Panathinaikos AC Women's Volleyball Team is a Greek volleyball team, part of the major Athens-based multi-sport club Panathinaikos A.O. The department was founded in 1969 and is the most successful women's volleyball team in Greece, in terms of Greek Championships won. They have won a record 27 Championships, 6 Cups, with 5 Doubles, while they hold the record for finishing undefeated the Championship 8 times (1971-1973, 1978, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2007). They also hold the record of 68 straight wins in the league including the play-offs.
In addition, they have reached the European Final Four a total of four times and the European final twice (2000 and 2009). The team currently plays in Maroussi Saint Thomas Indoor Hall.
In 2017, the club was relegated due to serious financial problems. They stayed inactive for the 2017–18 season.
Apart from the Greek players, who have traditionally been the backbone of Greece's national team, some European volleyball players that have played for the team include Ruxandra Dumitrescu, Brižitka Molnar, Tammy Mahon, Jelena Lozancic, Olga Tocko, María Fernández, Sanja Tomasević and others.
The club has retired the jersey number 9 in honour of the team's legendary captain Ruxandra Dumitrescu.
Contents
History
The women’s volleyball department of the Club was founded in 1926 and is a popular section of the “Shamrock.”
In 1946, it participated in the Central Championship. The coaches were Mike Stergiadis and Christos Svolopoulos, who trained at the court on Tsokha Street.
The first truly organized effort to form a solid team came in 1969, one year before the Hellenic Volleyball Federation was established.
The team’s first coach was Panathinaikos volleyball player Andreas Bergeles, who was later succeeded by Savvas Grozdanovits. The Yugoslav coach worked with the women’s team while simultaneously serving as the men’s team coach.
The team won the Central Championship outright in 1970 and were crowned Greek champions in 1971. The achievements of Panathinaikos and its players became widely recognized when, in the 1980–81 season, the team reached the Final Four of the Confederation Cup in Munich, finishing in 4th place.
In the 1994–95 season, the “Greens” advanced to the Final Four of the Cup Winners’ Cup in Münster, again finishing 4th. In the 1999–2000 season, they made history by competing in the Cup Winners’ Cup in Perugia against the local team.
Their most recent major success came during the 2008–09 season, when they took 2nd place in the Final Four of the Challenge Cup in Jesi, Italy.
In 2008, the women’s volleyball team of Panathinaikos achieved a streak of 55 consecutive wins and 77 consecutive home victories.
The club has won two Greek Championships (1991 and 2013) and three ESPAA Junior Championships (1990, 1991, and 2013).
The “fine girls” have also made great contributions to the Greek National Team. Players such as R. Pragaloudi, S. Angelaki, F. Malapetsa, K. Yaleniou, and E. Sfyri were part of the historic success of winning the bronze medal at the 1991 Mediterranean Games.
Honours
Domestic
Greek Championship (record): (27)
1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026
Greek Cup: (6)
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
Double: (6)
2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2022
European
CEV Cup Winners Cup
Runners-up (1): 2000
CEV Challenge Cup
Runners-up (2): 2009, 2026
Current women's volleyball squad
The following is the roster for the 2026–2027 season.
Selected former coaches
Sava Grozdanović
Andreas Bergeles
Nikos Bergeles
Soulis Toursougas
Jerzy Welz
Giannis Nikolakis
Dimitris Bahramis
Takis Floros
Historical performance in the league
Sponsorships
Official Sport Clothing Manufacturer: Adidas
Golden Sponsor: Pame Stoixima
Official sponsors: Hygeia Medical Center, Avance Car Rental, Land Rover Spanos Luxury Cars, Viva Fresh, Batteries.gr, Biosteel, LCG. Boukia kai syhorio.
Official Broadcaster: PAO TV