-year-old middle blocker Beta Dumancic, 25-year-old setter Klara Peric and 21-year-old opposite Mika Grbavica.

Before taking off for their first VNL matches, Croatia, currently ranked number 27 in the world, will visit Italy for some friendly games. Their first-ever VNL fixture will be against Bulgaria on May 31 in Nagoya, Japan. During the second competition week, the Croatians will play in Brasilia, Brazil and then travel to Bangkok, Thailand for the third competition week. Should they manage to qualify for the Finals, they will make the trip to Arlington, USA for the showdown scheduled from July 12 through 16. Croatia’s EuroVolley 2023 participation will start again with a match against Bulgaria on August 16 in Turin, Italy.

“For the first time in history, we are playing in the VNL and our goal in the first season is to survive in the league, which will not be easy at all. We are among the few teams that can be relegated, so it is a huge challenge for us,” commented Croatian federation President Frane Zanic. “However, I believe in what our coach Akbas is doing, and, led by our captain Fabris, I think we will succeed in this plan. At the European Championship, the least we expect from them is to play in the quarterfinals, for which I believe they have the strength and the qualities. The girls had good seasons. Some were injured, some played important roles in their clubs, so we expect there will be some fatigue, but what we all have to keep in mind is that the national team always give their maximum. I hope that at the end of the summer we will be satisfied with the achieved results.”

Croatia women’s national team full roster:

Setters: Ana Prkacin, Jurja Vlasic, Karla Antunovic, Lara Stimac, Lea Deak, Marija Vrban
Opposites: Andrea Mihaljevic, Barbara Dapic, Mara Stiglic, Marijeta Runjic, Nina Strize, Samanta Fabris
Outside hitters: Ana Burilovic, Dijana Karatovic, Josipa Markovic, Laura Milos, Lea Cvetnic, Lucija Mlinar, Mia Bilusic, Natalija Tomic
Middle blockers: Bianca Lulic, Bozana Butigan, Ema Strunjak, Lara Dezulovic, Martina Samadan, Mirta Freund, Viktoria Ana Trcol
Liberos: Carla Stosic, Izabela Stimac, Tia Kovco

  • Watch Volleyball Nations League 2023 on VBTV