# Gwardia Wrocław (women's volleyball)

Gwardia Wrocław, officially Volleyball Wrocław stylised as #VolleyWrocław for sponsorship reasons, is a Polish women's volleyball club based in Wrocław and playing in the Polish Volleyball League.

## Previous names

Due to sponsorship, the club have competed under the following names:
* KS Gwardia Wrocław (1945–1990s)
* ZEC ESV Gwardia Wrocław (1990s–2004)
* ZEC SV Gwardia Wrocław (2004–2006)
* Dialog Gwardia Wrocław (2006–2007)
* Impel Gwardia Wrocław (2007–2012)
* Impel Wrocław (2012–2018)
* #VolleyWrocław (2018–present)

## History

The club was established in July 1945 as the police sports club and was named Klub Sportowy Gwardia Wrocław. It offered many different sports (at its peak in the 1980s it had 19 sports departments) and volleyball has always been one of its most important departments. It gained importance in the 1990s when women's volleyball started to become professional in Poland. That commercialization brought sponsors (the club has been renamed few times through the years) and investors. The club first played in the highest Polish Women's Volleyball League in 1999 and has also participated in European competitions (Top Teams Cup and Challenge Cup).

### 2010–2011 season

Since the new season there was more money in the budget. Impel Gwardia Wroclaw could afford good athletes. The top athletes in the club: Katarzyna Mroczkowska, Bogumiła Barańska, Joanna Wołosz, Monika Czypiruk, Zuzanna Efimienko, Dominika Sobolska, Ola Krzos have been preserved. The team left Olga Owczynnikowa, Aleksandra Szafraniec, Marta Czerwińska. Another player- Agnieszka Jagiełło ended his career volleyball. There have been interesting transfers. The team joined Anna Witczak of Muszynianka Muszyna, Ewa Matyjaszek and Maja Tokarska of PTPS Piła, the sister of Dominika Sobolska - Marta and returning after maternity leave Katarzyna Jaszewska. Additionally there was a change on the coach of physician coach- Christian Verona, who worked last season with the club Monte Schiavo Banca Marche Jesi. Ultimately, the team finished the game on the 5th place.

### 2011–2012 season

In 2011 the owner of the Impel Gwardia Wrocław became Impel S.A. The investor responsible for the team supervision is Impel Volleyball S.A.- the company belonging to the Impel Group. The core team from last season: Katarzyna Mroczkowska, Bogumiła Pyziołek or Anna Witczak hasn't been changed. The contract with the club has also renewed Katarzyna Jaszewska – Impel's Gwardia best volleyball player in the 2010/2011 season. Jaszewska along with Susan Efimienko represented our country at the last European Championship volleyball team taking the 5th place. Joanna Wołosz and Maja Tokarska left the team to join BKS Bielsko-Biała and Atom Trefl Sopot, respectively. In return the team strengthened: Arielle Wilson (from the USA - academic game), Milena Rosner, member of the Poland national team, which won the 2005 Women's European Volleyball Championship, Marta Haładyn (from MKS Dąbrowa Górnicza) and Dorota Medyńska (SMS Sosnowiec / TOP Bolesławiec). The injury healed Aleksandra Folta, which together with Dorota Medyńska is the youngest part of the Impel Gwardia. Women's team played in Women PlusLiga so far 15 matches, winning five of them. Team has the 17 points and followed by the 7th position. Team is doing very well in the Challenge Cup, advancing to 1 / 8 of the tournament. The team finished the game on the 5th place.

## Honours

* Polish Championship
    Runners-up (1): 2013–14
* Polish Cup:
    Runners-up (3): 1960–61, 2002–03, 2003–04

