APOEL Volleyball Club is a professional volleyball team based in the city of Nicosia, Cyprus and it is a part of the APOEL multi-sport club.

APOEL
Full nameAthletikos Podosferikos Omilos Ellinon Lefkosias
NicknameΤhrylos (The Legend)
Founded1928; 96 years ago (1928)
GroundLefkotheo Indoor Arena,
Nicosia, Cyprus
(Capacity: 2,100[1])
LeagueCypriot First Division
2022-232nd
WebsiteClub home page

History

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APOEL was formed in 1926, but the volleyball team was formed in 1928.[2] APOEL was also a founding member of the Cyprus Volleyball Federation.

The volleyball team of APOEL won 11 championships (4 held by the Cypriot Local Committee for Sports and 7 held by the Cyprus Volleyball Federation) and 5 Cups. The 1980s was the most successful decade for the team, winning 6 Championships and 5 Cups between 1979 and 1985. Also, the decade of the 1990s was amazing for the youth teams of APOEL (U15, U17, U21) by winning 16 trophies in just 7 years.

Since then, the team had some good seasons with participation in 2003–04 CEV Top Teams Cup and 2004–05 CEV Cup, but without any title outcome. In the 2008–09 season APOEL relegated to the Second Division and suspended its activities due to financial difficulties. That was the first and only time which a team from APOEL multisport club was relegated.

In season 2012–13, the volleyball club of APOEL was reactivated and participated in the Cypriot Second Division. They became champions by winning all their league matches (15 wins out of 15 matches) and promoted to the Cypriot First Division for the 2013–14 season.

In 2018–19 APOEL has reached again to the top clubs of Cyprus by qualifying both to the cup final 4 and championship playoffs while finishing 3rd in the championship while almost reached playoffs finals although lost in the semifinals series with Pafiakos by 4-3 (Pafiakos started having a 2-0 handicap from the regular season)

In 2022-23 glorious days and memories of the golden era of the 1970s and 80s start arising again, while the team after a significantly successful year finished after 34 years in the 2nd place losing the championship in the playoff finals from Omonia

Current squad

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As of: 15 September 2022[3][4]

No. Player Position Age
1   Toms Vanags Outside hitter 32
2   Andrew Christou Libero 25
4   Konstantinos Efstathiou Universal 38
5   George Chrysostomou Middle blocker 34
6   Demetris Apostolou Outside hitter 38
8   Constantinos Petrou Outside hitter 32
9   Christos Antoniades Middle blocker 36
10   Markus Uuskari Opposite 25
11   Dmytro Shlomin Setter 33
15   Stylianos Vereis Setter 19
17   Pantelis Panteli Libero 37
18   Angelos Georgiou Outside hitter 18
19   Jovan Melka Head Coach 56
20   Michael Zacharia Assistant Coach 43

League positions

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Season Div. Pos.
1971–72 Div.1 1st
1972–73 Div.1 4th
1973–74 Div.1 4th
1974–75 Div.1 3rd
1975–76 Div.1 4th
1976–77 Div.1 4th
1977–78 Div.1 4th
 
Season Div. Pos.
1978–79 Div.1 1st
1979–80 Div.1 1st
1980–81 Div.1 1st
1981–82 Div.1 2nd
1982–83 Div.1 1st
1983–84 Div.1 1st
1984–85 Div.1 1st
 
Season Div. Pos.
1985–86 Div.1 2nd
1986–87 Div.1 2nd
1987–88 Div.1 2nd
1988–89 Div.1 2nd
1989–90 Div.1 3rd
1990–91 Div.1 8th
1991–92 Div.1 4th
 
Season Div. Pos.
1992–93 Div.1 5th
1993–94 Div.1 5th
1994–95 Div.1 9th
1995–96 Div.1 4th
1996–97 Div.1 4th
1997–98 Div.1 6th
1998–99 Div.1 5th
 
Season Div. Pos.
1999–00 Div.1 3rd
2000–01 Div.1 7th
2001–02 Div.1 4th
2002–03 Div.1 5th
2003–04 Div.1 5th
2004–05 Div.1 6th
2005–06 Div.1 8th
 
Season Div. Pos.
2006–07 Div.1 7th
2007–08 Div.1 6th
2008–09 Div.1 8th
2009–10 Team was
inactive
2010–11
2011–12
2012–13 Div.2 1st
 
Season Div. Pos.
2013–14 Div.1 7th
2014–15 Div.1 6th
2015–16 Div.1 7th
2016–17 Div.1 4th
2017–18 Div.1 5th
2018-19 Div.1 3rd
2019–20 Div.1 LNF
2020-21 Div.1 6th
2021-22 Div.1 6th
2022-23 Div.1 2nd

Honours

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Winners (11): 1953–54, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85
  • Cypriot Cup
Winners (5): 1978–79, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1984–85
  • Cypriot Second Division
Winners (1): 2012–13
  • Youth trophies (16):
U21: 3 Championships (1991–92, 1992–93, 1995–96)
0000 2 Cups (1994–95, 1995–96)
U18: 5 Championships (1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97)
U16: 6 Championships (1988–89, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96)

[2]

Women's team

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History

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APOEL women's volleyball team was formed in 1974. The women's team won their only title in 1977, when they managed to win AEL Limassol 3–2 in the season's Cup final. The team suspended its operation in 1990, due to financial problems.

League positions

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Season Div. Pos.
1977–78 Div.1 2nd
1978–79 Div.1 2nd
1979–80 Div.1 2nd
 
Season Div. Pos.
1980–81 Div.1 4th
1981–82 Div.1 4th
1982–83 Div.1 4th
 
Season Div. Pos.
1983–84 Div.1 2nd
1984–85 Div.1 2nd
1985–86 Div.1 2nd
 
Season Div. Pos.
1986–87 Div.1 2nd
1987–88 Div.1 2nd
1988–89 Div.1 3rd
 
Season Div. Pos.
1989–90 Div.1 6th

Honours

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  • Women's Cup
Winners (1): 1976–77

References

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  1. ^ ""Lefkotheo" Sport Center". Archived from the original on 30 May 2016. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  2. ^ a b ΤΑΥΤΟΤΗΤΑ (in Greek). apoel.com.cy. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  3. ^ Πρώτο σερβίς με Α.Ε Καραβά (Αναλυτικά το ρόστερ) (in Greek). APOEL. 21 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  4. ^ Πρωτάθλημα ΟΠΑΠ Α΄ Ανδρών 2016–17 (in Greek). volleyball.org.cy. 26 October 2016. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
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