{"id":155,"date":"2026-09-26T06:50:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T06:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/?post_type=players&p=155"},"modified":"2026-09-26T06:50:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T06:50:26","slug":"isac-santos","status":"publish","type":"players","link":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/players\/isac-santos\/","title":{"rendered":"Isac Santos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Isac Viana Santos is a Brazilian middle blocker and captain of Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei. Born in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo, Rio de Janeiro, on December 13, 1990, the 208 cm middle is known for his first-tempo attacking, blocking presence and an unusually aggressive jump serve for his position. He spent nine seasons with Sada Cruzeiro, winning four FIVB Club World Championships and a long run of South American and Brazilian titles before later playing in Indonesia, returning to Brazil with Itamb\u00e9 Minas and joining Praia Clube in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isac is also a two-time Olympian with Brazil. His senior international r\u00e9sum\u00e9 includes silver at the 2018 FIVB World Championship, gold at the 2019 FIVB World Cup and the inaugural Brazilian title in the Volleyball Nations League in 2021. After serious back problems interrupted his career in 2022 and 2023, he returned to the national-team setup in 2024 and was selected for the Paris Olympics. He remains an active club player in 2026\u201327 and enters his second season with Praia as team captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Player Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Information<\/th>Details<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Full Name<\/td>Isac Viana Santos<\/td><\/tr>\n
Date of Birth<\/td>December 13, 1990<\/td><\/tr>\n
Nationality<\/td>Brazilian<\/td><\/tr>\n
Born<\/td>S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n
Position<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
Height<\/td>208 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Weight<\/td>99 kg<\/td><\/tr>\n
Spike Reach<\/td>339 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Block Reach<\/td>306 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
Previous Clubs<\/td>Brasil V\u00f4lei Clube; S\u00e3o Bernardo; Sada Cruzeiro; Jakarta STIN BIN; Itamb\u00e9 Minas<\/td><\/tr>\n
Current Club<\/td>Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei<\/td><\/tr>\n
Club Number<\/td>12<\/td><\/tr>\n
Club Role<\/td>Captain<\/td><\/tr>\n
National Team<\/td>Brazil Men\u2019s National Volleyball Team<\/td><\/tr>\n
National-Team Number<\/td>12 at Paris 2024<\/td><\/tr>\n
Instagram<\/td>@isacviana<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Early Life & Volleyball Beginnings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isac grew up in S\u00e3o Gon\u00e7alo with football as his first sporting interest. A Vasco da Gama supporter, he initially played as a goalkeeper and took part in a community football project before volleyball changed his direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At around 13, a physical-education teacher encouraged him to try volleyball, and he began playing in the youth system of Niter\u00f3i V\u00f4lei Clube. His height was already an obvious advantage, but his development was not simply a matter of being tall. Moving from football into volleyball required him to build the coordination, timing and movement patterns needed for a middle blocker, particularly the lateral footwork used at the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He later attended trials with Esporte Clube Banespa and was approved in late 2006. That opportunity took him into the S\u00e3o Bernardo\/Santander development structure, one of the important pathways in Brazilian volleyball at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International youth selection followed. Isac represented Brazil at age-group level and was part of the team that won the 2009 FIVB U21 World Championship. By the 2009\u201310 season he had already progressed into senior SuperLiga volleyball with Brasil V\u00f4lei Clube\/S\u00e3o Bernardo, turning a relatively late start in the sport into a professional career within only a few years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Club Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

S\u00e3o Bernardo and the Move into Senior Volleyball<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac\u2019s first professional years were tied to the S\u00e3o Bernardo system. After entering the senior level with Brasil V\u00f4lei Clube in 2009\u201310, he remained in S\u00e3o Bernardo through the 2012\u201313 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those seasons gave him regular exposure to Brazil\u2019s top domestic competition and established the technical profile that would later become important at Sada Cruzeiro: a tall middle who could attack quickly, close blocks across the net and create service pressure rather than functioning only as a front-row specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His progression at club level also coincided with his move into Brazil\u2019s senior national-team plans. By 2013, Isac was no longer simply a developing SuperLiga middle; he was competing internationally with the senior Brazilian team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nine Seasons with Sada Cruzeiro<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The defining club period of Isac\u2019s career began in 2013, when he joined Sada Cruzeiro. He remained with the Belo Horizonte powerhouse through 2021\u201322, a nine-season spell that placed him inside one of the most successful eras in modern club volleyball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sada won the FIVB Club World Championship with Isac in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The club returned to the top of the world again in 2021, defeating Cucine Lube Civitanova 3\u20130 in the final in Betim. That victory was Sada