Iraklis Thessaloniki V.C.

Main article: G.S. Iraklis Thessaloniki

Iraklis Volley

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Full name	Iraklis Volleyball Club
Nickname	Γηραιός / Gireos (The Elder)
Founded	1921
Ground	Mikra National Gym (Capacity: 1,526)
Chairman	Ioannis Mesthaneus
Manager	Christos Patras
League	A1
2014-15	1st place in A2 (promoted)
Uniforms
Home Away

Active departments of GS Iraklis
Football	Basketball (Men's)	Basketball (Women's)
Volleyball	Waterpolo	Handball
Athletics	Swimming	Rugby
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Ice Hockey	Judo	Wrestling
Boxing	Fencing

Iraklis Volleyball Club (Greek: ΤΑΠ Γ.Σ. Ηρακλής), or Iraklis Volley, is a volleyball team based in Thessaloniki, Macedonia, Greece. It plays in A1 Greek Volleyball League. Founded in the 1920s, they evolved in one of the most successful departments of G.S. Iraklis multi-sports club and one of the best teams in Greece and Europe, as they have won 5 times the Greek league (2002, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2012) and reached 3 times (2005, 2006, 2009) the final of the CEV Champions League.

Men's Team

History

File:Iraklis volleyball european final fours map.jpg

The European final-fours of the team

Iraklis was one of the first Greek clubs which encouraged volleyball before the World War II. After the war, they were always among the top teams in Greece. The first National Championship was played in 1968 and Iraklis was also able to contribute to the National Teams with plenty of players. During the 70's, Iraklis participated twice in the championship finals, thanks to the contribution of Nikos Antoniadis, the greatest athlete in the history of volleyball in Greece. In 1987, 1989 and 1992 Iraklis made it to the European Cup and in 1997 came the outburst of the team.

Thanks to an organized effort, Iraklis played three consecutive Championship finals and finally won its first title -the Greek Cup- in 2000. Two years later, the team won both the Championship and the Cup titles, while finishing third in the CEV Champions League final-four held in Opole, Poland.

The next four years Iraklis dominated in Greece, confirming his superiority by winning one Championship (2005), three Greek Cups (2004, 2005, 2006) and two Greek Super Cups (2004, 2005), but mostly by participating in three more CEV Champions League final-fours. In 2004 in Belgorod, Russia, the team finished in the fourth place. Next year, the presence of world-class players such as Lloy Ball, Thomas Hoff and Clayton Stanley helped the team to reach the final-four which took place in Thessaloniki, Greece. Iraklis beat Lokomotiv Belgorod in the semi-final, but lost 1-3 to Tours VB in the final, despite the outstanding support by the fans. In 2006, Iraklis made it again to the final in Rome, Italy, to be beaten by Sisley Treviso 3-1. About 4,000 Iraklis fans traveled to Rome to support the team, creating fantastic atmosphere and setting a record for an away crowd in a volleyball game.

The following season marked the beginning of a transitional period. Many of the top players were released from the team, while the budget was cut in half. Even so, the team's dominance in Greece continued. In 2007, Iraklis finished third in regular season, but managed to win the Championship beating Olympiacos S.C. in the semi-finals and Panathinaikos VC in the finals, having both times a disadvantage. The next Championship (2007-08) had the same conclusion. Iraklis defeated Panathinaikos VC in the finals (without losing a single game) and were crowned Champions for the fourth time in their history.

Current Squad

Season 2015–2016

Shirt No	Nationality	Player	Birth Date	Height	Position
4	Greece	Stelios Pipergias	5/1/1985	1.89	Setter
5	Greece	Nikiforos Fotiadis	12/6/1997	1.94	Middle Blocker
6	Greece	Dimitris Chatsziiliadis	13/1/1987	1.97	Outside Hitter
7	Greece	Argiris Mavrovouniotis	22/9/1991	1.93	Outside Hitter
8	Greece	Thanos Papadimitriou	9/1/1985	1.89	Outside Hitter
9	Greece	Nikolaos Palentzas	6/4/1991	1.98	Opposite
10	Greece	Christos Stefanidis	18/1/1993	1.91	Outside Hitter
12	Greece	Kassandros Stiggas	29/11/1993	2.00	Middle Blocker
13	Greece	Chrisostomos Tsatsoulas	27/1/1997	1.93	Opposite
15	Greece	Theofilos Tsolakos	2/8/1991	1.96	Middle Blocker
16	Bulgaria	Chono Penchev	11/12/1994	2.00	Setter
20	Greece	Tasos Gatsis	14/3/1991	1.96	Middle Blocker

