# KS Azoty-Puławy

KS Azoty-Puławy is a men's handball club from Puławy, Poland, that plays in the Superliga.

## History

The club was founded on the initiative of Jerzy Witaszek, Piotr Dropek and Artur Witkowski on May 28, 2003 under the name Klub Sportowy Wisła-Azoty Puławy, with Jerzy Witaszek as its president. Since 2003, the team has been part of II. League, from 2004 in the I. League, and from 2005 in the Superliga, Poland's highest league. In March 2006, the name "Wisła" was removed from the club's name, which changed to Azoty-Puławy. The team also won bronze medals in the Superliga in the 2014/15, 2015/2016, 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 seasons. In the 2017/2018 season, the team also reached the finals of the Polish Cup, where they lost to PGE Vive Kielce on May 13, 2018 in Kalisz (29:35). The team won bronze medals again in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. The Grupa Azoty Arena was handed over in October 2021, which from then on became the team's new home.

## Crest, colours, supporters
### Naming history

| Name | Period |
| Klub Sportowy Wisła-Azoty Puławy | 2003–2006 |
| Klub Sportowy Azoty-Puławy | 2006–present |

## Sports Hall information

* Arena: - Grupa Azoty Arena
* City: - Puławy
* Capacity: - 3138
* Address: - Lubelska 59, Puławy, Poland.

## Management

| Position | Name |
| President | Jerzy Witaszek |
| Chairman of the Supervisory Board | Przemysław Jarnicki |
| Member of the Supervisory Board | Ewa Pieńczakowska |
| Member of the Supervisory Board | Jacek Pakuła |

## Team
### Current squad

    Squad for the 2024–25 season
KS Azoty-Puławy :
Goalkeepers
01 Zurab Tsintsadze
16 Wojciech Borucki
Left Wingers
03 Tobiasz Górski
98 Piotr Jarosiewicz
Right Wingers
71 Giorgi Dikhaminjia
77 Karol Przychodzeń
Line Players
24 Ignacy Jaworski
75 Kelian Janikowski
Left Backs
02 Mikołaj Urbanek
20 Łukasz Gogola
23 Jan Antolak
Central Backs
11 Maciej Ponikowski
17 Maciej Zarzycki
29 Gustaw Kowalik
Right Backs
21 Marek Marciniak
37 Jakub Bereziński :

### Technical staff

* Head coach: Patryk Kuchczyński
* Assistant coach: Piotr Dropek
* Physiotherapist: Andrzej Karpiński

### Transfers

    Transfers for the 2025–26 season

### Transfer History

Transfers for the 2024–25 season :
Joining
Giorgi Dikhaminjia (RW) from HK FCC Město Lovosice
Dejan Šešić (RB) from GRK Ohrid
Leaving
Ivan Burzak (LP) to CS Minaur Baia Mare
Vladyslav Ostroushko (LB)
Deividas Virbauskas (CB)
Mateusz Zembrzycki (GK) to Wybrzeże Gdańsk
Rafał Przybylski (RB) to HC Achilles Bocholt
Dawid Fedeńczak (RW) to MKS Kalisz :
Transfers for the 2023–24 season :
Joining
Zurab Tsintsadze (GK) from RK Prilep
Deividas Virbauskas (CB) from CB Ademar León
Vladyslav Ostroushko (LB) from Olympiacos
Maciej Zarzycki (CB) from Nancy HB
Ignacy Jaworski (LP) from SMS Płock
Łukasz Gogola (CB) from BT Füchse
Leaving
Vadim Bogdanov (GK) to HBC CSKA Moscow
Nacho Vallés (CB) to BM Benidorm
Michał Jurecki (LB) (retires)
Bartosz Kowalczyk (CB) to MKS Kalisz
Marek Daćko (LP)
Boris Zivkovic (RB) to SG Flensburg-Handewitt :

