{"id":119,"date":"2026-09-19T11:30:59","date_gmt":"2026-09-19T11:30:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/?post_type=teams&p=119"},"modified":"2026-09-19T11:36:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-19T11:36:19","slug":"vakifbank-womens-volleyball-team","status":"publish","type":"teams","link":"https:\/\/backcomcenter.com\/vbclone\/teams\/vakifbank-womens-volleyball-team\/","title":{"rendered":"Vak\u0131fBank Women’s Volleyball Team"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank Women’s Volleyball Team is an Istanbul-based professional club and one of the most successful teams in the modern history of women’s volleyball. The club enters the 2026\u201327 season as the defending Turkish league, Turkish Cup and CEV Champions League champion after completing a major treble in 2025\u201326. Vak\u0131fBank now owns seven CEV Champions League titles, four FIVB Women’s Club World Championship titles and 15 Turkish league championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team is coached by Giovanni Guidetti, who has led Vak\u0131fBank since 2008 and is contracted through the 2027\u201328 season. Captain Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f remains one of the central figures of the club, while the 2026\u201327 roster combines long-serving Turkish players with high-level international additions such as Tijana Boskovic, Marina Markova, Helena Cazaute, Emily Maglio and several new signings. The new season is scheduled to begin in the Sultanlar Ligi on October 3, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Club Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Full Club Name<\/strong><\/td>Vak\u0131fBank Spor Kul\u00fcb\u00fc<\/td><\/tr>\n
Team<\/strong><\/td>Vak\u0131fBank Women’s Volleyball Team<\/td><\/tr>\n
Founded<\/strong><\/td>1986 roots through G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta; current club structure developed through the 2000 merger with Vak\u0131fBank Spor Kul\u00fcb\u00fc<\/td><\/tr>\n
City<\/strong><\/td>Istanbul<\/td><\/tr>\n
Country<\/strong><\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Team Type<\/strong><\/td>Professional Club<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Gender<\/strong><\/td>Women<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Region<\/strong><\/td>Europe (CEV)<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Current League<\/strong><\/td>Turkish Sultanlar Ligi<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n
Current Season<\/strong><\/td>2026\u201327<\/td><\/tr>\n
Home Arena<\/strong><\/td>Vak\u0131fBank Spor Saray\u0131, \u00dcsk\u00fcdar, Istanbul<\/td><\/tr>\n
Head Coach<\/strong><\/td>Giovanni Guidetti<\/td><\/tr>\n
Captain<\/strong><\/td>Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f<\/td><\/tr>\n
President<\/strong><\/td>Osman Arslan<\/td><\/tr>\n
General Manager<\/strong><\/td>Banu Can Sch\u00fcrmann<\/td><\/tr>\n
Official Website<\/strong><\/td>vakifbanksporkulubu.com<\/a><\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

From G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta to Modern Vak\u0131fBank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current Vak\u0131fBank club identity has roots in two organizations. G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta Spor Kul\u00fcb\u00fc was founded in Istanbul in 1986, while Vak\u0131fBank Spor Kul\u00fcb\u00fc was established in Ankara in 1988. The two organizations merged in 2000 and continued under the Vak\u0131fBank G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta name, with Istanbul becoming the operational center of the top-level team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team went through several naming phases in the following decade. A naming-rights agreement with T\u00fcrk Telekom produced the Vak\u0131fBank G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta T\u00fcrk Telekom identity, before G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta withdrew from the structure and the club later simplified the team name to Vak\u0131fBank. That modern identity has been associated with the club’s most successful international era.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The major turning point came under Giovanni Guidetti. Since taking charge in 2008, he has overseen a long period of domestic and international success. Vak\u0131fBank won its first CEV Champions League under him in 2011, then built a sequence of European and world titles through the 2010s and 2020s. The 2012\u201313 team became especially notable by completing an undefeated season and later extending its winning run to 73 official matches, a Guinness-recognized record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By 2026, the club had added a seventh Champions League title and a 15th Turkish league championship. The club also refreshed its visual identity around a seven-star crest after the latest European title, using each star to mark its Champions League record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domestic League Career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank has won the Turkish women’s top division 15 times. The official club record lists championship seasons ending in 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2025 and 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent period has been especially consistent. Vak\u0131fBank won eight of the 12 league seasons from 2012\u201313 through 2024\u201325, then retained the title in 2025\u201326. That latest championship was secured by defeating Fenerbah\u00e7e Medicana 3\u20132 in the final series, giving the club its 15th league crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Domestic success is not limited to the league. Vak\u0131fBank has also won the Turkish Cup 10 times and the Turkish Super Cup five times. The 2025\u201326 Turkish Cup title was the club’s 10th in the competition and became the first trophy in a season-ending treble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Europe and the Club World Championship<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank’s