Panathinaikos women's volleyball

Panathinaikos
NicknameFine Girls
Amazons
Founded1926 (1926)
GroundMets Indoor Hall
(Capacity: 1,200)
ChairmanDimitris Vranopoulos
Head CoachAlessandro Chiappini
CaptainPenny Rogka
LeagueGreek Women's Volleyball League
2024–253rd
WebsiteClub home page
Championships26
Uniforms
Home
Away

Panathinaikos AC Women's Volleyball Team is a Greek volleyball team, part of the major Athens-based multi-sport club Panathinaikos A.O. The department was founded in 1969 and is the most successful women's volleyball team in Greece, in terms of Greek Championships won. They have won a record 26[1] Championships, 6 Cups, with 5 Doubles, while they hold the record for finishing undefeated the Championship 8 times (1971-1973, 1978, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2007). They also hold the record of 68 straight wins in the league including the play-offs.

In addition, they have reached the European Final Four a total of four times and the European final twice (2000 and 2009). The team currently plays in Maroussi Saint Thomas Indoor Hall.

In 2017, the club was relegated due to serious financial problems. They stayed inactive for the 2017–18 season.

Apart from the Greek players, who have traditionally been the backbone of Greece's national team, some European volleyball players that have played for the team include Ruxandra Dumitrescu, Brižitka Molnar, Tammy Mahon, Jelena Lozancic, Olga Tocko, María Fernández, Sanja Tomasević and others.

The club has retired the jersey number 9 in honour of the team's legendary captain Ruxandra Dumitrescu.

History

The women’s volleyball department of the Club was founded in 1926 and is one of the most beloved sections of the “Shamrock.”

In 1946, it participated in the Central Championship. The coaches were Mike Stergiadis and Christos Svolopoulos, who trained at the court on Tsokha Street.

The first truly organized effort to form a solid team came in 1969, one year before the Hellenic Volleyball Federation was established.

The team’s first coach was Panathinaikos volleyball player Andreas Bergeles, who was later succeeded by Savvas Grozdanovits. The Yugoslav coach worked with the women’s team while simultaneously serving as the men’s team coach.

The team won the Central Championship outright in 1970 and were crowned Greek champions in 1971. The achievements of Panathinaikos and its players became widely recognized when, in the 1980–81 season, the team reached the Final Four of the Confederation Cup in Munich, finishing in 4th place.

In the 1994–95 season, the “Greens” advanced to the Final Four of the Cup Winners’ Cup in Münster, again finishing 4th. In the 1999–2000 season, they made history by competing in the Cup Winners’ Cup in Perugia against the local team.

Their most recent major success came during the 2008–09 season, when they took 2nd place in the Final Four of the Challenge Cup in Jesi, Italy.

In 2008, the women’s volleyball team of Panathinaikos achieved a streak of 55 consecutive wins and 77 consecutive home victories.

The club has won two Greek Championships (1991 and 2013) and three ESPAA Junior Championships (1990, 1991, and 2013).

The “fine girls” have also made great contributions to the Greek National Team. Players such as R. Pragaloudi, S. Angelaki, F. Malapetsa, K. Yaleniou, and E. Sfyri were part of the historic success of winning the bronze medal at the 1991 Mediterranean Games.

The team’s best season is considered to be 2009, when the “fine girls” reached the Challenge Cup final and, at the same time, won the domestic double in Greece.

The players who made history under coach Takis Floros were Chatzinikou, Saparefska, Totsko, Dumitrescu, Tomasevic, Fernandez, Mylona, Tzanakaki, Koutouxidou, and Papageorgiou. [2]


Honours

Domestic

  • Greek Championship (record): (26)[1]
    • 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Greek Cup: (6)
    • 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
  • Double: (6)
    • 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022

European

Current women's volleyball squad

The following is the roster for the 2025–2026 season.[3]

