# Debreceni VSC (women's handball)

Debreceni Vasutas Sport Club, commonly abbreviated DVSC, is a Hungarian professional women's handball club from Debrecen, that plays in the Nemzeti Bajnokság I.
Since August 2018 they are sponsored by Schaeffler Group, so the official name for the team is DVSC Schaeffler.

## History

Nicknamed Loki, the team was founded in 1948 as a department of the multi-sports club Debreceni VSC. Seven years later, they have won their first ever Hungarian championship title after beating two of their three opponents in the championship final, including title holders Csepeli SK. However, this achievement remained the lone success of the club for a long time, after they got relegated in 1959 and spent the subsequent twenty years in the second division.
Promoted back in 1979, their brightest period came under the management of Ákos Komáromi, between the late eighties and mid-nineties, during which time they won the Hungarian championship, five Hungarian cups, and two consecutive EHF Cups. The latter one is an exceptional success; no other teams have ever defended their title in the EHF Cup.
In the following years, the club lost many of their key players and their financial options narrowed as well, which resulted a significant setback. The team was on the brink of bankruptcy, when András Gellén, a businessman and die-hard DVSC fan took over the club in May 2009.
Gellén had his own conception, that built solely on Hungarian players and promoted the youngsters. To fulfil the club's long-term plans, he also invested into a new arena for the handball academy, which was finished in January 2011 and cost around €1.4 million.
In the second part of 2011, however, DVSC faced a heavy financial crisis as Gellén could not pay the wages, and as a result, many of the first team players left. Gellén eventually sold his 63.3% share to the city of Debrecen for a nominal fee of 10 Hungarian Forint, that now owns 96.4% of the club. The city worked out a long-term project, which similarly to the club's former intention wants to build on home-grown players. The budget in the first season is expected to be around 100 million Forint (approximately €330,000), which may grow to 150–180 million (€500,000–600,000) in the coming years to ensure Debrecen to achieve a podium finish and to qualify to a European cup again. Balázs Makray took the chairman duties, who faced the similar situation in 1999 when he took over the local football club, and for the 2000s he made Debreceni VSC one of the dominant team in the Hungarian league.

## Crest, colours, supporters
### Kit manufacturers and Shirt sponsor

The following table shows in detail Debreceni VSC kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors by year:
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
| | Kempa | |
| 2004–2005 | Kempa | debmut / G HBZ |
| 2005–2006 | Kempa | Hotel Balmaz / debmut / G HBZ |
| 2006–2007 | Kempa | Hotel Balmaz / debmut |
| 2007–2008 | Puma | Hotel Balmaz |
| 2008–2009 | Erreà | Hotel Balmaz |
| 2009–2010 | Erreà | Korvex / Hajdú Takarék |
| 2010–2011 | Erreà | Korvex |
| 2011–2012 | Erreà | Korvex / Hajdú Takarék |
| 2012–2013 | Erreà | OTP Bank |
| 2013–2014 | Erreà | TvP / OTP Bank |
| 2014–2015 | Erima | TvP / Aquaticum |
| 2015 | Erima | TvP / Cívis Ház |
| 2016–2018 | Erima | TvP / Cívis Ház / Szerencsejáték Zrt. |
| 2018-2024 | Adidas | Schaeffler |
| 2024- | Kappa | Schaeffler |

## Kits

HOME :
| 2007–08 | 2010–12 | 2012–13 | 2017–18 | 2018–20 | 2020-21 | 2023–24 |
AWAY :
| 2007–08 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2017–18 | 2018–20 | 2020–21 | 2023–24 |
THIRD :
| 2007–08 | 2014–15 | 2017–18 | 2018–19 | 2019–20 | 2020– |

## Team
### Current squad

    Squad for the 2024–25 season

### Transfers

    Transfers for the 2025–26 season

## Honours
### Domestic competitions

Nemzeti Bajnokság I (National Championship of Hungary)
* Champions (2): 1955, 1987
* Runners-up (8): 1985, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2009–10, 2010–11
* Third place (6): 1986, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2008–09, 2021–22, 2022–23
Magyar Kupa (National Cup of Hungary)
* Winners (5): 1985, 1987, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91
* Finalists (8): 1983, 1986, 1988, 1995–96, 2000–01, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2020–21

### European competitions

EHF Cup Winners' Cup
* Runners-up (2): 1989–90, 1991–92
EHF Cup
* Winners (2): 1994–95, 1995–96
* Runners-up (1): 1993–94
* Semifinalists: 2005–06

## Recent seasons

    As of 26 May 2024
In italics, we indicate achieved in competition(s) that have not yet been completed.
* Seasons in Nemzeti Bajnokság I: 45
* Seasons in Nemzeti Bajnokság I/B: 5
* Seasons in Nemzeti Bajnokság II: 15
| Season | Division | Pos. | Magyar kupa |
| 1993–94 | NB I | | |
| 1994–95 | NB I | | |
| 1995–96 | NB I | | Finalist |
| 1996–97 | NB I | 4th | |
| 1997–98 | NB I | 5th | |
| 1998–99 | NB I | 4th | |
| 1999–2000 | NB I | 4th | |
| 2000–01 | NB I | 5th | Finalist |
| 2001–02 | NB I | 5th | |
| 2002–03 | NB I | 8th | |
| 2003–04 | NB I | 6th | |
| Season | Division | Pos. | Magyar kupa |
| 2004–05 | NB I | 5th | |
| 2005–06 | NB I | 4th | |
| 2006–07 | NB I | 5th | |
| 2007–08 | NB I | 5th | |
| 2008–09 | NB I | | Finalist |
| 2009–10 | NB I | | |
| 2010–11 | NB I | | Finalist |
| 2011–12 | NB I | 8th | Quarter-finals |
| 2012–13 | NB I | 11th | Quarter-finals |
| 2013–14 | NB I | 9th | Quarter-finals |
| 2014–15 | NB I | 7th | Quarter-finals |
| Season | Division | Pos. | Magyar kupa |
| 2015–16 | NB I | 4th | Round 4 |
| 2016–17 | NB I | 7th | Third place |
| 2017–18 | NB I | 9th | Round 4 |
| 2018–19 | NB I | 6th | Round 4 |
| 2019–20 | NB I | Cancelled | Cancelled |
| 2020–21 | NB I | 5th | Finalist |
| 2021–22 | NB I | | Quarter-finals |
| 2022–23 | NB I | | Third place |
| 2023–24 | NB I | 4th | Third place |
| 2024–25 | NB I | TBD | TBD |