## Previous squads

2017–2018 Team :
| Shirt No | Nationality | Player | Birth Date | Position |
| 1 | Russia | Vadim Bogdanov | (1986-03-26) 26 March 1986 (age 38) | Goalkeeper |
| 4 | Poland | Patryk Kuchczyński | (1983-03-17) 17 March 1983 (age 41) | Right Winger |
| 5 | Poland | Kamil Sliwinski | (1996-11-11) 11 November 1996 (age 28) | Left Winger |
| 6 | Poland | Jakub Kosiak | (1997-12-08) 8 December 1997 (age 27) | Right Winger |
| 7 | Poland | Robert Orzechowski | (1989-11-20) 20 November 1989 (age 35) | Right Back |
| 8 | Poland | Paweł Podsiadło | (1986-03-29) 29 March 1986 (age 38) | Left Back |
| 9 | Poland | Piotr Jarosiewicz | (1998-06-28) 28 June 1998 (age 26) | Left Winger |
| 10 | Poland | Krzysztof Łyżwa | (1990-05-28) 28 May 1990 (age 34) | Central Back |
| 12 | Poland | Emil Wiejak | (1998-06-21) 21 June 1998 (age 26) | Goalkeeper |
| 13 | Poland | Adam Skrabania | (1985-02-21) 21 February 1985 (age 39) | Left Winger |
| 14 | Poland | Mateusz Flont | (1998-10-20) 20 October 1998 (age 26) | Right Back |
| 16 | North Macedonia | Daniel Dupjačanec | (1983-07-15) 15 July 1983 (age 41) | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Poland | Kacper Adamczuk | (1997-02-25) 25 February 1997 (age 27) | Left Back |
| 18 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Marko Panić | (1991-03-10) 10 March 1991 (age 33) | Right Back |
| 20 | Poland | Pawel Grzelak | (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987 (age 37) | Line Player |
| 21 | Poland | Piotr Masłowski | (1988-02-20) 20 February 1988 (age 36) | Central Back |
| 22 | Belarus Poland | Vitaliy Titov | (1980-05-02) 2 May 1980 (age 44) | Right Back |
| 24 | Poland | Bartosz Kowalczyk | (1996-12-18) 18 December 1996 (age 28) | Central Back |
| 25 | Poland | Tomasz Kasprzak | (1986-02-06) 6 February 1986 (age 38) | Line Player |
| 31 | Poland | Bartosz Jurecki | (1979-01-31) 31 January 1979 (age 45) | Line Player |
| 32 | Ukraine | Vladyslav Ostroushko | (1986-03-05) 5 March 1986 (age 38) | Left Back |
| 34 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Nikola Prce | (1980-08-31) 31 August 1980 (age 44) | Left Back |
| 44 | Poland | Wojciech Gumiński | (1989-02-10) 10 February 1989 (age 35) | Left Winger |
| 81 | Ukraine | Valentyn Koshovy | (1981-02-05) 5 February 1981 (age 43) | Goalkeeper |
| 88 | Poland | Mateusz Seroka | (1988-12-24) 24 December 1988 (age 36) | Right Winger |
2013–2014 Team :
| Shirt No | Nationality | Player | Birth Date | Position |
| 2 | Poland | Pawel Kowalik | (1991-03-13) 13 March 1991 (age 33) | Right Back |
| 4 | Poland | Paweł Ćwikliński | (1985-02-01) 1 February 1985 (age 39) | Right Winger |
| 6 | Poland | Krzysztof Tylutki | (1985-07-23) 23 July 1985 (age 39) | Left Back |
| 7 | Poland | Mateusz Jankowski | (1988-03-22) 22 March 1988 (age 36) | Line Player |
| 10 | Poland | Krzysztof Łyżwa | (1990-05-28) 28 May 1990 (age 34) | Central Back |
| 11 | Poland | Mateusz Kus | (1987-07-14) 14 July 1987 (age 37) | Line Player |
| 12 | Lithuania | Vilius Rašimas | (1989-11-08) 8 November 1989 (age 35) | Goalkeeper |
| 13 | Poland | Adam Skrabania | (1985-02-21) 21 February 1985 (age 39) | Left Winger |
| 14 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Marko Tarabochia | (1988-11-28) 28 November 1988 (age 36) | Central Back |
| 15 | Poland | Adam Babicz | (1985-12-06) 6 December 1985 (age 39) | Left Back |
| 18 | Poland | Michał Szyba | (1988-03-18) 18 March 1988 (age 36) | Right Back |
| 19 | Poland | Rafał Przybylski | (1991-02-19) 19 February 1991 (age 33) | Right Back |
| 20 | Poland | Pawel Grzelak | (1987-11-26) 26 November 1987 (age 37) | Line Player |
| 21 | Poland | Piotr Masłowski | (1988-02-20) 20 February 1988 (age 36) | Central Back |
| 22 | Poland | Maciej Stęczniewski | (1973-05-08) 8 May 1973 (age 51) | Goalkeeper |
| 23 | Belarus | Artur Barzenkou | (1987-09-13) 13 September 1987 (age 37) | Left Back |
| 26 | Poland | Przemysław Krajewski | (1987-01-20) 20 January 1987 (age 37) | Left Winger |
| 35 | Poland | Rafał Grzybowski | (1990-10-22) 22 October 1990 (age 34) | Goalkeeper |
| 44 | Czech Republic | Jan Sobol | (1984-05-22) 22 May 1984 (age 40) | Right Winger |

## Honours

* Polish Superliga:
** Bronze (6): 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
* Polish Cup:
** Silver (1): 2018
** Bronze (3): 2013, 2014, 2023

### Individual awards
#### Domestic

Polish Superliga Top Scorer
| Season | Name | Goals |
| 2009–10 | Wojciech Zydroń | 247 |
| 2014–15 | Przemysław Krajewski | 160 |

