CSM Volei Alba Blaj

Romanian volleyball club

CSM Volei Alba Blaj

Full name

Clubul Sportiv Municipal Volei Alba Blaj

Short name

CSM; Alba Blaj

Founded

2011; 13 years ago (2011)

Ground

Sala Transilvania
(Capacity: 1,850)

Chairman

Sergiu Ștefănescu

Manager

Stevan Ljubičić

League

Divizia A1

2023-2024

Divizia A1, 2nd

Uniforms

Home

Away

Clubul Sportiv Municipal Volei Alba Blaj, commonly known as CSM Volei Alba Blaj, is a professional women's volleyball club based in Blaj, Transylvania, Romania, that competed in the CEV Cup.^[1]

History

In 2018, Alba reached the CEV Champions League Final Four for the first time in their history.^[2]

On 5 May 2018, they achieved a historic success for Romania by advancing to the final with 3–1 victory over Galatasaray SK Istanbul in Bucharest.^[3] In its first-ever appearance in a continental championship match, Blaj lost in Sunday's grand final at Polyvalent Hall. Vakıfbank Istanbul — Champions League holders in 2017 and runners-up in 2016 — topped Alba 25–17, 25–11, 25–17.^[4]

Also in 2018, the Blaj City Council and the Alba County Council decided together to support the construction of a new, 2000-seat arena. The new arena is expected to be ready for 2020.^[5]

Honours

Domestic

Divizia A1

Winners (7): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023

Cupa României

Winners (4): 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022

Supercupa României

Winners (1): 2021

European

CEV Champions League

Runners-Up (1): 2018

CEV Cup

Runners-Up (2): 2019, 2023

CEV Challenge Cup

Runners-Up (1): 2021

European Records

On 6 May 2018, in the final game of the 2018 Champions League, CSM Volei Alba Blaj attained the record of the worst score in a volleyball European cup final since the Rally Point System was adopted, with only 45 points: VakifBank Istanbul – CSM Volei Alba Blaj 3–0 (25-17, 25–11, 25–17).^[6]

On 19 March 2019, in the home game of the final match of the 2019 CEV Cup, CSM Volei Alba Blaj attained the record of the worst score in a CEV Cup final (women's) since the Rally Point System was adopted, with only 49 points. CSM Volei Alba Blaj – Unet e-work Busto Arsizio 0–3 (19-25, 16–25, 14–25).^[7]

On 12 April 2023, in the away game of the final match of the 2023 CEV Cup, CSM Volei Alba Blaj broke their own record with a new worst score in a CEV Cup final (women's) since the Rally Point System was adopted, with only 41 points. Savino Del Bene Scandicci – CSM Volei Alba Blaj 3–0 (25-18, 25–12, 25–11).^[8] This is also the record of the worst score in all European cups' finals. The team's coach was the Serbian Stevan Ljubičić.

On 17 March 2021, in the home game of the final match of the 2021 Challenge Cup, CSM Volei Alba Blaj attained the record of the worst score in a Challenge Cup final since the Rally Point System was adopted, with only 46 points. CSM Volei Alba Blaj – System9 Yesilyurt 0–3 (12-25, 18–25, 16–25).^[9] This record was equaled one week later, on 24 March 2021, in the away game: System9 Yesilyurt – CSM Volei Alba Blaj: 3–0 (25-17, 25–17, 25–12).^[10]

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2023-24 season

Nneka Onyejekwe
Iarina-Luana Axinte
Raisa-Laura Ioan
Andra-Elena Cojocaru
Lidia-Paula Partnoi
Daria Maria Ocenic
Britt Rampelberg
Iman Isanović
Drussyla Costa
Lara Kitipova
Bogumila Byarda
Jovana Kocić
Isidora Kockarević
Katarina Jović

Selected former players

References

^ "CSM Volei Alba Blaj". CEV. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
^ "Facts and figures to know ahead of #CLF4Bucharest semis". European Volleyball Confederation. 2 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
^ "Romania celebrates! Alba BLAJ on to Champions League final!". European Volleyball Confederation. 5 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
^ "Second consecutive and fourth overall Champions League gold for VakifBank!". European Volleyball Confederation. 6 May 2018.
^ "Sală nouă pentru Alba Blaj. Cât costă şi când va fi gata" (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 26 April 2018.
^ https://www.cev.eu/Competition-Area/MatchPage.aspx?mID=31287&ID=1036&CID=6034&PID=1565 ^{[dead link]}
^ "CEV - Confédération Européenne de Volleyball". www.cev.eu. Archived from the original on 2020-08-09.
^ https://www-old.cev.eu/Competition-Area/MatchStatistics.aspx?ID=64046&setN=0
^ https://www.cev.eu/club/volleyball-challenge-cup/history/2021/women/#final-phase
^ https://www.cev.eu/club/volleyball-challenge-cup/history/2021/women/#final-phase