international record is one of the defining parts of the club’s identity. It has won the CEV Champions League seven times: 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2026. The 2026 title moved the club to a record seven European crowns in the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2025\u201326 Champions League campaign ended with an all-Turkish final in Istanbul. Vak\u0131fBank defeated Eczac\u0131ba\u015f\u0131 Dynavit 3\u20131, completing an unbeaten European campaign. Tijana Boskovic was named Final Four MVP, while Marina Markova and Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f were also selected to the tournament’s dream team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At world level, Vak\u0131fBank has four FIVB Women’s Club World Championship titles, won in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2021. The club has also recorded multiple runner-up and third-place finishes. Official club communications around the 2026\u201327 recruitment cycle state that Vak\u0131fBank will again compete at the Club World Championship during the new season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026\u201327 Current Roster<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The table below follows Vak\u0131fBank’s current first-team roster page for the 2026\u201327 season. Shirt numbers are shown where the club currently lists them. Five new-season players are present on the current roster without a displayed number, so those entries are left as an em dash rather than assigning an unverified number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Height is taken primarily from current Vak\u0131fBank player profiles. For Emily Maglio, Volleyball World lists 191 cm in the 2026 VNL. For Eyl\u00fcl Akar\u00e7e\u015fme Yatg\u0131n, CEV lists 170 cm. These values are used instead of guessing or averaging conflicting secondary listings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
No.<\/th>Player<\/th>Position<\/th>Nationality<\/th>Height<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
18<\/td>Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>198 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
1<\/td>Helena Cazaute<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>France<\/td>184 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
3<\/td>Cansu \u00d6zbay<\/td>Setter<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>182 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
6<\/td>Berka Buse \u00d6zden<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>187 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
10<\/td>Aylin Uysalcan<\/td>Opposite Hitter<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>196 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
14<\/td>Aleksandra Jegdi\u0107<\/td>Libero<\/td>Serbia<\/td>167 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
15<\/td>Deniz Uyan\u0131k<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>195 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
16<\/td>Aylin Sar\u0131o\u011flu Acar<\/td>Libero<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>168 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
19<\/td>Tijana Boskovic<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Serbia<\/td>194 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
23<\/td>Marina Markova<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Russia<\/td>199 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
24<\/td>Katarina Dangubic<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Serbia<\/td>185 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
\u2014<\/td>Emily Maglio<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Canada<\/td>191 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
\u2014<\/td>Eyl\u00fcl Akar\u00e7e\u015fme Yatg\u0131n<\/td>Libero<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>170 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
\u2014<\/td>Naz Aydemir Akyol<\/td>Setter<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td>186 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
\u2014<\/td>Monika Brancuska<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Czechia<\/td>188 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n
\u2014<\/td>Vanja Ivanovic<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Serbia<\/td>187 cm<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Players<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Based on the nationalities listed for the current first-team roster, Vak\u0131fBank has eight non-Turkish players in the 2026\u201327 squad. This section describes nationality only; it does not infer Turkish league registration status, foreign-player quotas or naturalization categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Player<\/th>Position<\/th>Nationality<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Helena Cazaute<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>France<\/td><\/tr>\n
Aleksandra Jegdi\u0107<\/td>Libero<\/td>Serbia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Tijana Boskovic<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Serbia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Marina Markova<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Russia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Katarina Dangubic<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Serbia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Emily Maglio<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>Canada<\/td><\/tr>\n
Monika Brancuska<\/td>Opposite<\/td>Czechia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Vanja Ivanovic<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>Serbia<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coaching Staff<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank publishes a full first-team technical staff rather than only the head coach. Giovanni Guidetti remains in charge and is contracted through the 2027\u201328 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Role<\/th>Name<\/th>Nationality<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Head Coach<\/td>Giovanni Guidetti<\/td>Italy<\/td><\/tr>\n
