Panathinaikos AC Women's Volleyball Team is a Greek volleyball team, part of the major Athens-based multi-sport club Panathinaikos A.O. The department was founded in 1969 and is the most successful women's volleyball team in Greece, in terms of Greek Championships won. They have won a record 27 Championships, 6 Cups, with 5 Doubles, while they hold the record for finishing undefeated the Championship 8 times (1971-1973, 1978, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2007). They also hold the record of 68 straight wins in the league including the play-offs.
In addition, they have reached the European Final Four a total of four times and the European final twice (2000 and 2009). The team currently plays in Maroussi Saint Thomas Indoor Hall.
In 2017, the club was relegated due to serious financial problems. They stayed inactive for the 2017–18 season.
Apart from the Greek players, who have traditionally been the backbone of Greece's national team, some European volleyball players that have played for the team include Ruxandra Dumitrescu, Brižitka Molnar, Tammy Mahon, Jelena Lozancic, Olga Tocko, María Fernández, Sanja Tomasević and others.
The club has retired the jersey number 9 in honour of the team's legendary captain Ruxandra Dumitrescu.
History
The women’s volleyball department of the Club was founded in 1926 and is a popular section of the “Shamrock.”
In 1946, it participated in the Central Championship. The coaches were Mike Stergiadis and Christos Svolopoulos, who trained at the court on Tsokha Street.
The first truly organized effort to form a solid team came in 1969, one year before the Hellenic Volleyball Federation was established.
The team’s first coach was Panathinaikos volleyball player Andreas Bergeles, who was later succeeded by Savvas Grozdanovits. The Yugoslav coach worked with the women’s team while simultaneously serving as the men’s team coach.
The team won the Central Championship outright in 1970 and were crowned Greek champions in 1971. The achievements of Panathinaikos and its players became widely recognized when, in the 1980–81 season, the team reached the Final Four of the Confederation Cup in Munich, finishing in 4th place.
In the 1994–95 season, the “Greens” advanced to the Final Four of the Cup Winners’ Cup in Münster, again finishing 4th. In the 1999–2000 season, they made history by competing in the Cup Winners’ Cup in Perugia against the local team.
Their most recent major success came during the 2008–09 season, when they took 2nd place in the Final Four of the Challenge Cup in Jesi, Italy.
In 2008, the women’s volleyball team of Panathinaikos achieved a streak of 55 consecutive wins and 77 consecutive home victories.
The club has won two Greek Championships (1991 and 2013) and three ESPAA Junior Championships (1990, 1991, and 2013).
The “fine girls” have also made great contributions to the Greek National Team. Players such as R. Pragaloudi, S. Angelaki, F. Malapetsa, K. Yaleniou, and E. Sfyri were part of the historic success of winning the bronze medal at the 1991 Mediterranean Games.
The team’s best season is considered to be 2009, when the “fine girls” reached the Challenge Cup final and, at the same time, won the domestic double in Greece.
The players who made history under coach Takis Floros were Chatzinikou, Saparefska, Totsko, Dumitrescu, Tomasevic, Fernandez, Mylona, Tzanakaki, Koutouxidou, and Papageorgiou. https://www.pao1908.com/sports/volei-gynaikon/
Honours
Domestic Greek Championship (record): (27) 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 Greek Cup: (6) 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022 Double: (6) 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
European CEV Cup Winners Cup Runners-up (1): 2000 CEV Challenge Cup Runners-up (2): 2009, 2026
Current women's volleyball squad The following is the roster for the 2026–2027 season.
