Change at TI-Volley

The champion team undergoes a major upheaval

Maya Wollin (l.) is leaving the TI-Volley champions.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The TI-Volley ladies had the best possible season, but four top players are leaving. In addition to opener Christina Plattner, Marie Nevot, Maya Wollin and Maja Lasic are also leaving the successful team. But strong replacements from Europe are already in Innsbruck.

Supercup, Cup, championship title - TI-Volley won everything in Austria last season. But there is still a lot of bloodletting in the Innsbruck team. "Player Christina Plattner announced before the season that it would be her last. For her, it was the crowning finale to her career," explained TI manager Michael Falkner.

But another three important players are leaving or retiring:

• Marie Nevot: The 23-year-old outside attacker came from the French 2nd division and hit the ground running. However, she was not quite as strong in the second half of the season. She is moving to Düdingen in Switzerland.

• Maya Wollin: The German middle blocker came to Innsbruck as a student and first played for VC Tirol Landesliga. Now she has won the treble. The 23-year-old wants to concentrate on her sports studies.

• Maja Lasic: The native Bosnian, who grew up in Innsbruck, is venturing abroad. The 24-year-old middle blocker is moving to Romania.

Nadia Brindlinger and Elisa Caria are also retiring. But captain Martyna Walter, Rozalia Hnatyszyn and Lorena Brandhofer will remain with TI-Volley. "We will have a strong team again," explained Falkner.

European reinforcements
The first new signings are already in the pipeline. New setter Sofia Lehto is coming to Tirol from Finland. German middle blocker Nadine Burbrink, who most recently spent three years at a US college, and Dutch player Marjolijn Oskam will form the new middle block. Czech outside hitter Katerina Kunikova is also moving to the Inn.