Assistant Coach<\/td>Fatih Ya\u011fc\u0131<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Assistant Coach<\/td>Vladimir Kapris<\/td>Serbia<\/td><\/tr>\n
Field Coach<\/td>Ali \u00c7eriba\u015f<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Field Coach<\/td>Bahad\u0131r Bircan<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Statistics<\/td>U\u011fur \u015eim\u015fek<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Personal Trainer<\/td>Giovanni Miale<\/td>Italy<\/td><\/tr>\n
Performance Coach<\/td>Doruk Ark\u0131\u015f<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Therapist<\/td>Sabri Erdo\u011fan<\/td>T\u00fcrkiye<\/td><\/tr>\n
Masseur<\/td>Kenan Abanoz<\/td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr>\n
Physiotherapist<\/td>Sergio Perez Soto<\/td>Spain<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How the 2026\u201327 Roster Is Built<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because the 2026\u201327 season has not yet started, the safest way to describe Vak\u0131fBank’s current identity is through roster construction rather than claiming a settled tactical system. The biggest constant is the combination of elite opposite scoring and strong middle-blocker presence. Tijana Boskovic gives Guidetti a proven high-volume right-side scorer, while Monika Brancuska and Aylin Uysalcan add depth at the same position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At setter, Vak\u0131fBank has unusually experienced options. Cansu \u00d6zbay remains one of the club’s long-serving leaders, while Naz Aydemir Akyol returns after previously spending six seasons with the club. That pairing gives Guidetti flexibility in tempo and match management without forcing one setter to carry the entire season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The outside-hitter group is built around size and scoring range. Marina Markova is 199 cm, Helena Cazaute offers a more balanced receiving profile, and Katarina Dangubic and Vanja Ivanovic expand the rotation. In the middle, captain Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f is joined by Deniz Uyan\u0131k, Berka Buse \u00d6zden and Canadian international Emily Maglio. The team therefore enters the season with enough depth to vary lineups across the domestic league, Champions League and Club World Championship schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Major Honors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Competition<\/th>Best \/ Major Results<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
CEV Champions League<\/td>7 titles \u2014 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
FIVB Women’s Club World Championship<\/td>4 titles \u2014 2013, 2017, 2018, 2021<\/td><\/tr>\n
Turkish League \/ Sultanlar Ligi<\/td>15 titles \u2014 latest in 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
Turkish Cup \/ Kupa Voley<\/td>10 titles \u2014 latest in 2026<\/td><\/tr>\n
Turkish Super Cup \/ \u015eampiyonlar Kupas\u0131<\/td>5 titles \u2014 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023<\/td><\/tr>\n
CEV Challenge Cup<\/td>1 title \u2014 2008<\/td><\/tr>\n
CEV Top Teams Cup<\/td>1 title \u2014 2004<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Players Who Shaped Vak\u0131fBank<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Player<\/th>Position<\/th>Era \/ Years<\/th>Note<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
G\u00f6zde K\u0131rdar<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2000s\u20132018<\/td>Long-time captain and one of the defining homegrown figures of the club’s rise; her jersey is displayed in the arena as a club legend.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Ay\u015fe Melis G\u00fcrkaynak<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>2000s\u20132018<\/td>Long-serving Vak\u0131fBank player whose jersey is also honored in the club’s arena.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Naz Aydemir Akyol<\/td>Setter<\/td>2012\u20132018; 2026\u2013present<\/td>Multiple-time Champions League and Turkish league winner who returned to Vak\u0131fBank ahead of 2026\u201327.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Zhu Ting<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2016\u20132019<\/td>Key international star during a period that included Champions League and Club World Championship titles.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Isabelle Haak<\/td>Opposite<\/td>2019\u20132022<\/td>Major scoring figure in the team that won the 2021 Club World Championship and 2022 Champions League.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Gabi Guimar\u00e3es<\/td>Outside Hitter<\/td>2019\u20132024<\/td>Five-season Vak\u0131fBank player, later captain, and winner of 10 trophies with the club.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f<\/td>Middle Blocker<\/td>2017\u2013present<\/td>Academy-developed middle blocker and current captain, central to multiple European and world titles.<\/td><\/tr>\n
Cansu \u00d6zbay<\/td>Setter<\/td>2016\u2013present<\/td>Long-serving setter with multiple Champions League, league and cup titles for Vak\u0131fBank.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This section uses the hybrid notable-player format. Historic figures remain valuable even without a standalone VolleyBond Player Profile; if a published Player Profile is created later, the name can be linked and the visual card can upgrade automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank Spor Saray\u0131 and the Home-Court Identity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank plays its regular home matches at Vak\u0131fBank Spor Saray\u0131 in \u00dcsk\u00fcdar, Istanbul. The club uses the venue not only as a match hall but as a training, youth-development and institutional center. The club’s museum and visual presentation inside the building emphasize championship history and the yellow-and-black identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporters have been especially visible during major domestic derbies and Champions League home matches. The club also operates accessibility and community projects at the arena, including initiatives that have allowed visually impaired supporters to experience matches with descriptive commentary and guided access to the playing environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Management and Club Structure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank Spor Kul\u00fcb\u00fc is the institutional structure behind the team. The current board lists Osman Arslan as president. The club’s administrative staff lists Banu Can Sch\u00fcrmann as general manager and Hasan Levent \u00d6zvarnal\u0131 as administrative manager.