Number Player Position Height (m) Birth date
1 Irini Chatziefstratiadou Middle blocker 1.85 (1995-09-02) September 2, 1995
2 Micaya White Outside hitter 1.86 (1998-09-20) September 20, 1998
3 Afroditi Giota Middle blocker 1.82 (1999-12-03) December 3, 1999
4 Evangelia Tani Setter 1.82 (2004-07-22) July 22, 2004
6 Olga Strantzali Outside hitter 1.85 (1996-01-12) January 12, 1996
7 Haylie Bennett Opposite 1.86 (1998-05-02) May 2, 1998
10 Mara Rapti Outside hitter 1.78 (1996-10-30) October 30, 1996
11 Lamprini Konstantinidou Setter 1.84 (1996-09-16) September 16, 1996
12 Martina Šamadan Middle blocker 1.93 (1993-09-11) September 11, 1993
13 Penny Rogka (c) Libero 1.67 (1987-07-04) July 4, 1987
14 Monika Lampkowska Outside hitter 1.83 (1999-11-06) November 6, 1999
16 Georgina Antonakaki Libero 1.75 (2002-09-16) September 16, 2002
18 Markela Papageorgiou Middle blocker 1.86 (1999-12-22) December 22, 1999
22 Manolina Konstantinou Outside hitter 1.83 (1993-04-10) April 10, 1993
30 Angela Papa Opposite 1.80 (1997-05-11) May 11, 1997

Technical and managerial staff

Staff
Head coach Alessandro Chiappini
Assistant coach Dominik Fabianowicz
Assistant coach Agi Babouli
Statistician Vassilis Makris
Trainer Leonidas Christakidis
Physiotherapist Napoleon Charisis
Kit assistant Charalampos Gkanas
Team manager Nikos Lazos

Retired numbers

Panathinaikos women's volleyball retired numbers
N° Nat. Player Position Tenure
9 Ruxandra Dumitrescu Outside Hitter 2003–2010

Selected former players

Selected former coaches

  • Sava Grozdanović
  • Andreas Bergeles
  • Nikos Bergeles
  • Soulis Toursougas
  • Jerzy Welz
  • Giannis Nikolakis
  • Dimitris Bahramis
  • Takis Floros

Historical performance in the league

Panhellenic Championship A' National A1 Division Pre League A1 Division
Pos. 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4
5 5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Positions

Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Times 26 15 6 2 1

International record

Season Achievement Notes
Champions Cup
1993-94 Quarter-final eliminated by Matera
Cup Winners Cup
1994-95 Final Four 4th place
1995-96 7th place
1999-00 Final 2nd place, defeated by Perugia
CEV Cup
1980-81 Final Four 4th place
Challenge Cup
2008-09 Final 2nd place, defeated by Vini Monteschiavo Jesi
2009-10 Quarter-final eliminated by Asterix Kieldrecht

Sponsorships

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2007–2008 Adidas Subaru
2008–2009
2009–2010 Asics Tonotil / Salonpas
2010–2011
2011–2012 Evropi Insurance
2012–2013 Royal Evropi Insurance
2013–2014 Fila
2014–2015 - Bolossis
2015–2016 —
2016–2017 Erreà Allou Fun Park
2018–2019 Athlos Sport OPAP
2019–2020 Macron
2020–2021
2021–2022
2022–2023
2024–2025 Adidas Pame Stoixima
2025–2026


  • Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Adidas
  • Golden Sponsor: Pame Stoixima
  • Official sponsors: Hygeia Medical Center, Avance Car Rental, Land Rover Spanos Luxury Cars, Viva Fresh, Batteries.gr, Biosteel, LCG. Boukia kai syhorio.[4][5]
  • Official Broadcaster: PAO TV

See also

References

  1. ^ a b sunTech s.a. (2022-05-12). "Η Χρυσή Βίβλος της Volley League Γυναικών". ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΟΜΟΣΠΟΝΔΙΑ ΠΕΤΟΣΦΑΙΡΙΣΗΣ (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  2. ^ https://www.pao1908.com/sports/volei-gynaikon/
  3. ^ Παναθηναϊκός ΑΟ. volleyball.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Χορηγοί". Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος (in Greek). Retrieved 2022-12-04.
  5. ^ "Φίνο τρίποντο και προχωράει!". Παναθηναϊκός Αθλητικός Όμιλος (in Greek). 2022-11-26. Retrieved 2022-12-04.
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