### In European competition

* Participations in Champions League (Champions Cup): 4x
* Participations in EHF European League (IHF Cup, EHF Cup): 19x
* Participations in Challenge Cup (City Cup): 1x
* Participations in Cup Winners' Cup (IHF Cup Winners' Cup): 9x
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | CSM București | 23–30 | 29–29 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | Győri ETO KC | 29–28 | 23–35 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | IK Sävehof | 32–29 | 36–27 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | Odense Håndbold | 22–35 | 30–33 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | Brest Bretagne Handball | 31–24 | 28–38 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica | 27–22 | 27–21 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Group stage Group A | SG BBM Bietigheim | 26–36 | 31–27 | 5th |
| 2023–24 | EHF Champions League | Quarter-finals | Vipers Kristiansand | 28–29 | 27–27 | 55–56 |

## Notable players
### Goalkeepers

* Bettina Pásztor
* Éva Kiss
* Melinda Pastrovics
* Viktória Oguntoye
* Ágnes Triffa
* Tímea Sugár
* Vivien Víg
* Mária Barkasziné Szász
* Annamária Király
* Erika Kalocsai
* Brigitta Szopóczy
* Györgyi Hang
* Kyra Csapó
* Ann-Cathrin Giegerich
* Irina Samozvanova
* Tetyana Vorozhtsova
* Irina Uvarovska

### Right wings

* Katalin Szilágyi
* Edina Kereki
* Viktória Csáki
* Krisztina Nagy
* Nóra Varsányi
* Petra Slakta
* Zsuzsanna Pálffy
* Nada Micic
* Mariana Costa

### Right backs

* Beatrix Benyáts
* Mária Jeddi †
* Viktória Soós
* Rita Borók
* Anita Herr
* Anett Sopronyi
* Anna Kovács
* Szabina Karnik
* Szimonetta Planéta
* Danica Nikic
* Dragana Stanisic
* Michaela Galai
* Anna Punko
* Elinore Johansson
* Kristina Dramac

### Line players

* Valéria Szabó
* Petra Madai
* Rita Borbás
* Tünde Nyilas
* Adrienn Gaál
* Réka Bordás
* Szederke Sirián
* Szilvia Ábrahám
* Rózsa Tóth
* Csilla Elekes
* Janka Caltíková
* Lucia Uhraková
* Verica Nikolic
* Arna Sif Palsdottir
* Bobana Klikovac
* Lilia Gorilska

### Central backs

* Annamária Bogdanović
* Anasztázia Virincsik
* Bernadett Temes
* Barbara Pálos-Bognár
* Kitti Kudor
* Emese Rácz
* Éva Barna
* Petra Vámos
* Karyna Yezhykava
* Lotte Grigel
* Madalina Zamfirescu
* Tetyana Shynkarenko
* Tetyana Mironec
* Ruta Latakaite
* Deonise Fachinello
* Ivana Lovric

### Left backs

* Zsuzsa Nagy
* Gabriella Szűcs
* Dóra Hornyák
* Erika Csapó
* Vivien Léránt
* Hortenzia Szrnka
* Mária Tóth
* Gréta Kácsor
* Renáta Mörtel
* Anita Bulath
* Eszter Mátéfi
* Nóra Valovics
* Ilona Eperjesi
* Annamária Félix
* Éva Barna
* Fatima Ovtus
* Natalya Bodenchuk
* Maria Khakunova
* Daniela Crap
* Jelena Despotovic
* Elke Karsten
* Alžbeta Tóthová
* Juliana Borges Lima
* Marijana Trbojevic

### Left wings

* Anna Szántó
* Olívia Buglyó
* Éva Vantara-Kelemen
* Erika Kirsner
* Ivett Nagy
* Anita Kazai
* Gabriella Juhász
* Dorina Korsós
* Júlia Hársfalvi
* Krisztina László
* Alina Marin
* Dagmar Stuparičová

## Coaches

* Ferenc Bokor (1950–68)
* Ferenc Kapitány (1970–71)
* Ferenc Halász (1975–80)
* Géza Szász (1980)
* István Varga (1981)
* János Szentgyörgyi (1981)
* Ákos Komáromi (1982–90, 1991–94, 1997–98, 2000, 2002–03)
* Dusan Szlancso (1990–91)
* Vilmos Köstner (1994–96, 1998–99, 2010–12, 2018–21)
* Csaba Árva (1997)
* Imre Bíró (1999–2000, 2005–07, 2012–13)
* Sándor Medgyessy (2000–01)
* Sándor Váczi (2001–02)
* Zoltán Balogh (2003–04)
* József Varga (2004, 2007–08, 2013–15)
* László Laurencz (2004–05)
* Botond Bakó (2008–10)
* Tone Tiselj (2016–18)
* Gergő Vida (2018)
* Pal Oldrup Jensen (2018)
* Kitti Kudor (2021)
* Zoltán Szilágyi (2021–)