## European record
### EHF Challenge Cup

| Season | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2013–14 | Round 3 | Özel Idare SK | 27–23 | 35–20 | 62–43 |
| 2013–14 | Round 4 | Nilüfer BK | 39–31 | 36–29 | 75–60 |
| 2013–14 | Quarter-finals | UHC Tongeren | 31–22 | 26–23 | 57–45 |
| 2013–14 | Semi-finals | IK Sävehof | 28–30 | 38–40 | 66–70 |

### EHF ranking

    As of 5/12/2024
| Rank | Team | Points |
| 105 | SKKP Handball Brno | 48 |
| 106 | HC Achilles Bocholt | 47 |
| 107 | KH Besa Famgas | 47 |
| 108 | KS Azoty-Puławy | 46 |
| 109 | Handball Sassari | 46 |
| 110 | Handball Club Holon | 45 |
| 111 | Riihimäki Cocks | 45 |

## Former club members
### Notable former players

The list includes players who have played at least once for their national team or spent at least 10 years with the team.

#### Goalkeepers

* Maciej Stęczniewski (2009–2014)
* Piotr Wyszomirski (2007–2012)
* Mateusz Zembrzycki (2020–2024)
* Jakub Krupa (2015–2017)
* Zurab Tsintsadze (2023–)
* Vilius Rašimas (2013–2015)
* Daniel Dupjačanec (2017–2018)
* Kiril Kolev (2011–2012)
* Vadim Bogdanov (2014–2023)
* Valentyn Koshovy (2016–2021)

#### Right wingers

* Dawid Fedeńczak (2021–2024)
* Patryk Kuchczyński (2015–2018)
* Mateusz Seroka (2017–2021)
* Giorgi Dikhaminjia (2024–)
* Jerko Matulić (2018–2019)
* Jan Sobol (2013–2017)
* Andrii Akimenko (2020–2022)

#### Left wingers

* Wojciech Gumiński (2017–2022)
* Piotr Jarosiewicz (2017–)
* Przemysław Krajewski (2012–2017)
* Przemysław Urbaniak (2016–2017)
* Wojciech Zydroń (2008–2012)

#### Line players

* Marek Daćko (2022–2023)
* Dawid Dawydzik (2019–2022)
* Mateusz Jankowski (2012–2014)
* Bartosz Jurecki (2016–2018)
* Mateusz Kus (2008–2015)
* Łukasz Rogulski (2018–2022)
* Aliaksandr Tsitou (2015)
* Leoš Petrovský (2015–2017)
* Ivan Burzak (2022–2024)

#### Left backs

* Kacper Adamski (2022–)
* Michał Jurecki (2020–2023)
* Michał Kubisztal (2015–2017)
* Antoni Łangowski (2019–2022)
* Paweł Podsiadło (2017–2022)
* Nikola Prce (2014–2019)
* Artur Barzenkou (2012–2014)
* Vladyslav Ostroushko (2018, 2023–2024)

#### Central backs

* Bartosz Kowalczyk (2016–2018, 2019–2023)
* Krzysztof Łyżwa (2011–2015, 2016–2019)
* Piotr Masłowski (2011–2019)
* Jakub Moryń (2019)
* Maciej Zarzycki (2023–)
* Marko Tarabochia (2013–2015)
* Aliaksandr Bachko (2020–2022)
* Ante Kaleb (2018–2019)
* Deividas Virbauskas (2023–2024)

#### Right backs

* Robert Orzechowski (2015–2018)
* Rafał Przybylski (2012–2017, 2019–2024)
* Michał Szyba (2004–2014, 2019–2021)
* Boris Zivkovic (2021–2024)
* Marko Panić (2017–2019)
* Kosta Savić (2014–2015)
* Vladyslav Dontsov (2022)

### Former coaches

| Seasons | Coach |
| 2003 | Piotr Dropek |
| 2004 | Jacek Zglinicki |
| 2004 | Stanisław Kubala |
| 2005 | Bogdan Kowalczyk |
| 2006 | Edward Koziński |
| 2006 | Robert Nowakowski |
| 2006 | Roman Trzmiel |
| 2007 | Bogdan Kowalczyk |
| 2007–2008 | Giennadij Kamielin |
| 2008–2009 | Piotr Dropek |
| 2009 | Marek Motyczyński |
| 2010–2011 | Bogdan Kowalczyk |
| 2011–2013 | Marcin Kurowski |
| 2013–2014 | Bogdan Kowalczyk |
| 2014 | Dragan Marković |
| 2014–2016 | Ryszard Skutnik |
| 2016–2017 | Marcin Kurowski |
| 2017–2018 | Daniel Waszkiewicz |
| 2018–2019 | Bartosz Jurecki |
| 2019 | Zbigniew Markuszewski |
| 2019 | Michał Skórski |
| 2020–2021 | Lars Walther |
| 2021–2023 | Robert Lis |
| 2023–2024 | Serhiy Bebeshko |
| 2024– | Patryk Kuchczyński |