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The club’s history is closely tied to Vak\u0131fBank and to the merger between the Istanbul-based G\u00fcne\u015f Sigorta structure and the Ankara-based Vak\u0131fBank club. That historical relationship should not be confused with short-term sponsorship: the Vak\u0131fBank name is part of the club’s long-standing institutional identity rather than a temporary competition naming agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kit, Sponsors and Club Shop<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank operates an official merchandise program through its VB Store and retail partner Sportive, with fan apparel and match jerseys among the products offered. The club website also lists a broad sponsor group, including Nike among its current commercial partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commercial partnerships are treated separately from the club’s sporting identity in this profile. Sponsor listings can change from season to season, so current partner names should be rechecked during future updates rather than preserved indefinitely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank in 2026\u201327<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank enters the 2026\u201327 season as the defending champion of the Sultanlar Ligi, Kupa Voley and CEV Champions League. The official club site lists its first league match for October 3 against Be\u015fikta\u015f, followed by an early-season meeting with Eczac\u0131ba\u015f\u0131 on October 6.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The summer roster changes were significant. Vak\u0131fBank added Naz Aydemir Akyol, Emily Maglio, Eyl\u00fcl Akar\u00e7e\u015fme Yatg\u0131n, Monika Brancuska and Vanja Ivanovic, while retaining a core led by Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f, Cansu \u00d6zbay, Tijana Boskovic and Marina Markova. The club also parted with several members of the treble-winning team, including Chiaka Ogbogu, Derya Cebecio\u011flu, Ay\u00e7a Ayka\u00e7 Alt\u0131nta\u015f, S\u0131la \u00c7al\u0131\u015fkan and Adhu Malual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guidetti remains under contract through 2027\u201328, so the 2026\u201327 campaign is a continuation of the same coaching era rather than a reset on the bench. The main question is how quickly the revised roster can convert its depth into the same level of results across a schedule that includes domestic competition, the CEV Champions League and the Club World Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent Performance Snapshot<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Season \/ Competition<\/th>Result<\/th>Context<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
2024\u201325 Sultanlar Ligi<\/td>Champion<\/td>14th Turkish league title.<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326 Kupa Voley<\/td>Champion<\/td>10th Turkish Cup title; beat Eczac\u0131ba\u015f\u0131 Dynavit 3\u20131 in the final.<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326 Sultanlar Ligi<\/td>Champion<\/td>15th league title; defeated Fenerbah\u00e7e Medicana 3\u20132 in the final series.<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326 CEV Champions League<\/td>Champion<\/td>Seventh European title; defeated Eczac\u0131ba\u015f\u0131 Dynavit 3\u20131 in the final.<\/td><\/tr>\n
2025\u201326 Overall major trophies<\/td>Treble<\/td>Turkish Cup + Sultanlar Ligi + CEV Champions League.<\/td><\/tr>\n
2026\u201327 Sultanlar Ligi<\/td>Not started<\/td>League opener scheduled for October 3, 2026 against Be\u015fikta\u015f.<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

FAQ<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What league does Vak\u0131fBank play in?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Vak\u0131fBank plays in T\u00fcrkiye’s top women’s division, the Sultanlar Ligi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Vak\u0131fBank’s head coach?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Giovanni Guidetti is the head coach. He has led Vak\u0131fBank since 2008 and is contracted through the 2027\u201328 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is Vak\u0131fBank’s captain?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Zehra G\u00fcne\u015f is the captain. She developed through Vak\u0131fBank’s youth system and has played for the senior team since the 2017\u201318 season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many CEV Champions League titles has Vak\u0131fBank won?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Seven: 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023 and 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How many Club World Championships has Vak\u0131fBank won?<\/h3>\n\n\n

Four, in 2013, 2017, 2018 and 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who are Vak\u0131fBank’s foreign players in 2026\u201327?<\/h3>\n\n\n

The current roster lists Helena Cazaute, Aleksandra Jegdi\u0107, Tijana Boskovic, Marina Markova, Katarina Dangubic, Emily Maglio, Monika Brancuska and Vanja Ivanovic as players with nationalities outside T\u00fcrkiye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where does Vak\u0131fBank play home matches?<\/h3>\n\n\n

The team’s regular home venue is Vak\u0131fBank Spor Saray\u0131 in \u00dcsk\u00fcdar, Istanbul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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