## Team

Season 2016–2017, as of March 2017.
| Number | Player | Position | Height (m) | Weight (kg) | Birth date |
| 1 | Andrea Kossanyiová | Outside hitter | 1.85 | 65 | (1993-08-06) 6 August 1993 (age 31) |
| 3 | Monika Ptak | Middle blocker | 1.88 | 76 | (1990-05-14) 14 May 1990 (age 34) |
| 4 | Katarzyna Konieczna | Opposite | 1.84 | 78 | (1985-03-22) 22 March 1985 (age 39) |
| 5 | Agnieszka Kąkolewska | Middle blocker | 1.99 | 85 | (1994-10-17) 17 October 1994 (age 30) |
| 6 | Barbara Cembrzyńska | Opposite | 1.85 | 70 | (1997-05-19) 19 May 1997 (age 27) |
| 7 | Joanna Kaczor | Opposite | 1.91 | 70 | (1984-09-16) 16 September 1984 (age 40) |
| 9 | Agata Sawicka | Libero | 1.81 | 72 | (1985-01-17) 17 January 1985 (age 40) |
| 10 | Izabela Bałucka | Middle blocker | 1.85 | 77 | (1993-02-15) 15 February 1993 (age 31) |
| 12 | Micha Hancock | Setter | 1.80 | 78 | (1992-11-10) 10 November 1992 (age 32) |
| 13 | Adrianna Wysocka | Setter | 1.86 | 72 | (1998-06-12) 12 June 1998 (age 26) |
| 14 | Natalia Mędrzyk | Outside hitter | 1.84 | 75 | (1992-01-13) 13 January 1992 (age 33) |
| 15 | Magdalena Stasiak | Libero | 1.63 | 60 | (1995-07-10) 10 July 1995 (age 29) |
| 17 | Megan Courtney | Outside hitter | 1.86 | 66 | (1993-10-27) 27 October 1993 (age 31) |
| 18 | Aleksandra Sikorska | Middle blocker | 1.85 | 67 | (1993-04-28) 28 April 1993 (age 31) |
| First coach : POL Marek Solarewicz Second coach: POL Wojciech Kurczyński Assistant coach: POL Mateusz Żarczyński Physiotherapist : POL Artur Hnida ||||||
2015–2016 Team :
| Number | Name and surname | Date of birth | Height | Nationality | Position |
| 1 | Andrea Kossanyiová | August 6, 1993 | 1,85 | CZE | outside hitter |
| 3 | Monika Ptak | May 14, 1990 | 1,88 | POL | middle blocker |
| 4 | Karolina Piśla | August 5, 1996 | 1,84 | POL | outside hitter |
| 5 | Agnieszka Kąkolewska | October 17, 1994 | 1,99 | POL | middle blocker |
| 6 | Barbara Cembrzyńska | May 19, 1997 | 1,85 | POL | opposite |
| 7 | Joanna Kaczor | September 16, 1984 | 1,91 | POL | opposite |
| 8 | Lenka Dürr | December 10, 1990 | 1,71 | GER | libero |
| 9 | Agata Sawicka | January 17, 1985 | 1,81 | POL | libero |
| 10 | Kristin Hildebrand | June 30, 1985 | 1,85 | USA | outside hitter |
| 11 | Aleksandra Sikorska | April 28, 1993 | 1,86 | POL | middle blocker |
| 12 | Milena Radecka | October 18, 1984 | 1,78 | POL | setter |
| 13 | Magdalena Gryka | March 28, 1994 | 1,78 | POL | setter |
| 14 | Aleksandra Sochacka | May 5, 1997 | 1,81 | POL | outside hitter |
| 15 | Magdalena Stasiak | July 10, 1995 | 1,63 | POL | libero |
| 17 | Katarzyna Skowrońska-Dolata | June 30, 1983 | 1,89 | POL | opposite |
| 18 | Carolina Costagrande | October 15, 1980 | 1,88 | ITA | outside hitter |
| First coach : POL Jacek Grabowski Second coach and statistics : POL Marek Solarewicz Physiotherapist : POL Artur Hnida Physician coach: ITA Christian Verona Menager: POL Dariusz Gintowt ||||||
2011–2012 Team :
| Number | Name and surname | Date of birth | Height | Nationality | In the club since | Position |
| 1 | Arielle Wilson | January 3, 1989 | 1,91 | USA | 2011 | middle blocker |
| 2 | Katarzyna Mroczkowska | December 30, 1980 | 1,82 | POL | 2002 | opposite |
| 3 | Anna Witczak | March 2, 1982 | 1,82 | POL | 2010 | receiver |
| 4 | Marta Sobolska | February 16, 1987 | 1,80 | BEL/ POL | 2010 | receiver |
| 5 | Aleksandra Folta | June 20, 1992 | 1,82 | POL | ward | receiver |
| 6 | Monika Czypiruk | July 27, 1982 | 1,86 | POL | 2009 | opposite |
| 7 | Ewa Matyjaszek | April 23, 1979 | 1,76 | POL | 2010 | setter |
| 8 | Aleksandra Krzos | June 23, 1989 | 1,81 | POL | ward | libero |
| 9 | Katarzyna Jaszewska | December 6, 1981 | 1,81 | POL | 2010 | receiver |
| 10 | Bogumiła Pyziołek | December 1, 1986 | 1,80 | POL | 2002 | receiver |
| 11 | Dorota Medyńska | April 25, 1993 | 1,68 | POL | 2011 | libero |
| 12 | Marta Haładyn | January 3, 1988 | 1,79 | POL | ward | setter |
| 13 | Milena Rosner | January 4, 1980 | 1,80 | POL | 2011 | receiver |
| 15 | Dominika Sobolska | December 3, 1991 | 1,91 | BEL/ POL | 2009 | middle blocker |
| 16 | Zuzanna Efimienko | August 8, 1989 | 1,97 | POL | 2007 | middle blocker |
| First coach : POL Rafał Błaszczyk Second coach and statistics : POL Marek Solarewicz Physiotherapist : POL Artur Hnida Physician coach: ITA Christian Verona Menager: POL Dariusz Gintowt |||||||
2009–2010 Team :
| Number | Name | Height | Nationality | In club since | Position |
| 1 | Olga Owczynnikowa | 1,80 | Belarus / Poland | 2009 | Setter |
| 2 | Katarzyna Mroczkowska | 1,81 | Poland | 2002 | Middle Blocker |
| 6 | Monika Czypiruk | 1,84 | Poland | 2009 | Wing Spiker |
| 8 | Aleksandra Krzos | 1,80 | Poland | 2007 | Opposite / Libero |
| 9 | Marta Czerwińska | 1,79 | Poland | 2008 | Wing Spiker |
| 10 | Bogumiła Barańska | 1,80 | Poland | 2002 | Wing Spiker |
| 11 | Agnieszka Jagiełło | 1,67 | Poland | ? | Opposite / Libero |
| 12 | Joanna Wołosz | 1,81 | Poland | 2009 | Setter |
| 13 | Aleksandra Szafraniec | 1,92 | Poland | 2008 | Middle Blocker |
| 15 | Dominika Sobolska | 1,91 | Belgium / Poland | 2009 | Middle Blocker |
| 16 | Zuzanna Efimienko | 1,96 | Poland | 2007 | Middle Blocker |
| Manager : POL Rafał Błaszczyk Physiotherapist: POL Artur Hnida Statistics: POL Marek Solarewicz ||||||