Number Player Position Height (m) Birth date2 Micaya WhiteOutside hitter1.866 Sofia GrekaOutside hitter1.827 Elisavet IliopoulouSetter1.778 Jelena DelićMiddle blocker1.9310 Mara RaptiOutside hitter1.7811 Lamprini KonstantinidouSetter1.8412 Aristea TontaiMiddle blocker1.9613 Penny Rogka (c)Libero1.6714 Monika LampkowskaOutside hitter1.8316 Georgina AntonakakiLibero1.7518 Markela PapageorgiouMiddle blocker1.8620 Stamatia KyparissiOutside hitter1.8422 Gabriela OrvošováOpposite1.9123 Eline TimmermanMiddle blocker1.93
Technical and managerial staff StaffHead coach Alessandro ChiappiniAssistant coach Michał SzpakAssistant coach Agi BabouliTrainer Leonidas ChristakidisStatistician Vassilis MakrisPhysiotherapist Dimitris ChristodoulakisTeam manager Nikos Lazos
Retired numbers Panathinaikos women's volleyball retired numbers N° PlayerPositionTenure 9 Ruxandra Dumitrescu Outside Hitter 2003–2010
Selected former players
Jimena Pérez Margarita Stepanenko Polina Neykova Daniela Todorova Lira Ribas Jennifer Cross Marisa Field Tammy Mahon Kyla Richey Martina Šamadan Kenia Carcaces Rachel Sánchez Manolina Konstantinou Alexia Rotsidou Jana Simankova Jana Zikmundova Jelena Lozancic Jana Franziska Poll Aggi Babuli Eva Chantava Eirini Chatziefstratiadou Eleftheria Chatzinikou Ruxandra Dumitrescu Eleni Fragiadaki Maria Garagouni Niki Garagouni Sofia Kosma Nikoletta Koutouxidou Lia Mitsi Natalia Metaxa Xanthi Milona Athina Papafotiou Chara Sakkoula Efi Sfyri Olga Strantzali Evangelia Tani Georgia Tzanakaki Tatjana Samodanova Olga Tocko Maret Grothues Zanete Pizele Julia Salcevic Milica Budimir Jelena Mladenovic Brižitka Molnar Sanja Tomasevic Romana Hudecová Sonja Borovincek Marisa Fernández Monique Adams Adora Anae Sherridan Atkinson Haylie Bennett Trisha Bradford
Selected former coaches Sava Grozdanović Andreas Bergeles Nikos Bergeles Soulis Toursougas Jerzy Welz Giannis Nikolakis Dimitris Bahramis Takis Floros
Historical performance in the league Panhellenic Championship A' National A1 Division Pre League A1 DivisionPos.7172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899000102030405060708091011121314151617181920212223242526111111111111111111111111111112222222222222222233333334444556789101112
Positions Position1st2nd3rd4th5thTimes 27 15 6 3 1
International record Season Achievement Notes Champions Cup 1993-94 Quarter-final eliminated by Matera Cup Winners Cup 1994-95 Final Four 4th place 1995-96 7th place 1999-00 Final 2nd place, defeated by Perugia CEV Cup 1980-81 Final Four 4th place Challenge Cup 2008-09 Final 2nd place, defeated by Vini Monteschiavo Jesi 2009-10 Quarter-final eliminated by Asterix Kieldrecht 2025-26 Final 2nd place, defeated by Megabox Vallefoglia
Sponsorships
Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor 2007–2008Adidas Subaru 2008–2009 2009–2010Asics Tonotil / Salonpas 2010–2011 2011–2012 Evropi Insurance 2012–2013 Royal Evropi Insurance 2013–2014 Fila 2014–2015 - Bolossis 2015–2016 — 2016–2017 Erreà Allou Fun Park 2018–2019 Athlos SportOPAP 2019–2020Macron 2020–2021 2021–2022 2022–2023 2024–2025AdidasPame Stoixima 2025–2026
Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Adidas Golden Sponsor: Pame Stoixima Official sponsors: Hygeia Medical Center, Avance Car Rental, Land Rover Spanos Luxury Cars, Viva Fresh, Batteries.gr, Biosteel, LCG. Boukia kai syhorio. Official Broadcaster: PAO TV
See also Panathinaikos Men's VC
References
External links Official website