Netherlands women's national volleyball team

Netherlands

Association	Nederlandse Volleybal Bond
Confederation	CEV
FIVB ranking	10 (as of 2008-01-05)
Website	www.volleybal.nl (Dutch)
Uniforms
Home 　 Away

Medal record
European Championships
Gold	1995 Netherlands	Team Competition
Silver	1991 Italy	Team Competition
Silver	2009 Poland	Team Competition
Bronze	1985 Netherlands	Team Competition

The Netherlands women's national volleyball team is the national team of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is governed by the Nederlandse Volleyball Bond (NeVoBo).

Current Squad

as of 2011 Pre-European Olympic Qualification Tournament: [1]

Shirt No	Player	Birth Date	Height	Club	Position
1.	Kim Staelens	7/01/1982	182	VT Aurubis Hamburg	Setter
3.	Francien Huurman	18/04/1975	192	no current club	Middle Blocker
4.	Chaïne Staelens	7/11/1980	194	Pioneer Red Wings	Outside Hitter
6.	Maret Grothues	16/09/1988	180	Cariparma SiGrade Parma	Outside Hitter
8.	Alice Blom	7/04/1980	178	Igtisadchi Baku	Outside Hitter
10.	Janneke Van Tienen	29/05/1979	177	VK Baki	Libero
11.	Caroline Wensink	4/08/1984	187	Bank BPS Muszynianka Fakro Muszyna	Middle Blocker
12.	Manon Flier	8/02/1984	192	Toray Arrows	Opposite
14.	Laura Dijkema	18/02/1990	184	VfB 91 Suhl	Setter
15.	Ingrid Visser	4/06/1977	190	VK Baki	Middle Blocker
16.	Debby Stam-Pilon	24/07/1984	184	Bank BPS Muszynianka Fakro Muszyna	Outside Hitter
18.	Lonneke Slöetjes	15/11/1990	192	USC Münster	Opposite

History

In September 1995 the Dutch women’s team gained the biggest success in their history. Led by national coach Bert Goedkoop the Orange team became European Champion in the Dutch city of Arnhem. This performance was followed by the fifth place, a year later at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

During the following years, the team failed completely during the 1997 European Championships and Goedkoop took his leave in the spring of 1998. His successor Pierre Mathieu performed reasonably during the World Championships (7th position) and sober during the European Championships (5th position). In 2000 The Netherlands failed to qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia during the qualification tournament in Japan.

Angelo Frigoni, the former coach of the Italian women's team, was selected as national coach in 2001. During the qualification tournament in Den Bosch, the team gained a ticket to the 2002 World Championships in Germany. There the national side reached the fifth place.

In August the 2003 European Championships started in Turkey, where the team ended fourth. The Netherlands managed to defeat Italy, Czech Republic, Bulgaria a Ukraine, but lost their matches against Poland, Turkey and Germany.

In preparation for the next tournament, the FIVB World Grand Prix, the Dutch team played four friendly matches against Italy. The women first met Japan in the pool round during the Grand Prix, which resulted in a 3-0 victory. They also won the three following pool matches against Italy (3-2), Cuba (3-2) and Germany (3-2). They ended second in their pool, behind the USA. In the final round Italy was the first opponent. Although the South European team won the first two sets, the Dutch managed to pull themselves together and won with 3-2. Russia was to strong (0-3) in the second match of the final round, but South Korea also lost their match against the Netherlands after winning the first two sets. The women of Orange ended the competition by winning their final match against Germany with 3-2, claiming the fourth place – the highest Dutch ranking in the Grand Prix ever. With personal success for Francien Huurman: she ended third in the ranking of best Grand Prix players. Elles Leferink (sixth) also appeared in the top 10 of best players.

From August 26 to 31, 2003 the team played a Grand Prix 2004 qualification tournament in Poland. Germany, Greece and Bulgaria were defeated, but Russia and Poland were too strong. In September 2003 the team participated in a four-countries tournament with host Italy, Ukraine and Poland. This was the last official preparation for the 2003 European Championship, which was held from 20 to 28 September in Turkey. The Dutch team lost the semi-final to Turkey (0-3), followed by a defeat in the bronze medal match against Germany (2-3).

