Our Club opened its new arena in the morning, and in the afternoon gave the official start to the new season with a press conference.
Ahead of the 2025–2026 season, we held our press conference in our new arena in Kartal. Hosted by our Club President Faruk Eczacıbaşı, with the participation of our Club Vice President Erdal Karamercan, Team Manager Bilun Yılmaz, Eczacıbaşı Dynavit Head Coach Giulio Cesare Bregoli, and Team Captain Simge Aköz, statements were made about the new season.
Eczacıbaşı Sports Club President Faruk Eczacıbaşı:
“After a quarter century of effort, it is a great honor for us to meet you here in this hall today. Over the past 18 months, we have come here many times, witnessing the progress of the construction, trying to keep up with the excitement together. What we see today is the most concrete result of that effort and determination. Our new arena is not just a building; it is a home that carries our past, our memories, and our achievements, and on which we will build our future.
For us, Eczacıbaşı Sports Club is not only a sports club but also a tool for transformation and mission. Our aim is to establish a strong system extending from the academy to the first team, to reach more children, to spread qualified sports education, and to inspire thousands of young girls. Revealing women’s potential, and showing the power of courage and perseverance, is our greatest responsibility. We believe that our new arena will be a strong symbol of this vision.
The championships won by our youth teams last season, our young athletes who played in the national team, and our first-team players have made us proud. These successes show that our systematic work is progressing in the right direction. With our new squad this season, we will be on the court with discipline, resilience, and a culture of achieving together. Our goal is not only to win but to carry sustainable success one step further every season through a journey extending from the academy to the top level.
I also want to thank our sponsors who empower us. With their support, we are bringing women’s volleyball to wider audiences and making this sport more widespread in our country. Our new home in Kartal will not only be a sports facility but also a place for sharing, learning, and achieving together. I believe we will experience great successes together in the new season.”
Eczacıbaşı Sports Club Vice President Erdal Karamercan:
“Thank you all for coming. Meeting here today, in the arena we have dreamed of for years, is an indescribable pride for us. We searched for a suitable location in Istanbul for 6–7 years and faced many difficulties. In the end, we built this arena with our own efforts, without any external support. Today, we are experiencing the joy of having a hall that is 100% Eczacıbaşı’s and will serve us for many years.
Seeing our former players at the opening was especially emotional, because they laid the foundations for where Eczacıbaşı stands today. They carried the club through difficult times and created its culture and legacy. Championships come and go; what truly matters are the values we put forward and the people we raise. Today, many coaches and players in the Sultanlar League come from our academy, and this gives us great pride.
Our mission is to empower women through sports and help them take stronger roles in society. We became the first sports club in the world to be awarded by the International Olympic Committee in this field. Being crowned first place in ‘Women and Sport’ is not only a historic achievement for our country but also for world sports. In our new arena, we will continue under one roof, as one family, building a strong future together for both our academy and our first team.”
Eczacıbaşı Dynavit Head Coach Giulio Cesare Bregoli:
“First of all, I want to thank the board, the club, and everyone who gave me the opportunity to work here, to coach, to do my job in this arena, and to be part of such a great league like the Sultanlar League. I am truly proud to live in this extraordinary country, and even more so in this magnificent city.
I remember the first day I came to this arena. At that time, it was only a building, but it already felt like a team. Today, seeing this great achievement, I must thank everyone who contributed. There are many unseen people, often behind the scenes, who are the hidden heroes behind us. It’s just like a team or a coaching staff—without everyone’s support, there is no success.
In the end, I especially want to thank all the invisible heroes who work every morning, enabling us to do our jobs in the best way. Even though we may not always see them, they form the foundation of the path to success.”
Eczacıbaşı Dynavit Team Captain Simge Aköz:
“Being here with you today, in our new atmosphere, in our new arena, makes us very happy. We had the chance to experience the hall before you, and we saw that it was not only aesthetically beautiful but also designed with every detail that an athlete might need. For this athlete-centered approach, I thank the Eczacıbaşı family.
I believe that this season we will fill the courts with all our energy and create wonderful memories together. On behalf of myself and my teammates, our priority is to maintain unity and never lack fighting spirit on the court. We are in Kartal, in a new arena, and now part of a new environment. As strong women of Eczacıbaşı, being role models for young girls alongside world-class athletes carries a special responsibility for us. We are aware of this, and we will once again give our best to take volleyball to the highest levels.”
Eczacıbaşı Sports Club officially opened its newly completed sports hall in Kartal with a ceremony on the morning of October 1. Starting from the 2025–2026 season, the orange-and-whites will play all their matches—including Vodafone Sultanlar League and CEV Women’s Champions League—at their new facility, which stands out with a capacity of 4,000 spectators, modern architecture, and international standards.
Eczacıbaşı Sports Club is excited to welcome the 2025–26 volleyball season in its new home and invites its fans to share this excitement. Season tickets are available through Biletinial.
For the new season, Eczacıbaşı Dynavit has strengthened its squad with key transfers:
Outside hitters: Ebrar Karakurt, Meliha Diken
Middle blockers: Bengisu Aygün, Emily Maglio
Opposite hitter: Magdalena Stysiak
Setter: Dilay Özdemir
Eczacıbaşı Dynavit will host Kuzeyboru in the opening match of the 2025–2026 season on Sunday, October 12.
Players:
Tuna Aybüke Özel
Simge Aköz
Magdalena Stysiak
Dilay Özdemir
Sinead Jack-Kısal
Meliha Diken
Yaprak Erkek
Elif Şahin
Dana Rettke
Bengisu Aygün
Anna Nicoletti
Emily Maglio
Kathryn Boden
Ebrar Karakurt
Head Coach: Giulio Cesare Bregoli
Assistant Coaches: Gerardo Daglio, Kaan İncekara, Canberk Tekmen, Erman Güçin
Medical Staff: Daniela Selami, Kübra Güneş Doğan, Cihan Fidan, Ali Demircan, Tolga Aydoğ
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Rett Larson
Analysts: Mehmet Sönmez, Danilo Contario
Tigers faced Zeren Spor at home in the Vodafone Sultanlar League Play-Off 3rd Place Series – Game 1. The orange and white side secured a 3–1 victory with set scores of 25–10, 27–29, 25–21 and 25–19, gaining an important advantage in the series.
After finishing the Vodafone Sultanlar League regular season in fourth place, Tigers are set to take the court in the 3rd place play-off series. The orange and white side will host Zeren Spor in the first match and will play the second leg away on April 11. Tigers aim to take control of the series early and secure a crucial win.