Technical and managerial staff

Job	Name
Head Coach	Christos Patras

Crest evolution

• Iraklisvolleylogo2010.gif

  Older

• Iraklisvolleylogo2015.jpg

  Current

Notable former players

• 

  Nikos Samaras

• 

  Plamen Konstantinov

• 

  Thomas Hoff

• Rolando Despaigne.png

  Rolando Jurquin Despaigne

• Matej Černič 4.jpg

  Matej Cernic

• Frantz Granvorka.jpg

  Frantz Granvorka

• Lloyballbra.jpg

  Lloy Ball

• Brook Billings.jpg

  Brook Billings

Belgium

• Frank Depestele

Belarus

• Olieg Achrem

Bulgaria

• Plamen Konstantinov

Cuba

• Freddy Brooks
• Joël Despaigne
• Ricardo Vante

France

• Frantz Granvorka

Germany

• Simon Tischer

Greece

• Nikos Antoniadis
• Theodoros Baev
• Theodoros Bozidis
• Akis Chatziantoniou
• Konstantinos Christofidelis
• Christos Dimitrakopoulos
• Marios Giourdas
• Chrysanthos Kyriazis
• Nikos Samaras
• Nikos Smaragdis
• Georgios Stefanou

Italy

• Matej Černič

Serbia

• Slobodan Boškan

Slovakia

• Andrej Kravárik

Sweden

• Marcus Nilsson

USA

• Lloy Ball (FIVB Hall of Fame)
• Brook Billings
• Thomas Hoff
• Clayton Stanley

Notable coaches

File:Gulinelli.jpg

Flavio Gulinelli

• Alekos Leonis
• Flavio Gulinelli
• Anders Kristiansson

Honours

• Greek Volleyball League
  • Winners (5): 2001-02, 2004-05, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2011-12
  • Runners-up (8): 1971, 1975, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2011
• Greek Cup
  • Winners (6): 1999-00, 2001-02, 2004-05, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2011-12
  • Runners-up (2): 2001, 2011
• Double
  • Winners (3): 2001-02, 2004-05, 2011-12
• Greek Super Cup
  • Winners (4) (record): 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008
  • Runners-up (2): 2000, 2006
• Greek Cup A1 Ethniki
  • Winners (1) (record): 1999
• CEV Champions League
  • Runners-up (3): 2004-05, 2005-06, 2008-09
  • Third place (1): 2001-02
  • Fourth place (1): 2003-04

Sponsorships

• Great Sponsor: Pame Stoixima
• Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Patrick (sportswear company)
• Official Broadcaster: Nova Sports

Women

Iraklis Volley

Full name	Iraklis Volleyball Club
Founded	1927
Ground	Katsaneio Indoor Hall (Capacity: 800)
Manager	Panagiotis Kalpakis
League	A1
2012-13	6th place in A1 (6th after regular season)
Uniforms
Home Away

Current Squad 2012/2013

Number	Name	Height (m)	Date of Birth	Position	Nationality
1	Labrini Konstantinidou	1,82	16/09/96	Setter	Greece
2	Chara Velliou	1,77	01/07/94	Opposite Hitter	Greece
4	Panagiota Damianidou	1,78	15/01/96	Outside Hitter	Greece
5	Evi Kiriakidou	1,88	27/07/81	Middle Blocker	Greece
6	Eleni Konstantinidou	1,81	18/04/92	Middle Blocker	Greece
7	Irene Kelesidou	1,75	16/05/91	Libero	Greece
8	Irene Michaliou	1,85	21/02/93	Middle Blocker	Greece
9	Olga Strantzali	1,85	12/01/96	Opposite Hitter	Greece
10	Georgia Tsoukari	1,76	01/01/93	Opposite Hitter	Greece
11	Nikoleta Karafoulidou	1,86	26/01/93	Middle Blocker	Greece
12	Evagelia Leonidaki	1,78	25/05/90	Opposite Hitter	Greece
14	Michaela Kravarik	1,77	14/09/97	Outside Hitter	Greece
17	Konstantina Bacharaki	1,93	23/02/90	Opposite Hitter	Greece
18	Marialena Artakianou	1,68	21/05/94	Libero	Greece
−	Simona Komnino	1,82	10/01/97	Outside Hitter	Greece
−	Efstathia Dimopoulou	1,77	01/01/96	Setter	Greece

  Captain

External links

Official Sites

• Iraklis VC - Official Site (Greek) (English)

Press

• Blue Arena (Greek)