The year 2004 began with an important tournament for the Dutch volleyball women. In Azerbaijan they entered the European Olympic Qualification Tournament, the last chance to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The Dutch played against Bulgaria, Italy and Turkey and lost all three matches. After a lot of rumours, the Dutch Volleyball Federation confirmed in the beginning of May that Avital Selinger, former international and since then successfully operating as trainer-coach, was hired to be the new head coach. He started his route to Beijing with two friendly matches against Turkey. In June the team practised it’s skills against Russia, followed by Spain in September.

From September 6 to 10, the Netherlands participated in an international tournament in Poland, together with the hosting country, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. In this preparation for the Grand Prix Qualification Tournament later that month the team defeated the whole top-three of the last European Championships, losing only two sets in the five matches they played against Poland, Turkey, Romania, Germany and Bulgaria.

In May 2005 the team flew to China, to practise against the hosting country, Poland and Bulgaria. Some of the players (Ingrid Visser, Francien Huurman, Alice Blom and Janneke van Tienen) didn’t travel to Asia, as Selinger wanted them to have a period of rest after their long competition program.

The World Grand Prix 2005 began well for the Dutch team on June 24. The Netherlands defeated the USA (3-0). One day later, they lost to PR China, but Selinger’s team was again too strong for Thailand (3-0). In the second WGP playing round the Netherlands started by defeating Italy with a clear 3-0. A victory on Cuba was just missed (2-3), but Thailand was defeated once again.

The third round began with a loss against the Olympic and World Champion Brazil (1-3). The Dutch team lost also against Cuba, but South Korea was an easy prey for the Netherlands (3-0), which secured the Dutch a place in the final round in Japan. There the team ended up in sixth place. The Dutch had to play a qualification tournament for the 2006 edition. The team had lost only one set too many to qualify for the semi-finals. They defeated Romania and Poland, but lost to Russia.

In the beginning of August 2005 the team played in the Turkish town Ankara to qualify for the World Championship 2006 in Japan. By winning all three matches, against Ukraine, Belgium and Turkey, they qualified. After a few friendly matches against Russia, Poland, Bulgaria and Germany, the European Championships in Croatia started on September 17. Despite of the fact that there were more matches lost than won, the Dutch team managed to reach the final round in Zagreb. In the finals Serbia-Montenegro was defeated without giving one set away, Turkey was defeated with 3-1. The Dutch ended up in fifth place.

In May the international season for 2006 unofficially began with two friendly matches in and against Germany. After that, they travelled to PR China for an international tournament in which China, Cuba and Russia also participated. A few weeks later, at the end of June, the team travelled to Belgium for several friendly matches against the hosting country. In the beginning of July, at the Boris Yeltsin Cup in Russia, they defeated Azerbaijan and Turkey, but both Russia and China were too strong for Selinger’s team. The Netherlands ended in third place.

The qualification tournament for the World Grand Prix 2007, from September 27 until October 1 in Bulgaria, but the main tournament of the team was of course the World Championships in Japan at the end of October. The Netherlands played in pool C against Cameroon, the United States, Brazil, Puerto Rico and Kazakhstan. The USA and Brazil proved to be too strong, but the Netherlands defeated Cameroon (3-0), Puerto Rico (3-0) and Kazakhstan (3-2). They ended third in their group, and qualified for the second pool round. The team finished in 8th place in the overall-rankings.

Results

Olympic Games

1964 – did not participate 1968 – did not participate 1972 – did not participate 1976 – did not participate 1980 – did not participate 1984 – did not participate

1988 – did not participate 1992 – 6th place 1996 – 5th place 2000 – did not participate 2004 – did not participate

World Championship

1952 – did not participate 1956 – 10th place 1960 – did not participate 1962 – 12th place 1967 – did not participate 1970 – 15th place 1974 – 16th place 1978 – 17th place

1982 – 16th place 1986 – did not participate 1990 – 9th place 1994 – 9th/12th place 1998 – 7th place 2002 – 9th place 2006 – 8th place 2010 – 11th place