Cruzeiro\u2019s fourth Club World Championship title and Isac had been part of all four championship teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South America brought another sustained run of success. During Isac\u2019s tenure, Sada Cruzeiro won the South American Club Championship in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. Domestically, the team also collected six Brazilian SuperLiga championships during his nine-season spell, alongside repeated Brazilian Cup, Super Cup and Minas Gerais State Championship victories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The volume of titles matters, but so does Isac\u2019s continuity within them. Sada changed setters, attackers and other pieces around him over the years, while he remained part of the middle-blocker rotation through multiple championship cycles. He also received several Best Middle Blocker awards in South American competition during this period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lube Move That Never Became a Playing Stint<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After leaving Sada Cruzeiro in 2022, Isac appeared set to begin his first European club season with Cucine Lube Civitanova. The Italian champions announced him on a two-year agreement and planned to use him as part of the group replacing Robertlandy Sim\u00f3n in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move did not become an official playing stint. Isac arrived in Italy while dealing with persistent back problems and was unable to reach the condition required for registration. He returned to Brazil for treatment, and Lube later explicitly acknowledged that his signing had never been finalized<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For that reason, Cucine Lube Civitanova does not belong in his competitive club timeline as a team he actually represented in official matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jakarta STIN BIN and the Return to Brazil<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac resumed his career in Indonesia with Jakarta STIN BIN in 2023. The move gave him a route back into regular competition after the back issues that had disrupted the previous season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He then returned to Brazil with Itamb\u00e9 Minas for 2023\u201324. The Minas period became important for more than club volleyball. Regular competition and improved physical condition put Isac back into the national-team conversation after he had gone without a senior call-up since the 2022 VNL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His performances with Minas were enough for Bernardinho to include him among the first players called into Brazil\u2019s preparations in April 2024. The comeback eventually led to another Olympic selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Isac remained with Minas through 2024\u201325 before moving to Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei for the 2025\u201326 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praia Clube and the Captaincy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Praia added Isac as one of the headline reinforcements for its second season in the Brazilian top division. His first campaign in Uberl\u00e2ndia ended with the club reaching the SuperLiga semifinals, its second consecutive final-four appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praia retained much of its core for 2026\u201327, including Isac, opposite Franco and outside hitters Paulo Vinicios and Lucas L\u00f3h. When the new squad was presented in September 2026, Isac was confirmed as captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The role gives his current chapter a different emphasis from the early Sada years. At 35, he is no longer the young middle trying to establish himself on a championship roster; he is one of the most experienced players in a Praia team trying to move from consecutive semifinal appearances toward a first SuperLiga final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Club Career Timeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Seasons<\/th>Team<\/th>Country<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2009\u201310<\/td>Brasil V\u00f4lei Clube<\/td>Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n
2010\u201313<\/td>S\u00e3o Bernardo<\/td>Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n
2013\u201322<\/td>Sada Cruzeiro<\/td>Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n
2023<\/td>Jakarta STIN BIN<\/td>Indonesia<\/td><\/tr>\n
2023\u201325<\/td>Itamb\u00e9 Minas<\/td>Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u2013present<\/td>Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei<\/td>Brazil<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

National Team Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isac reached Brazil\u2019s senior national team in 2013 after progressing through the country\u2019s youth system. His first senior season immediately produced medals: Brazil won the Pan American Cup, where he received Best Middle Blocker recognition, and finished second in the FIVB World League.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further opportunities followed as Brazil refreshed its middle-blocker group around an established championship core. Isac won the South American Championship in 2015 and was selected as a Best Middle Blocker at the tournament. Brazil added another World League silver in 2016 before winning both the South American Championship and the FIVB World Grand Champions Cup in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2018 FIVB World Championship became his first senior World Championship medal. Brazil advanced to the final in Italy and Bulgaria before finishing with silver behind Poland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A year later, Brazil won the 2019 FIVB World Cup in Japan. Isac was part of a squad that completed the tournament unbeaten and added another major global title to a period in which the Brazilian men remained among the leading international teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2021 