 | |||
| Full name | Clubul Sportiv Municipal Volei Alba Blaj | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | CSM; Alba Blaj | ||
| Founded | 2011 | ||
| Ground | Sala Transilvania (Capacity: 1,850) | ||
| Chairman |  Sergiu Ștefănescu | ||
| Manager |  Stevan Ljubičić | ||
| League | Divizia A1 | ||
| 2022-2023 | Divizia A1, 1st | ||
| Uniforms | |||
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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]
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]
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]
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
Nataša Krsmanović is a Serbian volleyball player, who plays as a middle-blocker for Seramiksan in Turkish Women's Volleyball League. She was a member of the national teams that won the silver medal at the 2007 European Championship and competed at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics.
Suzana Ćebić Pavić is a volleyball player from Serbia, playing as a libero for CSM Volei Alba Blaj.
Selime İlyasoğlu is a Turkish volleyball player. She is 183 cm and plays as outside hitter. She plays for Galatasaray Daikin.
Ana Živojinović is a professional volleyball player from Serbia, who was a member of the Serbia women's national volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 2011 European Championship in Serbia and Italy. At club level, she plays for OK Crvena zvezda Belgrade in Serbian Volley league.
Tijana Malešević is a Serbian volleyball player, who plays for OK Crvena zvezda, and was a member of the Serbia women's national volleyball team that won the gold medal at the 2011 European Championship in Serbia and Italy and 2017 Women's European Volleyball Championship in Azerbaijan and Georgia, and gold medal at the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Championship held in Japan.
Nneka Obiamaka Onyejekwe is a Romanian professional volleyball player who played as a middle blocker for CS Volei Alba-Blaj and now plays for Dinamo Bucharest and the Romania national team.
Zhu Ting is a professional Chinese volleyball player. She is an outside hitter and former captain of the Chinese women's volleyball national team. She played for Vakıfbank Istanbul from 2016 to 2019. Currently, she plays for Italian club Savino del Bene Scandicci.
Ana Yilian Cleger Abel is a Cuban volleyball player. She was part of the Cuba women's national volleyball team.
Petya Barakova is a Bulgarian volleyball player, playing as a setter. She is part of the Bulgaria women's national volleyball team.
Ioana Maria Baciu is a Romanian female volleyball player. She is part of the Romania women's national volleyball team.
Alexandra Sobo is a Romanian female volleyball player, playing the middle blocker position. She is part of the Romania women's national volleyball team. Throughout the last 14 years her stature combined with her long arms and elevation has made Sobo one of the most powerful middle blockers in Europe, with top blocking abilities and precise one-foot attacks. Stats from the 2015 Women's European Volleyball Championship rank her among the top centers of the game.
Adina Salaoru is a Romanian volleyball player who plays for CSM București and the Romania national team.
Aleksandra Crnčević is a Serbian volleyball player. She is part of the Serbia women's national volleyball team. On club level she played for Lokomotiv Baku in 2015.
Pallavolo Scandicci is an Italian professional women's volleyball club based in Scandicci that plays in the Serie A1, known also by its sponsored name Savino del Bene Scandicci.
The CEV Champions League was the highest level of European club volleyball in the 2017–18 season and the 58th edition. The Turkish club VakıfBank Istanbul won its fourth overall and second consecutive title. The Romanian club CSM Volei Alba Blaj won the silver medal and Italian Imoco Volley Conegliano claimed the bronze medal. The Turkish Gözde Kırdar Sonsırma from VakıfBank Istanbul, who will retire, was awarded Most Valuable Player.
Beyza Arıcı is a Turkish professional volleyball player who plays as a middle blocker for Eczacıbaşı VitrA and the Turkish national team.
Darko Zakoč is a Serbian volleyball coach. He has been coaching Greek side PAOK Thessaloniki since 2023.
Aleksia Karutasu is a Turkish professional volleyball player who currently plays for VakıfBank Istanbul. Her plans to play for the Turkey national team were shattered as Turkey has also naturalized Cuban opposite player Melissa Vargas, and the rules of the FIVB only allow one naturalized player in a national team. The Turkish Volleyball Federation itself denied having ever had any plans to recruit Karutasu for the national team.
The Romanian Women's Volleyball Cup is an annual women's volleyball cup competition held in Romania every year under the control of the Romanian Volleyball Federation (FRV) since the year 2007, CSM Volei Alba Blaj is the current Title holder as well as the alltime record holder with 4 titles
Stevan Ljubičić is a Serbian women's volleyball coach. He is the current head coach of CSM Volei Alba-Blaj and the Bosnia and Herzegovina women's national volleyball team.