European Championship

1949 – 7th place 1950 – did not participate 1951 – 5th place 1955 – did not participate 1958 – 10th place 1963 – 9th place 1967 – 7th place 1971 – 9th place 1975 – 11th place 1977 – 10th place 1979 – 6th place 1981 – 9th place 1983 – 11th place

1985 – Bronze Medal 1987 – 5th place 1989 – did not participate 1991 – Silver Medal 1993 – 7th place 1995 – Gold Medal 1997 – 9/10th place 1999 – 5th place 2001 – 5th place 2003 – 4th place 2005 – 5th place 2007 – 5th place 2009 – Silver Medal

FIVB World Grand Prix

1993 – did not participate 1994 – 9th place 1995 – did not participate 1996 – 7th place 1997 – 7th place 1998 – did not participate 1999 – 8th place 2000 – did not participate 2001 – did not participate

2002 – did not participate 2003 – 4th place 2004 – did not qualify 2005 – 6th place 2006 – did not qualify 2007 – Gold Medal 2008 – did not qualify 2009 – 4th place 2010 – 7th place

Squads

1992 Summer Olympics

Cintha Boersma Erna Brinkman Heleen Crielaard Kirsten Gleis Aafke Hament

Marjolein de Jong Vera Koenen Irena Machovcak Linda Moons Henriëtte Weersing

Sandra Wiegers Head Coach: Peter Murphy

1995 European Championship

Cintha Boersma Erna Brinkman Marjolein de Jong Jolanda Elshof Riëtte Fledderus

Jerine Fleurke Petra Groenland Marrit Leenstra Elles Leferink Irena Machovcak

Ingrid Visser Henriëtte Weersing Head Coach: Bert Goedkoop

1996 Summer Olympics

Cintha Boersma Erna Brinkman Riëtte Fledderus Jerine Fleurke Marjolein de Jong

Saskia van Hintum Elles Leferink Irena Machovcak Claudia van Thiel Lisette van der Ven

Ingrid Visser Henriëtte Weersing Head Coach: Bert Goedkoop

2001 European Championship

Erna Brinkman Riëtte Fledderus Manon Flier Francien Huurman Hanneke van Leusden

Mirjam Orsel Kim Staelens Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser Ruth van der Wel

Sandra Wiegers Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Angelo Frigoni

2002 World Championship

Alice Blom Irina Donets Riëtte Fledderus Manon Flier Ruth Heerschap

Francien Huurman Elles Leferink Maureen Staal Kim Staelens Janneke van Tienen

Ingrid Visser Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Angelo Frigoni

2003 European Championship

Irina Donets Suzanne Freriks Francien Huurman Elles Leferink Kitty Sanders

Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Titia Sustring Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Ruth van der Wel Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Angelo Frigoni

2003 World Grand Prix

Irina Donets Manon Flier Suzanne Freriks Francien Huurman Elles Leferink

Kitty Sanders Kim Staelens Titia Sustring Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Ruth van der Wel Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Angelo Frigoni

2005 European Championship

Alice Blom Francien Huurman Manon Flier Riëtte Fledderus Floortje Meijners

Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Debby Stam Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Caroline Wensink Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Avital Selinger

2005 World Grand Prix

Alice Blom Riëtte Fledderus Manon Flier Francien Huurman Carlijn Jans

Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Debby Stam Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Caroline Wensink Elke Wijnhoven Head Coach: Avital Selinger

2006 World Championship

Alice Blom Riëtte Fledderus Manon Flier Floortje Meijners Mirjam Orsel

Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Debby Stam Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Sanna Visser Caroline Wensink Head Coach: Avital Selinger

2007 World Grand Prix

Alice Blom Riëtte Fledderus Manon Flier Francien Huurman Floortje Meijners

Mirjam Orsel Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Debby Stam Janneke van Tienen

Ingrid Visser Caroline Wensink Head Coach: Avital Selinger

2007 European Championship

Alice Blom Francien Huurman Manon Flier Riëtte Fledderus Mirjam Orsel

Chaïne Staelens Kim Staelens Debby Stam Janneke van Tienen Ingrid Visser

Sanna Visser Head Coach: Avital Selinger