Corona Brașov women's volleyball team officially presented its squad for the historic 2025/2026 season, when it will make its debut in European club competitions. A special emphasis is placed on continuing the collaboration with the two Bulgarian players – setter Mirela Shahpazova and libero Galina Karabasheva.
Galina Karabasheva – a symbol of fighting spirit despite injuries
Bulgarian libero Galina Karabasheva (23) remains in the Corona squad, despite suffering two serious injuries in just one month while representing the Bulgarian national team.
First, during the friendly tournament "President Koszalin Cup" against France (a 2:3 loss), she sustained a laceration on her hand after hitting a panel while attempting to save a ball in defense. She required stitches and was absent for about 10 days.
Subsequently, during her participation in the Volleyball Nations League (VNL) in Japan, she tore her Achilles during the match against Brazil (a 1:3 loss). This requires months of recovery, and Karabasheva will be under medical supervision to determine the exact period of absence.
Despite these circumstances, the management of Corona Brașov demonstrated full confidence in her, retaining her in the squad for the new season.
The third Bulgarian player, Alex Milanova, is leaving the team and is a free agent. Milanova played strong matches in VNL 2025, where she recorded impressive statistics:
📊 Alexandra Milanova's Statistics – VNL 2025
🔥 Attack and Block
Indicator | Value |
---|---|
Total Points | 139 |
Average per match | 11.58 |
Attack Points | 129 |
Attack Efficiency | 37.18% |
Block Points | 9 |
Block Success | 14.29% |
Service Points | 1 |
Service Success | 0.58% |
Place | Name | Team | Digs | Errors | Receptions | Average per match | Success rate % | Total appearances |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | Aleksandra Milanova | Bulgaria | 124 | 34 | 43 | 10.33 | 61.69% | 201 |
Being among the top 6 best defenders in the VNL, considering you play as an outside hitter, speaks volumes about exceptional versatility. With over 10.3 digs and receptions per match on average, Milanova reaches the level of elite liberos, and her success rate exceeds 61%, which puts her on par with players like Giulia de Gennaro and Gelin from France.
We eagerly await to see where the national team player, who is currently preparing for the World Championship, will go next.
Corona Brașov squad for the 2025/2026 season
Remaining players
Name | Position | Year of birth | Country |
---|---|---|---|
Mirela Shahpazova | Setter | 1997 | Bulgaria |
Galina Karabasheva | Libero | 2002 | Bulgaria |
Simina Strachinescu | Diagonal | 1999 | Romania |
Diana Ariton | Middle Blocker | 1998 | Romania |
Daria Cocan | Middle Blocker | 2007 | Romania |
Alexandra Kolesnikov | Outside Hitter | 2008 | Romania |
Name | Position | Previous club | Country |
---|---|---|---|
Marina Angelake | Setter | CSM Târgoviște | Romania |
Ioana Baciu | Diagonal | Al-Ahly (Egypt) | Romania |
Gabriela Bălae | Outside Hitter | CSM Constanța | Romania |
Joyce Agbolossou | Outside Hitter | Energa MKS Kalisz (Poland) | Germany |
Skye Howard | Middle Blocker | Busto Arsizio (Italy) | USA |
Diana Roman | Middle Blocker | Alba Blaj | Romania |
Alexandra Ciucu | Libero | Alba Blaj | Romania |
Name | Position | New club / Status |
---|---|---|
Shaylah Refft | Middle Blocker | FC Porto |
Stefania Cheluta | Diagonal | Dinamo Bucharest |
Adriana Matei | Outside Hitter | AEK Athens |
Adriana Popa | Libero | Free Agent |
Adachi Aguro | Outside Hitter | Free Agent |
Aleksandra Milanova | Outside Hitter | Free Agent |
Maja Lasic | Middle Blocker | Free Agent |
Andjelija Draskovic | Setter | Free Agent |