VakıfBank S.K.


VakıfBank Sports Club is a Turkish professional volleyball club based in Istanbul, Turkey. Founded in 1986, VakıfBank SK is currently one of the best women's volleyball teams in the world, having won the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship a record four times and the European Champions League six times to date.
From 23 October 2012 to 22 January 2014, the team held a 73-game winning streak in all official domestic and international competitions, which was acknowledged as a world record by Guinness World Records. The club won all 52 official games played during the 2012–13 season and all 51 official games played in 2013. VakıfBank collected all five championship trophies unbeaten in the 2012–13 season, being the only club in volleyball history to have achieved this unparalleled feat.

History

The team was established following a merger between two separate teams: VakıfBank and Güneş Sigorta. VakıfBank were originally an Ankara-based team but moved to Istanbul after the merger. Their name changed to VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta, VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta Türk Telekom, VakıfBank Türk Telekom and VakıfBank respectively.
VakıfBank won three unbeaten CEV Champions League championships in 2011, 2013, 2017 and 2018, and are the only unbeaten champions in European Champions League history. They also placed second in 1998 and 1999 in this competition. They won the [2013 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship|2013, 2017 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship|2017, 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship|2018 and 2021 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship|2021 Club World Championship], the CEV Top Teams Cup in 2004 and CEV Challenge Cup in 2008 while finishing second in the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship in 2011 and third in the European Confederation Cup of 2000.
The team is coached by Italian Giovanni Guidetti since 2008. VakıfBank won 47 games of 47 in the 2012–13 season in all competitions including the European Champions League, Turkish League, and Turkish Cup. After that season, they kept most of the players and coaching staff for the 2013–14 season with little changes: Jelena Nikolic, who took a break volleyball for one year, came back to the team and Italian international Carolina Costagrande transfers from Chinese club Guangdong Evergrande V.C. instead of Polish spiker Malgorzata Glinka and Japanese Saori Kimura. Glinka left the team after three great seasons and moved to her home country for familial reasons.
From 23 October 2012 to 22 January 2014, VakıfBank won 73 consecutive victories in all official competitions, which was acknowledged as a world record by Guinness World Records. During this feat the team won an unprecedented 5 trophies including the Club World Championship, European Champions League, and the domestic treble consisting of the Turkish National League, Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Cup. Their streak was finally ended on 27 January 2014 in a game against rivals Fenerbahçe.

Venue

Since 2016, the club has played home matches at the VakıfBank Sports Palace in Istanbul. The venue has a capacity of 2,000 spectators.

Current roster

VakifBank S.K. for season 2025/2026.
No.PlayerDate of birthHeight PositionCountry
1Helena Cazaute17 December 19971.84Outside hitter
3Cansu Özbay17 October 19961.82Setter
5Ayça Aykaç27 February 19961.76Libero
6Berka Buse Özden16 April 20041.87Middle Blocker
7Chiaka Ogbogu15 April 19951.88Middle Blocker
11Sıla Çalışkan16 December 19961.83Setter
15Deniz Uyanık25 June 20011.95Middle blocker
16Aylin Sarıoğlu21 July 19951.68Libero
17Derya Cebecioğlu24 October 20001.87Outside hitter
18Zehra Güneş 7 July 19991.98Middle blocker
19Tijana Bošković8 March 19971.94Opposite
23Marina Markova27 January 20011.99Outside hitter
24Katerina Dangubić12 September 19991.85Outside hitter
32Adhuoljok Malual14 November 20001.93Opposite

Honours

International competitions

FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship

Domestic competitions

Turkish Women's Volleyball League
  • * Winners : 1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2025Turkish Cup
  • * Winners : 1995, 1997, 1998, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023Turkish Super Cup
  • * Winners : 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023
  • * Runners-up : 2010, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025

Previous names

  • 1986–1999: Güneş Sigorta
  • 1999–2009: VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta
  • 2009–2011: VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta Türk Telekom
  • 2011–2012: VakıfBank Türk Telekom
  • 2012–present: VakıfBank

Notable players

Domestic Players
Non-Domestic European Players
Non-European Players
Players written in italic still play for the club.