season produced another landmark. Brazil won the Volleyball Nations League for the first time, defeating Poland in the final in Rimini. Across the tournament, Isac scored 97 points: 66 in attack, 21 from blocks and 10 from serve. Those numbers are useful for understanding his value to that Brazil team because his contribution was distributed across all three scoring skills available to a middle blocker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that year, Brazil won the South American Championship in Bras\u00edlia. Isac was again part of the roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also represented Brazil at the Tokyo Olympics, where the team finished fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back Problems and the Paris 2024 Return<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac\u2019s international sequence was interrupted after the 2022 VNL as back problems affected his club career and national-team availability. The same physical issue also prevented his planned move to Lube from becoming an official Italian season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After returning to consistent competition with Minas, he was brought back by Bernardinho in April 2024. Volleyball World\u2019s report on Brazil\u2019s first 2024 call-ups<\/a> specifically noted that Isac had dealt with serious back injuries over the previous two years before returning to form with Minas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He ultimately made Brazil\u2019s 12-player Olympic roster for Paris 2024, wearing number 12 and giving him a second Olympic selection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His national-team position has since changed. Isac was not among the 14 players selected by Bernardinho for the September 2026 South American Championship; Brazil chose Fl\u00e1vio Gualberto, Judson Nascimento and Pietro \u201cPinta\u201d Santos as its three middle blockers for that tournament. His current competitive role is therefore centered on Praia Clube rather than the active 2026 Brazil championship roster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Playing Style & Strengths<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isac is a 208 cm attacking middle blocker whose most distinctive technical feature is the combination of conventional middle play with a genuine power jump serve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That serving profile has long separated him from many players at his position. When Lube announced its plans to sign him in 2022, general manager Beppe Cormio described Isac as an attacking middle who was effective at the block and specifically emphasized that his serve was a true jump serve rather than the float delivery more commonly associated with modern middles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

International statistics support that description. During Brazil\u2019s title-winning 2021 VNL campaign, Isac produced 10 aces in addition to 21 block points and 66 attack points. That balance meant opponents had to account for him in three different scoring phases rather than treating him only as a quick attacker and blocker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In attack, his height and reach make him effective on first-tempo balls when the pass allows the setter to keep the middle involved. His job is not to take the volume of an opposite or outside hitter, but to hold opposing middle blockers, create one-on-one situations for wing attackers and punish blockers who leave the center of the net too early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His blocking game is built around size, reach and the ability to move laterally to close the seam with an outside blocker. At his best, the combination of first-tempo offense, blocking and aggressive serving makes him more versatile as a scoring middle than a player whose contribution is concentrated almost entirely at the net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same physical profile also helps explain why managing his back became important later in his career. His return from those problems to make another Olympic roster in 2024 and then captain Praia in 2026\u201327 adds an element of longevity to a career that began in the Brazilian SuperLiga as a teenager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Achievements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Selected National Team Honors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Year<\/th>Competition<\/th>Result<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2009<\/td>FIVB U21 World Championship<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2013<\/td>Pan American Cup<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2013<\/td>FIVB World League<\/td>Silver<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015<\/td>South American Championship<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>FIVB World League<\/td>Silver<\/td><\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>South American Championship<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>FIVB World Grand Champions Cup<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2018<\/td>FIVB World Championship<\/td>Silver<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>South American Championship<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>FIVB World Cup<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>Volleyball Nations League<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>South American Championship<\/td>Gold<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Selected Club Honors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Year \/ Season<\/th>Competition<\/th>Result<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2013<\/td>FIVB Club World Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2014<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2013\u201314<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015<\/td>FIVB Club World Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2014\u201315<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>FIVB Club World Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015\u201316<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2017<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016\u201317<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2018<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2017\u201318<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2020<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2021<\/td>FIVB Club World Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2022<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n
