BOGDANKA LUK Lublin won its first title in the club's history in the 2024/2025 season, defeating Aluron CMC Warta Zawiercie in the final. The team, founded only in 2013 by two enthusiasts – Krzysztof Skubiszewski and Maciej Kszczaczek, has risen from an amateur club to the pinnacle of Polish volleyball in less than a decade.
Now the team will be led by Stéphane Antiga, champion in the women's TAURON Liga with DevelopRes Rzeszów. Expectations are huge – will he manage to defend the club's title in his men's PlusLiga debut?
💥 Stars and squad stability
The core of the team remains intact – Wilfredo Leon, Kevin Sasak, and Marcin Komenda, three Polish internationals and World Championship bronze medalists.
Among other key figures are Brazilian Thales Hoss (libero), Canadian Finian McCarthy, and our national team captain Aleksandar Grozdanov, who brought back silver from the 2025 World Championship.
⚠️ The shadow of the doping scandal
Receiver Mikołaj Sawicki was temporarily suspended after testing positive for modafinil (S6 – stimulants). The B sample confirmed the violation.
Coach Antiga commented that the club has a "plan B," but currently the main goal is to help the player and await the anti-doping commission's decision.
🔄 New signings
Lublin strengthened their squad mainly in the receiver position:
🇫🇷Hilair Eno – a young French talent, replaces Ben Tuinstra;
🇨🇦Jackson Young – comes from VfB Friedrichshafen;
🇨🇦Daenan Gima – a new middle blocker from the French league;
🇵🇱Rafał ProkopczukandMaciej Zajac- complete the squad.
🧠 Coaching Staff
First Coach:Stéphane Antiga
Second Coach:Maciej Kołodziejczyk
🏐 Champions start with an away game in Częstochowa
BOGDANKA LUK Lublin will begin their PlusLiga title defense with an away match against Steam Hemarpol Norwid Częstochowa on October 22.
| Season | Phase | Home Team | Away Team | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024/2025 | Regular season | BOGDANKA LUK Lublin | Steam Hemarpol Norwid Częstochowa | 3:1 |
| 2024/2025 | Regular season | Steam Hemarpol Norwid Częstochowa | BOGDANKA LUK Lublin | 3:1 |
| 2023/2024 | Regular season | Exact Systems Hemarpol Częstochowa | BOGDANKA LUK Lublin | 0:3 |
| 2023/2024 | Regular season | BOGDANKA LUK Lublin | Exact Systems Hemarpol Częstochowa | 1:3 |
📊Balance in the last two seasons:
Matches played: 4
Wins for Lublin: 2
Wins for Częstochowa: 2
Sets: 7 : 8 (slight advantage for Częstochowa)
Poland's champion begins its journey to defend the title on foreign ground – in a hall where it's always tough to play. The two teams have an even balance in recent seasons, which makes the match a particularly intriguing start to the new championship.
Lublin will need to demonstrate stability and concentration to avoid the trap set by the ambitious host and start the season with a win.
