Egonu, Zhu and Buijs are some of the players set to return to the tournament after missing it out in 2023
The last international tournament before the start of the Paris Olympics, the Volleyball Nations League 2024 will feature the biggest stars of the sport as the rosters for the 16 women’s national teams that will compete in the tournament were revealed.
Set to take the volleyball elite to the highly-anticipated Finals in Bangkok, Thailand, from June 20-23, the VNL will visit five different countries during the Preliminary Phase, which will be played from May 14-June 16.
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The VNL 2024 will play a major role in determining the last five national teams qualified for the Paris Games as the results of the Preliminary Phase matches will be reflected in the FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Rankings, which will assign the last five Olympic spots.
Still looking to qualify for Paris 2024, Italy will count on the return of 25-year-old star opposite Paola Egonu. The MVP of the 2022 edition of the tournament, she didn’t play last year, but was brought back by new head coach Julio Velasco and is set to join other stars in the Italian roster, such as libero Monica de Gennaro and outside hitter Myriam Sylla, as they attempt to book their tickets for the French capital.
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Another team in contention for Olympic spots, China will also receive a massive boost with the return of superstar Zhu Ting. After struggling with wrist injuries for the most part of the last three years, the 29-year-old outside hitter is set to return to her country’s national team for the first time since the Tokyo Olympics, in 2021, leading a potent offense, which will also count on fellow outside hitter Li Yingying and middle blocker Yuan Xinyue.
Dutch outside hitter Anne Buijs is another player set to reappear in the VNL after sitting out of last year’s edition of the tournament. At the age of 32, the former national team captain will form the core of the ‘Volleyball Dames’ team alongside fellow outside hitter Nika Daalderop and middle blocker Juliët Lohuis.
Other teams still looking for Olympic qualification will also bring their very best players to the court, with Canada featuring outside hitter Alexa Gray and opposite Kiera Van Ryk, Germany having outside hitter Lena Stigrot and libero Anna Pogany, Japan listing outside hitters Sarina Koga and Mayu Ishikawa and Thailand relying on opposite Pimpichaya Kokram and outside hitter Chatchu-on Moksri.
Most of the teams already guaranteed in Paris will go at full force in the VNL 2024 too, with Brazil having Gabriela ‘Gabi’ Guimarães, the Dominican Republic listing Brayelin Martínez, France counting on Héléna Cazaute, Poland being led by Joanna Wolosz, defending champions Türkiye betting on last year’s MVP Melissa Vargas and the USA presenting Jordan Larson.
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The VNL 2014 will have its first week of action from May 14-19, with eight of the 16 teams playing in Antalya, Türkiye, and the other half competing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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