2021\u201322<\/td>Brazilian SuperLiga<\/td>Champion<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

All of the club honors above were won with Sada Cruzeiro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Selected Individual Awards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Year<\/th>Competition<\/th>Award<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2013<\/td>Pan American Cup<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
2014<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
2015<\/td>South American Championship<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
2016<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
2018<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n
2019<\/td>South American Club Championship<\/td>Best Middle Blocker<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Where Is Isac Santos Playing Now?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isac Santos is playing for Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei in Brazil during the 2026\u201327 season. Praia retained him after its 2025\u201326 SuperLiga semifinal run, and the club\u2019s September 2026 presentation confirmed him among four middle blockers alongside Wennder, Wag\u00e3o and Guilherme Voss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More importantly, Isac enters the season as captain. Praia Clube\u2019s official 2026\u201327 squad presentation<\/a> emphasizes the value of maintaining the previous season\u2019s core, while the club\u2019s current squad page lists Isac with number 12 and the captain designation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praia began its official 2026\u201327 schedule in September before the Brazilian SuperLiga campaign, which is scheduled to begin in the second half of October. For Isac, the season continues a domestic career that has returned to stability after the injury-disrupted period surrounding the unrealized Lube transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At national-team level, his situation is different. He was not selected for Brazil\u2019s September 2026 South American Championship squad, so his latest confirmed Olympic cycle remains the Paris 2024 team rather than the current group competing for Brazil in 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Performance Snapshot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isac remained an important part of Praia\u2019s rotation throughout 2025\u201326. At the 2025 FIVB Club World Championship, he scored 18 points across three matches, with 14 attack points and four service aces. Three of those aces came in Praia\u2019s opening win against Al-Rayyan, another example of the jump serve remaining productive late in his career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His domestic season also included individual match recognition. On January 14, 2026, Praia defeated Saneago Goi\u00e1s 3\u20131 in Uberl\u00e2ndia, and Isac received the Trof\u00e9u Viva V\u00f4lei as the match\u2019s outstanding player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praia went on to finish among the SuperLiga\u2019s final four. The team eliminated Guarulhos in the quarterfinals before its season ended against V\u00f4lei Renata in the semifinals. That result represented Praia\u2019s second consecutive top-four campaign and helped lead to the decision to retain most of the core for 2026\u201327.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How tall is Isac Santos?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac Santos is 208 cm tall, approximately 6 ft 10 in. Current Praia Clube and Volleyball World profiles both list him at 208 cm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What position does Isac Santos play?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

He is a middle blocker. His game combines first-tempo attacking and blocking with a power jump serve that is less common among players at his position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which club does Isac Santos play for?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac plays for Praia Clube\/Uberl\u00e2ndia V\u00f4lei in Brazil. He joined the club for the 2025\u201326 season, renewed for 2026\u201327 and is the team captain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What number does Isac Santos wear?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Praia Clube lists Isac in number 12. He also wore number 12 with Brazil at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has Isac Santos played at the Olympics?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes. Isac was selected for Brazil at both the Tokyo Olympics and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did Isac Santos play for Cucine Lube Civitanova?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No. Lube announced an agreement with Isac in 2022 and he travelled to Italy, but persistent back problems prevented his registration. The club later confirmed that the signing was never finalized, so Lube is not part of his official competitive club timeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Isac Santos still playing for Brazil?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Isac remained a Brazilian senior international through the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle. He was not selected among the 14 players for Brazil\u2019s September 2026 South American Championship squad, while continuing his club career as captain of Praia Clube.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n