Who wore number 17 in volleyball?

Whether we’re talking about jersey numbers or using stats in sports arguments, numbers have and will always have a place in sports in a variety of different ways. Players are recognized by their numbers and they are part of a player’s legacy.

Maxim Mikhaylov

Maxim Mikhaylovich Mikhaylov is a Russian volleyball player, known as a member of the Russia men’s national volleyball team and Russian club VC Zenit-Kazan, gold medalist at the Olympic Games London 2012, silver medalist at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, bronze medalist at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008, gold medalist at the World Cup 2011, European Champion 2013 and 2017 and a multiple medalist of the World League.

Maxim Mikhaylov started playing volleyball in the Leningrad region under the guidance of Valery Besprozvannykh. From 2003 till 2010 he performed as an outside striker for Yaroslavich Yaroslavl, a team from Yaroslavl. In 2010 he moved to Zenit Kazan.

In 2008 Russia, including Mikhaylov, won the bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Mikhaylov helped propel Russia to a 10-1 record and the World Cup 2011 gold medal following Sunday’s five-set victory over silver medalist Poland. At the next Olympics, the 2012 Olympic Games in London, his team won gold. Mikhaylov was named best spiker and best scorer at the 2012 Olympics.

In September 2013 his national team beat Italy in the final of the European Championship (3–1) and achieved the gold medal. He missed the early rounds of the 2013 season due to a shoulder injury and most of the 2014 season due to injuries to both ankles, which required surgery. He played at the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Tokyo Olympics, winning a silver medal at the latter.

In 2010, Mikhaylov joined Zenit Kazan. With Zenit, he won the CEV Champions League in 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17 and 2017-18 and was bronze medalist in World Championship Club in 2011. Mikhaylov was voted MVP in the 2016–17 CEV Champions League finals.

Max Holt

Maxwell Philip Holt is an American volleyball player, known as a member of the United States men’s national volleyball team and Italian team, Gas Sales Piacenza. He is a bronze medalist of the Olympic Games (Rio 2016), gold medalist of the 2014 World League and 2015 World Cup, 2013 NORCECA Champion.

Holt was a member of the U.S. Junior Men’s National Team from 2005-2007. He played in the Four Nations Tournament in 2005, the NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championship in 2006, and the FIVB Volleyball Men’s U21 World Championship where the team took seventh. Holt joined the National Team in 2009, debuting in the Pan American Cup. In September 2013 USA, including Holt, won the NORCECA Championship. On July 20, 2014 he won the gold medal of World League 2014.

Pawel Zatorski

Paweł Zatorski is a Polish volleyball player, known as a member of the Poland men’s national volleyball team, participant at the Olympic Games (Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), World Champion (2014, 2018), 2012 World League winner, Champions League winner (2021), multiple-time Polish Champion (2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019). At the professional club level, he chose to play for Asseco Resovia.

Sergio Nogueira

Sérgio Luiz Seixas Francia Nogueira is a Brazilian male volleyball player. He competed at the 2012 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship with the Sada Cruzeiro club.

Ricardo Garcia

Ricardo Bermudez Garcia, known as Ricardinho, is a Brazilian volleyball player. He competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Ricardo is widely considered to be one of the best setters of all time, mainly for his ability to manipulate the opposing teams’ blockers and create easy hitting opportunities for his attackers. Along with Brazilian head coach Bernardo Rezende, Ricardo is credited with creating the fast-paced offense, including extremely quick back row attacks and fast-paced sets to all positions on the court. This offense has been adopted by all major international teams and is consistently used at the highest levels today.

Although Ricardo is widely considered one of the greatest setters, many experts have questioned his ‘natural athleticism’. Ricardo was not particularly quick on his feet, and was not able block at a height necessary of stopping opposing attackers. However, due to the skill level of the Brazilian team during Ricardo’s career, the team was able to create a defensive strategy in which Ricardo rarely blocked and was able to focus almost solely on setting.

Garcia was born in São Paulo. In 2004, he was part of the Brazilian team which won the gold medal in the Olympic tournament. He played all eight matches.

In 2007 he was dismissed from the team, reportedly because of contention with other team members. He rejoined the team for the 2012 Olympics in London where they won the silver medal.

Simona Gioli

Simona Gioli is a retired volleyball player from Italy. She is known for playing with Galatasaray in Turkey. Gioli was a member of the Women’s National Team that won the gold medal at the 2007 European Championship in Belgium and Luxembourg. Gioli was named “Most Valuable Player and “”Best Blocker” at the 2007 FIVB Women’s World Cup and 2009 FIVB Women’s World Grand Champions Cup. She was also awarded “MVP” at the 2006-07 CEV Cup won by her team Sirio Perugia. She won the 2007-08 CEV Indesit Champions League with Sirio Perugia and also was individually awarded “Most Valuable Player”.

Playing with Dynamo Moscow she won the silver medal at the 2008–09 CEV Indesit Champions League, and was awarded “Best Spiker”.

Neslihan Demir Güler

Neslihan Demir is a retired Turkish volleyball star. She is one of the most successful athletes of Turkey and has been among FIVB Heroes. She represented her country as the flag bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the official advertisement face of Turkey for the 2020 Summer Olympics candidateship along with basketballer Hedo Türkoğlu. She was a left-handed opposite hitter and won numerous individual awards in the international tournaments. She studied at Gazi University.

Neslihan Demir started playing volleyball at Eskişehir DSİ Bentspor in 1995. She played for Yeşilyurt, VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta, Spar Tenerife Marichal, Eczacıbaşı and Galatasaray during her career. She played hundreds of times for Turkish national team at all age levels.

At age 19, Demir was the leading player in the Turkish team that won silver medal at the 2003 European Championship in Turkey making her a star in her home country and in the volleyball scene. Her popularity increased immensely during 2003 World Cup where she was 2nd in Best Scorer and Best Server rankings. Owing to her powerful spikes and serves, she was nicknamed as Demir Leydi (The Iron Lady) which is a reference to her family name Demir.

Playing with VakıfBank Güneş Sigorta she won CEV Top Teams Cup and was named as MVP in 2004. Later, she was awarded Best Scorer in CEV Champions League in 2006. While playing for Tenerife, Demir took a break from volleyball to become a mother in 2007-08 season.

She was awarded Best Scorer at the 2006 World Championship and 2010 World Championship consecutively. She is the first volleyball player to achieve this feat.

Demir won two FIVB Club World Championship and a CEV Champions League championships with Eczacıbaşı. She won the Best Spiker award at the 2013-14 CEV Champions League.

She was awarded Sportsperson of the Year by Milliyet in 2006 and Volleyball Player of the Year by Sabah in 2003 and 2004. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she was chosen to be the flagbearer of her home country. She was named The Ultimate Volleyball Team Leader and honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at CEV European Volleyball Gala ceremonies in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

Demir was selected as FIVB Hero by FIVB in 2012. She was also selected for Roster 100 by FIVB as one of the 100 most influential volleyball players between 2010 and 2020, being one of the eight female opposite hitters in the selection.

Naz Aydemir Akyol

Naz Aydemir Akyol is a Turkish volleyball player, widely regarded as one of the best setters in international volleyball. She is known for playing as setter for Fenerbahçe and the Turkey women’s national volleyball team. She has won numerous Turkish League championships with Vakıfbank, Eczacıbaşı, and Fenerbahçe. She has multiple CEV Champions League championships, winning with Vakıfbank and Fenerbahçe. She also has multiple FIVB Club World Championships with Vakıfbank and Fenerbahçe. She participated at the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2020 Summer Olympics.